In a remote seaside town outside of Tokyo, Kotoko makes her way along a seashell path and in her restaurant promises a reunion with your beloved departed. This had me feeling all the hugs and warmth and is bittersweet in a wonderful way. Highly recommend!

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for a free eARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

This was such a bittersweet, heartfelt read. I love how the short stories all intertwined with one another, and this book was also much sadder than I expected, dealing with grief as characters long to see their lost loved ones again. I really appreciated the inclusion of the recipes; I will definitely try some of them. And of course, I loved the cats that feature in all of the stories.
All in all, a cozy, magical read.

In Chiba, there is a restaurant that supposedly can give you one last chance to talk to your loved ones after they pass away. Its mascot is a tiny white and ginger kitten who always seems to understand every word you say. It's only open till 10 am and it's a little expensive but can you really put a price on seeing your loved ones again?

This book has recipes. That's it. That's the entire review. I'm kidding, of course, but I mean, c'mon, recipes for yummy Japanese food is a huge selling point!

If you read the Kamogawa Food Detectives, the Chibineko Restaurant will be right up your alley, similar premise but with a little bit of a supernatural twist on it. It is episodic as well, with what I hope continues to be a running romance between the two main characters Kai and Kotoko. Yes, I am actually asking for a romance to continue.

The other main thing here is the ages of the people who seek out of the assistance of the restaurant is pretty drastic, which I enjoyed. One boy was still in high school, Kotoko is in her twenties, and the gentleman in the final story was in the 70s, possibly 80's. I don't believe they said exactly how old he was. But it was nice to see such a large age gaps because grief affects us all.

Overall, if the free recipes don't hook you, the cozy vibes definitely should. I was in such a bad mood today, and this is definitely the read I needed to get me out of it.

As always, thanks to NetGalley and Penguin Group for the eArc!

This book was so cute and sweet! And it made me so hungry! For starters, I loved the concept. I’ve been told ‘food’ is my love language, so the idea of connecting with departed loved ones through a meal was so special and beautiful to me. However, it got off to a bit of a rough start in my opinion. I struggled to connect with Kotoko’s grief and found the first chapter a bit choppy. But I loved how it set up the rest of the story so well and introduced the setting. I loved Chibineko Kitchen with its cozy, peaceful atmosphere in an idyllic seaside town. And I loved the proceeding chapters much more than the first. My favorite was probably chapter three, with Mr. Kurata. I appreciated the organization with one meal and visit per chapter, and I liked having Kotoko and Kai as characters throughout to provide consistency and over arching character growth. They were both so sweet and kind, and I loved that they both got a hopeful ending despite their grief. I also liked that there was a cat in each chapter. So overall this was adorable and I highly recommend it!

This was such a cozy little read. I think it's perfect for the winter blues and feeling all of the feels

The Curious Kitten at the Chibineko Kitchen serves up four heartfelt and healing stories in its short number of pages. Each chapter focuses on a different character with a recently departed loved one who uses the meal at this particular restaurant to come to terms with their loss. These chapters stay connected through the character of Kotoko, and the Chibineko Kitchen even as the focus shifts. The chapter begins with a snippet of information about the main ingredient being featured in the meal, and ends with a recipe for that meal.

I found each story to be earnest and the writing simple but impactful. All the stories felt complete and fleshed out, ending on a hopeful note. I found myself connecting to the emotions of each character. I only wish we got to see more of the titular curious kitten. Overall, I enjoyed this novel and think it makes for a cozy read.

Thanks to Netgalley and Penguin Books for providing an ARC

Really cozy read to kick off 2025! I enjoy reading translated fiction from Japan and the setting of this novel in a beachside town outside of Tokyo was magical. 4 stars only because I feel like this followed a very similar formula plot-wise to When the Coffee Gets Cold

In a remote seaside town outside of Tokyo, there is a restaurant whose kagezen, or traditional meals offered in remembrance of loved ones, promise a reunion with the departed. Chibi, the resident kitten, is always there to witness the meals and loving reunions. The story takes you on the journeys of a young woman grieving the loss of her brother and unable to move on with her life & a young man who regretted the way he treated a female classmate and has always regretted it. She died not long after he made a callous remark and he was never able o make amends. This book is perfect for fans of the Before the Coffee Gets Colds series.

