Omotesando: An Area with Elegance 

PIXTA

Omotesando is the area between Shibuya and Harajuku, and it's a sightseeing area where luxury brands and stylish cafes line the street. During the week, it's often filled with employees off work or taking breaks, but on the weekends it gets very lively with families and tourists. There are many restaurants where you can have lunch. These spots are recommended by people who spend a lot of time in Omotesando, broken up by whether they're north or south of Aoyama-dori! 

Northern Area 

1. Elle café

The Elle café is, as you can assume from the name, a cafe created by the famous fashion magazine, ELLE. This cafe has the motto of "food meant to make you more beautiful and shining both body and mind in a healthy way," so they offer a variety of types of dishes, including gluten-free, vegan, low-carb, and diet-friendly. The Free-Range Egg Benedict (shown on left) uses eggs full of nutrition from free-range chickens, and is also gluten-free! The pancakes on the left are Gluten-Free Pancakes, and are made with organic rice flour. Since it's topped with yogurt, you can scarf the whole dish down without feeling heavy!

Elle café's Smoothie Bonbon (1,800 yen) are especially popular! The Strawberry Smoothie Bonbon uses an entire pack of strawberries! The fruit used are all seasonal, so you'll want to stop by each season to try them. On the weekends or holidays, a line forms of people wanting to get a smoothie and take pictures for social media. If you want to avoid the line, head for the cafe on a weekday after lunch!

 

[About Elle café]

Opening Hours: Weekdays: 9:00 AM～11:00 PM／Weekends and holidays: 8:00 AM～11:00 PM

Closed: Open 365 days a year

Access: 3 minutes from Omotesando Station's B2 exit

Address: 5-51-8, 1-2F Jingumae, Shibuya-ku, Tokyo (Google Map)

HP: ellecafe.jp (Japanese Only)

2. MERCER CAFE TERRACE HOUSE

MERCER CAFE TERRACE HOUSE is on the top floor of a designer building in Omotesando. The shop feels airy thanks to the wall of glass, and you can have an elegant lunch while bathing in sunlight here! 

Their lunch menu has more than 5 options on it, including the Seafood Cream Croquette (1,300 yen) and the Daily Pasta Special (1,200 yen), so you can have a stylish lunch for around 1,000 yen!

Their dessert menu is also highly recommended! If you order dessert with your lunch, you can get a 200 yen discount off of the regular price. This is the Vanilla Chiboust, which is top class in both looks and taste and is a rare dessert that you won't see in most other cafes. During dinner, you can enjoy the sight of the nearby Saint Grace Cathedral all lit up! The terrace seats are particularly nice. Why not enjoy the elegant atmosphere of MERCER CAFE TERRACE HOUSE? 

 

[About MERCER CAFE TERRACE HOUSE]

Opening Hours: Lunch：11:30 AM～4:00 PM／Dinner：5:00 PM～11:30 PM

Closed: Open 365 days a year

Access: 2 minutes from Omotesando Station's B2 exit 

Address: Urban Terrace Aoyama 4F, 5-50-3 Jingumae, Shibuya-ku, Tokyo (Google Map)　

HP: www.merceroffice.com (Japanese Only)

3. PARIYA 

PARIYA often has a long line of women waiting during lunch. You pick what you want to eat from the show window, and you can pick and choose from 4-5 daily specials for your main, salad, and side! They have white rice, brown rice, and a weekly special rice, and the menu is changed every Monday. If you eat-in, the prices are 1,140 yen for a White Rice Set, 1,200 yen for a Brown Rice Set, and starting at 1,200 yen for a Weekly Special Set, but if you get a take-out bento box, then it's actually slightly cheaper at 970 yen for a White Rice Set (and starting at 970 yen for a Brown Rice/Weekly Special Set)! If you're eating in, then between 11:30 AM and 5:00 PM, you can enjoy the drink bar!

This restaurant's famous gelato is just 210 yen for a single scoop after lunch! There are a wide variety of delicious flavors and it's gorgeous for photos! It's perfect for summer.

