Dog friendly, Instagrammable, inorganic cafe in Kawagoe City.
One month ago today, Cafe Magnolia opened in Kawagoe City. In just one month it has garnered quite a following on Instagram and is all over Tiktok! No doubt, the Instagrammable cheese cake, the piece de resistance of the cafe, has played a large part in its social media popularity. Furthermore, the dog friendliness is definitely appealing to dog owners. Moreover, it is an “inorganic” cafe. No, not a typo! More on the “Inorganic” trend below.
Cafe Magnolia
Cafe Magnolia opened on May 26th 2023. It is located opposite the locally popular Yuyu Land hot spring, which is in Sanko Hotel. Everything on the menu is quite photogenic, but the cheese cake – pictured above – is probably the most photographed thing on the menu! The drinks are very colorful. The one in the photo above is a seasonal “hydrangea” drink. Frankly, it wasn’t to my taste, but that was an order fail on my part. The cheese cake, in my humble opinion, was delicious.
The Cheese Cake
The cheesecake is made with high-concentration fresh cream from Hokkaido. It is creamy on the outside and is supposed to melt in your mouth with the smooth texture. It comes with maple syrup in a little jar you can pour over the cake, as in the Instagram reel above. You can also see how it looks like a cube of white dango! Hence, its catching the eye of influencers. If you eat it without the syrup it has a refreshing taste somewhat like yogurt. Adding the syrup gives it a sweet flavor. ⚠There is only a limited number of cheesecake each day – first come, first served!
Inorganic Cafe
“Inorganic Cafes” started trending with Gen Zers around a year or two ago. In Japanese; “無機質カフェ” which translates to inorganic cafe, which I think is a case of Lost in Translation! It reminds me of Industrial Minimalism. In Japan, the characteristic of inorganic cafes is a stylish interior, often with bare concrete walls and stainless steel desks and chairs. It contrasts a “cold” space with relaxation. In Cafe Magnolia the interior is striking in its simplicity. They use a lot of mirrors which creates a light, depth and openness… and also makes for some cool photo ops!
Information
Cafe: Cafe Brews Magnolia カフェマグノリア
Address: 〒350-0043 Saitama, Kawagoe, Shintomicho, 1 Chome−６−11 １０１. View on Google Maps.
Hours: 11 am to 5 pm from Fridays to Tuesdays. Closed on Wednesdays and Thursdays.
Cost: budget for at least 850 yen
Phone: 049-277-3343
They do not have a website, but they have an official Instagram account.
Access
There is no parking at this cafe. There are plenty of parking lots within a reasonable walking distance. Most of them charge 200 yen for half an hour. The free parking lot for Kawagoe tourists is about a 25 minute walk away. The nearest station is HonKawagoe Station – its only about a five minute walk to the cafe from the station. From Kawagoe station its about a 15 minute walk.