Hamabread just opened in May, but it’s already garnered a lot of attention from locals with over a thousand followers on Instagram. Though tucked away on the back street running parallel to Ishikawacho’s main thoroughfare, the bakery is hard to miss with its bright, sky-blue walls and long line of people waiting out the door. We recommend arriving earlier than opening time (11:00) if you want a spot near the front of the line. Note that the small bakery has no eat-in space and only offers take-out.
Hamabread boasts authentic, sophisticated breads, some of which are traditional, classic selections while others are totally one-of-a-kind. The first thing to catch your attention will likely be the colorful croissants–strands of brown for chocolate flavor, red for framboise and green for matcha are intertwined with the golden brown crusts. We opted for the standard Croissant (¥210) and a Chocolate Croissant (¥240), which was filled with chocolate cream. The Baked Curry Bread (¥220) is jam packed with thick curry loaded with chunks of vegetables. It’s not like the common kare pan (curry bread) in which you get some curry with your bread–you’ll get a mouthful of the filling on your first bite with this one. The Hamabread Hotdog (¥340) makes for a perfect lunch. The sausage is thick and juicy, and goes well with the baguette bread it’s served in. If you want something delicious to add to your breakfast spread, we recommend the Campagne. This French sourdough loaf explodes with rustic flavor and comes in full size or 1/4 size (¥400). It’s complementary to a side of fried eggs and bacon. Last but not least, the Chocolate Scone (¥200) was the perfect dessert to wrap up the meal. Scones can often be dry and crumbly, but you’ll devour Hamabread’s mildly sweet and light scones made with whole grain flour. We’re excited to see what the future holds for this newly-opened bakery, and look forward to going back to explore more of what they offer.
