Boul'ange

We must admit we were shocked to see Gontran Cherrier, a strong candidate for best bakery in Shibuya, close suddenly in spring 2017. But our withdrawal symptoms were mostly swept away by the June opening of this suspiciously similar bread purveyor, set in the exact same space previously occupied by the French pastry prodigy's most prominently located Tokyo outpost. Boul'ange is also operated by the same Baycrews group that holds the rights to the Gontran Cherrier name in Japan, and sells almost perfect recreations of Cherrier's croissants, baguettes and pains au chocolat, in addition to a their original 'Pain de mie Boul' and 'Pain de mie Ange' loaves and a range of puffy pastries. It may not be the real thing, but it's pretty damn close.