In November, I visited Marjuu Itabashi Ekimae Store in the Itabashi area of Tokyo to grab a snack and take a break. The store is located right by the west exit of JR Itabashi Station. Inside, they sell bread and also have an eat-in area at the back. As for COVID-19 measures, there is hand sanitizer at the entrance. When you choose your bread and tell the cashier you want to eat in, you can go straight to the eat-in area after paying. The cashier area is separated by a clear curtain, ensuring a safe transaction. The tables are spaced normally, but the counter seats have partitions. I tried the Salted Butter Roll for 125 yen, which was freshly baked and had a nice appearance and a delicious taste. The Tsubu Shokupan Sandwich for 180 yen was fluffy and filled with homemade whipped cream, providing a satisfying experience. I also had a regular hot coffee for 231 yen, which was hot and tasty. Overall, I was impressed by the wide variety of options, reasonable prices, and excellent customer service at this conveniently located store near the station.

I didn't know, but Maruichi Bakery seems to have quite a history. I happened to see a sign and thought, "Oh, curry bread is delicious - my wife and daughter like it, so I'll buy some." Even on a Sunday evening around 6 o'clock, there were always at least 5 customers inside. It seems to be popular. The popular items are the salt butter roll and the curry bread. The locals seem to know that all the bread is good and were picking out their favorites. But for me, it was my first time there. I bought curry bread for my family. It's a popular item, so there were plenty available even at this time. You can buy it individually wrapped in a special bag, which adds a special touch. The curry bread is quite big. The outside of the bread is crispy, while the inside is soft and delicious. But this curry bread has a thin bread part and mostly curry filling, which makes you feel like you got a good deal. The curry is my personal opinion, it's moderately spicy and not too heavy. It's delicious. I think it would be tasty to eat this curry bread on top of a bowl of rice, like a tea-soaked dish.

Let's visit Maruju's bread at the Itabashi store. There are many Marujus, but "Maruju" has three stores here, at Naka-Suji, Ochiai, and Oyama. It seems possible to visit all the stores. Chikuwa tuna bread: The name and appearance of this bread look like something for the common people, but it tastes delicious! The familiar texture combined with the flavor of the fish makes it feel like the perfect bread for the Japanese people! Amazing, right? Frank: A hot dog with a thick frankfurter inside. The skin is crispy and the meat juice bursts out! I recommend having this when it is freshly baked. However, the skin may leave a bit of a residue in your mouth. Cannele: A large cannele. It has a firm crust and a custard-like texture inside. Fancy "delicious restaurants in the city" are great, but it's also nice to see these ideas and flavors come from a more common route. As long as they hit the mark like this, it's all good! I wonder what surprises await at the Oyama store.

On April 27, 5th year of Reiwa (Thursday), when you get off at JR Saikyo Line Itabashi Station, you will see a traditional bakery right in front of you. Originally, I planned to go to Tai-shio soba En, but I was lured by the staff calling out freshly baked curry bread, so I decided to eat in. Oh, there are so many freshly baked breads displayed... I was tempted by various types of bread, but I stuck to my initial plan and ordered the curry bread that was born in Ueno Kurokoma-cho in Taisho 5 (1916) and a mango juice. The total was ¥539. The seating area used to be divided into smoking and non-smoking sections, but now it's all non-smoking with a designated smoking room inside. "Maruju" was established in Taito-ku, Ueno, near Hirokoji, and originally known as Ueno Kurokoma-cho. It was founded in Taisho 5 (1916), making it 107 years old. Maruju, under the sign of "Maruju", has affiliated stores operating in various locations, including Maruju Oyama Honten on the Tobu Tojo Line. The Maruju organization has various branches, but I'll focus on the main store in Oyama and the Itabashi Station store, both of which offer in-store baking and dining from 6:30 in the morning (Oyama starts 15 minutes later). Now, I'm going to eat ramen later, so I'll just have one curry bread. It was very delicious with a crispy texture from being freshly baked. I learned that curry bread is really delicious when it's freshly baked. It had plenty of beef in the curry filling, and while it wasn't very spicy, it was definitely full of spices. The label said it was mildly spicy, but personally, I felt it could use a bit more heat. However, it was tasty with all the spices. On the other hand, the mango juice was a bit disappointing considering the price, as it had a cardboard-like smell, so I think it could use some improvement. Overall, I really enjoy this type of bakery where you can dine in. I love freshly baked bread.

