Cafe Belami

A thick slab of bacon sprawled across an omelette signals the arrival of the daytime headliner at Cafe Belami. With fluffy folded egg, ketchup, and the distinct savoury punch of thick-cut cured pork, this generous take on omurice is built to satisfy serious appetites.

Another enduring fixture is the tontoro-don, or pork jowl rice bowl. Crisp-edged pieces of pork jowl are tumbled together with lightly cooked onions, brought together by a fragrant sauce reminiscent of charred soy barbecue glaze. The rendered pork fat coats each grain of rice, making it hard to stop eating once you begin.

The rest of the lunch board reads like an honest neighbourhood diner: warming, spiced curry rice, pork ginger set meals, crisp menchi-katsu minced meat cutlets, and deep-fried horse mackerel. Rounding off the meal with an iced coffee offers a comfortable break before heading back out.

Come evening, the mood shifts. The room eases into a relaxed bar setting, ideal for lingering over a cold beer or a whisky highball. The counter turns out unpretentious small plates—house-made plum wasabi, sausages grilled after being pickled in fermented rice bran, and simple macaroni salad—before winding down with homemade curry served with bread. Operating well past midnight on several days of the week, it remains a reliable, down-to-earth refuge in the Jingumae area from midday lunch to late-night pours.