BAKERY NAO

Pacing along crowded shelves and weighing which loaf or pastry to set on your tray is one of the genuine pleasures of stopping by a neighborhood bakery. Tucked along the residential streets of Komagome, stepping into BAKERY NAO reveals an unpretentious, welcoming shop filled with everything from daily dinner breads to approachable sweet afternoon treats.

Among the first items that catch the eye are the French-style loaves, prized for the pleasing contrast between their aromatic crust and soft, airy crumb. The bâtards and baguettes release a deeper wheat flavor with every chew, making them just as satisfying torn by hand as they are toasted with butter or sliced open for sandwiches. Soft French bread combinations also enjoy an enduring following, particularly the savory mentaiko cheese soft roll, which bakes spicy cured pollack roe and cheese into a tender crumb.

The savory lineup offers plenty of substance, including deep-fried curry bread with a crisp shell and chewy dough, a version filled with a soft-boiled egg, and sausage rolls that easily make a hearty meal. The everyday shokupan loaf is an easy morning staple as well, baked with an enjoyable bite all the way to the crust and a gentle grain sweetness that slowly unfolds.

For an afternoon snack, the bakery turns out fragrant melon pan, crisp cream-filled cornets, moist sugar doughnuts, and red bean-filled an-doughnuts. Playfully shaped character breads occasionally appear on the counter, making a glance from one end of the display to the other an uplifting experience.

The shop is strictly takeout with no dine-in seating, but it provides a step-free entrance and accepts smartphone QR payment services like PayPay and Rakuten Pay. Affordable enough to brighten your daily routine, these loaves and pastries are well worth carrying away for a stroll home or the next morning's breakfast.