There are two things I look for a in a cafe: good food and a relaxing ambiance. Charmant Gourmand offers both. Located in chic Aoyama, it’s one of my favorite cafes in Tokyo—whether I’m meeting a friend for tea or I want some alone time to focus on writing.
Luscious Flavors Await
Charmant Gourmand offers light meals and desserts. Their lunch selection includes seafood salad, roast beef sandwich and turkey & vegetable pie, all of which come with a drink of your choice.
While these are good and filling, what makes Charmant Gourmand a must-try are their delightful sweets. From gateaux to scones and tarts, they offer an array of mouthwatering treats that would entice any sweet tooth. If you’re a first-timer, I recommend getting their “Cafe Gourmand,” a platter featuring four of their bestsellers.
As a lover of lemon sweets, I cannot write this post without recommending their lemon tart. It’s simply divine.
These two dishes are part of their regular menu. They also have seasonal offers, which is why I make visiting the cafe and trying out different things a regular habit.
A Place to Unwind
Despite being close to vibrant Harajuku, the crowd at Charmant Gourmand is more relaxed and a little bit on the mature side. I consider this an important factor when I want to be on my own. After all, I had once made the mistake of dining solo at the popular Urth Cafe, only for the experience to be dampened by a loud conversation between teens in the next table, discussing, how to get boys’ attention with much desperation.
The interior of Charmant leans toward chic than warm and inviting, but it’s easy to get comfortable with the soft seats and the throw pillows. There’s no wifi or sockets to plug your devices into, so that limits the amount of work you can do. If you’re the type who likes to work at cafes, I’d recommend Charmant for light work only—something like a blog post or two in a span of two hours.
Shop
The first and second floors of the cafe are stocked with popular European brands: La Sablesienne, Laeckerli Huus, Amattler, Maison Bourgeon, and Benoit Chocolats. Personally, I think La Sablesienne’s tin boxes with cat designs make good gifts for feline-loving friends.
How to Get to Charmant Gourmand
Charmant Gourmand (シャルマン・グルマン 青山)
Google Maps
Business Hours: Open every day, 11:00-20:00 (Closes at 19:00 on Sundays and public holidays)
Official Website