This was such a lovely and emotional story.

This is the story about a cafe in Japan that will bring your loved ones back precisely one time by serving a nostalgic meal.

It is a wonderful tale of how we deal with grief and how we begin to heal. It is well told and will make you feel all sorts of emotions. Joy and sadness, frustration and understanding, but most of all acceptance and the beginnings of healing.

The writing is wonderfully accessible and the translator did a good job. It barely read like a translation of a Japanese work, which is an accomplishment in and of itself. #

The characters we meet feel real and well fleshed out in what is allowed for this setting. The pacing is well done and it was a joy to read. I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoyed 'Before the coffee gets cold and other stories from a similar vein.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for the Arc. I truly enjoyed this book and will be buying a physical copy when it is released in November.
All opinions are my own and I am posting them voluntarily.

I love a good slice of life novel, and 'The Chibineko Kitchen' was just that.
'The Chibineko Restaurant' is a magical place that allows people to reconnect with the loved ones they've lost through a remembrance meal.
Every chapter tells a different story, but all the characters in the stories are connected. Each story also ends with a recipe.
The novel does a great job with portraying grief and sorrow, and at the same time filling you with hope.
It's a comforting and intimate read that I would recommend to people who enjoyed 'The Kamogawa Food Detectives' and 'Before the Coffee Gets Cold'.

Huge thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for a free digital ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Losing a loved one is difficult and completely shatters the lives of the ones left behind.

The Chibineko Kitchen deals with grief. The restaurant offers healing through food by specializing in remembrance meals that are 'shared' and offered to loved ones who have passed.

The story is beautiful and the characters are well written; they are given a sense of closure and the courage to move on after their interactions with the ones they have lost.

The cat Chibi adds to the story by just being cute. Recipes to the remembrance meals have also been given at the end of each chapter.

Such a sweet and heart-warming, yet sad, read.

The Chibineko kitchen provides memorial meals - delicious food that evokes memories of, and somehow a final encounter with a departed loved one. Kotoko is our initial entry to the kitchen, meeting her brother for the final time as she eats the food he loved to cook - her presence continues throughout the narrative as others make their way through the kitchen, and as the chef himself needs the same support.

I loved the inclusion of recipes throughout the story - a lovely touch.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️.5/5

Please note that I am rounding but if I could put decimals it’d be a 4.5 for me!

First of all thank you to NetGalley, the publishers, and the author for allowing me to read this! I was very excited to get my hands on this one!

“Follow the bank of the Koitogawa river until you reach the beach. From there a path of white seashells will lead you to the Chibineko Kitchen. Step inside, they'll be expecting you.”

The Chibineko Kitchen was like watching the most cozy and sweet almost magical story while reading it. I truly think this will touch the hearts of fans of Before The Coffee Gets Cold, by: Toshikaza Kawaguchi.

I deeply enjoyed the story told in this only 208pg book. I enjoyed how all the characters were all somehow involved in each other's stories as well as how much of the Japanese Culture and food was in this story, allowing foreigners to learn as they read. I love the cute little recipes at the end of each chapter/part as well. I just deeply enjoyed this story overall.

I think the translator did an amazing job, I think, however, the only thing that did affect my rating for this story was just that I feel the translation did slightly affect how it was read. I feel sometimes it’s something that can happen quite often when translating books to English. I would be curious how it would have read had I been able to read it in its original language. Even so, I am so glad we are able to read it.

This has for sure been added to my list of ARCs I’d like to own a physical copy of to have on my bookshelf.

Thank you to NetGalley and John Murray Press for the ARC

A heartwarming and cozy novel. The book tackles grief supremely and leaves you filled with joy. I also enjoyed the food component and though the recepies in each chapter was a unique quirk. Each chapter was a new story that intertwined with the main story. A slower paced and character driven book that was a pleasure to read.

A heartwarming book about love, grief, and food.
When Kotokos' brother dies tragically she blames herself. The guilt is overwhelming. Then someone tells her about the Chibineko Kitchen, a little mysterious restaurant where they serve kagezen, which is an offering of food or a remembrance meal. The rumor is when you eat there you can see and maybe even talk to your passed loved one. Kotoko is sceptical of course, but the need to ask her brother for forgiveness is stronger.
Each chapter tells a different story, but they`re all connected. Every chapter ends with a recipe.

