TOKYO 23
Pelican Bakery
A reference photograph conveying the mood of this area or theme. It does not show this venue. 「生」食パン専門店.jpg · Syced · CC0
Alley Gourmet  ·  No. 054 Only here

Pelican Bakery

パンのペリカン  ·  Pelican Bakery

Ward
Taito
Price
¥400~900
Hours
08:00-17:00 (closes early if s
Closed
Sun, holidays, plus special closures in summer and at New Year
Getting there
4 min walk from Tawaramachi Stn (2 exit)
Founded
1942
Local tip
  • Since 1942 this bakery has made exactly two things: a square loaf and rolls
  • You can reserve by phone, and most locals do
  • You need not just carry the bread away
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We do not republish copyrighted photographs. Use the links below to see the actual venue.

Local Knowledge

Obvious to locals, invisible to visitors

There is a simple reason guidebooks leave this out: to the people who live here it is too obvious to be worth explaining.

How to order
Since 1942 this bakery has made exactly two things: a square loaf and rolls

Since 1942 this bakery has made exactly two things: a square loaf and rolls. Nothing else. Holding that line for eighty years is the whole identity.

Unwritten rule
You can reserve by phone, and most locals do

You can reserve by phone, and most locals do. Turning up in the afternoon without one usually means going home empty-handed.

The backstory
You need not just carry the bread away

You need not just carry the bread away — the company runs Pelican Cafe nearby, serving the same loaf as thick-cut toast. The bakery closes Sundays; the cafe keeps different hours.

What it is

Taito is a ward the shitamachi ward holding Asakusa and Ueno. It may open only for lunch, or close the moment ingredients run out. Supply outranks the posted hours here. Portions run generous — think twice before upsizing. After six in the evening the atmosphere shifts completely — pick your hour to match your purpose. Keep the receipt — it makes the name easy to look up later, since many signs are kanji-only. If you return, come at a different hour — the impression changes considerably.

What to order

Why locals keep coming

The layout suits solo diners: mostly counter seats, and nobody encourages you to linger. Most customers live within walking distance. Disappoint them once and they never return — which keeps the floor high.