In 1985 we opened a small café in North Kyoto called it “Knuckles” and sold New York Deli Style sandwiches and given the era, “exotic” foods like lasagna, pizza (all homemade) and for dessert introduced authentic New York Cheesecake to awed Japanese and a thankful expat community. It caught on.
In 1990 we opened our first New York Cheesecake Specialty Café and called it Papa Jon’s. We now have three Kyoto locations, thirty (and counting) flavors of Cheesecake plus monthly specials, standard and not so standard coffee and tea drinks, Salads and a light meal menu for those with savories in mind.
All Papa Jon’s Cafés are “clean and well lit” full service cafés. Meaning: You sit down, we take care of you.
