Behind the Museum Café – Japanese
Tucked away like a well-kept secret, this serene sanctuary blends the minimalist elegance of a Japanese tea house with the inviting warmth of a modern neighborhood café. The air is filled with the comforting aroma of savory miso soup and toasted baguettes, while the kitchen artfully pairs hand-pressed onigiri and delicate wasabi chazuke with hearty, artisanal sandwiches. It is a soulful retreat where every bite offers a moment of quiet contemplation, perfectly capturing the harmony between traditional craft and contemporary comfort.
1229, Southwest 10th Avenue, Portland, OR, 97205 +15034776625 https://www.behindthemuseumcafe.com/0Cuisine: Japanese
Price range: $
Dietary options: halal, high-protein, keto, low-carb, vegan, vegetarian, heart-healthy, low-fat, low-sodium, paleo, pescatarian, plant-based, whole30, anti-inflammatory, atkins, dash-sodium-reduced, gerd, low-cholesterol, south-beach, aip, alkaline, carnivore, renal, tlc, volumetrics, zone, lectin-free, macrobiotic, slow-carb
Currently closed
Hours
- Monday - Tuesday
- 11:00 AM - 3:00 PM
- Wednesday - Sunday
- 11:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Menu
Japanese Specialties
- Onigiri - $6.5: Rice ball wrapped with seaweed. Choice of filling: salmon, salmon mayo, ume pickles, teriyaki chicken, teriyaki shiitake, seaweed mushroom, or pickled tea leaves. Served with edamame or napa cabbage. Dietary tags: High-Protein, Heart-Healthy, Low-Sodium, Low-Fat, GERD-Friendly, TLC Available at: dinner, lunch
- Miso Soup - $5.75: Traditional Japanese soybean paste soup Dietary tags: Halal, Pescatarian, Alkaline, Macrobiotic Available at: dinner, lunch
- Miso Soup with Rice - $10.5: Miso soup served with a nutritious blend of brown rice, quinoa, millet, red rice, and black rice. Served with napa cabbage. Available at: dinner, lunch
- Wasabi Chazuke - $10.5: Wasabi flavored tea over rice with one onigiri topping. Served with homemade napa cabbage. Dietary tags: Pescatarian Available at: dinner, lunch
- Otsumami - $13: Assorted appetizers: cucumber with miso dip, organic edamame, and homemade napa cabbage. Dietary tags: Vegan, Vegetarian, Pescatarian, Plant-Based, Alkaline, Macrobiotic Available at: dinner, lunch
Sandwiches
- Mini Baguette - $8.75: Prosciutto, brie, pear, and honey glazed walnuts (olives substituted for vegetarian option). Available at: dinner, lunch
- Ham & Egg Sandwich - $14: Ham, egg salad, tomato, and cucumber. Available at: breakfast, brunch, lunch
- Tofu & Egg Sandwich - $14.75: Organic tofu, egg salad, tomato, and cucumber. Dietary tags: Vegetarian, Pescatarian Available at: dinner, lunch
- Bagel with Cream Cheese - $4.75: Plain bagel with cream cheese. Dietary tags: Vegetarian, Pescatarian, Low-Sodium Available at: breakfast, brunch, lunch
- Bagel Deluxe - $8.75: Cream cheese, tomato, onion, and capers. Dietary tags: Vegetarian, Pescatarian Available at: breakfast, brunch, lunch
- Salmon Bagel - $12: Cream cheese, salmon, tomato, onion, and capers. Dietary tags: Pescatarian Available at: breakfast, brunch, lunch
Pastries & Sweets
- Matcha Brownie - $5.5: Green tea brownie with walnuts. Dietary tags: Vegetarian, Pescatarian
