Gontran Cherrier Shibuya

Fourth-generation baker Gontran Cherrier is the latest French boulanger to try his luck in Tokyo, and he seems to have pulled it off with this prominently located Shibuya shop, immediately opposite the station's east exit. Though the decor is only marginally more sophisticated than what you'd find at a branch of Vie de France or Donq – complete with self-service plastic trays – the baguettes and croissant are far superior. Cherrier has indulged local palates with a range of Japan-specific creations, including a miso-infused pain de seigle and a sandwich filled with ham, shiso and yuzu butter, and you can also pick up one of his trademark show-stoppers: the baguette noire a l'encre de seiche, which gets its jet-black colour from squid ink. While the downstairs café area is fine for a quick, casual snack, the upstairs restaurant serves classier, bistrot-style food, with lunches starting from ¥1,000.