Best Desserts in Tokyo for Gluten-Free Travellers

This year was my first time in Japan as a member of the gluten-free gang, and aside from naturally gluten-free desserts like ice-cream, I didn't have high hopes for being able to indulge my sweet tooth in Tokyo. How wrong I was! I was amazed by the number of gluten-free shops and cafes that have popped up in the last few years and the increased awareness about marking allergens on menus. 

Not only was there a surprising amount of gluten-free desserts to choose from, but they were also incredibly tasty. I often notice that gluten-free desserts are also dairy-free, sugar-free, and in my honest opinion, fun-free. Not so in Tokyo; I'm happy to report that gluten-free travellers with a serious sweet tooth will not be leaving the city with sugar cravings. 

Several of the places in this list are independent small businesses and will need our support when we are able to travel again. If you are celiac and worry about cross-contamination, stick to Otaco and Kiji Tora which are 100% gluten-free.

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otaco, asakusa

Otaco is a 100% gluten-free bakery that makes rice flour chiffon cakes. The light-as-air cake slices come in several different flavours and I made sure to try most of them - all in the name of research, of course! Out of the flavours I tried (chocolate, lemon, Earl Grey and green tea), the lemon and green tea were my favourites. Despite being so light in texture, each flavour packed a decent punch without tasting at all synthetic.

This bakery is take-away only, but thanks to its excellent location only five minutes from the seating area by Sensō-ji, it's the perfect place to pick up a sweet treat while exploring Asakusa. Otaco also saves gluten-free travellers from staring with envy at the non-gluten-free snacks for sale on Nakamise-dōri.

Open 10:30 - 18:00. Usually closed on Sundays and Mondays.

Good to know: get here early, especially on weekends. 

ELLE Cafe, aoyama

Update: sadly (I am VERY sad about this), it looks like ELLE Cafe has closed down since I published this post.  

As a Brit, I always try to celebrate pancake day wherever I am in the world. Last year I was in San Antonio, eating potato pancakes with apple sauce in the historic diner, Schilo's, and despite now being gluten-free, I wasn't prepared to miss out this year either. I'm glad pancake day inspired me to find a gluten-free version in Tokyo as these phenomenal gluten-free pancakes ended up being my favourite dessert on this list. I also thoroughly enjoyed the fact that Richard ordered the "normal" pancakes and mine ended up being far superior - a rare occurrence, I can tell you! 

The gluten-free berry pancakes at ELLE Cafe are soufflé style pancakes - they are very thick, very fluffy and have a perfect panna cotta-esque wobble. The lightness of the batter is offset by the buttery goodness that oozes out when you cut into this heavenly concoction and I'm not sure I can go back to eating pancakes any other way now. 

Given the extent of the gluten-free options at ELLE Cafe, one visit was not enough. On our return visit, I tried the gluten-free cheesecake which was lighter than expected and I liked the hint of cinnamon in the base. 

ELLE Cafe is not a budget option, but I didn't mind spending a little more than usual on the food as there were so many genuinely delicious gluten-free options and the fluffy pancakes well and truly blew my mind. I wouldn't, however, pay 980 yen (£7/$9) for a glass of kombucha! My advice? Stick to tap water and splurge on the desserts instead. 

Open daily 11:00 - 23:00 (from 8:00 on Saturday and Sunday)

Good to know: the gluten-free pancakes take a while to make so be prepared to wait. You can book a table online in English. 

Futaba fruits parlor, shinjuku

Futaba Fruits Parlor is a small chain with cafes in Ginza and Shinjuku. I visited the Shinjuku branch which is located on the fifth floor of the Marui department store. Non-gluten-free travellers can choose from fruit parfaits, fruit and cream-filled sandwiches (a culinary phenomenon I've so far only seen in Japan) and seasonal cakes and tarts. Gluten-free travellers should head straight to the pancake (ホットケーキ in Japanese) section of the menu as they are all made with rice flour. 

The pancakes are served as a single thick pancake with a few options for toppings; I went for the "apple caramel nuts" pancake which came with a small jug of maple syrup. I'm greedy when it comes to desserts so I thought one pancake was a little stingy, but it turned out to be the perfect amount. If I didn't know beforehand, I wouldn't have guessed that this pancake was gluten-free, which is quite the compliment considering texture is the downfall of many a gluten-free dessert. 

Futaba Fruits Parlor also caters to vegan travellers. There are four vegan cakes on the menu, most of the pancakes are vegan, and the ice-cream in the parfaits can be swapped out for soy ice-cream. 

Open daily 11:00 - 21:00 (until 20:30 on Sundays and public holidays)

Good to know: allergens are clearly marked next to each dish and there is some English on the menu. 

Kiji Tora, Gakugei-Daigaku

This place is a real hidden gem! I only came across it when I did a search in Japanese (グルテンフリー東京 if you want to try the same technique) and even then Kiji Tora was tucked away in the third page of Google Maps results. 

All of Kiji Tora's products are gluten-free so this is a safe place for celiacs. I came for the cakes, but you can also pick up granola and cereal bars, perfect if you're staying in an Airbnb and you're looking for breakfast ideas. The cakes at Kiji Tora are another example of a gluten-free dessert that defies the bad texture curse: they are moist, satisfyingly dense and not at all crumbly. Once again, I was a glutton in the name of research and tried four flavours - hōjicha (roasted green tea) marble, citrus fromage, chocolate and raspberry, and caramel nuts. Hōjicha marble and caramel nuts were the standouts for me but I honestly liked them all. 

I loved the cute and quirky branding at Kiji Tora and wish I had asked what the significance of the pheasant (kiji) and tiger (tora) is. A visit to Kiji Tora also gives you the opportunity to explore Gakugei-Daigaku, an area of Tokyo that is very much off the tourist trail. Sadly, I only had time to stock up on cake this time, but I plan to see what this area has to offer next time I'm in Tokyo. 

Open 11:00 - 18:00. Closed on Mondays.

Good to know: if you live in Tokyo or you're there for a while, get yourself a points card and get a free slice of pound cake when you collect ten stamps.

Directions: Kiji Tora is a two minute walk from Gakugei-Daigaku station, on the south side. 

from afar, Asakusa

There aren't as many choices for gluten-free travellers in this hipster cafe as there are in the places above, but it's worth a visit for the laid-back ambience and hōjicha lattes. As much as I love a classic matcha latte, the mellow roasted flavour of hōjicha is a nice break from the norm.

Don't be too dismayed, your sweet tooth won't be missing out completely here, as there's a caramel pudding on the menu. Purin (プリン), as it's called in Japanese, is a popular dessert that you will find in most convenience stores and supermarkets and is very similar to a crème caramel. This is only the second time that I've had one in a cafe and I loved how they elevated this humble dessert by presenting it in a silver dish.

From Afar has channelled the industrial-chic vibe that seems to be so popular nowadays, but it manages to feel cosy at the same time. It's a place to chat with friends over a hot drink served in floral crockery or to read a book without feeling rushed. 

Open daily 12:00 - 19:00.

Good to know: From Afar used to be located in Sumida-ku, but recently moved to this location in Asakusa. It's three minutes walk from Tawaramachi station. 

Have you tried any of the desserts on this list? Do you know of any other delicious gluten-free desserts in Tokyo? Let me know in the comments! 

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