WGT & Caffe Michelangelo

Last month, I met up with a friend from Chiba, whom I hadn't seen in over a year. With both her children now in school, she had free time in the afternoons, & invited me out for lunch. We decided to meet up in Shibuya, so I chose the funky shop, Weekend Garage Tokyo, a 10 minute walk from the station, in Daikonyama.

This place was really cool! The food was great and cost under $10. Enjoy the pics!

Outside of the shop, simply known as "WGT":

They have picnic tables outside and open air tables for those who love the sunshine...^_^

The lovely and talented Ms. N, with our appetizers, consume soup:

The inside has a very Soho vibe -- designer chairs, concrete walls, funky art and an open kitchen.

Wall art:

Back projection screen played surfer flicks: 

View to the kitchen: 

My friend and I ordered the same thing from the lunch menu: chicken salad sandwiches. Big and brash, with a bold taste; in short this was one of the best sandwiches I had ever eaten.

 We were both excited to see lemonade on the menu, which is a rare thing in Japan, so we ordered one each. The drinks were the perfect mix of sweet and sour.

For a lunch place in Tokyo, the price was the biggest surprise: soup, salad, sandwich and one drink came to ¥980 or $9.80. Being able to eat a lunch set menu for under ¥1,000 is very rare in the big city. 

WGT is highly recommended! 

I had never been in the Daikanyama area, so I wanted to explore a little more. A student of mine recommended trying out this Italian cafe -- Caffe Michelangelo: 

The shop's open facade appeared like a restored Japanese house, updated to European tastes. 

This place is geared for chic ladies; tons of fashion magazines dominated the glass walls: 

After ordering, I asked the wait staff if I could take photos. The inside garden area was a personal favorite.

Those little cherubs seem to be saying: "Hey you! Books here! 

How about reading something instead of looking at your phone?"

Garden alcove with fountain. This area was both cool & quiet: 

Park benches:

I ordered a dessert set, which consisted of a tiny cake and pot of tea, setting me back (gulp) ¥1,250. ($12.50) This was place was more expensive than my earlier lunch!

Caffe Michelangeo has a great atmosphere, but the prices were a bit much for me. Starbucks regulars might be inclined to grab a coffee here, rather than at your local outlet, to enjoy the garden atmosphere and ambiance.

It's important to note that behind this cafe is a huge Tsutaya book store, which has a large selection of English books. Many people visit just to see the unique architecture of the building -- the theme being: a library in the woods. The winning design was selected from a pool of 80 entries and was won by Klein Dytham Architecture firm. You can check out more about the bookstore HERE.


~ Information ~ 

WGT (Weekend Garage Tokyo) is located near Shibuya station, in Tokyo. 

Address: 1-1 Grava Daikanyama, Daikanyama Shibuya, Tokyo, 150-0034
Website HERE.
Open: 11.30 ~ 24.00 

How to get there: Take the West Exit at Shibuya Station, near the bus/ taxi area. Cross over the walking bridge, following the train tracks for 10 minutes. The shop is on your right. Google walking directions are HERE. 


Caffe Michelangeo is open 11:00 ~ 22.30. Prices are ¥500 + table charge & taxes. Payment at the table. 

!! Note: This cafe does not handle separate bills, so if in a group, be prepared to split the bill, or whip our your calculators. 

Website is HERE.  Map & directions are HERE. You can walk from Daikonyama station or Nakameguro station (both Tokyu Toyoko line).