Casse-Noisette

In Kyoto’s Nakagyo Ward, just a 5-minute walk from Marutamachi Station on the Karasuma Line, you’ll find the newly opened ‘Casse-Noisette’ instagram.com/casse_noisette_cafe café. This charming establishment, which opened its doors in March 2024, features a café on the first floor and serves as a gallery and workshop space on the second floor, all managed by a wonderfully friendly and talkative lady.

The name “Casse-Noisette” comes from the French word for Nutcracker. While in France, the owner saw a Nutcracker in a shop window and was captivated by the idea and the sound of “casse noisette,” so she chose it as the name for her store. Interestingly, the previous tenant used to be a cane shop and some canes made by cane makers have handles shaped like the face of a nutcracker, which also inspired the shop’s name. Although she had a confectionery qualification and had been making sweets as a hobby, she had no experience in the restaurant industry. To prepare, she trained in France for a while before opening her shop.

All the fixtures in the shop originally belonged to the owner. She wanted the space to be filled with her belongings, so she meticulously decided on everything from the furniture placement to the wall colors creating a dimly lit elegant interior. The building previously housed a bar, and during the renovation, stripping down the walls revealed a beautiful deep cyan-colored brick wall as well as a stylish rock wall in the restroom which the owner kept unchanged, adding to the elegance of to the interior.

The menu is simple yet delightful, featuring a quiche plate, a daily tart, or a daily flan, along with an assortment of sweets available for purchase from the display case next to the kitchen. Beverage options include espresso, coffee, iced coffee, cappuccino, tea, orange juice, and sparkling water.

Casse-Noisette is a stylish gem with a cozy interior and a very friendly, talkative owner who serves delicious sweets and quiche, making for an enjoyable visit. A visit is highly recommended.