Fans of the legendary publisher have reason to celebrate, as new Square Enix cafes are officially set to open in Los Angeles and Shinjuku. The veteran game publisher announced today that it would launch these officially licensed locations on both sides of the Pacific, with both venues scheduled to open this spring.
Details for the New Square Enix Cafes
The expansion brings themed dining and shopping to two major global hubs. The specific details for the upcoming Square Enix cafes are as follows:
- Los Angeles, California: Located at 316 E. 1st St. in Little Tokyo (occupying the former Mitsuru Sushi & Grill space), this location will be operated by J-Pop Culture Cafe Inc.
- Shinjuku, Japan: Situated at Paselabo Tower 1F / 2F / 3F, 3-36-1 Shinjuku, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo, this site will be operated by the Newton Corporation.
Themed Menus and Official Merchandise
The cafe spaces will offer menu items inspired by multiple Square Enix IPs, while the adjoining shop spaces will carry a wide selection of official merchandise. While no further details regarding specific food or drink items have been announced, the potential for themed treats is massive.
Food has long been a staple of the Final Fantasy franchise, appearing as essential healing or stat-boosting items. This makes the prospect of game-inspired snacks incredibly exciting. We could also see Dragon Quest Slimes included—perhaps in candy form—though tying in Kingdom Hearts might be more difficult due to Disney licensing factors.
This expansion follows a string of major franchise announcements. Square Enix recently confirmed that Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth is coming to Nintendo Switch 2 and Xbox Series X|S later this year. Additionally, game director Tetsuya Nomura has stated that development "is progressing smoothly" on both Kingdom Hearts 4 and Final Fantasy 7 Remake Part 3.
What Square Enix game-inspired food and beverages would you like to see on the menu at the new cafes? Let us know in the comments below!
