Harajuku Tokyo Café

Harajuku Tokyo Café is a casual dining and quick-service restaurant (QSR) chain in India that specializes in authentic Japanese cuisine and bakery items. Founded by Gaurav Kanwar in 2021, the company was born from his passion for making Japanese street food and culinary culture accessible to the Indian market, an idea he developed after his time in the UK and subsequent research in Japan. The first outlet launched in Select Citywalk Mall, Delhi, and due to a positive reception for its unique offerings and pop-culture-inspired, 'Instagrammable' ambiance, the brand quickly expanded.

The business operates through two main formats: the full-service Harajuku Tokyo Café and the quick-service Harajuku Bakehouse. Its menu features a wide array of Japanese dishes, including jiggly pancakes, sushi, ramen, bento bowls, and dorayaki, all developed in collaboration with Japanese chefs to ensure authenticity. The cafes are designed to offer an immersive experience, featuring elements of Japanese pop culture like manga libraries and vibrant Harajuku-inspired decor. The company's business model is built on making Japanese food approachable for a mass-market audience through its casual dining and QSR formats. A central kitchen in Delhi NCR handles a significant portion of food preparation to maintain quality and consistency across its outlets. Revenue is generated through restaurant sales, with an average order value between ₹800 and ₹1200 per person, and online deliveries.

As of August 2025, Harajuku Tokyo Café has 7 operational outlets across Delhi NCR and Mumbai, with an annual recurring revenue of over ₹30 crore. The company recently secured ₹19 crore ($2 million) in a seed funding round led by Indian Angel Network (IAN), with participation from Samved VC, LetsVenture, and Capitar Ventures. These funds are earmarked for an aggressive expansion plan to open 90 outlets across 20 Indian cities by 2027, targeting a revenue of over ₹200 crores. The company is also venturing into the packaged food sector with a D2C brand, KoiKoi Essentials, offering products like ramen kits and sauces, and is exploring international franchise opportunities, particularly in the UAE.

Keywords: Japanese cuisine, QSR chain, casual dining, Indian restaurant market, food and beverage, bakery, Harajuku Bakehouse, Gaurav Kanwar, Japanese street food, restaurant expansion, food franchising, boba tea, jiggly pancakes, sushi, ramen, D2C food brand, venture capital, Indian Angel Network, KoiKoi Essentials, restaurant technology