On Tuesday, August 6th, ‘dacō,’ the sister brand of the Fukuoka-based bakery ‘AMAM DACOTAN,’ opened a new bakery café focused on dine-in service in Nakameguro.
The popular Fukuoka bakery AMAM DACOTAN made its debut in Tokyo’s Omotesando in 2021. It quickly became a local favorite, and even three years later, it still draws long lines of bread enthusiasts, especially on weekends. Following this success, new concept stores under the name ‘dacō’ opened in Tokyo’s Sakurashinmachi in October 2023 and in Ochanomizu in February 2024. These locations, known for their delectable handcrafted breads and pastries, often sell out by early afternoon.
dacō was created as a city-style bakery to meet modern needs, offering perfectly portioned, bite-sized breads ideal for individuals. The concept aims to provide single diners and bread lovers with a variety of choices and the pleasure of finishing their meal without leftovers.
The new Nakameguro location is designed as a bakery café where both the bread and drinks take center stage. To enhance the dine-in experience, the café focuses on freshly made items, with finishing touches like cream piping and reheating done right before serving to ensure the best taste and presentation.
Interior of the Nakameguro store, photo courtesy of Peace Put Co., Ltd.
Inside the store, you’ll find about 40 different types of breads and baked goods neatly arranged. The selection includes savory options like dacō burgers and croque monsieur, as well as sweet treats like donuts and maritozzo. The appealing visual display makes it easy to get distracted by all the choices.
AMAM DACOTAN sparked the maritozzo trend, and their sister shop, the popular fresh donut store ‘I’m donut?’, is also a must-try. If you haven’t sampled these yet, now’s the perfect chance to try a variety at once. With their small portion sizes, you can easily taste 3 to 4 different items, though you might end up trying around 10 if you’re not careful.
Additionally, the drink menu boasts an impressive 60 options. There are unique choices like the original yogurt drink ‘dacōgurt,’ the smooth ‘espresso soda,’ and the innovative ‘fruit matcha latte,’ which is sure to pique curiosity. The variety is so extensive that even the staff mentioned it was quite a challenge to remember everything.
During busy times, deciding what to order at the counter can be daunting, so it’s a good idea to check the menu beforehand.
After a lot of deliberation, I went with the fruit matcha latte (strawberry) recommended by the staff. For the bread, I chose four items: the Unzen ham croque monsieur, teriyaki burger, dacō flan, and honey toast with fig.
Clockwise from the top left: Unzen ham croque monsieur, teriyaki burger, dacō flan, honey toast with fig.
The croque monsieur and teriyaki burger both feature a soft, chewy bread with well-seasoned fillings. The dacō flan combines croissant with custard sauce, offering a taste similar to egg tarts. The honey toast is topped with caramelized, crispy bread, cream, and figs, providing a delightful mix of textures and flavors. Its bite-sized portions make it perfect for when you want just a touch of sweetness for dessert.
The strawberry fruit matcha latte is subtly sweet, with a hint of strawberry sweetness following the refreshing matcha flavor. It complements the savory breads without overpowering them and pairs well with sweet breads.
There were many other tempting options on the menu, so I’m looking forward to coming back with a group to try and share a variety of items.
A selection of goods are also available in-store. The hologram mini cooler bag is especially cute.
In the bustling Nakameguro area, known for its popular spots, dacō is likely to draw waves of eager bread lovers. The location is about a 5-minute walk from Nakameguro Station. After you exit the station, cross the street, head straight with ‘I’m donut?’ on your left, and you’ll find dacō just past ‘Otaru’ after crossing the Meguro River. There are also select shops like ‘1LDK’ nearby, making it a great area to explore after enjoying some delectable treats.
dacō Nakameguro
Address: 1-3-18 Kamimeguro, Meguro-ku, Tokyo
Hours: 11:00 AM – 8:00 PM
Seating: 40 indoor seats, 20 terrace seats
Closed: Irregular holidays (announcements on Instagram)
Instagram: @daco.pan
