East Village · Korean & Japanese cafe

Asa Bakery & Cafe

Asa pairs Japanese pastries and milk-bread sandos with Café Moto coffee and Shizuoka matcha, drawing queues for its polished bakery case.

What people go for here

Asa is a pastry-first East Village cafe where crisp, soft-textured Japanese baking and a focused tea program justify an early visit. Curry pan, Naruto croissants, and Shizuoka matcha are the clearest repeat orders. Expect a lively counter, quick-moving service, and fewer pastry choices later in the day.

Curry pan
Naruto croissant
Shizuoka matcha latte

Worth knowing: Weekend and opening-hour lines can be substantial. Popular pastries can sell out, so the widest choice is earlier in the day. Street parking can add time to a quick pickup. Limited charging makes the room less reliable for a long laptop session.

Order this

01Curry pan
02A seasonal fermented-butter pastry
03Tiramisu latte or Shizuoka matcha latte

The coffee

Japanese kissaten-inspired bakery café serving locally roasted Café Moto coffee alongside organic Shizuoka matcha.

Coffee comes from local roaster Café Moto, while the tea side is unusually specific about organic Shizuoka matcha. Pair the coffee with the bakery's Japanese flour and fermented-butter work.

The room

A polished Japanese bakery-café with a busy pastry counter, compact indoor tables, bar seating and shaded outdoor seating.

Popular Japanese bakery-cafe with pastries while supplies last, lunch/dinner service and a 4-9pm night-cafe menu

The space: Moderate
Inside: Compact café tables plus bar seating; some bar positions are reported to have power.
Outside: Shaded outdoor seating is available.
When it fills up: Weekend mornings can produce a line, while Monday around opening has been reported as calmer; pastry availability changes with demand.
Noise: Social bakery-counter activity at peaks; quieter periods are possible outside the main pastry rush.
Parking: Paid street parking; it becomes more difficult when lines and weekend demand build.

Working here

Coffee-first / social

Wi-Fi is available and limited bar outlets are reported, but peak lines, pastry traffic and constrained charging make long sessions unreliable. Seating can be usable away from rushes, yet the café's destination-bakery demand and evening service favor eating and socializing over deep work.

Wi-Fi: Available
Outlets: Limited

Good to know

Known for: Curry pan and Japanese fermented-butter pastries
Japanese flour and fermented-butter pastry: The bakery uses premium Japanese flour and fermented butter for its light, tender pastry style.
Organic Shizuoka matcha: The beverage program names organic matcha from Shizuoka alongside locally roasted Café Moto coffee.
Night Café: A separate evening experience extends the bakery into a later dessert-and-drink visit.

Events and specials

Night Café: A separate evening menu extends the bakery-café into desserts and later-day service.

What regulars say

Pastries and matcha drive repeat interest
Independent diner feedback repeatedly highlights fruit danishes, curry pan, savory buns and matcha lattes as the strongest reasons to visit.
Friendly service despite destination-level demand
Review synthesis emphasizes kind service and strong coffee while documenting a large volume of customer feedback.
Not every matcha pastry lands equally
Recent customer commentary is highly positive overall but includes occasional complaints that matcha flavor in a pastry can be too subtle.