Local Guide
5 Riverside Cafes to Enjoy Tokyo's Waterside

The Sumida River and other rivers, as well as the moat around the Imperial Palace, offer abundant waterfront space in central Tokyo. Many cafes and restaurants are located along the riverside, offering a relaxing and open space. In this issue, we introduce riverside cafes that are easy to stop by between strolls in Asakusa, Ginza, and Marunouchi.

Enjoy carefully crafted Western cuisine and a variety of cakes

Today's Quiche (weekday lunch)
Today's Quiche (weekday lunch)" 1,210 yen. Includes soup, salad, bread, and coffee or tea.

This cafe is located along the Sumida River in Asakusa. Located in a building with impressive European-style lampposts and gateways, it is a relaxing place to spend time away from the hustle and bustle of the downtown area. Food items include popular quiche, gratin, pasta, hashed rice, and other Western-style dishes that convey the care with which they are handmade. The cakes are specially made by "Patisserie d'Aprelle" located in the same building, and there are nearly 20 varieties to choose from. The tea selection is also well known, allowing customers to enjoy an elegant tea time.

Overlooking the Sumida River with a view of Tokyo's old and new attractions

Located near Azuma Bridge over the Sumida River, you can enjoy the unobstructed view as you wish.
Located near Azuma Bridge over the Sumida River, you can enjoy the unobstructed view as you wish.

The cafes are located on the 2nd and 3rd floors of a building, and all seats boast a river view. The Sumida River spreads across the windows, and from the seats near the windows, you can see the Tokyo Sky Tree® and the unique bridges over the river. The boats passing by on the river also accentuate the scenery and make you feel that time is passing peacefully, which is another reason for the cozy atmosphere. When the weather is nice, the windows are open all the way and you can enjoy the open-air feeling of the restaurant. On weekends and holidays, there is often a line out the door, so reservations are recommended.

CAFE MEURSAULT
  • address (e.g. of house) 2-1-5 Kaminarimon, Taito-ku, Tokyo Nakamura Bldg. 2 and 3F MAP
  • Direction Approx. 1 min. walk from Asakusa Sta. on the Subway Ginza Line and Toei Asakusa Line
  • Business Hours 11:00-22:00 (Food L.O. 21:00, Cakes and drinks L.O. 21:30)
  • Closed Closed on weekends and holidays
  • TEL 03-3843-8008
  • Parking None

Bistro cuisine using seasonal ingredients to your heart's content

Market Salad Lunch
Market Salad Lunch" 1,200 yen. Includes focaccia with bamboo charcoal, milk bread and soup.

This café-restaurant is located in MIRROR, a Property complex on the riverside in Kuramae. The cuisine is mainly casual bistro dishes prepared by a chef trained at famous French and Italian restaurants, and you can also enjoy meat dishes grilled over charcoal. For lunch, the restaurant offers a lineup of dishes that use plenty of vegetables, such as homemade hamburger steak (limited to 20 servings), pasta, and salad plates. During café hours, you can enjoy sweets made by the restaurant's resident patissier.

Be impressed by the unobstructed view of the sky

Window seats on the third floor offer a view of the Sumida River and Tokyo Sky Tree® at the same time.
Window seats on the third floor offer a view of the Sumida River and Tokyo Sky Tree® at the same time.

As the Spanish names Cielo and Rio mean "sky" and "river," respectively, the restaurant overlooks the Tokyo Sky Tree® and the Sumida River, and the third floor in particular has full glass windows on the river side, offering a panoramic view of the sky, river, and cityscape. The first floor, which was originally a warehouse, has loft seating with high ceilings and terrace seating with a view of the Tokyo Sky Tree®, making it an attractive choice for any occasion. The dusk and night views are also beautiful and provide a peaceful and relaxing time.

Cielo y Rio
  • address (e.g. of house) MIRROR 1 and 3F, 2-15-5 Kuramae, Taito-ku, Tokyo MAP
  • Direction 2 min. walk from Kuramae Station on the Toei Oedo Line, 5 min. walk from Kuramae Station on the Toei Asakusa Line
  • Business Hours 11:30-22:00 (L.O.21:00), Sat. 11:00-23:00 (L.O.21:00)
    Sun. and holidays 11:00-22:00 (L.O.21:00)
  • Closed No holidays
  • TEL 050-3503-8121
  • Parking None

Bread made with carefully selected ingredients that are gentle on the body and that you will want to eat every day

From the front,
From the front, "Croissant" 300 yen and "Yoshida Farm's Camembert" 480 yen

A small bakery & coffee stand renovated from a printing factory in Hatchobori. Breads made with domestic wheat and home-cultivated fermented seeds include croissants with plenty of fermented butter, long-aged baguettes, sourdough bread, and other daily breads that you will never get tired of eating. Bread made with cheese from Yoshida Farm in Okayama is also popular and makes a perfect accompaniment to wine. There is also a tempting assortment of snack breads such as French toast and sandwiches that combine bread and ingredients in fun combinations.