[About PARIYA]

Opening Hours: Mondays to Saturdays：11:30 AM～11:00 PM／Sundays and Holidays：11:30 AM～10:00 PM

Closed: Open 365 days a year

Access: 2 minutes away from Omotesando Station's B2 exit

Address: 3-12-14 Kita-Aoyama, Minato-ku, Tokyo  (Google Map)

HP: www.pariya.jp (Japanese Only)

4. CITY SHOP NOODLE 

CITY SHOP NOODLE is a new noodle shop opened by the owner of PARIYA. They offer a variety of noodles, including original kale noodles developed in collaboration with Hoeido Seimenjo in Kamakura and gluten-free noodles made with brown rice, soy beans, and konnyaku (konjac yam), and you can match it with various toppings and seasonings. Being able to make your original lunch is this restaurant's biggest charm!

There are two types of plates: Customize Noodle and 2 Deli Plate (starting at 1,400 yen) and the Customize Noodle and 3 Deli Plate (starting at 1,600 yen). The side dishes (called "deli") are lined up at a big counter, and you tell the staff what you'd like to choose. During lunch (11:30 AM to 5:00 PM), it comes with coffee or that day's tea. You can enjoy a healthy lunch that's easy on the eyes as well!

[About CITY SHOP NOODLE]

Opening Hours: Lunch：11:30 AM～5:00 PM／Dinner：5:00 PM～10:00PM

Closed: Open 365 days a year

Access: 3 minutes from Omotesando Station's B2 exit 

Address: 5-51-8 1F, Jingumae, Shibuya-ku, Tokyo  (Google Map)

HP: cityshop.tokyo/noodle (Japanese Only)

5. REVIVE KITCHEN THREE 

This is a cafe managed by a Japanese cosmetics brand called THREE. Since the brand is an organic brand, they only use domestic, organic ingredients in their food as well. They have both special dishes and drinks made with natural ingredients from all around the country. You can enjoy their cold-pressed juice which is full of nutrition.

They have a gluten-free menu such as Today's Gluten-Free Pancake (1,500 yen) and Today's Gluten-Free Pasta (1,500 yen). They also have a luxurious lunch plate called the Revive Lunch Plate (2,000 yen) that comes with soup, a main dish, side, and dessert. All of these sets come with a small cold-pressed juice!

While lunch is between 11:30 AM and 3:00 PM, they have a breakfast service from 8:00 AM to 11:30 AM, and you can enjoy sweets and dinner between 3:00 PM and 10:00 PM. This is the Raw Cheesecake (850 yen) that falls under the raw food diet, a diet which is good for health and beauty and practiced by many celebrities overseas. You can become even more beautiful even while eating a delicious dessert!

 

[About REVIVE KITCHEN THREE]

Opening Hours: Monday - Fridays：8:00 AM～10:00 PM／Saturdays：10:00 AM～10:00 PM／Sundays and Holidays：10:00 AM～8:00 PM

Closed: Every 2nd and 4th Tuesday of the month, New Year's holidays 

Access: 3 minutes from Omotesando Station's B2 exit

Address: 3-12 Kita-Aoyama, Shibuya-ku, Tokyo (Google Map)

HP:  aoyama.threecosmetics.com (Japanese Only)

6. THE BURGER STAND FELLOWS 

 

This is a cute shop in an alley off of Omotesando that serves voluminous hamburgers. Both the facade and interior are stylish, so you'll definitely want to take photos!

The hamburgers are just as great as the restaurant's atmosphere! In order to use the ingredients in their best condition, they grind the meat daily and grill the patty only when orders come in. The Cheeseburger (1,100 yen) is particularly popular, with an aromatic baked bun that goes well with the patty and fresh lettuce and tomato. All of the hamburgers come with coleslaw and thick French fries. If you don't think you'll be satisfied with a cafe lunch and want to eat something filling, definitely check out THE BURGER STAND FELLOWS.

