I had lunch at the retro-style café “Café De Grand Bois” near Kuroiso Station and tried their Daily Lunch Set.

Just a 2-minute walk from Kuroiso Station, Café De Grand Bois is a cozy café operating inside a historic building that was originally the main branch of the old Kuroiso Bank, built in 1916.

It is now registered as a Tangible Cultural Property — a government-recognized historical building in Japan.

I dropped by around lunchtime and ordered their Daily Lunch Set, which is limited to just ten servings a day.

Basic infomation on the café

• Name：Café De Grand Bois
• Category：Western cuisine, Japanese cuisine, sweets
• Address：5-19 Honcho, Nasushiobara-shi, Tochigi-ken
• Access：2-minute walk from the west exit of Station Kuroiso
• Business Hours
  • (Lunch) 11:00~15:00 (L.O. 14:30)
  • (Cafe time) 13:30~15:00 (L.O. 14:30)
  • (Dinner) 18:00~21:00 (L.O. 20:00)
• Regular Holiday
  • Tuesdays
  • Mondays (twice a month)
• Phone Number: 0287-64-2330
• Official Website/SNS
  (HP) https://cafe-de-grand-bois.com/

Review of my actual experience visiting

The stone exterior exuded a sense of solidity, while the interior offered a calm atmosphere within a retro space.

Ordered Menu and Price

I was originally thinking of getting the omurice, but when I heard the “Daily Lunch Set” was still available, I went for that instead.

・Daily Lunch Set (¥1,350)

About taste

The set came with chicken cutlet in tomato sauce, miso soup, salad, pickles, rice, and coffee.

The chicken cutlet was a lot bigger than it looked, super tender, and the tomato sauce had just the right mix of saltiness and tang—so good!

Even the potato salad on the side was way better than I expected — a pleasant surprise.

The rice was nice and fluffy, and the miso soup had a solid dashi flavor (with mizuna greens and nameko mushrooms).

The salad had a great balance too — the dressing’s gentle acidity paired perfectly with the veggies’ natural sweetness and slight bitterness.

The atmosphere inside

Inside, the retro space is filled with soft jazz playing in the background.

There are both sofa seats and counter seats, though the counter only has about five spots.

I came in a little before 11:30, and the place was already lively with people having lunch.

When I sat down, the staff kindly let me know that the food might take a little while, which I really appreciated.

It took about 20 minutes for the lunch set to come out, but with the jazz playing and the charming interior to look at, I didn’t mind the wait at all.

Even though they were clearly busy, they were great about refilling my water without me having to ask.

And the timing of the coffee after the meal was perfect, too.

Features & Usability of Café De Grand Bois

Here’s a quick look at the dining scenes and facilities at Café De Grand Bois.

Recommended for different occasions

Lunchtime gets really busy here, so I recommend coming on a day when you’re not in a rush.

It seems you can even make a lunch reservation on weekdays, so if you’ve got a specific time in mind, it’s worth booking.

Also, the café menu starts at 1:30 p.m., so from 11:00 to 13:30 it’s essentially lunch-only—good to keep in mind!

Facilities

• Wi-Fi: Available
• Smoking：Smoke-free shop
• Payment method: Cash, PayPay
• To-Go: Dressing only

Access & map

From Kuroiso Station (West Exit), take the left-side exit, turn right, and walk straight ahead.

Cross the pedestrian crossing in front of the Kuroiso Station police box, and go straight.

Turn left at the first corner, and the second building is Café.

Summary｜Who I recommend Café De Grand Bois for

• If you want to enjoy a meal in a retro space inside a historic building
• If you’re looking for both Japanese and Western dishes near Kuroiso Station

If you’re around Kuroiso Station and want a solid daily lunch, Café De Grand Bois is definitely worth a visit!