- Hojicha Brownie - $5.5: Roasted green tea brownie with hazelnuts. Dietary tags: Vegetarian, Pescatarian
- Chikara Cake - $5.75: Gluten-free cake with fig, blueberry, prune, raisin, pistachio, pecan, macadamia, walnut, and rice flour. Dietary tags: Vegan, Vegetarian, Pescatarian
- Daifuku - $5: Japanese rice cake stuffed with sweet filling. Dietary tags: Vegan, Vegetarian, Pescatarian
- Omanju - $6: Traditional Japanese steamed cake. Dietary tags: Vegan, Vegetarian, Pescatarian
- Matcha Parfait - $11: Green tea flavored parfait. Dietary tags: Vegan, Vegetarian, Whole30, Pescatarian, Paleo, Plant-Based, Alkaline, AIP, Macrobiotic, Lectin-Free
- Hojicha Parfait - $11: Roasted green tea flavored parfait. Dietary tags: Vegan, Vegetarian, Whole30, Pescatarian, Paleo, Plant-Based, Alkaline, AIP, Macrobiotic, Lectin-Free
- Zenzai - $9.25: Sweet azuki bean soup with mochi. Dietary tags: High-Protein, Vegan, Vegetarian, Halal, Pescatarian, Heart-Healthy, Plant-Based, Low-Sodium, Low-Fat, Anti-Inflammatory, DASH Sodium-Reduced, Low-Cholesterol, GERD-Friendly, Zone, Volumetrics, TLC, Renal, Macrobiotic
- Cookie - $4: Assorted flavors: Coffee, Fig and Prune, Ginger, Chocolate Chip, or Matcha. Dietary tags: Vegetarian, Pescatarian, Low-Sodium
- Tart - $5.5: Assorted flavors: Mixed Berry, Pistachio, or Pear Blueberry. Dietary tags: Vegan, Vegetarian, Pescatarian, Plant-Based, Macrobiotic
Teas
- Sencha - $4: Green tea. Dietary tags: Vegan, Vegetarian, Whole30, Pescatarian, Paleo, Plant-Based, Alkaline, AIP, Macrobiotic, Lectin-Free
- Hojicha - $4: Roasted green tea.
- Genmaicha - $4: Brown rice tea. Dietary tags: Vegan, Vegetarian, Pescatarian, Plant-Based, Macrobiotic
- Matcha Latte - $6.75: 100% organic finely-milled green tea with milk.
- Matcha Set with Daifuku - $14: Tea ceremony-style matcha served with a daifuku rice cake. Dietary tags: Vegan, Vegetarian, Pescatarian
- Matcha Set with Omanju - $16.5: Tea ceremony-style matcha served with an omanju steamed cake. Dietary tags: Vegan, Vegetarian, Pescatarian
Coffee
- Pour Over - $4.5: Extracto roasted coffee.
- Latte - $5.75: Espresso with steamed milk.
- Affogato - $7: Espresso with ice cream.
Beverages
- Japanese Beer - $6.25: Premium Japanese bottled beer. Dietary tags: Vegan, Vegetarian, Pescatarian, Plant-Based
- Premium Hot Sake - $7.25: Warm Japanese rice wine. Dietary tags: Vegan, Vegetarian, Pescatarian, Plant-Based
- Yuzu Drink - $4.5: Japanese citrus beverage. Dietary tags: Keto, Low-Carb, Vegan, Vegetarian, Whole30, Pescatarian, Paleo, Heart-Healthy, Plant-Based, Low-Sodium, Low-Fat, Anti-Inflammatory, Atkins, South-Beach, DASH Sodium-Reduced, Low-Cholesterol, GERD-Friendly, Carnivore, Zone, Volumetrics, TLC, Alkaline, AIP, Renal, Macrobiotic, Slow-Carb, Lectin-Free
- Ramune - $3.75: Japanese marble soda. Dietary tags: Vegan, Vegetarian, Pescatarian, Heart-Healthy, Low-Sodium, Low-Fat, Low-Cholesterol, GERD-Friendly, TLC, Renal
Restaurants near Behind the Museum Café
- Kizuki Ramen & Izakaya — Japanese
- Sensei Sushi Bar & Grill — Japanese
- Shigezo — Japanese
- Tanaka — Japanese
- Hamono Sushi — Japanese
- The House of Ramen — Japanese
- Masu — Japanese
- Hachi — Japanese
- Departure — Japanese
- Rollin' Fresh — Japanese
- Suki's Bar And Griil — Japanese
- Mio Sushi — Japanese