This is another food-comforting book available on the market (such as The Restaurant of Lost Recipes). These little stories may not be for everyone, but they definitely can serve a therapeutic purpose.

A little word of advice: do not read this when hungry. Do not read this when you are bored or otherwise in a bad mood. This will make you starved, obsessed and full of joy - so much so that you find yourself re-reading pages and paragraphs again because they wordmagic that is going on on the page is out of this world. I fell in love with this story, and I had to read it slowly just so it would last longer. Yuta is a writer to pay attention to.

Thank you so much to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC copy.

Thank you NetGalley for this ARC and the Publisher for granting my wish!!!
When I started this book the first thing I noticed were similarities to the popular series Before the Coffee Gets Cold by Toshikazu Kawaguchi. However as the read went on I noticed how connected these characters were in comparison. How the stories were interwoven in some part. Which I believe elevates the experience. I adored how the last story which you could say starts at the beginning ended not to exclude all the rest . And hope to read more by Yuta Takahashi.
4.5 stars

I absolutely adored this read; it’s truly special and tugs at the heartstrings in the best way. The book comprises four intertwined stories centred around a magical restaurant that allows people to momentarily reconnect with lost loved ones, through 'remembrance meals' and only while the steam from the meal lingers. Once the steam goes, so do they. And of course, there's a cat, because how could there not be? Also, let me take this moment to let you know, there are recipes in this book too which reflect each story.

The narratives span a diverse array of experiences:
- A sister yearning for one last meal to hear her brother’s voice again.
- A boy reflecting on the harsh last words he exchanged with the girl he likes, seeking a chance to mend their relationship.
- An elderly couple facing illness, with the husband longing for one final conversation with his devoted wife.
- All about Kai and his mother, who opened the establishment in hopes of her husbands safe return and reuniting with him who was lost at sea.

Each story is infused with deep emotion, reminiscent of the *Before the Coffee Gets Cold* series. If you enjoyed that, you’ll likely find this collection just as moving. I must admit, I felt a poignant sadness when I reached the end, and I can’t help but hope we get to revisit this enchanting restaurant someday.

**ARC Book Review: The Chibineko Kitchen

*The Chibineko Kitchen* is a magical and heartfelt journey that transcends the boundaries of time, grief, and the senses. Author's enchanting tale, set against the serene backdrop of the Koitogawa river and its nearby beach, unfolds in a cozy yet mystical eatery that promises more than just a meal—it offers a glimpse into the heart's deepest longings and sorrows.

Kotoko's pilgrimage to the Chibineko Kitchen is born out of a deep sorrow and a glimmer of hope. Her recent loss of her brother has left an unfillable void, and she arrives at the quaint, seaside restaurant seeking solace and the miraculous promise of one final connection with her departed sibling. This poignant premise sets the stage for an emotionally rich narrative that beautifully blends elements of magical realism with the comforting rituals of food and memory.

Kai, the enigmatic young chef of Chibineko Kitchen, is a captivating character whose quiet presence and intuitive cooking serve as the catalyst for Kotoko's journey of healing. His ability to prepare the exact dish that her brother once made for her, without any prior knowledge, adds a layer of wonder and intimacy to the story. The detailed and evocative descriptions of the meals Kai prepares are a testament to the author's skill in creating a sensory experience that is both vivid and profoundly moving.

As Kotoko takes her first bite of the nostalgic dish, the world around her transforms, offering a moment of serene silence and ethereal haze that allows her to reconnect with her brother's memory. This scene, and many others like it throughout the book, are masterfully crafted to evoke a deep sense of longing, love, and the bittersweet beauty of impermanence.

*The Chibineko Kitchen* is not just a story about grief and loss; it is also a celebration of life, the enduring power of memories, and the simple yet profound joy that can be found in a shared meal. The author's gentle prose and the novel's contemplative pace invite readers to savor each moment, much like the lovingly prepared dishes that Kai serves.

For anyone who has ever experienced loss, this book offers a comforting reminder that our loved ones are never truly gone—they live on in our hearts, our memories, and the traditions we continue. *The Chibineko Kitchen* is a soul-nourishing read that will leave you feeling both comforted and inspired to cherish the small, meaningful moments in life.

