If you go to Harajuku, you have to check out the coffee shop "moo", a hidden gem in one of Harajuku’s many little side streets. It’s especially perfect when you want to rest during shopping or do some work while enjoying coffee and sweets. They have vegan and gluten-free options.
About moo
When approaching moo, you are greeted with a large terrace where you can enjoy your coffee and food on sunny days.
The inside is actually surprisingly spacious and I was pleased with how little customers there were. It was much quieter than most other cafés in Tokyo.
When you enter, you find the counter on the right side, featuring lots of delicious looking sweets like several kinds of cookies, cake and more.
They also offer hearty foods like focaccia, rice bowls, salad bowls and soups. Or even granola bowls for breakfast.
For coffee drinks, they have drip coffee, latte, americano and espresso. But you can also choose other drinks like chai, hojicha latte, chocolate or banana shake. They have soy and oat milk options which is great for vegans or people with lactose intolerance.
Source: moo's instagram story highlight
When I asked the staff for vegan food options, she told me that the banana bread and two kinds of cookies are free from animal derived ingredients and even checked the ingredients list just to be sure, which was really kind of her. She also know what the word vegan means which is rare in Japan. Apparently they are made with sesame oil instead of butter. If you are gluten-intolerant, they also have gluten-free options.
After I ordered and paid at the counter, they gave me a buzzer so that I can pick my order up once it is ready. However, probably because they weren’t very busy, they brought my drink and food directly to my table.
One thing that seems to be getting more and more widespread in Tokyo is cashless payment. At moo, too, you can pay by card only.
My Experience
I went to moo on a Saturday morning and was positively surprised with how little people there were, especially as it is a very hip café in crowded Harajuku. Because I was a little hungry already, I ordered a slice of banana bread and a cookie with hazelnuts and chocolate chunks inside, as well as a hojicha latte with soy milk, because it is kinda rare to find it with plant milk options at other cafés.
I really enjoyed the atmosphere there and I didn’t feel bad about sitting there for a long time working on a blog post. At small cafés I’m always a bit hesitant to do that.
Banana Bread
The banana bread was larger than expected which was great. It was very fluffy, and not so sweet. The first bite was a bit dry, but in the middle it was super moist. The banana bread had mainly a strong cinnamon flavor and only the after-taste tasted like banana. All in all, it was really delicious.
Hazelnut & Choco Cookie
The cookie had a super chewy texture and was nice and sweet. The hazelnuts added some crunch and the bitter chocolate chunks balanced out the sweetness. The cookie was also salted, which went very well with the sweetness and made it almost addicting! I definitely recommend it.
I didn’t try it, but the Double Chocolate Cinnamon cookie is vegan as well.
Soy Hojicha Latte
The hojicha latte had a nice deep mud-green color and was sweet. It wasn’t as creamy as the one I had a while back at Kawa Kitchen, but it was still good. I recommend stirring it frequently as the tea powder tends to collect at the bottom.
Price range:
400¥ - 1000¥
Hours:
09:00 - 18:00
Address:
Japan, 〒150-0001 Tokyo, Shibuya City, Jingumae, 3 Chome−21−17 1F
Instagram:
Check out my Kyoto Sightseeing x Vegan Food guides
