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HomeFood & TravelInside LA’s First Hello Kitty Cafe at Universal CityWalk

Inside LA’s First Hello Kitty Cafe at Universal CityWalk

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The latest heavyweight at Universal CityWalk weighs in at just three apples: It’s Hello Kitty (and her gaggle of Sanrio friends). Los Angeles’s first Hello Kitty and Friends Cafe opens on Friday, September 6, at the outdoor shopping district outside of Universal Studios Hollywood. Operating next door to the cafe is an all-new Sanrio Smile Shop chock-full of merchandise featuring the likes of Cinnamoroll, Keroppi, and Kuromi.

While the theme park has sold Sanrio branded items on its Upper Lot at the Animation Studio Store for years, it did not have a standalone restaurant or store dedicated to the wildly popular Japanese characters until now. Both storefronts feature pink-and-white-striped awnings, but the peek-a-boo pink bow — equivalent to Gotham City’s Bat Signal — is only hung outside the cafe’s entrance.

The cafe menu is entirely grab-and-go and features a sugary avalanche of Sanrio-themed desserts and drinks designed for maximum social media appeal. The signature treat features a red chocolate dome-shaped cake with cinnamon mousse, apple pie filling, and cinnamon streusel; a representative tells Eater that seasonal mousse domes inspired by Hello Kitty’s friends and “crafted uniquely based on their personalities” will be available periodically. The birthday cake includes sprinkle-dotted confetti cake, white chocolate mousse, and a whipped white chocolate ganache, while other cakes on the menu use fresh fruit jams to fuse their layers.

Some of the cafe’s more portable food options are the macarons, which come in flavors like raspberry, caramel, vanilla, pistachio, and chocolate; berry-stuffed churros with cream cheese frosting; and a Hello Kitty-shaped sugar cookie decorated with royal icing and rainbow sprinkles.

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The half-dozen drinks available at the walk-up venue are inspired by various characters as well. The Keroppi frozen matcha latte is as green as its amphibious muse, while the Tuxedo Sam blue raspberry lemonade with a lemon slice garnish takes its blue and yellow profile from its namesake penguin. Customers can linger at the umbrella-covered tables located outside the cafe or take everything to-go.

Hello Kitty and Friends Cafe currently operates outposts in Orange County at the Irvine Spectrum, in Las Vegas at Fashion Show and Park MGM, and in Vancouver. In 2017, the Shops at Santa Anita hosted a yearlong residency for the Hello Kitty Mini Cafe.

The facade of Hello Kitty and Friends Cafe at Universal CityWalk.

Hello Kitty and Friends Cafe serves a Sanrio-themed dessert and beverage menu.

The facade of Hello Kitty and Friends Cafe at Universal CityWalk.

Hello Kitty® Mousse Dome – A red chocolate dome-shaped caked with cinnamon mousse, apple pie filling and cinnamon streusel. 

Hello Kitty Mousse Dome with cinnamon mousse, apple pie filling, and cinnamon streusel.

Chocolate cake layered with dark chocolate and hazelnut mousses at Hello Kitty Cafe.

Chocolate cake layered with dark chocolate and hazelnut mousses.

The half-dozen drinks available at the walk-up venue are inspired by various characters as well at Hello Kitty Cafe.

A selection of beverages.

Kuromi Mousse Dome with ube mousse, white chocolate ganache, and chocolate sponge at Hello Kitty Cafe.

Kuromi Mousse Dome with ube mousse, white chocolate ganache, and chocolate sponge cake.

Chococat Mousse Dome with chocolate mousse, peanut butter ganache, and chocolate crisp pearls at Hello Kitty Cafe.

Chococat Mousse Dome with chocolate mousse, peanut butter ganache, and chocolate crisp pearls.

Strawberry Cake – Vanilla sponge cake, strawberry jam and whipped white chocolate ganache at Hello Kitty Cafe.

Strawberry cake with vanilla sponge cake, strawberry jam, and whipped white chocolate ganache.

 Hello Kitty Cookie – A Hello Kitty-shaped sugar cookie topped with royal icing and rainbow sprinkles.

Hello Kitty sugar cookie with royal icing and rainbow sprinkles.

Berry & Cream Churro – Berry stuffed churro with cream cheese frosting at Hello Kitty Cafe.

Berry-stuffed churro with cream cheese frosting.

Macaron Set – A set of raspberry, caramel, vanilla, pistachio, and chocolate macarons at Hello Kitty Cafe.

Raspberry, caramel, vanilla, pistachio, and chocolate macarons.

Birthday Cake – Confetti cake layered with white chocolate mousse topped with whipped white chocolate ganache Hello Kitty Cafe.

Birthday cake with confetti cake, white chocolate mousse, and whipped white chocolate ganache.

Chococat™ Frozen Mocha – Frozen coffee, chocolate boba, whipped cream topped with chocolate sprinkles at Hello Kitty Cafe.

Chococat frozen mocha with coffee, chocolate boba, whipped cream, and chocolate sprinkles.

Keroppi™ Matcha Latte – Frozen matcha latte topped with whipped cream and matcha powder  at Hello Kitty Cafe.

Keroppi frozen matcha latte with whipped cream and matcha powder.

Kuromi™ Berry Iced Tea – Blackberry tea, purple sugar rim and served with blackberry and mint at Hello Kitty Cafe.

Kuromi blackberry iced tea with a purple sugar rim, fresh blackberries, and mint.

Tuxedosam™ Lemonade – Blue raspberry lemonade, pink sugar rim served and a lemon wheel at Hello Kitty Cafe.

Tuxedo Sam blue raspberry lemonade with a pink sugar rim and lemon slice.

Hello Kitty® Strawberry Green Iced Tea – Strawberry green tea, pink sugar rim with strawberries and mint at Hello Kitty Cafe.

Hello Kitty strawberry green iced tea with a pink sugar rim, strawberries, and mint.

Sanrio Smile Shop with white and pink awning.

Sanrio Smile Shop.

Inside the retail Sanrio Smile Shop.

Inside the retail Sanrio Smile Shop.

Inside the retail Sanrio Smile Shop.

Inside the retail Sanrio Smile Shop.

Inside the retail Sanrio Smile Shop.

Hello Kitty and Friends Cafe is located at 100 Universal City Plaza, Universal City, CA 91608. Admission to Universal Studios Hollywood is not required for entry.



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