Hey Everyone! I know I have been posting a lot about Sakura (cherry blossom) lately and I promise this is the last post about that (I think). However, I am sure you will love to read this because while I was in Japan I visited the Starbucks Reserve Roastery in Tokyo. As you may have seen on social media this location is unlike any other Starbucks and they carry seasonal items you can only find here. As you may know, I do enjoy going to Starbucks for secret menu drinks and limited items, so this was a no-brainer! I had to try some and do a review while also showing you what you can expect when visiting this location along with a mini-review of another Starbucks drink I have only seen in Japan. You can read below for all the details and pictures, but before you do please consider following on social media (Tiktok, Instagram, and Facebook) as it will be greatly appreciated plus you can see other cool things you can do and eat in Japan! See below for a visual teaser!
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Klook.comLocation
The exact location is 2 Chome-19-23 Aobadai, Meguro City, Tokyo 153-0042, Japan. I took a bus here from Shibuya and it wasn’t bad. I don’t remember seeing many places to park so recommend taking transit or a taxi to get here.
In terms, of the actual space, it is massive with numerous floors including a rooftop patio with a great view. They also have some really cool displays you can take photos of and photos with. They also have a lower level for nice washrooms as well. There are several seating options available but it can get busy so I highly recommend you go early.
Pricing
In terms of pricing, I find it similar (maybe a bit cheaper) to how it is in North America but keep in mind Starbucks Reserve has more and exclusive options, especially this Tokyo location as it is 1/6 in the world and offers exclusive Japanese options. This is something that people (like myself) anticipate when visiting because their seasonal menu items can only be purchased here. You can see it in the picture above and for reference ¥1000 is approximately $10 CAD. For souvenirs and gift items, I’ll share prices in that section below. For food, I believe the Torta Sakura was ¥800, Cornetti Sakura was ¥490, Cupola Sakura ¥430, and brioche ¥330.
Taste
I got here first in the morning and I tried several items to fill me up for the day I had. The main purpose of visiting was to try the Sakura items. Unfortunately, because I was feeling sick I couldn’t try the cold drink items but I still enjoyed everything.
In terms of food, I tried a few things, starting with the Cornetti Sakura (croissant) which was really good. I found it a little sweet but really liked the flakiness and sweet cream/custard inside. The brioche wasn’t bad but a little plain especially if you compare it to the cornetti but keep in mind that cornetti has so much for sweet ingredients and decorations. It was also cool to see that you can see people in the back actually baking which already proves this is a more premium Starbucks experience. I also tried the Torta Sakura (cake) and Cupola Sakura (croissant-type cake) which were both really good. Solid texture and a decent amount of sweetness. I will say these are both pretty filling together.
Something I needed was the Sakura Allure Hot Tea since that warmth and heat definitely helped soothe my throat but what I didn’t expect was the beautiful scent that enhanced the experience of drinking this tea. Another Sakura hot drink I tried was the Sakura Jasmine Soy Latte. The latte had the milky (soy) texture you expect with a nice comforting warmth with every sip. I really liked the artwork as well when you got it in the cup. Keep in mind the takeout cups are not all that special and for some drinks, you can’t get it to go. I got the Sakura snow blossom to go and it wasn’t bad at all, you can taste a bit of the amazake but mainly the tea and juice. The main thing I want to point out was that it did have a strong aftertaste.
Gift Shop / Souvenirs
If you’re looking for a nice and unique souvenir I highly recommend considering getting something from here. They have a lot of unique items such as stationary, candy, rusk, mugs, and more. I usually get a souvenir mug or shot glass from the country I visit on vacation so I got a beautiful glass Tokyo Sakura mug (forgot how much) and a small pen that says Starbucks Reserve Tokyo on it for ¥300.
My parents really like eating rusk with their morning tea and they also liked the pineapple candy from Kualoa Ranch so when I saw that they had an exclusive rusk and pineapple candy (¥750) I did get it for them. You can also purchase the Sakura Allure tea for ¥2,917 but it is not in packets it is grounded in one bag.
Klook.comService
Overall the service was pretty good they had some really nice people. You can see it in the video that for some drinks like the matcha ice cream one there is a special presentation so I recommend when ordering and waiting for your food you keep an eye out. Another thing I found a little interesting and a bit off was that you couldn’t buy items or take items from different floors to other ones. You needed to buy the items whether it be a gift shop item or food item, it had to be purchased at that level only.
Bonus Mini Review
On the second last day, I felt much better so I ended up trying the Starbucks Melon Frappuccino from one of the Starbucks in Ginza, Tokyo (on my way to see the biggest Uniqlo store in the world) and it was really good. The taste and texture reminded me of the Melona Ice Cream (but melted). The price wasn’t bad either because it was ¥687.
Overall
All in all, I am happy to have been able to check out the Tokyo Starbucks Reserve Roastery as they had some great options and I really liked the space and vibe. I do recommend you visit if you have the chance even if it’s not during Sakura season as there are going to be a lot of decent options, nice souvenirs, good service, and space to eat. I do hope they can make it available for people to purchase multiple things across floors in the future but that’s just my preference. Have you been here? Do you plan on going? Let me know your thoughts in the comments below or via social media by following on Tiktok, Instagram, and Facebook! Also, make sure to follow on social media and the blog for even more Japan travel content coming soon!
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