Great for lunch too! A stylish cafe with a selection of unique flavors that chocolate lovers must visit (Chuo Ward, Fukuoka City)

Hello♪ I'm Nanami, a writer who loves chocolate.

This time, we will introduce you to cafes and shops where you can enjoy original chocolates ♡

Tabi CACAO (Akasaka, Chuo-ku, Fukuoka) is a cafe and shop where you can enjoy the ultimate bean-to-bar chocolate made with carefully selected cacao beans.

Tabi CACAO opened in August 2024 along Keyaki Street, about a 15-minute walk from Akasaka Station on the Subway Airport Line.

This bean-to-bar chocolate cafe and shop is run by &LOCALS, a grocery store that promotes the appeal of Kyushu's local ingredients with the concept of "connecting precious production with the dining table." By the way, bean-to-bar means that the entire process from the cacao beans to the chocolate bar is managed in-house. In other words, they manufacture their own original chocolate.

The store's name (Travel Cacao) is said to be a tribute to cacao, which has traveled throughout 5,000 years of history.

On the right side of the building is the eat-in space, and on the left is the sales and take-out space.

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The sales and take-out area is lined with a variety of products made with cacao!

The store sells chocolate bars made only from cacao beans and natural Japanese sugars (such as brown sugar), cacao bean products you can incorporate into your daily beauty routine, their signature crunchy chocolate made using ancient methods, and gluten-free baked goods made by pastry chefs.

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In addition, there are original items from "tabi CACAO" and "＆LOCALS" products on display. There are also drinks available for takeout.

Enjoy the exquisite keema curry and chocolate sweets in a relaxing eat-in space!

The eat-in space has a warm and relaxing atmosphere that evokes a sense of nostalgia. There are four two-seat tables,

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There are four counter seats facing Keyaki-dori. It's comfortable and relaxing, and it's great for people coming alone.

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Orders are placed by scanning a QR code at each seat (payment is made in the merchandise and take-out area). The eat-in menu offers a wide variety of drinks, desserts, curries, and more, and almost all of them use cacao, which shows their commitment to quality.

The curry menu includes two types of keema curry topped with roasted cacao. I ordered the "Happy Baked Curry with Homemade Nib Honey" set (1,400 yen, curry alone 1,100 yen)♪

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It uses pork from Itoshima's "Ikisan Farm" and local vegetables. It's spicy and the ingredients have a strong flavor, making it delicious! The Kyushu cheese on top mellows out the spiciness. You can also add "additional cheese" (plus 150 yen)♪

It comes with "cacao nib honey" (see photo below) and "very spicy spices" for changing the flavor, so you can adjust the taste to your liking. When you pour the "cacao nib honey" over it, the gentle sweetness of the honey makes it taste much softer.

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What's more, when you order a set, you'll also get mini versions of "Homemade Lape" and "Fresh Chocolate Theobroma" (750 yen each) (see photo below), which is great!

"Homemade Lape" has a refreshing taste that gives your mouth a break.

"Nama Chocolat Theobroma" is a rich-tasting "primitive chocolate drink" made by melting homemade chocolate and combining it with brown sugar and fresh cream from Kikaijima, Kagoshima Prefecture. The rim of the cup is a combination of cinnamon and cane sugar, and when you taste it with the drink, the fruity cacao and cinnamon aroma fill your mouth and it's absolutely delicious ♡

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And we can't forget the after-meal dessert♪ We ordered an additional "Travel Cacao Pudding" (580 yen) with a cute flag attached.

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This smooth pudding is made with homemade chocolate, eggs from a chicken farm in Kurate, Fukuoka Prefecture, and fresh cream and milk from Kyushu, and has a deep flavor similar to rich chocolate mousse. The generous amount of fresh cream on top has a gentle sweetness that made me gobble it down in no time.

Other eat-in items include desserts such as "Raw Cacao Terrine with Sea Salt and Spices" (480 yen) and drinks such as "Cacao Latte" (iced/hot, 650 yen).

Enjoy authentic craft chocolate at home with "Chocolate Bar"

The chocolate on top of the "Tabi Cacao Pudding" was so delicious that I decided to buy a "Chocolate Bar"♪ I chose two types that caught my eye from the six available.

This is "Vietnam Chocolate Dark 70%" (880 yen), made from cocoa beans grown in Vietnam.

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This high-cocoa chocolate is made only from Vietnamese cocoa beans and brown sugar from Kikaijima Island. Vietnamese cocoa beans are known for their vibrant acidity and aroma.

The other is "Costa Rican Chocolate Dark 70%" (880 yen).

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This chocolate is also made only from Costa Rican cocoa beans and Kikaijima sugar cane. The characteristics of Costa Rican cocoa beans are a moderate bitterness and a refreshing fruity taste.

In order to bring out the unique characteristics of the beans, we experimented many times to find the perfect temperature and time for roasting, as well as the time for conching the beans. Both chocolates had a rich flavor, and even a single piece was very satisfying and delicious.

The packaging is cute, featuring the scenery and ingredients of the cacao producing areas, so it also makes a great gift.

Great for snacks! Gluten-free baked goods

They also have baked goods that are perfect for snacks. Another great thing about them is that they are gluten-free.

Cocoa cake

"Cacao Cake" (380 yen) is shaped like a lemon cake and has a cute package.

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This cake is made with a cacao dough and baked with homemade chocolate, making it a truly chocolate-filled cake. The moist dough, made with rice flour, is filled with lots of cocoa nibs!

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The sweetness was not too strong, making it an irresistible treat for those who love bitter chocolate.

Sea Salt Cacao Sable

The "Sea Salt Cacao Sable" (580 yen) is so delicious that you won't be able to stop eating it.

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The crunchy texture of the cacao sable is combined with the crunchy texture of the cacao nibs and the gritty texture of the brown sugar. As you eat it, the saltiness of the salt lingers at the end, making for a delicious aftertaste. This one also uses rice flour. Even one piece is very satisfying.

Other products are also interesting, such as the signature product "Theobroma" (20g/420 yen, 65g/1,380 yen), which is made using the ancient method of grinding cocoa beans in a stone mill.

By the time I left the store, I was completely hooked on the depth of bean-to-bar chocolate. Please come and try the delicious chocolate that has been carefully crafted in every detail. (Text by Nanami)

＜Click on the store name for more details about the store ↓＞
■tabi CACAO
Address: 3-7-11 Akasaka, Chuo-ku, Fukuoka City, Fukuoka Prefecture
Business hours: 11:00-19:00 (cafe order stop 18:30)
Closed: Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday
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