Osaka’s Healing Dessert Shop: Adorable Black Cat Cake & Tiramisu

Text & Photos /MIKA

During our laid-back May trip to Kansai, Japan, we decided to check out the top five must-try desserts in Osaka. This shop was one of them—and ranked first on my personal list because I’m a total cat person. Plus, I love wearing black, so black cats feel especially relatable and adorable to me.

This super healing and adorable black cat dessert shop is a long-established favorite in Osaka, with several branches around the city. But only the Higashi-Osaka location features this giant, cute black cat. The interior design even extends outside with a matching cat tail—so adorable it melts your heart. “Chat noir” means “black cat” in French, and from the decor, exterior, brand logo, to the desserts sold here, black cats are everywhere. It’s almost too much cuteness to handle!!

Best of all, the merchandise is insanely cute and not expensive at all. So…even someone as level-headed as me ended up shopping XD. I think these would make great gifts for fellow black cat lovers. Haha~ Besides being adorable and sweet, their desserts are also affordable and incredibly delicious—making this one of the most budget-friendly themed dessert shops in Osaka.

Walk about 800 meters straight from Exit 2 of Takaidera Station, and you’ll see a super cute and huge black cat gazing down at passersby.

That adorable black cat has such big eyes—oh my gosh, I was completely smitten and couldn’t stop taking pictures.

It looks cute from every angle—truly zero blind spots. Notice the black tail at the bottom right? It extends from inside the shop. The design details are really thoughtful.

You look at me, I look at you—use me as a scale and you’ll see just how big this cat is.

The store is covered in black cat motifs. There aren’t any real cats to play with, but there are plenty of cute black cat decorations—I found that more than enough to get me excited.

Even the doorknob and umbrella stand are shaped like cats~ totally melted.

Even without real cats, having so many adorable black cats around makes me happy.

From the welcome mat to the doorknob and umbrella stand… everything is designed around the black cat theme. I think themed shops really shine when they go all out like this.

The store is bright, with white as the main color and black as an accent—and black cats are visible everywhere.

Although Chat noir is primarily themed around black cats, it’s still a dessert shop, so there are also many other colorful and delicious cakes.

I think the cakes at Chat noir are all super appealing. Especially since strawberries were still in season when I visited, I saw all kinds of strawberry cake designs—each one looked so exquisite, I wanted to try them all.

Green heart
This is probably matcha-flavored, so fancy, and even has gold leaf sprinkled on top.

Fruit mille-feuille
Their fruit mille-feuille is affordable and delicious, not inferior to the famous HARBS.

So cute black cat tiramisu
There are various fun and adorable poses of the black cat design.

Black cat chocolate cake
A vividly cute chocolate cake with a playful tail—this design is absolutely irresistible.

Black cat cheesecake
Every day seems to feature a different black cat cheesecake design—simple yet charming, with little surprises in the cute and playful cat patterns. Super adorable.

Black cat roll cake
The black cat roll cake tucked in the corner also caught my eye—it might be their signature item, but it’s a bit too big for the two of us to finish, so we didn’t dare to order it.

Even the utensils have cat patterns on them!! These are custom-made utensils, not very costly, but they’re so cute I’d even want to collect them. The one I want most is the adorable black cat on the side.

And the kitchen here is transparent—so you can see how safe and hygienic it is. Watching the dessert chefs make pastries next to you feels like observing art in the making, as they beautifully decorate the cakes.

The seating area has a cat tail that stretches all the way to the window—that’s the very tail we saw earlier.

Chat noir has several branches in Osaka, each with adorable decor, but only the Higashi-Osaka branch has the giant black cat.

Oh my god, a black cat clock—I wanna buy it XD

The menu? The wet wipes, tissues, and sugar jar are all cute black cats. I couldn’t bear to use the wet wipes—they were a gift, so I took them home as a souvenir instead.

The coasters are also black cat-themed. I even boldly asked for two extra ones to give to friends. I think the staff understood our feelings and generously gave them to me.

The ordering process is: first pick your favorite cake from the display case, then order coffee or tea separately. But since everything was in Japanese, we just ordered randomly… There was no one who could speak Chinese to ask, haha.

Actually, you can order this cake set for just 600 yen.

We ordered two sets, picking our own cakes and drinks for 600 yen per set, and also got an additional single cake.

Unsweetened lemon black tea paired with black cat chocolate and black cat tiramisu—absolutely adorable and sweet.

The tableware is also a highlight—their plates feature black cats in various poses, even with paw prints. I love it so much. Boss, do you sell these plates?! Oh my god, not just the eyes, but the ears and tail are so intricate. I had no idea how to eat it XDD

I boldly cut into it, and there was pudding inside—it was such a lovely surprise. Too bad for me, the chocolate cake plus pudding was just too sweet. I couldn’t handle it and gave up after a few bites.

Black cat tiramisu
Two adorable feline lovers, so affectionate just like tiramisu is sweet. Their tiramisu isn’t overly sweet—rich and creamy yet not cloying. Absolutely delicious.

Fruit mille-feuille
Such a genuine, refreshing, and sweet fruit mille-feuille. Super tasty. How can Japanese mousse be so fragrant, sweet, not greasy, and melt-in-your-mouth? Paired with tangy, juicy fruits and a solid pastry crust, it’s refreshing and delicious.

After enjoying the delightful black cat desserts, you must visit the souvenir corner and pick up some treats to take home. Whether it’s black cat cookies or doughnuts, every item is packaged exquisitely and adorably—simple, stylish, and charming. I couldn’t help lingering here for ages, struggling to decide.

They have black cat bags, clocks, and insulated bags—all really reasonably priced.

Other merchandise includes keychains, phone cases, pen holders, and more.

After much deliberation, I bought black cat cookies. I thought the cute tin box would make a great keepsake and is also quite practical.

This is the insulated bag. I thought it was more practical, so I bought it to give to a friend.

Even the tote bag is super cute. Who could bear to throw it away? And it’s made sturdy and beautifully. Buying souvenirs and getting an adorable cat-themed tote bag is such a great deal.

I had a joyful afternoon here. When it was time to leave, I made sure to say goodbye to the cats—feeling so reluctant to go. The black cat dessert shop is truly adorable, affordable, and incredibly delicious. I’d love to visit again if I come to Osaka next time.

Chat noir Higashi-Osaka Branch
Address: 3-1-1 Kawamata, Higashi-Osaka, Osaka Prefecture
Phone: 06-6618-9000
Business hours: 0:00–23:00
Official website:http://higashi.osakazine.net/e219915.html
Transportation: Exit from Exit 2 of Takanoda Subway Station, turn left, and walk about 800 meters—you’ll see a super cute and huge black cat.

Venturing out is to return to where you were with deeper meaning.
MIKA's Foodie Adventure Journal