A Very "Oriental" Eastern-Style Café in Tokyo Serves Herbal Hot Pot and Chinese Tea

Photos & Text /MIKA's Foodie Adventure Log

This place, translated into Chinese as “Eastern Formula Café,” is located on the first floor of the short-term rental apartment where we stayed in Tokyo. In fact, the corner where we saw this café is right next to the entrance of our apartment building—we had to walk past it at least twice every day.

On our first day in Tokyo, to get familiar with the area around our accommodation, we spent most of our time exploring around Harajuku and Shibuya. Before heading back to our Airbnb in the evening, we noticed this rather unique café and decided to stop by for some tea. We found this place really special—it not only served brunch and coffee drinks, but also offered herbal hot pot and Chinese tea, among other very Chinese-style health-conscious dishes. It’s a stylish fusion of herbal cuisine and café culture. Pretty unique, right?
The exterior really gives off the vibe of a stylish and elegant café.


Honestly, I walked by this place at least twice a day, and every time I felt there were more staff than customers—I was a bit worried about their business~ XD


There was only one uncle and the three of us in the shop today.


The tables and chairs are all wooden, giving off a retro feel. The outside is very European and stylish, while the inside has an oriental, classic, and simple style—hmm, pretty cool.

This corner is the most Chinese-style—nothing like the fashionable vibe the exterior gives off.


Their specialty is herbal hot pot—although we came here after already eating, which is a bit of a pity, but we still found it quite novel that a Japanese café serves herbal hot pot. The owner hopes people can enjoy healthy, wellness-oriented food and experience Chinese herbal cuisine in a stylish café...


Since they emphasize organic and wellness-focused ingredients, all the dishes here are organic too.



As mentioned earlier, we had just finished dinner in Takeshita Street and were strolling back to the apartment when we impulsively decided to come in. We discovered they’re not just a café—they serve not only herbal hot pot, Western and Italian-style brunch, and coffee, but also Chinese tea. I think the owner is either a huge China fan or maybe even Chinese him/herself~~ XD



Rose Black Bean Tea for 450 yen—the teas here are mostly ones I’ve never heard of before, which is super cool. You can really give them a try. This one had a mellow, smooth taste with a hint of rose fragrance.

Black Tea – Red Immortal Peach for 400 yen. This is the Red Immortal Peach I ordered. It actually had a light and delicate aroma—not overly strong, just a fresh and elegant flavor. Not bad at all. I feel like this is a café with real ideals and commitment. Although it’s a bit off the beaten path in a residential area and doesn’t seem to have much business, I hope the owner makes it through~~ XDD



[ORIENTAL Recipe Cafe]

Address:3-62-14-1F, Sendagaya, Shibuya City, Tokyo
TEL:03-6434-0950
Business Hours:Monday to Saturday 10:00–23:00, Sunday 10:00–21:00
Transportation:2 mins from Harajuku/Takeshita Exit, 5 mins from Metro Meiji-jingumae/Sendagaya Exit
Venturing out is to return to the origin more profoundly

MIKA's Foodie Adventure Log