Cut through the UNESCO World Heritage Site of the Shimogamo Shrine and Tadasu no Mori forest, and you’ll come across the striking white façade of La KLASSIQUE.
Fans eagerly awaited the opening of La KLASSIQUE in August 2018 after this husband and wife patisserie duo, who previously worked many years at a well-known Kyoto patisserie, decided it was time for them to embark on a new voyage and open a store of their own.
Speaking on the concept behind La KLASSIQUE’s flagship dessert, the Choux Classic, Ms. Kato says smiling; "The dessert found its roots in the choux cream pastries that my husband’s father, who was a chef himself, would often bring home from work."
The most important aspect of pastries for Mr. and Ms. Kato is seasonality — meaning that they place a huge importance on seasonal ingredients and recipes.
And this unwavering dedication to their pastries can be seen throughout their menu.
In addition to using domestically grown fruit, the couple also works within the bounds of the seasons and use only what is available to them to, through trial and error, create the absolute best, and most seasonally appropriate recipes — whether that be tarts, pies, scones or even crème caramel.
Even the store's jams are canned with perfectly ripened fruit and don't use any preservatives. While these preservative-free jams have a short shelf life of only four months, this allows customers to enjoy them while they are at their very best, season-wise and taste-wise.
The Shimogamo area is blessed with a tremendous amount of greenery and is a great place to sit back and relax, away from the hustle and bustle of downtown.
La KLASSIQUE itself is excellent regardless of if you just want to pick up a cake to enjoy on a stroll through the Tadasu no Mori forest or next to the Kamogawa River, or looking for a place to sit down and have a cup of tea (the store seats up to 10 people and is open from 11 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.).
Indulge yourself in the tastes of the seasons at La KLASSIQUE.