 

[About THE BURGER STAND FELLOWS]

Opening Hours: Tuesday to Saturday：11:30 AM～4:00 PM、6:00 PM～10:00 PM／Sundays：11:30 AM～7:00 PM

Closed: Mondays

Access: 4 minutes from Omotesando Station's B2 exit 

Address: 3-8-11 Kita-Aoyama, Minato-ku, Tokyo  (Google Map)

HP:  www.fellows-burger.com (Japanese Only)

 

Southern Area

7. Nicolai Bergmann NOMU 

Do you know who Nicolai Bergmann is? He's a Danish flower artist that came to Japan in 1999 to polish his skills, and here in Minami-Aoyama, he became a world-famous flower artist! The flower boxes are his most famous work, and created a huge trend within Japan!

Nicolai Bergmann NOMU is a cafe attached to his main shop that is popular, especially with women. The cafe becomes filled with women during weekday lunch breaks! The interior is full of colorful flowers that will make you think you're in a flower shop. 

Beneath the clear tabletops are seasonal flowers arranged in different ways. You'll definitely want to take photos and post them on your social media! The Bagel Plate (1,300 yen) comes with a fresh salad, and the Orange Mango Grapefruit Fresh Juice (650 yen) is mixed using fresh fruits when the order comes in. They also have a cafe time with various kinds of cakes, like this Strawberry Tart (600 yen)!

[About Nicolai Bergmann NOMU]

Opening Hours: 10:00 AM～8:00 PM

Closed: Open unless otherwise specified

Access: 4 minutes from Omotesando Station's B3 exit 

Address: 5-7-2 Minami-Aoyama, Minato-ku, Tokyo  (Google Map)

HP: www.nicolaibergmann.com/en

HP: www.nicolaibergmann.com (Japanese)

8. Clinton St. Baking Company & Restaurant 

Clinton St. Baking Company & Restaurant is a restaurant with a stylish red facade on Kotto-dori. It's a casual restaurant from New York, and the only other branch in Japan is in Nagoya! 

You should definitely try the Pancake With Maple Butter (1,600 yen), a set of three pancakes with three toppings to choose from: blueberries, bananas and walnuts, or chocolate. The blueberries have a lovely sourness that go well with the gentle sweetness of the maple butter. 

If you want to try all three toppings, it would be best to go in a group and share amongst everyone. A shot of all three pancakes together would definitely be photogenic! They also have other types of dishes, like Eggs Benedict (1,700 yen) and their Cheeseburger (1,600 yen), so you can enjoy your meal no matter what time you go!

 

[About Clinton St. Baking Company & Restaurant]

Opening Hours: Mondays to Fridays：9:00 AM～9:00 PM／Weekends：8:00 AM～9:00 PM

Closed: Open unless otherwise specified

Access: 5 minutes from Omotesando Station's exit B3

Address: 5-17-1 Minami-Aoyama, Minato-ku, Tokyo (Google Map)

HP: clintonstreetbaking.co.jp (Japanese Only)

9. COUTUME 

This restaurant is right to the left when you walk down Kotto-dori, and is easily spotted by its white interior and airy terrace. You can enjoy galettes for lunch here, a rare treat in Japan.

The Galette Bouquet (1,280 yen) is one of their most famous meals thanks to the cute bouquet shape it's served in, and is made with roasted salmon, rape blossoms, and orange slices wrapped in a galette. For those that want to eat a lot, check out the Assiette Gourmande (1,580 yen),

They have many drinks perfect for summer. This Botanical Fruits Smoothie (980 yen) is made with coconut milk and banana, and also has espresso jelly and chia seeds, as well as two entire pink grapefruits! It's definitely packed full! Why not stop by when you're talking a walk around Omotesando?

 

[About COUTUME]

Opening Hours: 7:30 AM～9:30 PM

Closed: Open unless otherwise specified 

Access: 3 minutes from Omotesando Station's B3 exit

Address: 5-9-15 1F, Minami-Aoyama, Minato-ku, Tokyo  (Google Map)

HP: coutume.jp (Japanese Only)

 

The Omotesando area is full of stylish cafes, but these 9 are particularly popular with people who are sensitive to current trends! Why not have lunch in Omotesando, Japan's trendiest area, on your way back from sightseeing in Shibuya or Harajuku?