bubó BARCELONA Omotesando (Tokyo, JAPAN) ★★★★☆

We are taking a break from shopping after spending a couple of hours circling around Omotesando. A tea break to be exact.

Situated on a side street just off from Omotesando, bubó BARCELONA is an itch I was all too happy to scratch on this trip. After missing out on the chances to enjoy a cup of tea (and then some) at their tea salon on a number of occasions, I had to make sure that we had advance booking before taking off for Tokyo.

Founded in 2005, Bubó Barcelona is a renowned patisserie and chocolate boutique based in Barcelona, Spain famous for its exquisite pastries, chocolates, and artistic desserts. The brand quickly gained international recognition for its high-end pastries after its award-winning chocolate cake was named "Best Chocolate Cake in the World" at the Coupe du Monde de la Pâtisserie (World Pastry Cup) in the inaugural year.

While their boutique showcasing the brand's exquisite desserts, macarons and handmade chocolates is located on the ground floor, their popular tea salon is perched on the second floor of the building.

It was full during my last two visits but obviously not this time (on a Friday)!

We have a choice between the artisan creation from their dessert bar and their cake set. 

Xabina – Bubó's award-winning chocolate mousse cake.

This came with a layer of chocolate mousse, praline and almond sponge cake, finished off with an assortment of rich spices.

The moist and soft interior was nicely balanced by the slightly crispy exterior, creating a lovely contrast in each bite. I also like the richness of the chocolate mousse, complemented brilliantly by the extra kick from the spices.

Sablée de frutas – Mom decided to go with their fruit tart with mixed berries ganache and fresh berries rested on an almond sablé base. Yawn~ 🥱🥱🥱

Massini – Jelloman had this sponge cake layered with chocolate cream, vanilla cream and a caramelized top.

But what I love most about this afternoon tea was the decadent hot chocolate that was rich, velvety and wonderfully thick. It reminded me so much of my favorite hot chocolate from Angelina (who opened in Tokyo just a few hundred metres recently).

I thought today's itinerary is very uncharacteristic of our previous trips to Tokyo. It's hard to believe that Tokyo can be so relaxing, slow-paced and care-free. 

P.S. While bubó BARCELONA doesn't have an online booking system for their tea salon, an email is available on their official website (see below) for enquiries and booking.

Food Rating: 6.8/10

Price: ￥￥￥

Address: 5-6-5 Jingumae, Shibuya-ku, Tokyo 150-0001, Japan

Closest Metro Station: Omotesando

Tel: +81 3-6427-3039

Website: www.bubojapan.com

Opening Hours: 12:00pm - 8:00pm (Mon, Wed - Fri), 11:00am - 8:00pm (Sat - Sun)