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Japan has so many amazing cafes so it’s always a challenge to narrow down our selections to visit just a few. They have everything from 3D coffee art cafes, Hello Kitty cafes, maid cafes, animal cafes, and the list goes on. The architecture of SunnyHills Cafe caught our eye on our last visit to Japan and it is a renowned Japanese cafe that specializes in pineapple cakes.

There are a couple of SunnyHills Cafe locations in Tokyo and the one we visited was the one located at Minami-Aoyama. It is famous for using high-quality ingredients, including fresh pineapples from Taiwan to create their signature pineapple cake. 

We visited on a weekday afternoon and there was already a line of guests waiting on the first floor to be seated upstairs. While we waited to be seated, we browsed their small gift shop where you can purchase their popular pineapple cakes and banana waffle cookies as a souvenir.

Dessert & Tea

We were seated after about fifteen minutes, which surprisingly went by fast. At SunnyHills Cafe, as soon as you are seated, your server will present you with a cup of tea and dessert. The menu is predetermined, so the service is very fast. The turnaround of guests is swift since there is no menu or refills. 

We were hoping to taste their famous pineapple cake, but we were served a banana waffle cookie on the day of our visit. When we opened the rectangle-shaped packaging, we were delighted to see that the waffle cookie had creases in it similar to a puzzle. 

The puzzle pieces were of a monkey and another animal, which weren’t quite sure what it was. The banana waffle cookies were so unique and adorable that we didn’t feel like we missed out on the pineapple cake.

When you break apart the waffle cookie, the monkey piece can be perfectly placed to hang off of your tea cup much like a monkey dangling from a tree in a forest. They basically had us playing with our treats, which was a fun little way to enjoy our tea time.

The waffle cookies were tasty and a bit tricky to break apart without it crumbling to pieces. You can definitely taste the banana and the waffle had just the right amount of crunch. Once we were finished playing and eating our cookies, we headed upstairs to the third floor.

Mesmerizing Architecture

The third floor is a reserved space and is also where we found information about the amazing architecture. It was designed by Kengo Kuma, who also designed the famous Starbucks Reserve Roastery in Tokyo. The intricate interlacing of the wood is a traditional method used in Japanese wooden architecture. 

The building is located in the middle of a residential area and really stands out from its surrounding buildings. The cafe has a soft and subtle vibe and it’s best to visit on a sunny day to get the full experience of the sunlight trickling in through the foliage.

Even if you don’t need to use the bathroom, we recommend checking it out. There are two different bathroom stalls and one of them has a very unique sink. Candy was so intrigued by the design that she had Crystal come and take a look at it as well. 

After being amazed by the bathroom sink, we headed back downstairs to pay for our tea and cookie. We were surprised to find that it was completely free. Anyone that comes to SunnHills Cafe can indulge in the complimentary goodies. How cool is that?!? It’s apparently what they do at their cafe in Taiwan and it’s part of their culture, so they wanted to do the same thing in Japan.

Final Thoughts

The menu offerings may vary on the day of your visit, so we recommend checking out their official website for the most up-to-date information.

Since the offerings are just a tasting, we were still hungry when we left. Luckily, just a few blocks down was an adorable cafe called Cafe Kitsune. We ordered coffee, sandwiches, and dessert. Additionally, we purchased a matcha fox cookie to take home with us for later. It’s hard to resist food in Japan!

SUNNYHILLS MINAMI AOYAMA (MAP)
3 Chome-10-20 Minamiaoyama
Minato, Tokyo 107-0062

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