SAKIMOTO BAKERY AND CAFE || The Most Satisfying Hokkaido Milk Thick Toast Topped with Jam and Chestnut Paste
Picture yourself walking down a quiet side street. What would make you stop in your tracks?
For me, it was a sign that said “truffle croissants.” Who wouldn’t stop at that? My love of bread and baked goods predisposed me to be extra sensitive when it comes to bakeries everywhere I go. Not that this was just any bakery because this was Sakimoto Bakery. Known for their bread made with Hokkaido milk, the thick shokupan bread had bread lovers singing their praises years ago.
A magical slice of bread that will make all your worries go away—at least that’s what it did for me!
If you only have time to stop by, grab a croissant and a coffee from the ground level shops.
This location I happened to stumble across is located close to Namba City. The bakery for takeaway baked goods is located on the ground floor, with the standalone coffee roasting space directly across from it. If you head up the stairs, you’ll find a colourful hideout with a pink wooden swinging hair. On the right, the doorway to Sakimoto Bakery and Cafe beckons you to take a seat in the dining room brimming with greenery, from small potted plants to large thriving trees. We arrived quite early in the day, at 11:30, and there was just one table of customers. However, the entire cafe had filled up by noon, with everyone enjoying their pasta and thick toast.
A soothing environment surrounded by calming greenery where you can enjoy a satisfying lunch. What else does one need, really?
Here, you can enjoy lunch in generous portions for just 1500 yen. Do you fancy a four-cheese meat sauce pasta with a side of salad and a thick, fluffy slice of Sakimoto buttered toast? Or will it be French onion soup or a Japanese hamburger for lunch today? For me, it was a Shimeji mushroom pasta set that hit the spot. When in Japan, you should make it a point to savour as much Wafu Japanese pasta as you can. What is Wafu pasta? It’s pasta that blends the goodness of Italian pasta with Japanese ingredients, from shimeiji mushrooms to dashi broth and eggplant. Expect innovative flavours that’ll be a treat for your taste buds.
Shimeji mushrooms pasta lunch set with a thick slice of butter toast.
A Japanese hamburger lunch set that’s just the right size so you can save room for dessert.
Four Cheese Meat Pasta lunch set.
I had the seasonal mocha, a rich chocolatey drink topped with yet more chocolate bits. Having taken more than 12,000 to sometimes 20,000 steps per day, I felt I had enough exercise to indulge in a hot cup of mocha.
After clearing the entire lunch plate, I saved room in my second stomach to share a dessert toast. Think a thick, fluffy slice of Hokkaido milk bread with a dollop of jam in the middle, covered with a generous amount of chestnut paste, which is dispensed in layers upon layers at your table to cover the toast, then finished with a sprinkle of powdered sugar on top. Yum!
Even after we finished our meal, we wanted to linger in the space to take in the light-hearted chatter, soothing natural light and greenery surrounding us. Outside the cafe, we took photos on the pink swinging bench and with the various murals downstairs. It felt as though we weren’t in a hurry to move on to see tourist sights; an early afternoon spent laughing and playing with family is a sign of time well spent while on vacation.
Feature greenery wall in the cafe.
Hangout and take photos on the pink swing and with the murals at the complex before you take off for the day’s adventures.
