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    Umami Cafe

    3.6 (159 reviews)
    ModerateCafes, Tea Rooms
    Open 9:00 am - 6:00 pm

    Umami Cafe Photos

    UMAMI CAFE ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Casual
    Classy
    Moderate noise
    Outdoor seating

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    Recommended Reviews - Umami Cafe

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    Lavender tea
    Alan S.

    It's a cafe in the Japanese garden. It's cute with nice outdoor and indoor seating. I guess I'm eating Japanese Cafe food which is neat and the uniqueness makes it worth the markup in price. For a Tamago Egg sandwich (really half sandwich), Chikara Cake, Daifuku Mochi, and a Matcha Popsicle, cold brew coffee and a lavender ice tea, was almost $40. It made for a hardy snack/light lunch for 2. It was fun to try these different things. The sandwich was quite good as was the Mochi. The drinks seem over priced to me. It's more like 3.5, but rounding up since it's very pretty to sit here.

    Alison N.

    Service was polite and friendly but Umami Cafe was a disappointing experience. Ironically, for a place with "Umami" in its name the food lacked flavor and any depth whatsoever. The Tamago Sandwich was bland and the Choux à la Crème tasted as though it had been sitting around for a while and was similarly lacking in flavor. The teas however were enjoyable and ended up being the highlight of the meal. The cafe's biggest draw is its setting, definitely not its food. The beautifully landscaped grounds provide a peaceful place to sit outdoors and the interior is tastefully designed with simple wooden furnishings that complement the natural surroundings. Without that atmosphere and the fact that there are no other dining options nearby makes it difficult to imagine the food alone drawing any visitors.

    Sarah S.

    I highly recommend the Umami Café which was just one of the best experiences I've ever had. It makes sense to come here while at Portland's Japanese Gardens as it's within the grounds. Walking up to the cafe is beautiful. Even better? Sitting at their lovely tables with a hillside view over the grounds while sipping on delicious bites and soothing green teas. It was heaven. Make a reservation here to be safe. My friends and I made 11am reservations for some snacks which features locally made of which we have the fried rice, castella cakes and matcha brownies. It was an adorable spread and everything tasted wonderful. Not to mention, service was excellent the entire time. Be sure to get some cute photos outside, as well! The Cafe is desgined like Kyoto's Kiyomizu-dera Temple. It gives me Falling Water vibes just floating out over the hillside.

    Matcha gelatin dessert
    Abby S.

    This was an excellent stop. It's within the Japanese garden (ticket required for entry). They have a nice assortment of sweets and a few sandwiches. I tried a matcha gelatin dessert which was more art than food, but very interesting nonetheless. The real star is the teas. There is a fantastic selection of green, black, and herbal (of course including matcha). I tried the Genmaicha and loved it. Really unique flavor and not like any tea I've had before. A must stop before or after the garden.

    Exterior
    Payton H.

    Umami cafe is situated inside the beautiful and serene Portland Japanese Garden. You cannot beat the relaxing setting and I was thankful we were able to sit outside. It was bustling with people, yet, our drinks came out in under 10 minutes. We got the Mugicha and Genmaicha teas. They came in small-ish to-go cups, which was slightly disappointing, as having an actual mug would add to the experience. Nonetheless, both the teas had unique flavor profiles that made for pleasant sipping. The genmaicha was more nutty tasting, while the mugicha had a toasted, slightly smokey flavor.

    3/14/2025 - I dropped into the Umami Cafe for a yuzu soda and mango mochi
    Mikhail H.

    I did not intend to drop in here while visiting the Japanese Garden for a performance. Then I realized I needed to take some medication. I am not a tea drinker and was making all these assumptions. I assumed they would be busy and they were not plus they are very well staffed so even if they were I do not see it as an issue. There are a great number of seats through the in and outside or you can take your tea and snacks with you. The tea, per my friend who got some, said it was truly amazing. And they mindfully make your chosen blend. The whole building is window and there is a cherry tree {currently just about to blossom!} right next to the building. There are not bad views anywhere around the Japanese Garden so taking a moment for a snack and sip is lovely. I love yuzu and they carry a soda {there are two other flavors I could not tell you anything about since they had me at yuzu!} which is just juice, cane sugar and fizzy water. I am pretty picky about soda and always expect I will loathe it. These are crazy good! I also appreciate a glass bottle I can screw the top back on since I was not able to finish it until later. They have quite a few flavors of mochi. I grabbed my favorite which is mango so I knew that would be great. I also got to try my friend's brownie which was a slight chocolate with so much hazelnut. They have a chicken teriyaki I would be curious to try. I definitely recommend grabbing even some water here to pause.

    Alison M.

    This is a beautiful glass cafe at the top of the path in the visitors section of the Portland Japanese Garden. Small menu with some teas and tea cakes but it's cute and we tried a sencha tea and honey cake combo. Sitting on the deck is relaxing and nice. Worth it if you have time to spare and enjoy tea.