In conclusion, *The Chibineko Kitchen* is a beautifully written, emotionally resonant novel that combines the magic of culinary arts with the profound depths of human emotion. It's a must-read for those who appreciate stories that touch the heart and soul, reminding us of the enduring connections that define our lives.

The Chibineko Kitchen is a classic example of a 'healing book' or 'Ghiblicore' or whatever you would call a cute and a bit melancholic book without too much substance. These types of books can be great - I really enjoyed Welcome to the Hyunam-dong Bookshop - or, for me personally much more often, disappointing - I wasn't a fan of The Easy Life in Kamusari or Days at the Morisaki Bookshop. Of course, there is also the 'Japanese cat' subgenre of this genre, and The Chibineko kitchen shamelessly taps into that pool, too. If you are reading this book, you are probably a fan of the genre, so you don't need many warnings.

The book this novel most reminds me of is, of course, Before the Coffee Gets Cold. It has a really similar premise - an eatery which allows you to communicate with loved ones who might not be there anymore. In The Chibineko Kitchen, we follow a restaurant offering remembrance meals which allow the visitor to have one last conversation with a ghost of their loved one. I'll cut to the chase, it is much better than the coffee series, mostly because the specific scenarios are not as outdated and sexist (honestly, still can't get over that Coffee story in which a woman's happy ending was waiting for the guy who dumped her for his career). Each chapter has a corresponding recipe, which made me think of Take Away, the excellent memoir by Angela Hui. I can definitely see this novel as a wholesome slice of life and death anime with lots of appetizing cooking scenes.

However, it is still quite formulaic, not very deep or very substantial. It mostly reminded me of Makoto Shinkai's She and Her Cat, but with more death in it. The stories are perfectly pleasant (as 'pleasant' as stories focused on grief can be), but they don't offer anything particularly special (compare this to Aoko Matsuda's much more innovative and engaging ghost story collection Where the Wild Ladies Are). If you have a very particular craving for this type of book, you could do much worse.

Thank you NetGalley and John Murray for an electronic ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I've read a number of these magical realism / magic cafe / Japanese cat stories in translation lately...there seems to be a trend of publishing them, though they are very mixed in quality. This is one that I enjoyed reading, and I thought the translation was good. It's quite a moving story this time, with people visiting the restaurant in order to have one last meal with the ghost of their loved one. I liked the idea, and I also really liked the inclusion of the recipes mentioned in the story. There is a cat (which seems almost obligatory for these books too!) but the cat doesn't play an enormous part. I liked the gentle pace of the book, and I could feel my mouth watering at the descriptions of the food! Overall, a sweet little book.

The Chibineko Kitchen is a heartwarming book that appealed to me, because of its similarities to the Before the Coffee Gets Cold and The Kamogawa Food Detectives series. Set in a cosy seaside café, the story revolves around remembrance meals that let patrons reconnect with lost loved ones.

The characters are well-developed, and Chibi the cat adds the purrfect touch 🐈. Each chapter starts with a recipe and ingredient history - it’s truly a magical read….simple yet powerful, touching yet comforting.

I believe there are eight-books in the Chibineko Kitchen series and I can’t wait to read the rest!!!!!

I like Before the Coffee Gets Cold series and The Kamogawa Food Detectives plenty.
While I like the concept of food/drinks catered to each character, I am more interested in the nuanced and unique memories and stories of those characters and the recipes.
And the cat.
Ideal length and pacing and engaging prose.

I don't wanna be dramatic, but this book was effing brilliant. Could not recommend it more! Have never read a book so fast! I’ll be buying copies for friends and family!

4 stars.
Having read Before the coffee gets cold by Toshikazu Kawaguchi, I was expecting a similar plot which we get but in a different format. It brings people together by food not coffee and I like the concept of the departed consuming the steam of the food as if they are eating together.
The remembrance meals are individual to the lost loved one and almost bittersweet that it’s the last meal and meeting together in this life. There is a little recipe at the start of each chapter which is a nice touch bringing it full circle to the remembrance meal.
The relationships form very nicely and all four chapters tie in together leaving you with the sense of a community between the characters.
The language and format are easy, meaning this is a very quick read. I hope that this will be continued to be translated into English and I’m eager to read more.
Thanks to NetGalley and John Murray Press for the opportunity to read this.

