Maison Premiere

Known mostly for being a wedding venue, this elegant French restaurant has sidestepped the mainstream breakfast scene – although, granted there is still not that much of a scene in Tokyo. But they are, in fact, open from 8am on weekday mornings, serving up a petite and colourful buffet of croissants, sweet French toast, jams, yoghurt, muesli, fruit and cured ham. They also serve hot dishes on request including omelettes and oeufs cocotte (eggs in pot).

The chefs and waiters here are French, ensuring you’re getting the crème de la crème. The creative presentation and interesting flavour combinations, like a beetroot and raspberry salad, will have you circling the buffet table, eyes wide. Although the individual portions are not going to satisfy the kind of hunger that comes after a morning workout, you can, of course, go back for seconds (and thirds, if you must), and the ¥2,800 price also includes fresh juice, tea and coffee.

If you arrive early and find only a few bread and fruit baskets on display, this just means it’s a quiet morning and they haven’t laid out the full spread so as to prevent wastage. They’ll very happily whip up any combination you request from the menu (which is in Japanese and French) or bring out a range of dishes for you to choose from. On sunny days, take up a seat on their terrace, which is lined with greenery and offers a hillside view over Nakameguro. Or slide into one of their colourful, comfy booth seats, which add a touch of fun to this refined dining space.

Note that Maison Premiere hosts weddings on most weekends, so the restaurant is usually only open on weekdays for breakfast, lunch and dinner.