Samenai Machi no Kissaten

There are few manga I've read that have so enthralled me in the unique atmosphere they're trying to create. This manga starts of as a simple cooking manga in a quaint and vaguely magical world, but while the charm and excellent recipes continue throughout, seeds of story and something more soon find themselves being worked in really effectively thorughout. It never felt like the tone changed, just l was learning more and more about what this world really was. Often in cooking manga, the characters are simply vessels for the recipes, but here they have fun relationships, friendships, and the bittersweet bonds form a great andengaging end to the story that leaves you too feeling like you're waking up from a dream. A great short and magical read that both gives excellent cooking recipes as well as a heart-warming and melancholy story about growing up and the bits of our childhood we can cling to for support. But also that just because something doesn't exist in the 'real' world, doesn't mean it can't be real to you and help support you in your journey. Definitely recommend!