Mona's Kitchen — Proper Sandwiches in Old Karuizawa

Just off Ginza-dori in the heart of old Karuizawa, Mona's Kitchen is run by Rob, a Canadian who makes his own pastrami and sources ingredients rarely found in Japan. The sandwiches are proper Western sandwiches, hard to find in Japan and hard to find done well anywhere.

Breakfast includes Canadian-style plates, sandwiches and pancakes. We particularly enjoy the Jammin' Piggy breakfast sandwich featuring two eggs, sharp cheddar, bacon jam with pepper mayo on a bagel with a side of hashbrowns. 

A lunch menu offers a huge selection of sandwiches on white, ciabatta, rye and others. L’Italiano is our favourite for lunch - it is a layered italian style sandwich with havarti, mortadella, ham, salami, marinated artichokes and arugula finished with pesto mayo on focaccia. 

Saturday evenings they serve smash burgers which you can pair with a craft beer out of the fridge.

At the side of the shop, a small marketplace stocks pantry goods, a well-chosen selection for stocking up before a few days in a villa.

One wall holds dozens of hot sauces from around the world. Most can be tasted before buying, to spice up a breakfast or lunch order. The one we can’t stop using is “The Taco” . It is super fresh and flavorful and we often use it in place of salt.

Warm, unpretentious, and right in the middle of the busiest part of town. And even better yet, dogs are welcome. Mona's Kitchen is also the first retailer to commit to stocking VENISON + APPLE when it launches this autumn. Look for us on their shelf soon.