Kusunoki

Buttered black sesame toast with coffee makes an appealing start to the day at Kusunoki. Diners who have ordered the morning set have praised the toast and the easy-drinking coffee, and black sesame toast is listed on the menu. There is more to choose from, too: breakfast options include mixed and bacon sandwiches, a hot dog and Danish toast, with drinks such as coffee, tea or milk included in the sets. The mixed sandwich is available with either regular toast or black sesame bread, offering a small variation on a breakfast favourite.

The menu also makes it easy to move from a lighter breakfast to a rice-based meal at lunchtime. The chicken nanban, pork cutlet, simmered hamburger steak, Japanese-style hamburger steak and fried shrimp set meals each come with rice, miso soup, a small side dish and salad; each is listed at ¥980. For a sandwich instead, the special katsu sandwich comes in 100g and 140g sizes, while the shrimp cutlet sandwich is available as a single or double.

Kusunoki opens at 6:30 in the morning and serves breakfast, making it an option for a meal before or after a walk near Sumiyoshi Taisha. Some diners have described taking their time over coffee inside, and the café is also presented as suitable for eating alone. Several visit records say smoking is permitted, though other listings give different information; if this matters to you, it is worth checking before you go.