After weeks of planning, a friend and I finally found our way to Akari Cafe, a welcome respite from the harsh wind outside. My friend had raved about Akari’s drinks and dessert options, and after trying them myself, I have to agree with her. Akari is a Japanese cafe on the outskirts of Chinatown, just a ten-minute walk from both the Bullring and from bus stops towards Selly Oak and the Vale.

From the outside, Akari is inviting with large glass windows and a cute chalkboard sign picturing their many dessert offerings. The space itself is quite minimalistic, fitted with light brown wooden tables along the left wall to leave space for the barista bar. Low lights dot the ceiling and combine with the marble floors to create a relaxed and cosy atmosphere, perfect for studying or coffee catchups!

My friend and I both ordered the same drink, a strawberry matcha latte, which arrived at our table quickly. As well as being tasty, the drink is visually stunning. It has three registers: the bottom layer being a thick, red strawberry jam, then a level of white milk with ribbons of strawberry and matcha running through it, and at the top a lovely dark green surface. Each drink comes with a sweet strawberry slice and a spoon, as well as a straw to make sure the latte is well-blended. After stirring, the latte becomes a uniform light green with stripes of red. Each sip packs consistent notes of earthy matcha and tart strawberry, and before I knew it, I’d drank every last drop. My only mistake was not pacing myself; I finished my matcha before I even reached section 4 of The Wasteland.

Akari’s sweet treat selection is extensive, and it was difficult for me to choose between the various confections they had on offer. I ended up ordering a hojicha roll cake, while my friend chose to get an earl gray tart. My hojicha roll cake was made up of thick cream surrounded by a ring of fluffy cake with powdered sugar dotting the top and a fresh blueberry resting on a dollop of whipped cream. Hojicha is the roasted version of Japanese green tea, characterised by a nutty, almost cocoa-like taste. The cake was deeply infused with these flavour profiles, the smoky hojicha taste only interrupted by a spot of thick chocolate in the centre of the dessert. While I enjoyed the dessert as a whole, I did find the cream a bit too thick and wished the layer of cake was thicker to offset the rich centre.

My friend’s tart was delightfully crumbly and ever so slightly bitter, without the flavour being overpowering. Both desserts were delicately sweet and very true to the teas they were named after. I’ve also heard good things about the many basque cheesecakes they make, so on my next trip, I will definitely be trying them! 

We ended up staying at Akari till closing, not even noticing that at some point during our studying, it had begun to rain outside. Akari ended up providing us the perfect refuge from the harsh weather outside. If you’re in search of decadent desserts, tasty matcha and a cosy place to study and talk, I would certainly give Akari a visit!

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