In front of Ikebukuro Station, there is a bakery called "Marjue" with an eat-in area. It originated as a bread specialty shop founded near Ueno in 1913. Although it is one of the oldest in Japan's bread history, the shop does not heavily promote its long history. They have shared their baking techniques with various branches nationwide. This day, I had their morning set. The place was mostly filled with locals enjoying their breakfast while some grabbed a quick purchase before work. The canelé had a crispy outer texture contrasting with a moist inside, creating a unique flavor. The outer layer was not too hard, making it relatively easy to eat. The sweet aroma also stood out. They offer around 30-40 types of bread, each with a history that makes you want to try more.

On April 4, 2023 (Tuesday) - About 1 month since my last visit to Maruju. I arrived right at 6:30 am when they opened. The freshly baked bread, as always, was delicious. It's the only time I can relax before it gets busy. I had the Hokkaido corn bread, 4 kinds of cheese balls, and an iced coffee. The total came to 742 yen.

There is a quite large bakery near Ikebukuro Station! As soon as you exit the station and pass through the square, you can see it right away. Marujyu is said to be the first bakery to establish a bread-making method using bread yeast. I bought a Salt Butter Roll for 145 yen and a Cream Bread with Nasu Goyo Egg for 175 yen! The Salt Butter Roll had just been baked. It was delicious with a strong salt flavor! The soft dough makes it quite easy to eat several of these... (*´ω`*) The Cream Bread also had a soft and fluffy bread with plenty of custard. It has a nostalgic taste of traditional cream bread. It was very delicious. The prices are quite reasonable, making it a bakery that is easily accessible for local residents. They also have an eat-in option, and being close to the station, it is very convenient. I later found out that their Curry Bread is actually quite famous, so if I have the chance to go again, I will definitely buy the Curry Bread (*´ω`*)

After work, I stopped by a bakery in front of Itabashi Station. Originating from Ueno Maruju Bakery, established in 1913, they now have a total of 3 stores including the main store in Oyama and branches in Itabashi Station and Nakajuku. They offer a wide range of bread, including the curry bread that won the gold prize at the 2022 Curry Pan Grand Prix, as well as basic and reasonably priced bread. I visited after 8 pm and there were no other customers. Despite the late hour, they still had a rich selection of bread available. It seemed like the hardworking staff were still baking, "Garlic cheese French bread is ready!" "They're still baking at this time?!" It seemed like a shop run by diligent workers. I chose the award-winning savory Maruju curry bread and the fluffy and creamy cream bread made with Nasu Goyou eggs for the next morning and lunch. The next day, I had the curry bread for breakfast after toasting it. It had a crispy texture in some parts, and the filling was a medium-spicy beef curry with a thick consistency, full from end to end. Even if you eat the whole thing for breakfast, it won't make you feel heavy, probably because the oil is good. The quality is high. The cream bread was enjoyed for lunch. The soft dough was filled with cream from end to end. The cream made with Goyou eggs had a refined sweetness but was rich and fragrant, making it a very luxurious treat. Although it looks like an ordinary bakery, the bread they offer has a superior taste. If I have the chance to visit the area again, I would definitely like to visit this bakery. Thank you for the meal. I will come again.

There is a bakery near the station that has been around for a long time, and now they even have branch stores. Their freshly baked deli bread is not cheap, but it is delicious. I like the sweet bean paste and butter bread, so I had it bought for me. The rest was picked out by Mrs. When I got home and started doing various things, before I knew it... Seriously! There's no bread! Luckily, they had set aside my sweet bean paste and butter bread for me. Everyone seems to like bread. Mrs. might like it the most. I wanted to try the one with tuna inside the bamboo ring. Next time, I'll buy it myself, okay?

