A Prolific Japanese Bakery Just Opened Its First U.S. Location in Redondo Beach

Bread, Espresso & , a popular Japanese bakery-cafe chain, opened its first American outpost on January 30 in Redondo Beach, California, serving plush square-shaped bread, sandwiches, and pastries with Caffe Luxxe-fueled coffee drinks. First opened in Tokyo’s chic Omotesando neighborhood in 2009, the bakery expanded to 37 locations across Japan on the popularity of its mou, a buttery loaf made of milk bread shaped into a satisfying cube. The mou is sold as a larger loaf or baked into smaller sizes that are then split into sandwiches stuffed with various fillings like tuna and cheese, edamame and bacon, and curry.

The arrival of Bread, Espresso & comes alongside a wave of South Korean-style cafes and bakeries proliferating in Los Angeles , signaling a greater influx of Asian-style bakeries and daytime spaces in Southern California. South Korean bakery chains like Paris Baguette and Tous Les Jours have introduced lighter, less buttery laminated pastries, cakes, and breads to Angelenos in the past decade-plus, often occupying retail spaces inside Korean grocery stores. Japanese bakeries like Yamazaki in Little Tokyo and Roji Bakery in Mid-City have served plush milk bread and other Western-influenced baked goods for years; roving pop-up Ginza Nishikawa helped to make Japanese milk bread one of the city’s most coveted baked goods.



Bread, Espresso &’s arrival in the South Bay could mark the start of a greater movement of Japanese bakery and coffee chains into the U.S. market.

The name Bread, Espresso & in Japan typically accompanies the neighborhood or city at the end, so in theory, this location will eventually be called Bread, Espresso & Redondo Beach, with others following suit. Bread, Espresso &’s pillowy dough gets used for a frosting-topped cinnamon roll, shaped into chocolate powder or matcha-topped buns, or laden with butter for a piping hot French toast served in a cast iron skillet. Sandwiches include honey ham with potato salad, ginger pork, egg salad, prosciutto and mozzarella, and tandoori chicken, among others.

Those wanting a more complete breakfast situation can order a plate that brings together hot toast, eggs, bacon, and prosciutto. The chain brought its executive chef Sakurai Tadatsugu to Los Angeles to oversee the opening and ensure the same quality one would expect to find in Japan. The chef tells Eater he uses a blend of Canadian flours to create a soft, plush texture for the mou.

The ground floor space, located along Pacific Coast Highway and a stone’s throw from the very popular French bakery Sweet Wheat , can accommodate 32 diners and features a minimalist concrete interior lined with traditional Japanese wooden structures for shelving. A small outdoor patio looks out to the ocean. Bread, Espresso & is located at 1212 S.

Pacific Coast Highway, Suite 100, Redondo Beach, CA, 90277, and is open Tuesday to Sunday, 7 a.m. to 5 p.

m. Closed Mondays. Related Sign up for our newsletter.

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