Recent Reviews
While there's no eat-in space, there are areas around where you can stand and enjoy your purchased ice cream, making it perfect for a quick bite (laughs). This time, I tried the rich matcha soft serve and matcha shake (with vanilla). The vibrant green matcha soft serve is a delightful balance of green tea bitterness and rich milk sweetness. The crispy waffle cone adds another layer of texture, making it a truly satisfying treat. It's a must-try for matcha lovers, offering a robust and authentic flavor. The matcha shake, blended with vanilla, perfectly combines the matcha's bitterness with the vanilla's sweetness. It's rich yet refreshing, with a lingering aroma of fragrant matcha. The staff's service was a bit rough around the edges, but the order was served quickly, making for a pleasant experience. Their efficient handling of the crowd was much appreciated. With a wide variety of matcha options and the deep flavors only a long-established shop can offer, this place is perfect for a quick stop after shopping or when you need to cool down.
The rich matcha soft serve ice cream at the tea shop "Cha no Ikedaya" is a must-try for matcha lovers. Located in the bustling heart of Shinjuku, "Cha no Ikedaya" is a popular spot for tourists to enjoy traditional Japanese sweets. Their signature "soft serve with black bean jelly" (¥450) is a standout, offering a rich and authentic matcha flavor. The soft serve itself boasts a deep, concentrated matcha flavor, perfectly balancing the bitterness and sweetness of the tea. Each bite delivers a robust matcha taste, leaving a satisfyingly sweet aftertaste despite its subtle sweetness. Matcha enthusiasts will find themselves craving more. The black bean jelly hidden beneath the soft serve adds another layer of delight. The rich flavor of the jelly complements the creamy sweetness of the soft serve, providing a delightful textural contrast. The combination of the rich matcha soft serve and the black bean jelly creates a harmonious and perfectly balanced Japanese dessert. While the staff's demeanor could be perceived as slightly cold, the shop's lively atmosphere and its central location in Shinjuku make it a convenient and popular spot for a quick tea break. The black bean jelly soft serve offered at this Shinjuku tea shop is a must-try for matcha lovers, featuring a rich and satisfying flavor. The combination of the traditional Japanese ingredient, black bean jelly, with the matcha soft serve is simply divine. At ¥450, it's an affordable treat. With its popularity among foreign tourists, this tea shop is the perfect place to indulge in a delicious matcha dessert.
The matcha soft serve ice cream at this tea shop. It's on the list of the 100 best ice cream shops in Japan! ❤️ 2023 It's located in the basement of Shinjuku Station's West Exit, but the entrance renovations are making it a bit confusing to find. It's near the bus terminal, on the station side of the Odakyu Ace South Building. The shop is filled with foreigners browsing souvenirs, and it's primarily a tea shop focused on takeout. It was surprising to find a dessert menu with sundaes, drinks, and other cafe-style treats, even though it's not a dessert shop. I kept it simple and ordered the: ◆ Matcha Soft Serve (Cone) ¥300 Cash only The soft serve was light and fluffy. The matcha flavor was strong, but I didn't find it overwhelmingly delicious. It was just okay. However, I thought the ¥300 price was pretty reasonable. I was also curious about the other takeout options. The shop carries tea-related items and, surprisingly, some Tokyo souvenirs. Maybe it's because of the nearby bus terminal. Thank you for the meal. It's convenient to be able to grab a quick soft serve at the station. There's a trash can available.
Shinjuku West Exit is unrecognizable now, completely transformed by the Odakyu Department Store redevelopment. The nostalgic places where I worked part-time over 30 years ago have all changed. Even Odakyu Ace has almost no familiar stores left, but I don't remember if this one was there back then. I stopped by for the green tea soft serve, but it was packed with tourists, and it took a while to get the attention of a staff member. Once things calmed down a bit, I placed my order. The rich matcha soft serve was only 300 yen! Amazing! The flavor was truly rich matcha, with the bitterness of the tea coming through more than the sweetness. A perfect treat for an old man like me. It was delicious! Thank you for the meal.