As if Bella’s Cupcakes Truck wasn’t already the sweetest treat in town, get ready for more goodness from Bella’s, all under one roof in a charming little shop.
If you’re not familiar with Bella’s Cupcake Truck, you’re most likely missing one of the best things about a grocery trip to National Azabu supermarket in Hiroo—but to those who already know and love it, you’ll be delighted to hear that Bella’s has recently opened a shop not too far from there.
With a storefront in the lively area of Shirokane Takanawa, the shop is reminiscent of those adorable London cake shops, tiny yet full of trinkets, cakes, and the fascinating behind-the-counter space where the magic happens. No wonder it has a London feel—the girl behing Bella’s, Farah Bashir, wanted to shop to have a vintage feel, similar to those bakeries on Primrose Hill, St. John’s Wood or Notting Hill. “We wanted to keep a homemade vibe to the shop”, says Farah. The shop is popular with the locals (they already have a loyal fan base), as they love the atmosphere, and the international community regularly makes it to the shop to get a taste of home.
Bella’s was started three years ago, in response to the lack of authentic treats in Tokyo. What started out as the Bella’s Truck selling its freshly baked goods in select locations turned into an actual storefront. Of course the Truck can still be found—and if you keep up with the Facebook and Twitter pages, you might just be able to score yourself some cupcakes from time to time…
Bella’s cupcakes are made using classic, unfussy recipes, and most importantly, in the authentic English-style. “We adapted the taste and texture to appeal to the local palate, using a European buttercream, which is smoother and lighter than the American kind,” explains Farah. Indeed, the cupcakes have the perfect balance of frosting and cake: we especially loved the red velvet cupcake, a heavenly concoction of cream-cheese based frosting on a cake using cocoa and beetroot as ingredients. Another favorite was the carrot cupcake, which (not surprisingly) is the most popular at Bella’s. Other mouthwatering flavors include lemon, espresso, and coconut raspberry, just to name a few.
Bella’s is not just limited to cupcakes—they also make birthday cakes, layer cakes, cookies and have convenient catering and delivery services should you need sweets for an event—and why shouldn’t you? They’ve also just started a wedding and bridal service, complete with cupcake towers and personalized party favors.
To kick off the fall season, Bella’s is offering delicious Halloween Cupcakes. There’s a special offer for Tokyo Weekender readers, who can get a 10% discount on Halloween cupcake orders. Use the code TokyoFAM10 online, or mention the Weekender in-store.
Bella’s Cupcakes Tokyo
More information: www.bellas-tokyo.com
Where: 2-1-6 Takanawa, Minato-ku (see map)
