Recently, I had the pleasure of spending a long, sunny weekend in Greenpoint, Brooklyn, visiting my daughter. What began as a simple family visit morphed into an unexpected and delightful food crawl featuring Japanese cuisine. The area was filled with so many charming Japanese restaurants and tea shops that we simply had to explore them all!

To cool off from the heat, we decided to indulge in some iced matcha lattes—truly a match made in heaven. I can’t help but think that my next visit will definitely include a tea tasting or perhaps even a class at one of these amazing spots. It brings back memories of a lovely visit to their original shop with a dear friend many years ago.

Every sandwich here features shokupan, which is a wonderfully fluffy Japanese milk bread. We sampled a tamago sando (egg salad sandwich) that was soft and comforting, and a remarkable katsu sando (crispy pork cutlet) that hit all the right notes of comfort food. A little heads up: their sandwiches are massive!

Before dinner, we decided to step into a fascinating one-floor complex dedicated solely to Japanese culture. We tasted pure dashi at DASHI OKUME, admired hand-forged kitchen tools at KAMA-ASA, and oohed and aahed over BALMUDA’s sleek home gadgets. This hidden gem also houses a café and a variety of other Japanese vendors, making it a must-visit for enthusiasts.

This restaurant had been on our bucket list for ages, and I couldn’t wait to finally experience it! We shared pressed oshizushi, yaki onigiri grilled over binchotan, and tender tsukune (chicken meatballs), which were absolutely divine. The highlight was a surprising white sesame soft-serve that was sweet and creamy, alongside a refreshing melonade infused with shiso tea. It was the perfect treat to cool us down on that sweltering day.

We ventured into a cozy tea shop, where I opted for an iced strawberry matcha latte. My daughter picked a mango-flavored version, both bursting with flavor and perfectly chilled to counter the heat. They also offered homemade onigiri and other delightful bites for a light lunch!

We then strolled through shaded pathways, watching koi gracefully glide beneath stone bridges as we let the gentle breeze from the pond wash away the city’s noise. It’s a stunning garden, and I would absolutely love to return in spring to witness the breathtaking Sakura blooms.

Our love for matcha couldn’t keep us away, so we found ourselves returning to the café for another round! This time, we settled at their communal table, continuing to indulge in more iced matcha lattes—we simply can’t get enough!

We couldn’t pass up the chance to try their famous lacquered triple-chocolate croissant, which features rich dark, milk, and white chocolate layered within buttery pastry. We also shared a delightful tomato-feta-mint focaccia that truly captured the essence of summer on a plate, alongside a ham sandwich with aromatic rosemary butter. To wash it all down, we enjoyed iced peach tea and a massive chocolate chip cookie that was the cherry on top of our meal!

Already dreaming about our next Greenpoint adventure, I can’t wait to dive back into this vibrant foodie scene!