This is such a funky area to spend time in. Also, along the river during Spring, it’s also one of the most popular cherry blossom spots in Tokyo.
When someone says “Let’s go to Nakameguro” – fun things for kids doesn’t immediately jump into my brain as it’s more of a cool spot to grab a coffee, have a lovely long lunch or wander and shop you way along the river.
But there are options for kiddies to do in this area too ( and I plan on discovering more throughout the cooler months too and adding as I go. )
Something to keep in mind… you’re only 10-15 minutes walk from Daikanyama so you might want to combine your options by taking a look at my Daikanyama with Kids post.
The main attraction in NakaMeguro right now is the Starbucks Reserve Roastery. . The biggest Starbucks in the world .
Stay tuned for pictures and reviews. I can say that they do have high chairs and long wait times on the weekends.
Go around 9:30AM on a weekday, if you can.
STARBUCKS RESERVE ROASTERY, NAKAMEGURO
目黒区青葉台2-19-23
2-19-23 AOBADAI, MEGURO-KU
OPEN EVERYDAY 7AM-11:30PM
STARBUCKS RESERVE TOKYO WEBSITE
For breakfast or brunch on a weekend, I highly, highly recommend Locale.
This restaurant offers the most lovely, cozy, home cooked lunch on weekends.
They are also kid friendly at brunch time.
The chef and owner is Katie from California – and she is warm and charming.
The breakfast ingredients are fresh and colourful. You will love this breakfast spot if you love eggs and/or avocado.
It is so reasonably priced. It is just delicious.
LOCALE
目黒区目黒1-17-22
1-17-22 MEGURO, MEGURO
OPEN FOR BREAKFAST/BRUNCH ON WEEKENDS 9:30AM – 2:30PM (RESERVATIONS RECOMMENDED)
WEBSITE
For another brunch option, I also recommend Flour & Water, Nakameguro.
They bake all of their own bread and pastries on site and they also have a kids menu. They also have space to store strollers while you dine. The entire restaurant is non-smoking. I would budget around 2000 yen per adult to dine here. The brunch menu includes bakery goods plus soup or salad or pasta. This restaurant doesn’t allow for reservations so it is best to arrive at 9 and collect a priority table ticket and then return at 10am.
FLOUR & WATER, NAKAMEGURO
目黒区青葉台1-30-10
1-30-10 AOBADAI, MEGURO-KU
OPEN AS A BAKERY FROM 9AM
OPEN FOR BRUNCH 10AM-4:30PM
OPEN AS A BAR FROM 5PM -9PM
Sugekari Park is open everyday from 6am-9pm. It’s a spacious green park with public bathrooms, slides, sandpit, climbing equipment etc.
There is also a Japanese house and garden within the park (open 9am – 4pm, closed on Tuesdays.. or Wednesday is Tuesday is a national holiday.)
SUGEKARI PARK
目黒区青葉台2-11
2-11 AOBADAI, MEGURO
OPEN 6AM-9PM (JAPANESE HOUSE & GARDEN IS OPEN 9AM-4PM EVERYDAY EXCEPT FOR TUESDAYS. IF TUESDAY IS A NATIONAL HOLIDAY, IT’S CLOSED ON WEDNESDAY)
And then just a few minutes from the park is Streamer Coffee Company. There is lots of space in here, making it very kiddie friendly.
They have tea and coffee as well as doughnuts and other bakery items.
If you really like what these guys have going on, there are other branches in Shibuya, Harajuku, Nihonbashi and Meguro.
STREAMER COFFEE COMPANY, NAKAMEGURO
目黒区青葉台2-16-6
2-16-6 AOBADAI MEGURO
OPEN 7:30AM-6PM
After coffee and a park play, I would go about exploring the restaurants and shops along the river. It’s a beautiful walk and back towards Nakameguro Station (where all of the brand new restaurants and shops have just recently “grown” under the train line.)
It’s a really peaceful and interesting walk. There is also a barrier between the path and the river so it’s safe for kiddies to walk on their own for most of the way too.
This is what the river area looks like during cherry blossom season.
Another cute place to stop for coffee is Sidewalk Stand. This place feels like a hole in the wall place from the outside but is just so beautifully designed inside.
They have coffee, craft beer (Japan doesn’t have time-related laws concerning alcohol sales so ….if you fancy a tipple in the morning…….) ice-cream and beautiful toasted sandwiches.
目黒区青葉台1-23-14 斎藤ビル
SAITO BUILDING, 1-23-14 AOBADAI, MEGURO
OPEN EVERYDAY 9AM-9PM
SIDEWALK CAFE
And if you’re looking for something really cool to take home from Tokyo, I love the shop called Travelers Factory.
