Tabelog ratingBLUFF BAKERY Motomachi honten (ブラフベーカリー 元町本店) is a New York-style bakery on a steep hillside above Motomachi in Yokohama, on the ground floor of the Hillcrest Ogura building. It sources flour by named producer and from several countries. The kitchen is open to the shop floor, so trays go straight from the oven to the shelves. It has been selected for Tabelog's "Tabelog 100" bread list several times, most recently in 2026.
Two items define the place:
- The milk stick, also sold as milk France, is a crusty baguette split and filled with butter and condensed-milk cream. It comes up in roughly a third of reviews.
- The carrot cake is studded with walnuts under a thick layer of cream-cheese frosting. It is mentioned almost as often, and several reviewers call it the best they have had.
Chocolate croissants, cinnamon rolls and malasadas (Hawaiian-style doughnuts, often still warm) are frequent favourites. The quiches and spiced curry bread draw strong praise. English-speaking visitors point out the English ingredient labels on every item and the friendly staff.
Complaints are minor and mostly about logistics. The climb is tiring in summer, and popular items sell out by afternoon. One reviewer found the danishes lacked crispness, another waited 15 minutes for a made-to-order bánh mì, and a few thought the cookies pricey.
Reviewers in 2024–2026 paid around:
- ¥252–293 for the milk stick
- ¥522–658 for carrot cake
- ¥409–429 for a cinnamon roll
- ¥357 for curry bread
- ¥605 for a grilled-vegetable quiche
- ¥210 for a cinnamon malasada
- ¥216 for half a baguette
A typical spend for breakfast or lunch is under ¥1,000 per person, though most reviewers left with ¥2,000 or more worth of bread. Value is good. Reviewers consistently call prices fair for the quality, and they describe the quiches and cinnamon rolls as large and filling.
- Getting there: 8 minutes on foot from the Motomachi exit of Motomachi-Chukagai Station (Minatomirai Line), which reviewers call exit 5. The route goes uphill on the steep Daikanzaka slope.
- Hours: Daily 8:00–17:00. Irregular closing days are announced on Instagram. Mid-morning is best: some items are still baking just after opening, and many are gone by afternoon.
- Booking: No booking needed; you can simply walk in. You can pre-order by phone (045-651-4490) or via the app, which is worth doing for items that sell out.
- Payment: Visa and Mastercard, transport IC cards such as Suica, and PayPay are accepted. One 2025 reviewer reported cash only, so carry some cash as a backup.
- Seating: Takeaway only, with no seats or private rooms. Reviewers eat in nearby Harbor View Park.
- Children: Welcome, including babies.
- Smoking: Non-smoking.
- Parking: None.
- In the shop: You pick bread with disposable gloves rather than tongs. Paper bags cost about ¥20. Sandwiches are in the case by the register.
