Cafe Restaurant America: An Old-School Imabari Café for Morning Sets and Daily Lunch Specials
Cafe Restaurant America (カフェレストラン アメリカ) is an old-school café-restaurant in Higashimura, Imabari, that works for both breakfast and lunch.
The author of this site, who runs an acupuncture and judo-therapy clinic in Imabari, eats lunch here often.
It is the kind of place where local people drop in on an ordinary day.
This page covers the lunch specials, the morning sets and the famous cake that once cost one yen.
Why it is worth knowing about
In Japan, a kissaten or café-restaurant is a casual place for a hot breakfast in the morning and a set meal at midday.
Many serve a “morning set”, which means you add a little to the price of a drink and breakfast comes with it.
America is not built for tourists.
It is a long-standing neighbourhood restaurant, and that is exactly why it shows you how people in Imabari really eat.
It is not on the Shimanami Kaido cycling route.
It is about 3.5 kilometres south-east of JR Imabari Station in a straight line, so plan to go by car or taxi.
Finding it
Look for a sign with the stars and stripes and a green roof.
The sign reads “Cafe Restaurant アメリカ カフェレストラン”.
There is parking for a few cars in front and about seven more at the back.
Each space is surprisingly narrow, so a large car can be a little tricky.
Inside
The interior feels like a classic Japanese café-restaurant.
There are green sofa seats, and ornaments line the room.
In the middle stands a big table that people use like a counter.
The author was once invited to sit there when he came alone.
Around the edges are tables for two and tables for four.
The decor is the same as when the author was a child, which makes it feel nostalgic.
Lunch: two daily specials
Every day there are two higawari (日替わり) lunches, which simply means “changes daily”.
One is a set meal with rice, and the other is something like pasta, curry or a rice bowl.
The author always orders the daily set meal.
You can also turn it into a set with a drink after the meal.
Here are some of the daily lunches he has had.
Diced steak, with a big salad, miso soup and fried gyoza.
The sauce was so good that the plate was empty in no time.
Pork sauté.
The other special that day was pasta with wild mountain vegetables.
The set came with plenty of salad, a spring roll, miso soup and pickles.
It is a properly filling meal.
Some days the lunch is Japanese-style, such as oroshi tonkatsu, a breaded pork cutlet with grated daikon radish.
It comes with plenty of cabbage and a ponzu citrus sauce.
A hearty yakiniku day, with grilled, thinly sliced meat.
The seasoning is a little strong, which makes the rice disappear.
For some reason the author often lands on a yakiniku day.
Karaage fried chicken is another big plate.
The coating is crisp and the meat is juicy.
The photo at the top of this page is hamburger steak, cooked well done and very satisfying.
At midday the car park is full and the place is lively.
If you arrive a little early, you can usually sit down in peace.
Breakfast: the morning sets
America opens at 8:00 in the morning.
The author sometimes came here with his children for breakfast.
There are many kinds of morning set, and each one is just a small extra on top of a drink.
You can have curry for breakfast at a low price.
It is delicious, too.
There is also an onigiri (rice ball) morning set.
The author’s daughter chose French toast.
She had it with a yogurt shake.
This one is potetama toast, with potato and egg on top, and hot coffee.
The toast sets also come with salad, fruit, a boiled egg and miso soup.
You can choose bread, rice or curry as your base.
Having that choice is half the fun.
The one-yen cake
America has long been famous for its one-yen cake.
In the past, if you ordered a drink, you could add a cake for one yen.
The price is now 100 yen, which is still a bargain.
It is outstanding value for money.
What other diners say
In online reviews, the most common comment is that this is a nostalgic place that has been around for a long time.
Several people say they came back after decades away.
Many reviewers also mention large portions and plenty of rice.
Others say that even when it is nearly full at lunch, the room is big, tables turn over quickly and the food comes out fast.
The dish named most often is the Italian spaghetti.
It is a Neapolitan-style spaghetti served on a sizzling hot iron plate lined with beaten egg, topped with a big sausage.
Questions people ask
Can I pay by card? No, it is cash only.
Please bring enough cash with you.
Which days is it closed? It is closed on Mondays and Tuesdays.
Can I walk from Imabari Station? It is about 3.5 kilometres in a straight line, so a car or a taxi is more realistic.
It is not on the Shimanami Kaido cycling route.
Can I eat here alone? Yes.
The author was once invited to sit at the big table in the middle when he came by himself.
What time does it open in the morning? It opens at 8:00.
More local lunch in Imabari
For other local places with daily lunch specials, see Kitchen M, another Western-style restaurant, and Fukurin, a Chinese diner.
For everything else on the Imabari side of the bridge, see The complete Imabari guide for Shimanami Kaido cyclists.
Restaurant information
Cafe Restaurant America（カフェレストラン アメリカ）
Address: 愛媛県今治市東村5-2-14 (Higashimura, Imabari)
Telephone: 0898-47-1069
Open 8:00 to 22:00, closed on Mondays and Tuesdays.
Parking in front and at the back, but spaces are narrow.
Payment is cash only.
Hours and closing days can change, so please call the restaurant before you go.
Original article in Japanese: 今治の喫茶店アメリカ｜朝のモーニングとお昼の日替わりランチ