They don’t just have vintage stickers but also stock adorable stationery, passport holders and leather goods. There stickers were 220 yen each. Follow them on instagram @travelers_factory
TRAVELERS FACTORY, NAKAMEGURO
目黒区上目黒3-13-10
3-13-10 KAMIMEGURO, MEGURO
OPEN MIDDAY – 8PM
CLOSED TUESDAYS
WEBSITE
Also, its a bit random,but in the Meguro area (Close to Gakugeidaigaku Station) is a cute little biscuit shop called Romi-Unie. Their lemon cookies are to die for !
And their gift boxes make for the cutest dollhouse ( just cut a little door into the box) I then put the box away for playing with on a plane – like my other suggestions here.
ROMI-UNIE CONFITURE
3−7−17 TAKABAN, MEGURO
OPEN EVERYDAY 11AM-8PM
For a vegan and vegetarian lunch option I recommend Rainbow Bird Rendezvous.
The entire restaurant is non-smoking.
They allow take-out and also do vegan catering for functions. Their lunch sets are particularly reasonably priced and they have picture books for children.
They also have vegan soft-serve ice-cream.
RAINBOW BIRD RENDEVOUS
目黒区祐天寺1-1-1 リベルタ祐天寺１階
GROUND FLOOR, RIBERUTA YUTENJI, 1-1-1 YUTENJI, MEGURO-KU
OPEN FOR LUNCH ON WEEKDAYS 11:30AM-4PM
OPEN FOR DINNER ON WEEKDAYS 5:30PM – 8PM
OPEN ON WEEKENDS 11:30AM – 7PM
RAINBOW BIRD RENDEVOUS WEBSITE
And for a lovely slow, sit-down lunch and brunch I highly recommend Riverside Club.
They serve smoothies, French toast, omelettes. Read the full Riverside Club breakfast menu here.
And they also have a Riverside Club all day menu here.
Riverside Club accept reservations. They do accept most major credit cards. The entire restaurant is non-smoking.
Although the restaurant has a bit of a special vibe, they do welcome children.
RIVERSIDE CLUB
目黒区青葉台3-18-3 THE WORKS 1F
GROUND FLOOR, THE WORKS BUILDING, 3-18-3 AOBADAI, MEGURO-KU
OPEN SUN-TUES: 10AM-9PM
OPEN WED-SAT : 10AM-11PM
RIVERSIDE CLUB WEBSITE
Another easy place to stop for food with kids is Aloha Table in Nakameguro This Hawaiian restaurant has a large dining terrace on the riverside too (and is undercover so rain won’t get in the way. ) Their kids plate is particularly impressive.
Meals are around 1000 yen for lunch and 2000 yen for dinner.
This restaurant takes credit card and has some vegetarian and vegan options.
They do have high chairs.
ALOHA TABLE NAKAMEGURO
目黒区上目黒1-7-8
1-7-8 KAMIMEGURO, MEGURO
OPEN 11:30AM-9PM (UNTIL 10PM ON WEEKENDS)
ALOHA TABLE NAKAMEGURO WEBSITE
And just 1 minute walk from Aloha Table is the Nakameguro branch of Afuri Ramen.
Please note that big bowls of hot ramen and bar stool style seating can be tricky with toddlers so I personally recommend waiting until kids are 4 or 5.
AFURI NAKAMEGURO
目黒区上目黒1-23-1 中目黒アリーナ 1F
GROUND FLOOR, NAKAMEGURO ARENA, 1-23-1 KAMIMEGURO, MEGURO
OPEN EVERYDAY 11AM-11PM ( ALTHOUGH FRIDAYS ARE OPEN 11AM-5AM THE NEXT DAY)
Please note that this store does not accept cash.
Just a few minutes walk from Afuri Nakameguro or Aloha Table is the grocery store Tokyu Store. This has lots of fresh food options and is by the river for a little chill. The Tokyu Store also has a generous range of plant based cheese options.
There is also a baby change table in the bathroom.
How about fishing for your lunch or dinner?
Melissa Bertling wrote a great guest post on the fishing restaurant Zauo, the restaurant where you fish for your meal!
If you’re feeling like some Korean BBQ for dinner (or lunch!) (aka Yakiniku) there is a family friendly restaurant just 1 minute walk from Nakameguro Station. The restaurant is called Yakiniku Champion, Nakameguro Atlas Tower Store. You will be seated at a table with a grill in the middle and you barbecue your own thin slices of meat to then dip in different marinades. It’s a great interactive experience with kids. This restaurant welcomes children and babies. They accept most major credit cards. The entire restaurant is non-smoking. They have an English menu and a menu which lists common allergens in their dishes and sauces. You can see the Yakiniku Champion Nakameguro Atlas Tower menu here.
