Cafe Gusto near Izu-Kogen Station offers a streamlined, fast-casual dining experience with decent food, incredible value, and a dash of tech-forward charm. While not a showcase of Japanese culinary brilliance, it’s clean, efficient, budget-friendly, and delivers far more than expected. Great for travelers seeking a quick, filling bite. 4/5

Full Review:

Sometimes, simplicity wins the day. And Cafe Gusto (ガスト 伊豆高原店), tucked just a short walk from Izu-Kogen Station, delivers exactly that: a clean, practical, no-nonsense dining experience that doesn’t pretend to be something it’s not—yet still manages to charm.

Let’s be clear. This isn’t a destination for culinary epiphanies or inspired regional dishes. It’s a family-style chain, proudly basic, with a futuristic bent. You seat yourself, order via a tabletop tablet (with multiple language options), and your food is delivered by a robot that glides smoothly across the restaurant floor—equal parts novelty and convenience. The efficiency continues right to the end with a self-service kiosk where you settle your bill. It’s Japan’s affinity for streamlined hospitality in full display.

Now, about the food. While it won’t win Michelin stars, it offers surprising value and portion size, which is more than many budget travelers or hungry hikers can ask for. A lunch set, priced at a mere 1060 yen (tax included), gives you three entrée items from a list of about 30, plus unlimited soup and soft drinks. That’s a small miracle in today’s inflation-fueled global dining scene.

We opted for a shareable ~2000 yen combo featuring a savory pizza and an appetizer platter loaded with variety: fries, mini sausages, crispy shrimp tempura, egg rolls, croquettes, corn, and hash browns. While each item may lean slightly into the "processed" zone, they were hot, well-prepared, and frankly quite satisfying—especially with expectations set appropriately.

To cap things off, we indulged in a seasonal dessert—a deconstructed mille-feuille infused with chestnut and chocolate. And here's where Cafe Gusto surprises again: the presentation was downright elegant. Imagine:

Layers of golden, delicate wafers, flaky and crisp

Whipped cream and dark chocolate ganache nestled between each layer

A medley of seasonal fruits that refresh the palate

And at the center, a beautiful swirl of chestnut cream, rich and earthy, topped with a drizzle of glossy chocolate sauce

While this dessert leaned sweeter and heavier than my personal taste, I can absolutely understand the appeal. It showed genuine thought, care, and an attempt at elevating the humble chain dessert.

Is it perfect? No. The flavors are tame, the ingredients are basic, and this won’t convert any skeptics of fast casual dining. But if you come knowing what it is—a dependable, tech-savvy, inexpensive diner with a few delightful surprises up its sleeve—you’re bound to leave satisfied.

In a country bursting with culinary gems, Cafe Gusto doesn’t try to compete—it carves out its own lane. And in that lane, it does a rather good job.

Final Verdict: 4/5 – Come for convenience, stay for the price, and leave pleasantly full.