Did you know there’s a shop decorated with wisteria flowers along Kurashiki Chuodori, which runs south from JR Kurashiki Station?
It’s Cafe Cascade, a cafe decorated with wisteria inside and out.
The cafe is in a great location, opposite Kurashiki City Central Library, behind the Bikan Historical Area, and within walking distance of JR Kurashiki Station.
Its wisteria-filled exterior and interior are bright and striking.
Curious about what kind of place it is? Let us introduce Cascade in detail.
The information presented here was accurate when this article was published in March 2022. Please note that it may differ from current information.
A shop decorated with wisteria
As you walk along Kurashiki Chuodori, Cafe Cascade (hereafter, Cascade) stands out from the surrounding shops.
Cascade is a cafe operated by the Nishikiya Group, which runs a bridal business.
Cafe LINES, which was operated by Nishikiya, closed in July 2021 to relocate, and Cascade opened as a new “sister shop of LINES.”
The walls are covered with artificial wisteria.
Wondering why wisteria? Here’s why!
Wisteria is the official flower of Kurashiki City.
Doesn’t the combination of wisteria and a traditional Japanese-style building give it a distinctly Kurashiki feel?
Now, you’re probably curious about the interior, too. Let’s go inside.
The interior is unified in white and gray tones so the wisteria flowers stand out in vivid color.
Even more wisteria than outside cascades down from the ceiling and walls like a waterfall.
The wisteria comes in a range of colors: deep purple, lavender, pink, and white. Different areas feature different colors.
Anyone who loves a photogenic spot will probably be thrilled as soon as they step inside.
I’m sure I’m not the only one who feels the urge to take photos of everything, everywhere.
The cafe has counter seats, sofa seats, and a long table in the center.
It looks like a comfortable place to visit alone or with a group.
Cascade’s menu
Cascade’s menu can be broadly divided into two categories: food and desserts.
Food menu
| Menu | À la carte | With drink | With dessert |
|---|---|---|---|
| Japanese-style meal | 1,500 yen | 1,700 yen | — |
| Western-style meal | 1,500 yen | 1,700 yen | — |
| Vegan curry | 1,250 yen | 1,450 yen | 1,700 yen |
The lunch plates, served from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., come in two varieties: Japanese-style and Western-style. Each is limited to 10 servings.
Vegan curry is served during cafe hours.
Dessert menu
▼Desserts served during cafe hours.
| Menu | Price (excluding tax) |
|---|---|
| Assorted baked sweets | 550 yen |
| Homemade gateau chocolat | 600 yen |
| Cake set (dessert with coffee or tea) | 1,000 yen |
▼Here are the desserts served from 2 p.m. to 7 p.m.
| Menu | À la carte | With drink |
|---|---|---|
| French toast | 800 yen | 1,150 yen |
| Plain waffle | 800 yen | 1,150 yen |
| Ricotta cheese pancakes | 900 yen | 1,228 yen |
With both meals and desserts available, it’s a good choice for lunch or a cafe visit.
Recommended menu items
As I looked over the menu wondering what to eat, everything looked tempting… so hard to choose!
When in doubt, it’s best to ask what they recommend!
I asked the staff for their recommendations, and they suggested three items.
“Vegan curry, French toast, and ricotta cheese pancakes.”
After hearing that, I wanted to try them all, so I sampled all three dishes over two days!
Vegan curry
Veganism is a form of strict vegetarianism that avoids animal-based foods such as meat, fish, eggs, and dairy products, and consists only of plant-based foods.
In other words, vegan curry contains no meat.
Here’s a look at what Cascade’s vegan curry is like.
▼The curry sauce and dressing are served separately
You can choose from three kinds of dressing:
- Carrot dressing
- Black vinegar and onion dressing
- Japanese-style sesame and soy sauce dressing
I poured dressing over not only the leafy salad, but also the vegetables scattered around the plate.
The carrot dressing was so full of carrots it was thick.
The vinegar had a good kick and left me feeling refreshed.
I poured the curry sauce over the flower-shaped rice.
It’s fun to pour it yourself.
The curry had a sweetness from plenty of tomatoes and onions.
The sauce is slowly simmered in a broth made with more than 10 kinds of vegetables. It’s well-seasoned with spices, but not spicy. It’s closer to a smooth, thin consistency than a thick one, and has a refreshing mouthfeel.
I enjoyed the little pops of texture from the multigrain rice and finished it in no time.
For an additional 200 yen, you can add a drink to the vegan curry; for 450 yen more, you can get a drink and a vegan dessert.
The vegan dessert seems to vary, and on the day I ordered, it was fruit punch.
Soda water and colorful fruit.
A refreshing, fizzy dessert.
French Toast
French toast topped with strawberries, oranges, pineapple, and other fruit.
Served with vanilla ice cream.
The fluffy, soft French toast is on the sweeter side.
Look closely and you’ll spot a heart-shaped strawberry!
The little touches that make it “cute” are so detailed.
“Binchotan charcoal-roasted coffee goes perfectly with the French toast,” the staff member recommended, so I decided to have it with coffee.
Roasted over binchotan charcoal, the charcoal-roasted coffee is characterized by its deep, rich aroma and full-bodied flavor.
It pairs perfectly with desserts that are satisfyingly sweet.
Ricotta Cheese Pancakes
Fluffy ricotta cheese pancakes.
Ricotta is a mild, light-tasting cheese.
You can’t tell from the smell alone that there’s cheese in the pancakes, but the richness comes from the ricotta.
Ricotta cheese pancakes will deflate over time, so be careful.
We recommend eating them as soon as they’re served. Keep photo-taking time short.
They’re not too sweet and have a fluffy, soufflé-like texture, making them light and easy to polish off.
A Relaxing Moment Beneath the Wisteria
With wisteria flowers decorating both its exterior and interior, every seat at Cascade makes for a great photo.
The atmosphere is exceptional, and simply being in the cafe is soothing.
Whether you spend time here alone, share a moving experience with someone, or stop by to recharge, it’s a lovely place to visit.
Cascade can be enjoyed in many different ways. We spoke with its producer, Omoto Makiko.
Cafe Cascade Information
| Name | Cafe Cascade |
|---|---|
| Address | 1-6-1 Chuo, Kurashiki City, Okayama Prefecture |
| Contact | 086-454-8455 |
| Parking | None |
| Hours | 10:00 a.m.–7:00 p.m. |
| Closed | Mondays |
| Payment methods |
|
| Reservations | Available Reservations recommended for food menu items |
| Seating | 25 seats ・Tables: 4 ・Counter seats: 3 |
| Smoking | Entirely non-smoking |
| Restroom | Public restroom |
| Website | Cafe Cascade |
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