For lunch time I would budget for 2000 yen per adult but more like 7000 yen at dinner time. Please note that there is a 10% service charge at dinner time.
On weekends it is a good idea to make a reservation. This can be done, in English via the TableCheck website.
YAKINIKU CHAMPION, NAKAMEGURO ATLAS TOWER
目黒区上目黒1-26-1 中目黒アトラスタワー 2Ｆ
2ND FLOOR, NAKAMEGURO ATLAS TOWER, 1-26-1 KAMI-MEGURO, MEGURO-KU
OPEN WEEKDAYS 11:30AM-2:30PM (LAST ORDERS AT 2PM) & 5PM-11PM (LAST ORDERS AT 10:30PM)
OPEN WEEKENDS 11:30AM-3PM (LAST ORDERS AT 2:30PM) & 5PM-11PM (LAST ORDERS AT 10:30PM)
If you’re about to leave Tokyo and wish you’d been able to see more Japanese people in their most beautiful formal, traditional wear – I highly recommend visiting the Hotel Gajoen on a weekend (lunch time onwards.)
This is a beautiful traditional hotel with a stunning garden – small enough to explore in a short amount of time.
This hotel is the venue of choice for many weddings and special occasions.
I recommend turning up in some dressy-ish clothing, preparing kiddies that they will need to be quiet and well-behaved and taking a stroll through the small garden (including the path up behind the waterfall) and then a walk down the length of the hotel.
The most casual of all of the restaurants available is the new Kanade Terrace (some of the garden and waterfall can be seen from the restaurant seating too.) This restaurant has a buffet menu at different times of the day and cake & cocktail hours too. They also do a kids plate at most times of the day that includes california rolls, sandwiches and a dessert flan.
HOTEL GAJOEN
目黒区下目黒1-8-1
1-8-1 SHIMOMEGURO, MEGURO
For a much more chilled and cheap (Japanese version of) Western cuisine is Royal Host in Meguro. We love this diner and liken it to a takeaway dinner. The menu is extensive. It all has beautiful glossy pictures and the limitless drink fountain also includes hot drinks. There is a children’s menu and kids can select one toy from the basket offered by wait staff.
It’s just easy and good value for money.
There are Japanese and International menu options. Check out the Royal Host pictorial website here – it’s only in Japanese but there are pictures of almost every dish. This restaurant is like a Japanese version of a diner so don’t expect fancy all though it is clean, bright and yummy. It’s our family’s comfort food. It’s a really cheap meal with kids.
Here is an example of the Royal Host children’s menu. The numbers in the brackets are the tax included prices.
This restaurant has highchairs.
3-10-12 MEGURO, MEGURO
目黒区目黒3-10-12
OPEN: 8AM-10PM
ROYAL HOST MEGURO WEBSITE
For a supermarket with lots of organic options in Nakameguro, I recommend trying Bio C Bon.
They sell fruit and vegetables, groceries, deli goods, make up and some baby items. There is also a bulk shopping corner for nuts and spices.
There is a small eat in space and they also have free wifi and power points where you can charge your phone ( need to bring your own cord.)
BIO C BON
目黒区上目黒1-26-2 中目黒アトラスタワー中
INSIDE THE NAKAMEGURO ATORASU TOWER, 1-26-2 KAMI-MEGURO, MEGURO
OPEN EVERYDAY OF THE YEAR 8AM-9PM
BIO C BON
There is a beautiful new Dean & Deluca in Nakameguro now. It’s really spacious with lovely plush chairs which makes it lovely to visit with children.
It is located within the Tokyo Music University、Daikanyama Campus in Nakameguro. Open 8AM-6PM.
For a yummy Mexican dinner I recommend Junkadelic in Nakameguro. Mexican cuisine. They accept major credit cards. They are kid friendly.
JUNKADELIC, NAKAMEGURO
目黒区上目黒4-10-4
4-10-4 KAMI-MEGURO, MEGURO-KU
OPEN 6PM-MIDNIGHT
OPEN FOR LUNCH ON WEEKENDS AND NATIONAL HOLIDAYS 11AM-4PM
IF YOU GET A KID-FREE NIGHT IN NAKAMEGURO…
I recommend going to…Hatos for dinner. It is a rib / barbecue spot and my American friends says it rivals the Deep South.
It is a small restaurant and so it is best to make a reservation. They do welcome kids but be aware that the menu is limited to ribs and chilli. Smoking is allowed in this restaurant.
