Kirby Café
Kirby Café (カービィカフェ; stylized as KIRBY CAFÉ) is a real-world official Kirby series-themed café in Japan, which first opened in August 2016. Right now, the Kirby Café is only available in Japan, with two permanent locations in Tokyo and Hakata.
Events by Year
2016
Kirby Café was first hosted by Sparkle & Co. in three cities during 2016. Besides the café, official shops also opened to sell goods.
- In Tokyo, Kirby Café was hosted from August 26th to October 30th; the official shop from August 3rd to August 23rd.
- In Osaka, Kirby Café and the official shop were hosted from August 5th to September 25th.
- In Nagoya, only the official shop was hosted from August 5th to September 25th.
The 12 acoustic music arrangement tracks used in the café were released on CD as The Sound of Kirby Café on August 3rd, 2016.
According to the café's description, Kirby is the Chef (シェフ[1], not to be confused with Cook), and Waddle Dees work as Apprentice Chefs (みならいシェフ[2]).
2018-2019
After the hiatus in 2017, Kirby Café and its shop reopened on September 27th 2018, now hosted by BENELIC CO., LTD. This café was only available in Tokyo and for reservations only. A story is also made for the café, so far with 4 chapters.
Chapter 1
Period: September 27th, 2018 ~ February 17th, 2019
The plot involves Chef Kawasaki joining the café.
Chapter 2
Period: February 27th 2019, ~ June 2nd, 2019
Originally planned to end on February 17th, Kirby Café entered Chapter 2 with the plot of Chef Kawasaki in search of coffee beans. The menu has also been expanded with new dishes.
Chapter 3
Period: June 11th, 2019 ~ September 23rd, 2019
Originally planned to end on June 2nd, Kirby Café was extended until September 23rd under the title Kirby Café Summer. Time-limited dishes were introduced on the summer menu. This was the final run for the temporary Tokyo café, which ended up lasting for about a year.
2019-2020
Hakata
Period: November 14th, 2019 ~ February 24, 2020
The temporary Kirby Café and associated shop reopened in Hakata, Fukuoka in November of 2019. As before, it was for reservation only. It closed on February 24th, 2020 to make room for a new, permanent café.
Tokyo, Chapter 4
Period: December 12th, 2019 ~ indefinite
Due to its continued popularity, a permanent Kirby Café was opened in Tokyo in December of 2019, in a different location from the previous temporary café. Reflecting this, the storyline involved Kirby and Chef Kawasaki moving the café to be closer to Whispy Woods, who is prominently featured in the new chapter's branding and appears as a statue in the permanent café.
Also included was a new set of 15 acoustic music arrangements, The Sound of Kirby Café 2, which released on the same day as the permanent café's opening.
Hakata, Chapter 2
Period: March 12th, 2020 ~ indefinite
As with the Tokyo café, the Hakata café proved popular enough to open a permanent location in the city, meaning that there are currently two permanent Kirby Café branches running in Japan. The Hakata location, which opened in March of 2020, shares its storyline and décor with the Tokyo location, but some menu items are mutually exclusive.
Menu
2020-Kirby
Hakata
References in Games
Kirby Battle Royale
In Kirby Battle Royale, two Headgears reference Kirby Café:
- Waddle Dee's Café Cap - This is part of the working outfit of the Apprentice Chef Waddle Dees.
- King Dedede's Knit Cap - This is part of what he wears as a customer of the café.
Kirby Star Allies
In Kirby Star Allies, the hat for the Cook ability now includes a star-shaped button on its left side, referencing Chef Kirby's appearance in the Kirby Café branding. This design is also used by Chef Kawasaki as a Friend.
Kirby and the Forgotten Land
In Kirby and the Forgotten Land, there will be a Sub-Game based on the Kirby Café. Kirby has to serve either Maxim Tomatoes or Energy Drinks to Waddle Dees in quick succession.[3]
- A cutscene depicts Kirby, Bandanna Waddle Dee and Elfilin eating Kirby Burgers like in the "カービィバーガー&ミートパスタ温野菜のせ" (Kābyibāgā & mītopasuta Yutaka yasai nose) dish.