In August 2008, Shibuya Channel’s cafe column framed curry as summer fuel — eat well and push through the heat. SOMA cafe (ソーマカフェ) in Sakuragaoka, Shibuya was filed under that theme as a neighborhood hideaway marking its ninth year in business. The lead line called it a tucked-away Shibuya spot where regulars came for flavors that felt like “mother’s home cooking.”
Prices, hours, and dishes reflect 2008 coverage unless you verify them independently today.
Renovation and the chef lineup
Before the name SOMA cafe settled in, the shop operated as SOMACAFE in Sakuragaoka and built its reputation on that homestyle register. On its seventh anniversary in July 2006, the cafe renovated and reopened. Italian, French, and Chinese chefs reportedly met repeatedly to design a menu that considered how each dish pairs with alcohol — a split personality the report would return to: comforting lunch, serious dinner.
The interior used white and gray as base tones. Soft light filtered in gently, and on the day of coverage many customers were lingering unhurriedly — the room invited long stays rather than quick turnover.
Recommended dish — Bacon Egg Curry
The featured order was Bacon Egg Curry at ¥930 (tax included). The published photo showed the lunch drink set version. Copy highlighted thick-cut bacon and a sunny-side-up egg for maximum volume.
That curry had an unusual origin story. Before renovation it was staff meal (makansai) — not public menu. Popularity among insiders pushed it onto the regular list at reopening. The reporter’s tasting notes walked through the construction: a first spoonful of roux rich with ground meat, heat that builds gradually and becomes habit-forming; then yolk and bacon together — bacon fat deepening the roux’s body while the yolk adds mellowness. The write-up called the combination “three flavors in one” and compared the overall effect to something nostalgic, like food remembered from childhood rather than restaurant theater.
Four curries and daytime teishoku
Beyond Bacon Egg Curry, SOMA cafe listed four curry varieties. SOMA Curry (¥890, served until 18:00) topped the bowl with green pepper, eggplant, and boiled egg. Menchi Curry (¥950, until 18:00) was noted as especially popular with male customers. At the time of publication, all curry service ended at 18:00, though staff said menu revisions were coming that would bring some curry options into dinner hours.
Until 15:00, the daytime board also included homemade menchi katsu teishoku and hamburg steak teishoku. Tables around the reporter held curry plates and teishoku sets alike; customers smiled over the “mother’s taste” line the shop had carried since opening.
Dinner shift — from comfort food to composed plates
Evenings flipped the mood. Where lunch leaned homestyle, dinner assembled “serious cuisine” meant to accompany drinks. Examples from the menu sheet:
| Item | Price (2008) | Service window |
|---|---|---|
| Wagyu motsunabe | ¥980 | Dinner |
| Duck and mango ponzu jelly | ¥1,280 | Dinner |
| Chicken rice | ¥1,280 | Dinner |
Creative plates such as duck with mango ponzu jelly sat beside beer-friendly motsunabe. The breadth came from having chefs trained in different cuisines under one roof. Alcohol service was described as wide enough that guests could tailor a dinner-and-drinks evening to personal taste.
Drinks, sweets, and the name “Soma”
The report also logged bar and dessert items:
Drinks: fresh banana juice (¥780), lemon soda tea (¥680), cassis beer (glass ¥650 / mug ¥850), six shochu varieties (¥580), and others.
Sweets: house-made pudding (¥600), banana terracotta (¥500), gateau chocolat (¥580), and others.
All prices were tax-inclusive in the original listing.
Staff warmth received equal weight with food. Regulars chatted openly with the team; the atmosphere resembled a house where friends gather — a social texture the reporter tied directly to repeat visits and the cafe’s popularity.
The shop name references soma, described in the piece as an ancient Indian mythological drink gods consumed for nourishment and vitality. The closing metaphor: guests who gather at SOMA cafe likewise recharge through its food, drinks, and atmosphere — a power the reporter felt in the room that day.
Practical details from 2008
- Hours: 12:00–25:00 (Sun–Thu); 12:00–28:00 (Fri, Sat, and days before holidays)
- Regular closing day: none listed
- Address: 8-6 Sakuragaokacho, Shibuya-ku, Tokyo — 1F
- Phone: 03-3462-6990
- Staff blog (historical): http://blog.livedoor.jp/soma_staff/
Same curry theme — other cafes in the series
The August–September 2008 “delicious curry cafes” thread also covered:
- Cafe Belami (Udagawacho)
- Fireking cafe (Kamihara)
- Cafe na. (Jingumae)
- Zarigani Cafe (Udagawacho)
- cafe ambiente (Ebisu-Nishi)
- CAFE Mobo Moga (Jinnan)
- Spice Magic Shibuya (Udagawacho)
Sakuragaoka sits on the slope above central Shibuya — close enough that weekend foot traffic on the scramble connects to neighborhood cafes like this one. For the street layer today, see the Shibuya Crossing live camera; for the 2008 cafe layer, treat this archive entry as documentation of SOMA’s curry-first lunch identity and its chef-driven evening turn. If you are planning café hops on a trip budget, pair this archive note with cheap eats in Tokyo.
