Nov 29, 2021

Bay Area J-Fashion Tourist Guide

Since some of you are traveling to the Bay Area for our Holiday Pop-Up Shop, we thought we'd put together a brief guide to the Bay for kawaii/J-fashion enthusiasts! Most of our recommendations are in San Francisco, but we've thrown in a few other options in East Bay and South Bay in case you are willing to travel a bit further.

Let us know if you think we've missed anything or if you are looking for other recommendations!

J-Fashion Shops

Angelic Pretty/Harajuku Hearts (SF, Union Square)

Angelic Pretty is located inside Harajuku Hearts, which is a J-fashion retailer that carries other brands as well, such as Atelier Pierrot, Emily Temple Cute, Enchantlic Enchantilly, Melody BasKet, and Listen Flavor, among others!

Photo Credit: Angelic Pretty USA

Baby, the Stars Shine Bright & Alice and the Pirates (SF, Japantown)

Baby, the Stars Shine Bright/Alice and the Pirates is located inside the New People building on the second floor - take the elevator or stairs up, it should be easy to spot!

Photo Credit: BTSSB USA

We recommend making an appointment before visiting either Angelic Pretty or Baby! While they have walk-in hours, making an appointment is the best way to ensure that you can visit the shop - you wouldn't want to travel to your favorite J-fashion store only to realize that they're not open!

Food/Drink

Since December is a pretty busy time of year, you may want to make reservations at restaurants that you want to eat at. Weekends are especially busy, so if you are staying for longer than just the weekend, try getting a reservation on a weekday!

Tea Salons

Three-tier tea platter with sandwiches and sweets — Lovejoy's Tea Room

Lovejoy’s Tea Room (SF, Noe Valley)

Lovejoy's is a staple of SF lolita meets for good reason! Their food is delicious and filling, and the staff are extremely kind and friendly. Don't forget to take a pic in front of the giant heart outside!

Son & Garden (SF & Peninsula)

Son & Garden has two locations - one in San Francisco, and one in Menlo Park (on the Peninsula). You can order their set tea service for two, but they also have great brunch options! Visit this location if you want beautiful images for your Instagram - their interior decor & food presentation is divine.

Three tier platter with sandwiches and sweets — Crown & Crumpet

Crown & Crumpet (SF, Japantown)

Crown & Crumpet is an adorable tea salon located conveniently in the New People Building on the first floor!

Sip Tea Room (SF, Sunset)

A modern take on traditional tea service - Sip Tea Room has all the options of a full tea service with the option to dine outside on their back patio.

Dartealing Lounge (SF, SoMa, pickup only)

A common SF comm tea meet spot, Dartealing is currently only doing tea through pickup. If you want to enjoy tea from the comfort of your own space, consider supporting them by grabbing on of their pickup options!

Maison Danel (SF)

Afternoon Tea, but make it French! Maison Danel specializes in pastries and baked goods, and has a tea service option that includes sparkling wine.

Malaya Tea Room (East Bay)

Located in Alameda in the East Bay, Malaya Tea Room combines traditional English tea with Malayan flavors!

Lisa’s Tea Treasures (South Bay)

Serving traditional English tea, Lisa's Tea Treasures has locations in both Los Altos and Campbell.

Food

Ippudo (SF, Downtown)

Excellent ramen

Little Lamb Hot Pot (SF, Downtown)

Kui Shin Bo (SF, Japantown)

State Bird Provisions (SF, Japantown)

On The Bridge (SF, Japantown)

Beloved family-owned restaurant located in the Japantown mall, serves Japanese-style Western cuisine

Hikari Bullet Train Sushi & Bar (SF, Japantown)

Shizen Vegan Sushi Bar and Izakaya (SF, Mission)

Entirely vegan sushi, noodle, and curry options

Limón (SF, Valencia, S Van Ness)

Peruvian restaurant specializing in rotisserie chicken, w/ small plates & cocktails

El Farolito (SF, Mission)

Mission-style burritos

Panchita's Pupusería & Restaurant (SF, Mission)

Pupusas are an El Salvadorian flatbread filled with cheese, beans, meat, or other savory fillings. Great if you are in need of vegetarian/vegan options!

Ferry Building (SF)

A marketplace filled with amazing food & drink options
- ACME bread
- Hog's Island Oyster Co
- Miette
- Daily Driver
- El Porteno Empanadas
- Gott's Roadside
- and more!