The hard part of giving sweets is not knowing whether the other person can eat them — allergies, pregnancy, health, beliefs. These are all hard to ask about.
L for You baked goods are all gluten-free and all vegan. We don’t use wheat flour, eggs or dairy, and no wheat is handled in our kitchen. However, we cannot rule out trace contamination that comes from the raw materials themselves — for example, when an ingredient is grown or processed near wheat, eggs or dairy. We don’t use refined cane sugar, and we don’t use food additives as a rule. That makes it less likely that a gift is something the person cannot eat. However, some items contain nuts such as walnuts and almonds. If you are giving them to someone with a serious allergy, please read the allergen section below.
Three things to check before giving sweets
1. What is in them
Allergies are hard to ask about. Choosing something without wheat, eggs or dairy covers more people. But “not used” is not the same as “no chance of contamination”. For someone with a severe allergy, you also need to know how the sweets are made.
2. How long they keep
When you cannot hand them over soon, how long they keep matters. It differs by product — the online store’s product pages show the latest best-before information and storage.
3. How you will give them
By hand or by delivery? We don’t offer noshi (Japanese gift paper) or message cards. At our Minami-Aoyama shop you can ask for gift wrapping when you pay, including a cloth drawstring pouch.
What to look for when a label says “additive-free” or “gluten-free”
“Additive-free” means different things at different shops
There is no fixed standard for “additive-free” (無添加, mutenka) in Japan. L for You doesn’t use food additives as a rule, but some of our baked goods use ingredients that count as additives on the label, such as leavening agents. So we don’t call them “additive-free”. The ingredients of each product are listed.
Gluten-free means no wheat
We make our sweets without wheat, down to the seasonings, and no wheat is handled in our kitchen. However, we cannot rule out trace contamination that comes from the raw materials themselves — for example, when an ingredient is grown or processed near wheat.
No refined cane sugar is not “sugar-free”
What we don’t use is refined cane sugar. We do use sweeteners such as beet sugar and agave syrup, so they are not suitable for someone avoiding sugar altogether.
Our sweets as gifts
| Delivery | From our online store, within Japan only. Cookies are sent at room temperature; donuts, pound cakes and tarts are sent frozen. Shipping fees and delivery times are shown at checkout. |
|---|---|
| Best before and storage | Differs by product; please check each product page. |
| At our shop | You can choose in person at our Minami-Aoyama shop, and ask for gift wrapping when you pay. |
| Ingredients | All gluten-free and all vegan. No refined cane sugar. We don’t use food additives as a rule. |
| Review | With standards reviewed by AFRODE CLINIC, we design how we choose ingredients and make our recipes. |
For larger orders or delivery to several addresses, please contact us.
Choose by person and occasion
| Occasion | Suggestion | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Visiting someone | Cookies (2 kinds) | Easy to carry and share |
| Thank-you gifts | Pound cake | Easy to slice and share |
| Celebrations | Donuts | Colourful, with flavours to choose from |
| Someone with dietary restrictions | Any | All are made without wheat flour, eggs, dairy or refined cane sugar. Just check for nuts |
| For yourself or your family | Apple tart | Slice and enjoy |
Buy in Tokyo: our Minami-Aoyama shop
Our shop is on the ground floor along a quiet street in Minami-Aoyama, about 6 minutes’ walk from Omotesando Station (Exit A4): 1F Ikegami Bldg, 3-9-3 Minami-Aoyama, Minato-ku, Tokyo. It is a gluten-free and vegan-conscious cafe and grocery, and we bake our sweets here. What is on the counter changes from day to day, so if you are after something in particular, please call ahead.
Mon–Thu 11:00–20:00, Fri 11:00–21:00, Sat 9:30–21:00, Sun 9:30–18:00. See our shop and menu.
Shop online
Gluten-free and vegan cookies, donuts, pound cakes and tarts from our kitchen in Minami-Aoyama.
Shop online (opens in a new tab)
Ships within Japan only (frozen delivery for some items). Also available at our Minami-Aoyama shop.
Some items contain nuts such as walnuts and almonds. We don’t use wheat flour, and no wheat is handled in our kitchen. However, we cannot rule out trace contamination that comes from the raw materials themselves — for example, when an ingredient is grown or processed near wheat.
Allergens and contamination
Some items contain nuts such as walnuts and almonds. We don’t use wheat flour, eggs or dairy, and no wheat is handled in our kitchen. However, we cannot rule out trace contamination that comes from the raw materials themselves — for example, when an ingredient is grown or processed near wheat, eggs or dairy. If you have questions about specific ingredients, please contact us.
FAQ
Can I give them to someone with allergies?
We don’t use wheat flour, eggs or dairy, and no wheat is handled in our kitchen. However, we cannot rule out trace contamination that comes from the raw materials themselves. Some items contain nuts such as walnuts and almonds, so if the person has a serious allergy, we recommend checking with them first. We are happy to answer questions about specific ingredients.
How long do they keep?
It differs by product. The online store’s product pages show the latest best-before information and storage.
Can you gift-wrap them?
At our Minami-Aoyama shop you can ask for gift wrapping when you pay, including a cloth drawstring pouch. For the online store, please check its wrapping options; it also sells a gift box (a box and sticker set) that you fill yourself. We don’t offer noshi or message cards.
Are they suitable as a gift for someone who is pregnant?
We can tell you as a fact that we don’t use wheat flour, eggs, dairy or refined cane sugar. However, some items use rum, and some use ingredients that contain caffeine, such as chocolate and cocoa. The ingredients are listed on each product page — please let the person and their doctor decide.
I’d like to order in bulk or send to several addresses.
Please contact us for larger orders or delivery to several addresses.