Japanese fans of the sci-fi hit “Stranger Things” can eat demonic pasta and enjoy retro 1980s music at a pop-up cafe inspired by the horror drama of Netflix .
The store, a partnership with local restaurant chain Pronto Corp, recently extended its operation in Tokyo’s posh Shibuya district for several months amid overwhelming demand.
“Stranger Things” remains one of the streamer’s top 10 series in Japan since the release of its fourth season in May.
The interior has replicas of stores and sets from the series set in the fictional town of Hawkins, Indiana, along with its dark mirrored underworld that the pre-teen protagonists call the “Upside Down.”
Customers can take pictures alongside the Demogorgon monster, while songs from the show such as Kate Bush’s “Running Up That Hill” play in the background.
Customers can enjoy foods inspired by the show, such as squid ink pasta arranged like the monster’s head or the waffles desired by the psychically star character Eleven.
To reduce the risk of the spread of Covid-19, now hitting Japan in record numbers, the cafe requires visitors to make a reservation and only about 20 people are allowed in each hour.
“Every day at midnight, I try to book a table on my phone,” said mom Kimiko Nakae, 29. “Finally there is an opening today because someone canceled the reservation.”
Tokyo has a long tradition of themed restaurants and cafes, from ninja waiters and exotic animals to vampire-inspired cuisine.
But like many tourism businesses, the sector has been hit hard by the pandemic. The Lockup, a haunted prison restaurant chain, ended a 23-year operation when its final location closed last month, joining the fate of the famous Robot Restaurant, a raucous music and dance spectacle in Kabukicho’s red light district. which closed in March 2020.
Source: CNN Brasil
