A good salad is surprisingly hard to find in Tokyo. They tend to fall into two camps – bland but healthy, or laden with so much fattening dressing you might as well eat a burger. Thank the stars then for the light, creative salads offered by Franze & Evans, which opened in Omotesando earlier this year. This deli-style café is an import from Shoreditch in east London – and happily the hip vibe has survived the trip intact. F&E comes into its own at lunchtimes with its range of 15 fresh and innovative salads. A highlight is the red and golden roasted beets with radicchio, fennel and a combination of goat’s cheese, crispy kale and edamame. There’s a set lunch menu to help out the indecisive: get one of three salads plus the soup of the day and a drink for ¥1,380. Or get two salads and a hot dish – the arancini balls (stuffed rice balls coated with breadcrumbs) are a solid bet – with soup and a drink for ¥1,580.
Reward yourself for such health-conscious eating with a trip to the dessert counter. The largely British and Antipodean treats include pavlova (a meringue cake topped with fruit) and sweet, crunchy Anzac biscuits, as well as decadent red velvet cupcakes and a classic Victoria sponge. Take-away is an option if you’re struggling for space. Open seven days a week, with breakfast served until 11.30am – don’t miss the wickedly delicious brioche French toast with sautéed banana and crispy bacon – Franze & Evans looks set to be a popular addition to the Omotesando food scene.