• Gluten-free and Vegan cafe

Shochikuen cafe is a charming little spot in the Asakusa area that is a breezy 14 minute stroll from Asakusa Shrine.

As you draw closer to the cafe, you will be able to tell from the subtle shift in your surroundings; the bustling energy of busy streets gradually giving way to the hushed charm of quaint shophouses.

The unit is pretty small and tucked away, but the display stands by the road help you identify this unassuming little spot.

The cafe is fully gluten-free and vegan, hence suitable for coeliacs or anyone with egg or dairy allergies. The menu was pretty small, serving only a small a variety of cakes, pizzas and drinks.

Pictures from Google map reviews showed that they also sold burgers and buns, but those were unfortunately not available when I visited.

There was this cute hand-drawn poster of their rainbow cake in the shop. I’ve seen their cakes on multiple social media tags and was pleasantly surprised to learn that it is naturally coloured with natural ingredients such as beets, carrots, pumpkin, spinach, butterfly pea and sweet potato! Talk about healthy! 😍

For lunch, we ordered the Vegetable pizza, Sausage and Cheese pizza, blueberry and strawberry smoothie.

The smoothies tasted so good! They were not super thick or frozen, but instead leaning more towards a thinner consistency. Taste wise it was fantastic! Definitely quenched our thirst well after walking under the scorching sun in the afternoon.

For the pizzas, I must say that this has got to be one of the best pizzas I’ve eaten!

The dough is homemade using rice flour, and the crust was beautifully crispy, crunchy, and chewy at the same time! It was like that of mochi and it was really unique!

Together with the melted cheese and toppings, this unconventional freaky lil’ pizza has earned a next-level yummy spot in my books!

For dessert, the strawberry shortcake which I really wanted to try, was sadly out of stock 🥲 Hence we ordered the Mont Blanc cake.

Fortunately, this cake did not disappoint. The chestnut paste and cream was a harmonious blend of sweet elegance. The velvety chestnut puree and delicate fluffy cream was a delightful combination.

Definitely give this a whirl if you’re a lover of chestnuts.

SHOCHIKUEN CAFE

Address: 2 Chome-7-6 Nishiasakusa, Taito City, Tokyo 111-0035, Japan – Map

Website: sho-chiku-en.com