When you hear “lunch,” you might imagine that it’s only available at midday.
However, there’s a cafe in Tamashima where you can enjoy lunch outside of midday hours, too.
The cafe is called “Mark ole Cafe.”
Mark ole Cafe serves dishes made with seasonal and locally sourced ingredients.
Lunch is the main offering, but you can order the same menu at the same prices in the evening.
In this article, we’ll introduce what makes Mark ole Cafe special.
The information presented here was current when this article was published in June 2023. Please note that it may differ from the current information.
What is Mark ole Cafe?
Mark ole Cafe is about a 15-minute walk from the south exit of Shin-Kurashiki Station on the JR Sanyo Line.
It opened in 2009 after the current owners took over the business from an acquaintance.
Tenmaya department store is across the street, and it seems the two share a parking lot.
The parking lot can accommodate 60 cars, so you can feel at ease driving there.
The interior is spacious and open.
The decor is mainly brown, with paintings and a piano adding a stylish touch.
It felt more like a restaurant than a cafe.
It’s no surprise that many of the customers are women.
Cakes in the display case
As soon as you enter, you’ll notice the cakes in the display case.
There seemed to be many fruit-based cakes, such as strawberry and melon tarts and fruit sandwiches.
It’s nice to be able to buy fresh cakes at a cafe.
Apparently, some customers come in just to buy cakes.
All the cakes look delicious, so it’s hard to choose.
I love strawberries, so the strawberry tart made me want to try it.
Lunch menu
Looking at the menu, there’s a great selection of lunch options.
One of the top recommendations is the “W Plate Lunch.”
It’s a great-value lunch that comes with a main dish, dessert, and a drink.
Lunch is the main offering, but the same menu is available at the same prices in the evening, too.
Choose your main dish from the right-hand side of the menu page.
There was also a bouillabaisse lunch available in limited quantities, as well as a salad lunch for those who want a lighter meal.
I chose the loco moco plate, one of the most popular options on the W Plate Lunch menu.
The beautiful presentation makes it a treat for the eyes, too.
It’s nice to enjoy a variety of dishes in addition to salad and hamburger steak.
The 100% beef hamburger steak is very tender, and you can really taste the meat.
It was served with plenty of demi-glace sauce and a fried egg.
The fried egg was crispy on the outside, with a soft, runny yolk—a balance just to my liking.
There were also dishes such as tea soba, omelet, and hijiki seaweed salad.
Dessert after your meal
The meal comes with three kinds of dessert.
This dessert plate changes every month, apparently.
When I visited, it included mango pudding, yomogi (mugwort) chiffon cake, and white peach sorbet.
For an additional 200 yen, you can swap the chiffon cake for a cake from the display case.
The chiffon cake isn’t too sweet and is light and fluffy, so you can easily enjoy it even after lunch.
Mark ole Cafe is a place where you can enjoy a stylish lunch in a spacious setting.
The lunch made with seasonal Japanese vegetables is a feast for the eyes and leaves you feeling full.
We spoke with Hisamoto Yoriko, the general manager of Mark ole Cafe.
Mark ole Cafe details
| Name | Mark ole Cafe |
|---|---|
| Address | 1952-6 Tamashima, Kurashiki City |
| Contact | 086-523-5366 |
| Parking | Available 60 parking spaces *Shared with neighboring Tenmaya |
| Hours | 11:00 a.m.–6:00 p.m. (last order at 5:00 p.m.) |
| Closed | Tuesday |
| Payment methods |
|
| Reservations | Accepted |
| Seating | 60 seats |
| Smoking | Non-smoking (smoking permitted only in designated areas) |
| Restroom | Western-style toilet |
| Website | Mark ole Cafe | Official Instagram |
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