I often pass through Itabashi when transferring, and I had always wanted to try this bakery in front of the station. The shop is lively, with many delicious-looking breads on display! I bought the recommended salted butter roll, matcha sweet potato uguisu, Hokkaido corn bacon, and tuna chikuwa. I couldn't resist buying the chikuwa bread that I love so much and always eat when I go to Hokkaido (I thought it was only in Hokkaido, but it's also in Tokyo ✨✨✨). All of them have plenty of ingredients and are delicious as a meal or snack ~ ✨✨ The salted butter roll is ¥145, and the others are around ¥200, so I thought it was a very reasonable shop ( ◜ᴗ◝ )ﾆｺ I will definitely visit again♪(^ー^)ノ✨✨

I visited the shop while passing by. I used a coin parking for parking. The shop is spacious, with various types of bread lined up. I purchased egg sandwich, pork cutlet sandwich, chocolate bread, salt bread, and coppe bread (strawberry jam). When I brought them home... The egg sandwich had a fluffy bread with a rich tasting egg, quite delicious! I really liked it! The pork cutlet sandwich also had a soft and tasty pork cutlet! The salt bread, chocolate bread, and coppe bread are being enjoyed by my children. I would like to visit again. Thank you for the meal.

In front of Itabashi Station on the Saikyo Line, there is a popular bakery that caught my attention. The sign outside mentioned that their curry bread is a bestseller, with 500 sold in a day. I decided to buy one. You can also eat inside the bakery, and I saw many people buying coffee along with their bread. Since I had just finished lunch, I opted for takeout. I got the popular curry bread, which had a crispy texture and a juicy, spicy curry filling. It was really delicious and I would definitely want to have it again. I also bought a half loaf of whole wheat cheese bread, which I haven't tried yet, but it looks like it will be tasty. I would like to try eating inside the bakery next time.

March 8, 2023 (Wednesday) - Another morning at Maruju with a great breakfast! Tried the Zuwai crab cream for the first time, it was delicious with a rich and creamy texture. Also had the 4 cheese balls which were filled with melting cheese. And of course, the iced coffee was as aromatic and tasty as always.

On March 6, 2023 (Monday) at 6:40 am, I had a long-awaited morning at Maruju. I had the usual 4 kinds of cheese balls and tried a new Bolognese bread for dine-in. The 4 kinds of cheese balls with melty cheese and the fluffy bread warmed up were delicious as always. The Bolognese bread, with its tomato-acidic meat sauce, paired perfectly with the bread. It's definitely one of the breads I want to buy again. I also had a hot coffee. The total came to 726 yen.

The perfect morning set with iced coffee. Convenient location in front of the station. Choose your favorite bread and enjoy eating in. Popular bakery "Maruju" in Itabashi area. Many customers using the cafe from the morning. There are both counter and table seats, making it easy to use.

I had a meeting in Itabashi that ran late, and it ended around 6 pm. First, I went to "Maruju Itabashi Ekimae Store" nearby to get breakfast for the next day. The store is located right in front of the west exit rotary of JR Saikyo Line Itabashi Station, and it has a pretty noticeable storefront. Since it was getting late, I didn't expect there to be many bread options, but when I entered, most items were still available, and they were being freshly baked and brought out from the kitchen. The place was bustling with customers, which was a pleasant surprise. I later found out that "Maruju" originated from a bakery called "Maruju Pan-ten" that opened in Ueno in 1913. The founder of our company, Ito Shojo, trained at their Sugamo store and was allowed to start his own bakery in 1951. There were many options to choose from, but I decided to go for volume and picked the following: - Hot Dog: A "Denmark Sausage" sandwich where the sausage sticks out of the bun. It's a popular style for hot dogs in Denmark. It's topped with plenty of grain mustard and cheese, and it was just as I imagined - delicious with a good amount of filling. - Four Cheese Ball: The 5th most popular item at the store. It contains four types of cheese, including Gouda and Mozzarella. The cheese is packed both on the surface and inside, making it a perfect choice for cheese lovers. The bread itself is soft and fluffy. When I reheated it a bit, the cheese melted slightly, making it even more delicious. The bakery was very down-to-earth and truly loved by the locals. I later learned that the store's specialties are "Curry Bread" and "Salt Butter Roll," so I definitely want to try them on my next visit. The total bill for the Hot Dog (302 yen) and Four Cheese Ball (221 yen) came to 523 yen. Thank you for the meal!

