So, the Final Fantasy 7 Remake has officially been released! Are you playing? Squealing with nostalgia? Personally it’s brightened up these days stuck at home for me. They have made a lot of changes but I don’t mind them as I wanted to know more about Midgar and Shinra anyway.
In the beginning of March I decided to visit the FF7 event at the Square-Enix Cafe in Tokyo (the Akihabara one). Whenever Square releases a new game they redecorate their cafes to match the game, and release some limited edition items and food (they did it with Kingdom Hearts 3 as well). Here is an article I did for Taiken about the experience. Click the link or read below!
(Note: We are under voluntary lockdown here so please avoid going even if it’s still open – I think they did finish this event early. I’m sure they will have other events soon!)
Get the Final Fantasy VII Experience at the Square-Enix Café
As the release date for the hotly anticipated Final Fantasy VII Remake draws closer (April 10, 2020!) excitement is certainly building, especially in Japan. As a result, Square-Enix is holding a special event at their cafes in Tokyo (Akihabara and Shinjuku) and Osaka as well. With a unique menu, merchandise, and décor (wall to ceiling posters of your favorite characters) inspired by this fan-favorite game, it shouldn’t be missed.
Making a Reservation
You can drop in, and there is a take-out option (which doesn’t include the whole menu), but it is highly recommended to make a reservation. You can do that through the official website (Square Enix Cafe) or by downloading the app. Oddly enough, considering their international fanbase, most of the information is only in Japanese so Google Translate will be your friend here.
Before booking it’s important to note that it costs JPY 1,000 per person to reserve a place. That may seem a bit high, but it includes a drink inspired by one of the characters and a limited-edition coaster that is not available for sale. Considering the general cost of fan merchandise, it’s not a bad deal.
The Menu
If you’re confused by the dates on the menu, they are there to indicate that it is split up into two parts. The first part finished on March 17, 2020 and featured items like Materia Dumplings – a collection of five multi-colored dumplings inspired by the use of magic in the game, and Moogle Bread – which contained a traditional Japanese red bean paste as a filling.
I tried both of these and though they were lovely to look at they didn’t really meet my expectations in terms of taste and texture. One order of food also comes with one piece of artwork that you can pick up when you pay your bill. I got the image of Sephiroth walking away in flames, which I promptly framed when I got home!
The menu, by the way, is a tablet. You can swipe through and order directly from there as staff is very busy and the reservation time slots are a limited 90 minutes.
Can I Check the Menu Ahead of Time?
You certainly can! Just click here to go to the official website: Final Fantasy VII Cafe Menu
The items with a yellow sticker tell you what is currently available to order. There are some entrees like the Sashimi Set and the World Market Yakisoba and adorable desserts like the Moogle Sweet Mousse – looks almost too cute to eat! New drinks available now include the Midgar and the Don Corneo. Perhaps I need to give the café another visit, because they look really good!
Final Advice
Personally, I wouldn’t come here for lunch or dinner – the entrees are mostly food that you can get cheaper elsewhere. This is however, the perfect spot for fans to enjoy the lovely desserts and appetizers while sipping on the specialty drinks and geeking out over the clips of the game playing on the screens.
Don’t forget to stop by the shop on your way out!
Tokyo Dreamlife 