Eat-in freshly baked bread on the terrace known only to those in the know

Counter seats on the terrace facing the Kamejima River. The view is unparalleled with a sense of openness.
Counter seats on the terrace facing the Kamejima River. The view is unparalleled with a sense of openness.

The Kamejima River, which flows just in front of the terrace, is a short 1 km river connecting the Nihonbashi River and the Sumida River, and is like an urban oasis. Counter seating allows you to enjoy the comfort of the waterfront. Eat-in use is by one drink only, and you can enjoy coffee, organic tea, lattes made with rich milk from Yoshida Farm in Okayama, sugar-free chai, and more. We also recommend the Baguette Brunch Set, which appears around 9:00 a.m. when baguettes are baked.

Cawaii Bread & Coffee
  • address (e.g. of house) T&Y Building 1F, 2-30-16 Hatchobori, Chuo-ku, Tokyo MAP
  • Direction 1 minute walk from Hatchobori Station on the Subway Hibiya Line
  • Business Hours 8:00-15:00
  • Regular holiday Mon. and Tue.
  • TEL 03-3523-5040
  • Parking None

Enjoy Neapolitan-style pizza and wine

The restaurant offers a wide variety of about 15 types of pizza, including the
The restaurant offers a wide variety of about 15 types of pizza, including the "Marinara" (pictured at 1,470 yen). Wine by the glass from 660 yen

Floating on the outer moat near Iidabashi Station, this restaurant was established in 1918 as Tokyo's first boatyard, and has been a landmark of Iidabashi for 25 years as a Restaurant. The signature menu item is pizza baked in a wood-fired oven. The dough is made from a blend of special pizza flour and Italian and Japanese mozzarella cheese. The chewy texture of this addictive dish is sure to please. In addition, you can enjoy other Italian-based dishes such as handmade pasta and charcoal-grilled dishes using seasonal ingredients.

An oasis on the water where you can enjoy barbecues and boating

Terrace seating with a leisurely view over the water. Cherry blossom viewing is also possible in spring.
Terrace seating with a leisurely view over the water. Cherry blossom viewing is also possible in spring.

The restaurant is spacious, with seating for 150 both inside and on the terrace, and the waterside seats lined with parasols create a resort-like atmosphere. In spring, the moat is lined with cherry blossom trees, and the flower rafts floating on the surface of the water are full of flavor. A self-service café and bar on the deck side offers a casual taste of the Restaurant's menu, and from mid-March to November, barbecues are available by reservation only. A boat launch is also available, making this a relaxing spot where you can casually enjoy the outdoors in the heart of the city.

CANAL CAFE
  • address (e.g. of house) 1-9 Kagurazaka, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo MAP
  • Direction 1 min. walk from Subway Tozai Line/Yurakucho Iidabashi Station, 2 min. walk from JR Iidabashi Station
  • Business Hours 11:30-22:00, Sun. and holidays-21:30
  • Closed Closed on weekends and holidays
  • TEL Phone: +81-3-3260-8068
  • Parking None

A roastery café with a variety of bean varieties to choose from

Matcha green tea gateau chocolat with vanilla ice cream: 520 yen, Cafe Latte: 540 yen and up
Matcha green tea gateau chocolat with vanilla ice cream: 520 yen, Cafe Latte: 540 yen and up

A specialty coffee shop from Hakata, Fukuoka, led by a barista champion. The Suidobashi branch, which opened in 2019 as Tokyo's first street-front store, offers coffee and espresso made with beans roasted in-house, as well as sweets made by the shop's resident patissier. You can always choose from around 10 types of coffee beans, and only a specialty store can suggest beans that suit your tastes. Light meals such as toast, hot dogs, and sandwiches are also available.

Morning breakfast is a popular way to start the day with a cup of delicious coffee.

Located at the foot of the Shin-Misaki Bridge over the Kanda River, the restaurant offers a view of the river.
Located at the foot of the Shin-Misaki Bridge over the Kanda River, the restaurant offers a view of the river.

Surrounded by large windows, the store is a pleasant space filled with natural light. There are also many counter seats, so you can spend time alone without hesitation. The Kanda River that runs in front of the restaurant was originally built as the outer moat of Edo Castle, and the area along the river is dotted with historical spots. The deep moat, a remnant of those days, can be seen from inside the restaurant. On weekdays from 7:30 to 10:00 a.m., coffee and light meals can be enjoyed at morning prices, making it a convenient location to stop by before a stroll.

REC COFFEE Suidobashi
  • address (e.g. of house) 3-10-1 Kanda Misaki-cho, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo MAP
  • Direction 2 minutes walk from JR Suidobashi Station
  • Business Hours 7:30-20:00, 9:00-19:00 on Saturdays, Sundays, and holidays
  • Closed No holidays
  • TEL 03-6910-0977
  • Parking None
The information in this article is current as of the date of the update. Please check before visiting as they are subject to change.