Maruju Ikebukuro is a bakery known for its affordable prices and wide variety of products, with excellent customer service. The cute and informative signage makes it easy to understand the different types of bread available. For example, the "Creamy Coppe Pan" is filled with plenty of homemade custard cream, creating a deliciously creamy texture. The brioche dough is soft and fluffy, complementing the creamy filling perfectly. The "Salt Butter Roll" is another popular choice, with just the right balance of salt and butter flavors. The surface is nicely baked, adding to its appeal. I also tried the "Cream-filled Anpan" with the Maruju logo stamped on it, which combines red bean paste and cream filling for a delightful treat. The combination of red bean paste and cream is simply perfect, earning top marks in my book.

This is a bakery located in front of JR Ikebukuro Station West Exit! It seems to be a bakery loved by locals, as there are always quite a few customers inside. The shop is spacious, so even if there are customers inside, it's not a problem to move around. It can be a bit annoying to stop in front of the bread you're looking for and think, though. I bought a croissant and a curry bread that won gold awards in each category of the Curry Bread Grand Prix, and took them home to taste them! Now, about the taste... [Croissant] It remains crispy even after some time, with a good texture and a buttery taste. It's delicious even when it's not freshly baked. [Curry Bread] It has a moderately spicy curry filling, not too hot, just the right amount of spiciness. It's no surprise that it won the gold award at the 2022 Curry Bread Grand Prix, it's delicious. [Fried Chicken Curry Bread] The curry itself is similar to the regular curry bread, spicy. Inside, there is fried chicken which adds volume. This one also won the gold award at the 2022 Curry Bread Grand Prix and is delicious, but if you want to purely enjoy the curry, you might prefer the regular curry bread. Despite the many customers, this shop welcomes you with a wide variety of bread. There were still other breads that caught my interest, like the cream bread placed alone next to the entrance. PayPay is accepted here.

Local bakery Maruju Itabashi's Croque Monsieur is exquisite. I hope that such local bakeries will never disappear. #Maruju #Itabashi #Itabashi-ku #Itabashi gourmet #Hanaguru #foodstagram #foodie #connecting with people who love delicious food #gourmet #food blog #food porn #Tabelog #Thank you for the meal #Tabelog high rating #Tabelog rating of 3.5 or higher #bakery #bread #breadstagram #morning #Itabashi morning #sandwich #egg sandwich #Croque Monsieur #coffee #breakfast #morning bread #local famous shop

I usually only used the bakery Marujyu Oyama in Itabashi, but this time I tried this shop as my accommodation was on the Itabashi station side. I visited around 5 pm and the eat-in area was almost always full. The bakery counter had a constant line, showing that it is a very popular shop. I ordered a "black tea" (275 yen) and my companion got an "iced cafe latte" (330 yen) along with a "chestnut red bean bun" (176 yen). The atmosphere was lively with some ladies working on their laptops and couples engrossed in their smartphones. The drinks were nothing special, but they were tasty and satisfying. My companion particularly enjoyed the chestnut in the bun. Thank you, Itabashi Ekimae Store, for the meal!

The restaurant is located about a 3-minute walk from the west exit of Ikebukuro Station. It opens at 6:30 in the morning and serves as a bakery and cafe. I have had their morning set multiple times. The cafe space inside is spacious and very cozy. They offer a variety of freshly baked bread that is fluffy and delicious. They will warm up the bread for you, making it even more enjoyable. I especially love their cheese bread and keep coming back for it. The prices range from 130 to 200 yen per bread, and the morning set is in the 500 yen range.