THE BUTTER opened on July 25, officially Snow Brand Hokkaido Butter Day, on the first floor of Akarenga Terrace. It sits across from the red-brick former Hokkaido Government Office, a short walk from Sapporo Station. It's the first butter-specialty cafe from Snow Brand Megmilk, run by Snow Brand Parlor, which has operated cafes and restaurants in Sapporo for years.
The hook sits behind a glass wall. A custom butter churn turns factory cream into butter on the spot, and the butter is served within 24 hours of being made. The churn runs on an irregular schedule, so you can't count on catching it in action.
What to order
The menu leans on warm bread and fresh butter. There's a butter toast set with bacon and sausage, a signature butter French toast (reviewers mention a seasonal version), and takeout fries made with Hokkaido potatoes and the fresh butter. One reviewer says the fries read like jaga-bata in fry form. That makes this the natural sequel to our butter fries piece: the same pairing, with the butter made in the room.
Going
Hours are 8:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m., with last order at 5:00pm, and there are about 40 seats. One reviewer on Tabelog turned away from a line around 11 a.m. and came back earlier, so mornings are the safer bet.
Location: 1F Akarenga Terrace,
1-1, Kita 2-jo Nishi 4-chome, Chuo-ku, Sapporo, Hokkaido 060-0002 , Japan
Tel: 011-206-1812