Whether you’re there for lunch, dinner, or just to meet friends before migrating to the clubs for the night, Donyoku welcomes you with open arms.
Opened in 2018 by three queer women—Kei Izumi, Kaori Ooji, and Satoko Nagamura—Cafe & Bar Donyoku is in the heart of Tokyo’s LGBTQ community of Shinjuku Ni-chome. At this inclusive cafe, patrons are encouraged to relax and freely express their identities.
Food and comfort in Ni-chome
Donyoku is spacious, sunny, and colorful, with large windows, rainbow art, and hammocks. Its most distinctive feature is its foot baths—warm tubs of water built under the floor tables by the windows. This water is clean and filtered and gives diners a spa experience while they eat and drink.
Adjacent to the floor tables and footbaths, Donyoku has larger western-style seating, suitable for groups of up to six, as well as counter seating with wall outlets for folks who want to work on their laptops.
Foodwise, Donyoku’s menu consists of four categories: Vietnamese banh mi sandwiches (including a vegan banh mi), roast beef plates (understandably, no vegan options), salads, and desserts. Some atypical dishes, like chili con carne, are thrown into the mix, as well as snack dishes served at bar time from 7 p.m. onwards.
