Plate of Pie.Pop

A funky new hotel rethinks wining and dining in Shibuya

Photos courtesy of Granbell Hotel

The Granbell Hotel is something of a find. Stylish, affordable and convenient places to stay are few and far between in Tokyo­. But you don’t have to be an overnight guest to make the most of the Granbell, because it has a stylish, affordable and convenient bar attached. And in this instance convenient means open 24 hours.

Plate of Pie.Pop is a split-level affair. The first floor is primarily a standing bar (there are a couple of tables with chairs on the terrace out front), while upstairs are narrow tables with banquettes and barstools. Beside the front door, a glass showcase displays some of the food on offer, and windows down one wall overlook the passageway leading into the hotel.

The outside tables were occupied on the balmy September evening we first visited, so we propped ourselves up against the bar inside, finding space between groups of young, local businesspeople winding down after work. For such a small establishment there was an impressive selection of beer on tap: Asahi Super Dry, Kirin, Sapporo Black Label, Suntory Malts (each ¥450) and Guinness (¥600). We chose Malts, and started to order food from the friendly young barman.

The menu goes some way to explaining the bar’s bizarre name, because it includes an eclectic range of, yes, pies, including the Caesar salad pie—salad in a pie crust (¥550). However, there are many more items on offer, all high in quality and taste. Fried brown sole marinade (¥500), ratatouille (¥550), and swordfish and vegetable green curry (¥700) were among the plates that impressed.

If the food had a Spanish ilk, so did the drinks. We followed our beer with a glass of DIY sangria (¥500), DIY because you get to choose the fruit that goes into it, or add ¥50 for a mix of everything on offer. Also available are cocktails such as Cuba Libre (¥600) and Bellini (¥800) and a range of shochu (¥500-¥700).

On a later occasion, a rainy lunchtime, we perched upstairs, and the flavors were distinctly more Japanese. We chose the Pop Lunch set (¥950), a generous smorgasbord of grilled fish, cream croquette, various salad items, and a small dessert. We were impressed that the staff topped up our water glasses regularly (small details, big difference), but less happy with the smoke-filled air.

For an area with dozens of hotels and hundreds, if not thousands, of bars (or, at least, izakaya) it’s surprising that until now we have struggled to recommend both somewhere to stay and somewhere to drink. Well, not any more.

Shibuya Granbell Hotel, 1-2F 15-17 Sakuragaokacho, Shibuya-ku. Tel: 03-5459-4100. Open: 24 hours. Nearest stn: Shibuya. www.granbellhotel.jp

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