I NEED CAFE ～ The pursuit of kawaii and deliciousness! A gluten-free café that delights both body and soul

I NEED CAFE, a cafe in Nishida, Kurashiki City, is striking for its white walls and blue door.

Owner Junko Shimizu opened the cafe because she wanted to “create a stylish, exciting place in Okayama Prefecture.” The cafe’s stylish interior is filled with gluten-free treats made with rice flour.

We visited I NEED CAFE, which opened in August 2023.

A charming, heartwarming interior

The cafe is in a detached house with striking white walls.
The muted blue door and windows add a splash of color, creating a charming exterior that catches your eye.

Inside, round lights and carefully selected furniture create a cozy space. It feels as if you’ve stepped into a secret cafe of your own.

Gluten-free sweets and drinks

The cafe serves gluten-free sweets and drinks, as well as curry and toast from its food menu. Everything is made with carefully selected ingredients and looks so delicious that it’s hard to choose.

During our visit, we ordered the popular strawberry cream soda and a plain muffin.

Perfectly balanced sweetness! Strawberry cream soda

A straw is already placed in the strawberry cream soda. The ice cream is set on top of the ice and held in place with the straw, which helps keep it from melting. It’s thoughtful of them to make sure the cream soda doesn’t fall apart.

The contrast between the two layers is beautiful, and simply looking at it is a delight.
The refreshing soda is poured over homemade strawberry sauce. Its fizzy freshness is pleasant, and the sweetness is just right.

The strawberry ice cream contains pieces of strawberry, adding a lovely sweet-and-tart accent.

Gluten-free sweets: rice flour muffins

The plain muffin made with rice flour is topped with cream and a cherry, on a not-too-sweet base.

I was surprised to find it was slightly warm when I took a bite. They say they warm each one to order so customers can enjoy it at its best.

The sweetness is just right, with a flavor you won’t tire of. Its plump, mushroom-shaped form is also said to be one reason it’s popular.

Other flavors include chocolate chip and banana, blueberry and cream cheese, and matcha and white chocolate. Without toppings, the muffin batter is made sweeter, giving each flavor its own distinct taste.

Every item on the menu, created with the owner’s care, is healthy, cute, and delicious.

We spoke with Junko Shimizu, who opened the cafe, about how it came to be and the care she puts into her products.

A dream fulfilled by an owner who loves cute things

Could you tell us how you came to open the cafe?

Shimizu (honorific omitted)

Before working in the food service industry, I lived in Osaka, and I returned to Okayama in 2019.

At the time, I thought it would be nice if Okayama had more stylish places that make you want to dress up and go out, or places that feel exciting.

I wasn’t set on opening a cafe. One day, I happened to drop into “Uno Machi Coffee Shop” in Tamano City, and I was amazed by how stylish the space was.

Through a fortunate connection, I started working at Uno Machi Coffee Shop. I was entrusted with training new staff and cooking, in addition to serving customers, and gradually began to dream of having a shop of my own.

After four and a half years of gaining experience and confidence, I opened I NEED CAFE in 2023.

Pursuing not just “cute,” but “delicious,” too

What did you have in mind when creating the cafe?

Shimizu

I chose the name “I NEED CAFE” with the hope that we could become one of the many things people need.

I’d be happy if we could be the first place that comes to mind when you want to eat something cute and delicious, or dress up and go somewhere for fun.

A trip to Korea seven years ago (in 2017) had a major influence on how I created the cafe. Korean cafes had so many things that were cute to look at and delicious, too, and I was amazed by their high standards.

I wanted to make things that never compromise on either appearance or taste.

All the sweets look delicious. Could you tell us about a product that’s especially meaningful to you?

Shimizu

The product I’m most attached to is the cheesecake.

I decided to make it without using heavy cream, but I couldn’t get the flavor or texture quite right.
The challenge was how to give it a smooth texture and richness.
I changed the proportions and ingredients, and tried cream cheese from various manufacturers.
After many rounds of testing, I finally arrived at the recipe we use today.

What we eat shapes our bodies and minds

Your cafe serves gluten-free sweets, correct?

Shimizu

I believe that what we eat has a significant effect on our bodies and minds.
I want customers to enjoy our food with peace of mind, so I choose ingredients that are as simple and good for the body as possible.

When I opened the cafe, I decided on three things:

• Use rice flour instead of wheat flour
• Use cane sugar or brown sugar instead of white sugar
• Use aluminum-free baking powder

There are challenges to making sweets with a limited range of ingredients.

But I want customers who come here to eat food that’s gentle on the body, and I want them to discover that simple things can be delicious, too.

What are some of the challenges of making gluten-free sweets?

Shimizu

Well, rice flour and wheat flour are completely different. Rice flour tends to make baked goods drier than wheat flour, and they can become hard as they cool.

For example, when making muffins, what I want to preserve is that light, fluffy, delicious texture when you take a bite. I adjusted the ingredients again and again until I achieved the texture I had in mind.

I also take care to prevent them from drying out during storage, and warm them slightly before serving.

What are your goals for the future?

Shimizu

I want to help make Okayama even livelier and give something back, even in a small way, to the people who have supported me and to our customers.

Of course, I want to make the cafe a wonderful place and keep creating delicious things, but I think there are many other things you can do when you have influence.

That’s why I believe it’s important to share what we do, so that more people both inside and outside the prefecture can learn about us.

In fact, our posts have brought people from outside the prefecture to the cafe. I hope that more people will discover the cafe and come visit, because that helps revitalize the whole town. I’d love for it to become the kind of place that makes people think, “I want to go to Kurashiki because I want to visit I NEED CAFE,” or “I want to go to Okayama.”

I think there will also be more ways for us to contribute to everyone and the local community.

There’s only so much I can do right now, but I’d like to gradually take steps to help make Okayama more vibrant.

From the Writer

Shimizu opened the cafe with the goal of “creating a stylish, exciting place in Okayama.”

As soon as I stepped inside, I was excited by the wonderful space, decorated with stylish interiors and goods.

Then, seeing the cute sweets in front of me sent my excitement soaring.
It was a day that reminded me once again of the power of a stylish space and cute, delicious sweets.

All of I NEED CAFE’s sweets are made with ingredients that are gentle on the body, so it’s nice to be able to enjoy them without feeling guilty.

I thought I’d like to come back next time with my children. I’m already looking forward to deciding what to order.

I NEED CAFE Information

Name	I NEED CAFE
Address	Nishida 227-1, 2F, Kurashiki City, Okayama Prefecture
Parking	Available Vacant lot beside the shop
Hours	12:00 p.m.–7:30 p.m. Last order at 6:30 p.m.
Closed	Irregular holidays Please check Instagram for business days.
Payment methods	Cash PayPay
Reservations	Accepted Reservations accepted via Instagram DM
Seating	Four tables seating two Three tables seating four
Smoking	Entirely non-smoking
Restroom	Western-style toilet
Families with children	Visitors may come with strollers.
Website	Instagram

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