The Chibineko Kitchen will face inevitable comparisons with the Kamogawa food detectives books, which I also enjoyed, though in both books I was mildly irritated by some repetitive elements.

But setting that aside, I love the premise of this book - that you can visit one last time with lost loved ones by sharing their favourite meal with them at a small seaside cafe. What I would give to have that opportunity to break bread with my beloved parents again!

The characters - Kai, Kotoko et al - are well drawn, and Chibi the cat is a superstar. The setting is evocative, the stories moving, and the recipes provided for the meals mouth-watering. This one's worth checking out! It gets 3.5 stars.

My Rating : 5/5⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
The Chibineko Kitchen by Yuga Takahashi is a real treasure. If you enjoyed Before the Coffee Gets Cold and The Kamogawa Food Detectives, you'll love this heartwarming Japanese book. It’s about a cozy café that serves "remembrance meals," where the taste of the food allows patrons to see or speak with their loved ones again.t's a beautifully moving tale that I knew would be an emotional rollercoaster after just a few pages.
It’s a touching story about second chances and magic, with a cute kitten adding to its charm.I loved it so much that it made me cry, and I’d give it 5 stars.

4.5 Aww, no! I’m not ready to leave this wonderful little world yet! I vastly enjoyed the time I spent with these wonderful characters in this beautifully written story.

What I loved:
😻 The premise of one last visit with a deceased loved one through a shared meal in a cozy seaside restaurant is beautiful! The book explores grief and the connections we make through food as a core theme while also incorporating healing and regeneration after loss.
😻 The writing in this book is exceptional. What I’ve come to love about Japanese fiction is how it can be succinct, simple, and straightforward yet impactful and poetic.
😻 Our cast of characters were wonderful. Each thread has something special about it! I liked how Kotoko appeared in all the sections and the her developing connection and friendship with Kai was beautiful. Yoshio and Setsu’s story almost moved me to tears!
😻 The sense of place was expertly crafted. I could picture the Chibineko Kitchen vividly in my mind, hear the gulls, and feel the seashell path underfoot.
😻 Chibineko translates to ‘little cat’ and Chibi, the restaurant cat, is a delightful wee character. I loved the suggestion that Chibi is slightly magical and how much Chibi featured throughout the book. So many quiet slice-of-life translations have a cat on the cover who barely features; but Chibi was a core part of the restaurant family which was great!
😻 Each section opens with a history of an ingredient from the Chiba prefecture that sets the theme of the section. I really liked reading about the area’s connection with each specific food.
😻 Each section closes with a recipe from the remembrance meal! What a wonderful addition to a healing-through-food novel. I’m going to try some of them! The food descriptions throughout the book deserve praise too - mouthwatering!
😻 The cover is stunning (and played a big part in helping me visualize the setting). The little cat character in the ‘o’ is an adorable touch!

What I wasn’t so keen on:
😿 Repetition in the first two sections: Kai scolding Chibi for going outside, the patrons reflections on how polite Kai is, and the ghosts explaining how they can enjoy the meal. Although, to be fair, books like Before the Coffee Gets Cold and The Kamogawa Food Detectives, which this book will inevitably be compared to, are far worse offenders for this!
😿My ongoing frustration with English translations continues to be Britishified language. There’s something about this practice that jars me out of the setting of Japan and dulls the authenticity in a way that’s distracting as heck. In Taiji’s section, there were a lot of mentions of “primary school”, when, I think, in Japan, folks would say “elementary school”. Do Japanese folks call a stovetop element a “hob”? 🤔

It looks like there are eight books in the Meals to Remember series! I hope they get translated into English too - I can’t wait to return to the Chibineko Kitchen!

I’d recommend this to anyone looking to escape the chaos of the day-to-day. Grab this book when it hits the shelves in November and enjoy the time you spend in a gentle, healing story with food at its heart.

I was thrilled to have my wish to read this book granted through NetGalley. Seriously, I did a little happy dance in the kitchen and everything! Thank you so much, John Murray Press! ✨