I received a free ARC of this book in exchange for an unbiased review.

I’ve been on a cozy reading kick this Christmas break, and *The Curious Kitten at the Chibineko Kitchen* was exactly the heartwarming escape I needed. If you love tender, atmospheric stories like *Before the Coffee Gets Cold* or *The Kamogawa Food Detectives* (which I adored), this novel is for you!

What really stood out to me was the way Yuta Takahashi captures the sensory beauty of the Chibineko Kitchen. The meals are described so vividly that you can almost taste them, and the seaside setting feels alive, from the sound of gulls to the salty breeze. The story is equally rich in emotion, blending bittersweet moments of grief with hope and second chances.

If you’re a fan of character-driven stories that tug at your heartstrings, this one’s for you. It’s a quick but magical read that lingers long after you’ve turned the last page.

Japanese literature in translation is truly having a moment now, and I am here for it. The Curious Kitten at the Chibineko Kitchen is charming, magical, heartbreaking, and hopeful. It is a short novel that can be read in one or two sittings, with several plot lines that weave together. And, of course, there is Chibi, the restaurant’s resident kitten.

As a fan of Japanese literature translated to English, especially if there is magical realism and/or a cat involved, I was drawn to this book right away, and it did not disappoint! In the vein of "Before the Coffee Gets Cold" and "What You Are Looking For Is in the Library," this book is made up of several interconnected stories about a single place, the Chibineko Kitchen. I'd say this book is a little sadder and more emotional than similar books, but if you enjoyed those books, you'll love this one.

The only thing that prevented me from giving this a full five stars is that I felt some of the stories were a little short and could have used more depth. Attention that was given to the recipes and Japanese food cultural explanations in the book might have been better used to flesh out the plots.

Thanks very much to NetGalley and Penguin Books for the opportunity to review this book as an ARC in exchange for an honest review!

I read this in a sitting or two on a cozy, rainy day, and it was absolutely perfect. I think most people would find a concept like this very comforting, a last exchange of words with a loved one with a rather curious and encouraging cat at your feet. I loved that we got to see the journey of multiple characters with such a cool concept like this. I really loved the thorough explanation of the food and I thought the recipe at the very end was such a charming touch. This was everything I wanted it to be and more.

‘The Curious Kitten at the Chibineko Kitchen’ features a restaurant, run by Kai Fukuchi and his mother Nanami, where customers can eat a remembrance meal. Each meal has a special significance to someone they loved who passed away and while eating the meal, they are able to have one last conversation. The story has four chapters: Kotoko Niki (who is mourning the loss of her brother Yuito), Taiji Hashimoto (who misses a former classmate Fumika Nakazato), Yoshio Kurata (who mourns the death of his wife Setsu) and finally Kai Fukuchi (after his mother passes away). Each chapter is followed by a recipe for the food eaten. The book is sweet and sentimental, as I would expect from a Japanese book, however I wish the interactions were a little longer.

3.5/5 stars

Thank you to NetGalley and Penguin Books for providing an eARC in exchange for an honest review.

What a beautiful concept for a book.

*a restaurant that serves personalized and special remembrance meals
*an adorable cat
*four interwoven tales

A quick and comforting read; I enjoyed The Curious Kitten at the Chibineko Kitchen a lot.



Thank you to Penguin Books and NetGalley for the DRC

This was a cute book with some precious characters and a very strong melancholy sensation. There were some moments I felt the flow was off or the story became repetitive with it's wording, hence the 3 star rating.