    Jaimee S.

    Umami Cafe was not here the last time I was in Portland & I knew we had to try it! Bringing my family here was a wonderful experience and decided to stop by after our hike into the ever beautiful Japanese garden. It did not disappoint. The line upon entering moved quickly and efficiently. I loved the ambiance of it & with it being nestled in the woods left a tranquility I'll never forget. The Matcha was mixed to perfection & it was overall a great experience leaving a vibe of being transported to Japan. My husband & I enjoyed this & will have to try the assorted desserts on our next visit!

    Beverages available
    Lisette M.

    We visited Portland Japanese Garden and stopped here for a little treat! The mochi ice cream was delicious. I'm not a fan of red bean but this dorayaki was sooo good.. it really tasted like authentic red bean paste. So if you're in town give it a try and check this place out!

    Castella Cake and Tea
    Mia H.

    Located at the Japanese Garden, this cafe is a great spot to stop by as you stroll through the gardens or to check-out before you leave! The cafe is bright with lots of windows and plenty of seating. However, depending on when you go there might be a wait as it typically gets very busy! When I came there was about a 10 minute wait, but we got sat down after putting our names on the list. I ordered a castella cake and some tea to enjoy with it. It was a nice and relaxing stop after walking around the gardens, but I wouldn't say that it was the best cake or teas that I've had. Nonetheless, I would still come back next time I'm at the gardens and I would love to check out other items on their menu!

    Victoria H.

    Umami was a very delicious cage inside the Portland Japanese Garden. The traditional Japanese Desserts, tea, and soup were all amazing. The staff were also great and quick. I had the Miso soup, a Japanese sponge style cake, and a sparkling soda with mochi ice cream. It was all really good and had excellent flavors. I highly recommend this spot if you're in the gardens for the day. I would highly recommend a reservation as they get busy!

    Menu
    Samantha J.

    Been meaning to check this place out. The last time we visited the Portland Japanese Garden was back in 2020 and Umami Cafe wasn't open to the public due to local Covid restrictions. We decided to go back to the Portland Japanese Garden this past Saturday since the fall foliage was in full effect and, of course, to check this little cafe out. ~ MAKE A RESERVATION ONLINE ~ I highly recommend you make a reservation online at Umami Cafe ahead of time. Once you have that finalized, you'll need to purchase an entrance fee for the Portland Japanese Garden. We paid a total of $43.90 for 2 adults, or $21.95 each with the added fees. When you purchase an entrance fee, you have to choose an entry time, so make sure you give yourself at least 30 min. before your Umami Cafe reservation so you're not rushing and have a bit of time to explore before. Our reservation at Umami Cafe was at 11:00 AM on a Saturday, and we entered the Portland Japanese Garden at 10:00 AM, giving ourselves an hour to enter and wander around for a bit. ~ SIT OUT ON THE PATIO & ENJOY THE GREENERY ~ We went on a gloomy, fall day, so the vibes were just perfect for sipping some tea and enjoying the gardens. We were seated right away and had a choice to sit indoors versus outdoors. We chose a table on the outside patio because the weather was just too perfect. ~ SIMPLISTIC & TRADITIONAL MENU ~ The menu is minimal which made it easy for us to order something right away. I went with the Genmaicha & Manju tea set and my husband ordered the Matcha & Chocolate Mochi Ice Cream tea set. The platter it came with was very traditional and minimalistic. It was my first time trying the Genmaicha and I felt it to be an acquired taste, but I still enjoyed sipping it while enjoying the greenery. I definitely enjoyed the Manju that it came with. It wasn't too sweet, just perfect. My husband also enjoyed what he ordered. Although the serving size is small, it was the perfect size for a little snack break while visiting the Portland Japanese Garden. ~ ATTENTIVE SERVERS, NO COMPLAINTS ~ The service was great! The hostess and servers were all attentive and made sure that we got everything we needed. All in all, this was a unique and beautiful experience that's definitely worth trying once.

    Katie B.

    Umami Cafe is expensive, considering you can get similar stuff from Behind the Museum Cafe, but what you're really paying for is the view and sitting amongst the tall trees at the Japanese Garden. After all, it's a cafe inside a museum/garden attraction so prices reflect that fact they have a monopoly on the clientele. With that aside, we had a good visit. We opted for a set with matcha and kinako mochi , a set with kukicha and a daifuku, and the matcha hojicha brownie set. The kukicha was very good, the matcha was so-so, per my tea ceremony performing mother, but most folks wouldn't notice a difference. The sweets are also bite sized - it makes for an authentic Japanese experience but most folks might leave surprised and hungry. Again, yea, it's overpriced but you're also paying for experience. Service from one server was wonderful while the other server was too quick to take dishes and cups away, making us feel rushed. Overall I'd still come back again with the changing seasons and to try their monthly specials. It's just relaxing to sip some tea after walking the gardens.

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