TOKYOPLAY: Tokyo Food - Pariya Aoyama

Another great brunch / lunch find, just steps from Omotesando Station, is Pariya. Tucked down a fashionable side street off Aoyama-Dori, the small cafe feels like a comfy living room, with balcony seating in the sun perfect for a beautiful Spring day.

There are 3 things I love about Pariya:

1) They keep the food simple but delicious
On entry you make your way to the cafeteria style counter and pick your choice of rice, one main, one salad and a side. On the day I went to Pariya the choices included a delicious Korean pork salad, prawn spaghetti, hokkien style noodles, roast vegetables, and Mexican salad to name a few. 1200 yen later you take your tray with 4 little plates to the communal dining table where you can enjoy a meal with your friends (or if dining alone, you can still feel like you have friends).

2) Dessert is the star
You cannot help but notice the gorgeously decorated cup-cakes and colourful gelato as you enter Pariya. And trust me, it is as good as it looks. Ask the friendly staff if you can try a few flavours, and pick your favourite. At only 200 yen for a cup, it's almost criminal not to have desert. As they say in Japanese, there is always room in your 'betsu bara' (separate stomach). I opted for the Berry and Rose flavour, but dying to get back and try the Avocado gelato!

3) Self-service all you can drink
One thing which often bugs me about cafe's in Tokyo is that a cup of coffee can cost as much as the meal. Pariya let's you choose your choice of soft drink, coffee or tea, hot or cold and drink as much of it as you want!

The perfect weekend brunch time location.