You’ll only find simple, classic flavors at Hiroki, a small, Japanese-inspired bakery in Seattle’s Tangletown neighborhood.

“Keep it simple,” is owner Kayoko Phillips’ motto for running the bakery.

She notes that the menu has barely changed over the past two decades of operation. They don’t try to keep up with the latest trends or make changes in their kitchen. After all, if it tastes good and customers like the flavors, why change a good thing?

Each bakery delicacy is made from scratch with high-quality ingredients. “Everything is handcrafted with love,” Phillips explains. There are no food additives, food coloring, or preservatives in any of their products. They “try to be as simple and as good as possible,” Phillips says.

Their signature item is matcha (green tea) tiramisu – this cake is actually the original reason the bakery opened. The founder wanted a place to sell his delicious dessert, so he started the bakery. And today, all these years later, it’s still the most popular item on the menu.

Their second most popular item is the honey cheese mango cheesecake, a chilled (unbaked) dessert. Other items on the menu include coconut dacquoise roll, crème caramel, gateau chocolat, and souffle cheesecake.

In addition to your classic coffee and tea service, Hiroki also offers match and hojicha (roasted green tea) lattes.

Aside from Japanese flavors featured in some of their goods (matcha and hojicha green tea), Phillips notes that the bakery is Japanese-style because of the way they produce and sell items. Each piece of cake is handmade and individually-wrapped to extend the shelf-life.

Hiroki is truly a local bakery, operating to serve their neighborhood and community. “This place got known by word of mouth and people being loyal regulars for a long time,” Phillips notes. They don’t do much advertising, and value their existing customers.

Phillips finds joy when people come into the bakery – she notes that folks are usually smiling and happy when they come in. (I would be, too, if I knew that I was going to enjoy some delicious cake!).

So if you’re in north Seattle and find yourself craving some homemade pastries, be sure to check out Hiroki. Like so many other customers, I recommend the matcha tiramisu!

Ellie White is a freelance writer for Seattle Refined. Follow her adventures here.