LEAFIS CAFE ASAGAYA

Plant-Based Sweets for You and Your Friends
[published January 2024]

Leafis Café, opened in November 2023, is part of a pet complex which consists of this human and pet friendly cafe, a vet, a trimming salon, dog training and a pet hotel. It is 15 minutes on foot or a 5 minutes’ bus ride north of Asagaya Station, and very close to Kojima pet store.

The cafe is noticeably bright, clean and comfortable. It provides a spacious, relaxing space where herbivores, omnivores, children or adults with allergies and their four-legged friends can spend quality time together over a cup of tea and sweets or a light bite.

The name ‘Leafis’ hints at leaves being a source of nourishment for plants, the earth and people. The cafe offers healthy sweets and light meals free from additives and white sugar. A lot of dishes and sweets are plant-based and gluten-free. Almost everything is made from scratch.

Their specialty is a range of sweets and food including fruit tarts and soba flour Galette developed by cooking specialist/patissier and also National Bimajo (ageless beauty) Contest finalist Ms. Shuko Morita.

It was after a while working with children and teaching how to make sweets that Morita-san noticed that many could not enjoy the treats because of dietary restrictions such as allergies or intolerances, and it became her passion to find ways for everyone to find joy in sweets. She aims to incorporate healthy ingredients wherever possible to make things not only tasty but also nourishing.

The drink menu includes organic coffee, soft drinks and teas from the Mighty Leaf whole leaf black and herbal range, which is vegan and kosher certified. The organic mint melange herbal tea can be offered for both humans and dogs to drink together! The dog’s portion is far more diluted.

Apart from sweets, there are two savory galettes made with buckwheat flour. The plant-based version is filled with sliced potato, mushrooms and onion in a delicious homemade bechamel sauce with pretty pink soy milk-mayonnaise coloring and beetroot. This is topped with leafy salad which has a light mustard dressing and delightful edible flowers. The non-plant-based version includes ham, free-range egg and cheese. There is a plan to start a lunch set in the coming months.

The sweets are a delightful feast for the eyes, taste buds and body. The tart has chia seeds mixed in the crust. Lovely soy milk-cream is dotted around on the plate. The pistachio and raspberry tart has a homemade raspberry jam layer covered in almond and pistachio and soy cream. The apple tart tastes as fabulous as it looks with moist ribbons of apple beautifully arranged in a rose design on top of homemade apple confiture and cream in a pastry case. Of course, they also make their own glaze with plant-derived ingredients for the glossy finish.

There are other sweets such as lemon tart and gateau chocolat which may not be fully plant-based so please check if you are vegan. The jam used in the tarts is also made from scratch to make sure that it is free from white sugar. You can feel a lot of tender loving care goes into everything here.

Sweets and drinks can also be bought to take out. There will also be a food and drink menu for dogs and in the near future. Leafis will also be launching bespoke cakes for dogs to suit each dog’s preferences!

There are a set of rules for dogs regarding hygiene, etiquette etc. As long as a dog can get through the door there is no size restriction.

With its large windows, bright airy interior and plants, you can enjoy beautifully crafted, high-quality plant-based sweets and food while watching the world go by at Leafis Cafe Asagaya. It is a welcome addition to the plant-based dining experience of Suginami, Tokyo.

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