Avanti

Set along a quiet residential street in Sakuradai, Nerima Ward, kissaten Avanti offers an unpretentious, comfortable setting to unwind over casual Western-style yoshoku fare and sandwiches. Anyone browsing the light meal selection will quickly notice the intriguing name "American Denver," a dish well worth ordering. This toasted sandwich features a hearty omelet filled with shrimp, onion, green bell pepper, and mushrooms, displaying the thoughtful, scratch-made cooking typical of a traditional neighborhood cafe.

The midday lunch lineup is equally varied, spanning retro cafe standards like spaghetti Napolitan, meat sauce, and mushroom pasta to a seafood soup pasta prepared with white sauce. Diners can match their appetite to other staples as well, including savory shrimp pilaf, a set of two onigiri rice balls, or a ham and tomato sandwich. Lunch plates can be accompanied by a small salad along with coffee or tea, making for an easy, satisfying midday pause.

The beverage roster is handled with equal care, pouring house blends and lighter American-style brews alongside single-origin beans such as Toarco Toraja, Kilimanjaro, Mandheling, and Blue Mountain. For dessert, options including a gently flavored kuromitsu kinako (black sugar syrup and toasted soy flour) roll cake, chestnut cake, and rare cheesecake can all be ordered as a cake set with freshly brewed coffee. From thick-cut toast in the morning to an afternoon sweet, it serves as a dependable neighborhood stop for an easygoing weekday break.