The Chibineko Kitchen is a small restaurant outside Tokyo where patrons can have a remembrance meal with a lost loved one. The book consists of four stories of loss, grief, and learning to overcome the pain. Each story includes Chibi, the kitten, and a touch of magic. This book has an interesting concept that allows the reader to wonder "what if ". Thanks to author Yuta Takahashi, PENGUIN GROUP Viking Penguin, and NetGalley for allowing me a complimentary copy of this ebook. The opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own.

◛⑅·˚ ༘ ♡ the curious kitten at the chibineko kitchen.


ੈ♡˳ final rating: 4.5/5 🐈
i received an arc of this book in exchange for an honest review. this did not affect my rating, and all opinions expressed below are my own.

the curious kitten at the chibineko kitchen first follows kotoko within the painful grief that settled in her heart after her brother died right in front of her. desperate to find answers of why she—the self-proclaimed waste of space—had to live, while her brother—an aspiring actor with great talent—had tragically lost his life, she visits the chibineko kitchen to have a taste of their meal of remembrance, said to bring the dead back into the world of living for a brief moment of time. after her experience with it, she leads other characters to experience it for themselves too.
despite being originally written in japanese, the english translation did it justice—it’s written very beautifully. the heavy themes of grief and sadness hit me like a truck, in a good way. however, it is very formulaic plot-wise; i can think of a few japanese stories very similar to it, but i must admit that this one is special in its own way. and of course, bonus points for the cat <3

thank you to netgalley and penguin group for this arc!

Japanese works in translation are having a real moment in publishing, and I am here for it! The Curious Kitten at the Chibineko Kitchen will be a hit with fans of When the Coffee Gets Cold or The Kamogawa Food Detectives.

The Chibineko Kitchen is a small seaside restaurant that serves remembrance meals: a special meal to honor a loved one who has passed away. Something magical happens when people eat a remembrance meal at the restaurant. Their loved one appears to them for a few moments and they are able to talk with them and see them for as long as steam rises from their food. Troubled individuals find much needed closure and the courage to move forward with their lives through these encounters..

It’s a lovely book and has that same cozy comforting feel that seems to be a trademark of Japanese magical realism. (Of course, there’s a magical cat in the story.)

I believe this is the first in a series of Japanese best sellers, and Cat Anderson translates so beautifully. I look forward to reading the other books in the series as they come to life in English translation!

3.8 Stars
One Liner: Sad but heartwarming

In a remote seaside town in Uchibo (near Tokyo), there’s a tiny restaurant that serves remembrance meals. The specialty of this place is that a person who lost their loved ones can meet them one last time during the meal.
How does this place help people, including the owner?
The story comes in the third-person POV of multiple characters.

My Thoughts:
This is another feel-good Japanese fiction with a touch of magic realism. The book has three inter-connecting stories. The recipe for the special dish in each story is provided at the end of the section.
After enjoying Full Moon Coffee Shop, I was eager to read something along the same lines. This is a bit heavier as it deals with death and mourning. However, the vibe is the same – mellow, soothing, reflective, and hopeful.
Though there’s a cat (a kitten), I felt it was more of a prop. Yeah, the kitten was a cutie but doesn’t have an active role as such. It just walks around and meows. Maybe there will be more of the cute kitten in the subsequent books.
All three stories are distinct and deal with characters of different ages (which gives us a wide spectrum of backstories and emotions).
I like how we also get the backstory about the restaurant and sweet Kai. I particularly like how the book ends. It works as a standalone, though I am delighted there will be more books in the series. It would be lovely to see Kai and Kotoko’s characters grow.
The setting is atmospheric and adds to the impact. We also get some information about the region, the past and the present, so there's something to learn as well.
To summarize, The Curious Kitten at the Chibineko Kitchen is a bittersweet and heartwarming book about finding solace and moving on after losing a loved one. It shows there’s hope and more to life than grief.
Thank you, NetGalley and Penguin Books, for eARC. This review is voluntary and contains my honest opinion about the book.

This was so sweet! If you enjoyed Before the Coffee Gets Cold, you will love this. I especially love the addition of the recipes. It was such a great addition to the story having the food so integrated into the book.