Jensen

Will it be a flaky Danish pastry, or breakfast bread topped with poppy seeds? At Jensen in Yoyogi-Hachiman, you can take home a range of Danish-style breads and pastries.

For something sweet, the custard-filled Spandauer stands out. One visitor enjoyed its crisp, many-layered pastry and custard with a flavour and texture reminiscent of pudding. Another was particularly taken with the crunchy sugar on top. It’s a good choice if you want to savour the contrast between pastry and cream. For a less indulgent sweetness, consider the poppy-seed-topped rundstykker or a cinnamon roll. One diner described the rundstykker as pleasantly nutty, with a simple character quite different from the butter- and cream-rich breads currently in fashion. Another enjoyed the cinnamon roll as a sweet treat, praising its pronounced cinnamon flavour. There are options beyond Danish pastry in either direction.

If you’re looking for bread to serve with a meal, try the franskbrød, described as a Danish loaf. One diner found its moist crumb and grain aroma appealing, and said the poppy-seed flavour worked well alongside food. A customer who bought the wholemeal grahamsbrød reported that it was satisfyingly weighty, with a firm crust and soft interior. It offers a different way to shop here from choosing several sweet pastries: think bread for the table at home. Savoury options include curry bread and meat pastries. The curry bread is described as soft, fluffy dough wrapped around spicy curry, while a diner who chose a meat pastry enjoyed its substantial filling. Picking something sweet and something savoury makes it easy to put together breakfast or a light lunch to take away.

Jensen is a takeaway bakery, not a place to eat in. Choose whatever catches your eye at the counter, then slice a loaf for a meal at home or enjoy a pastry with tea. If Danish breads are new to you, try two contrasting choices: one custard-filled pastry and one poppy-seed bread. Together, they offer a sense of the range.