ESPRIT NAGOYA — Restaurant in Nagoya

Upscale urban and brick cafe with the most delectable spread of pastries. Let me cut to the chase and start with the Brioche French Toast.. It is so absurdly soft that each bite doesn't feel bready, it just melts away into a tender eggy goodness that is almost custardy. The soft cheese (mascarpone?) adds a salted-butter layer and the maple syrup, while unnecessary, is perfect if you want to add a touch of sweet. I would happily eat this most mornings and quickly get fat. It is absolutely worth any waiting you do while they make it to order.

Oh and the coffee is pretty good too!

And while the Kuign-amann wasn't crispy-flaky all the way through, you can tasty the delicious sweetness soaking through all of them and you can get your crunch from the table-top thick caramel capping it all. This is larger than expected and quite simply delicious.

The staff here is wonderful, and friendly, if busy, so here are a couple of tips for you if you've not been here before. You get everything at the front, not only the pastries, but all your made to order coffee and food items. Also, this is one of those cash-only places Japan used to love so much--so make sure you bring a good bit of it because you'll want to order more than you should! The views are beautiful and they play a variety of...

I had an odd experience here that I’ve never had at any restaurant. I ordered extra food with the intent of taking home to eat later. At the end of the meal I paid and asked for a box. The staff said “no, there’s no takeout”. I had ordered a whole extra sandwich with the intent of taking home and it was sitting on the table still. I wasn’t sure I understood correctly so I asked again and they said no. So I ended up wrapping my sandwich in napkins, putting it in my coat pockets to take home. I was very annoyed honestly. I paid for the food. I am not leaving it here for no reason. Very odd.

Food: tasty Service: good besides denying me a box to take my food with me Atmosphere: a nice open atmosphere...

The shop is located in the Nagoya CBD, a prime location for a bakery-style café offering a Western-style breakfast. I was really looking forward to visiting. Unfortunately, upon arrival, the staff blocked the entry and did not acknowledge us in the morning.:( I waited at the counter, but the staff ignored us and walked away. Despite its appealing appearance, the staff's behavior completely ruined my first visit, and I will not be returning. The scrambled eggs were overly salty, the salad leaves were of poor quality, and the coffee...