cafe L’Arche

Tucked away on the 4th floor of an old apartment building located along the Hankyu rail tracks is the stylish ‘cafe l’Arche’ . L’arche opened it’s doors in 2017 and was previously located in the Kitano area, in 2020 it moves to it current location near Hanakuma station and opened on 12 December 2020.

The cafe is run by a friendly young guy and the name Arche, is derived from the French word for ark, and it represents a cozy and welcoming environment where people of all ages and backgrounds can enjoy themselves.

L’arche can be accessed by climbing steep narrow steps (no elevator access) to the 4th floor where you will see the nameplate on the wall. The door on the left takes you inside the cafe. The shop is relatively small and has a industrial design style interior with a predominantly concrete interior and wooden furniture, which adds texture to the space. There are two small two-person tables as well as three counter seats in the back along the windows and five more counter seats along the kitchen counter that allow you to watch the staff prepare the food in front of you. The windows in the back and behind the kitchen give you a panoramic view over the neighborhood as well as the train track next to the café. It also allows natural light to enter the space and give it a warm atmosphere as well as provide good lighting for photographing the wonderful food.

Cafe L’arche is a crêpe specialty shop and offers a season crepe (e.g. baked apple and peanut butter crepe) or a customizable crepe that comes standard as two crepes made with homemade butter and organic sugar. An additional crepe will cost +100 yen. From there you can choose from various toppings including cinnamon, honey, maple syrup, lemon, chocolate sauce, homemade caramel sauce or golden syrup, for free. For an additional 100 yen per topping you can choose from the following: whip cream, homemade custard, vanilla ice, peanut butter or Nutella cream. If you can’t choose, you can always ask the owner for the chefs recommendation.

In addition to their delicious crepes, the café also offers a savory galette made with egg, cheese, and ham. Baked tomatoes can be added for an additional 100 yen. For dessert, there’s a choice of creme brulee, vanilla ice cream, or affogato. To wash it all down, the café offers a variety of beverages, including coffee, cafe latte (600 yen), cafe mocha, espresso, tea, chai, cocoa, apple juice, cream soda, and even craft beer.

Once your order is placed, the food and drinks are carefully prepared. If you’re fortunate enough to snag a seat at the kitchen counter, you can watch as the food and drinks are crafted right in front of you. Please also take a moment to enjoy the tableware as that uses lovely ceramics from the Arabia brand.

Cafe L’Arche is a wonderful cafe with a delightful atmosphere that offers high-quality crepes made by friendly and attentive staff. It’s one of our top recommendations for cafes in the Kobe area.