Akko

The first time I tried Akko, it was just a quick stop — long enough to grab a parmesan–wasabi shortbread and a hojicha latte to go. This time, I finally had the chance to sit down for lunch and try their famous homemade onigiri (€3.50–3.90) and the Teishoku set (€18) with a little miso soup (+€3).

I’d been watching the place under construction for months, and when it finally opened I was so happy to see a Japanese tea house, rather than yet another coffee bar like the dozens popping up all over Brussels. The space is bright and calming, with light wood everywhere, and I love the small back room that looks onto both the kitchen and a tiny Japanese garden.

As for the food, the onigiri were delicious and generously filled — we tried the salmon and tuna-mayo, but I’ll definitely be going back for the grilled onigiri with shiso leaf. We also had that parmesan shortbread again (an absolute killer) and finished with a matcha–speculoos cheesecake. Maybe a touch too dense for me, but the matcha balance was spot on. And of course, the matcha itself was impeccable.

A super charming neighborhood spot — exactly the kind of place we love.