bills began in Australia, and now has eight different locations around Japan. Today, I visited my favorite branch for a seasonal menu preview at their Omotesando location in Tokyo.

bills likes to express its Australian roots through what it considers iconic traits of the country: sunny, easy-going, and generous. That certainly comes through in their wide-open spaces and the help of their smiling staff.

The central philosophy of the restaurant is “everyone is welcome,” so they are increasingly adding more menu items that cater to a wider variety of dietary restrictions. This means that meat-eaters, vegans, and those with gluten intolerances can all eat at the same table without feeling like they are missing out.

The bills central concept of sunny and easy-going certainly comes through in their aesthetics: the moment you step foot out of the elevator doors on the 7th floor, you are greeted with a bright open space, with floor-to-ceiling windows, and warm tones in their wooden décor.

There are a variety of comfortable seats, too, with a cozy library corner, booth-style sofa seating, and outdoor seating. The décor is largely inspired by their original Australian branches, giving the place a spacious and easy-going atmosphere.

While bills has branches around Japan, the food is definitely Western, but with a Japanese twist. Many of their dishes are made in very similar ways to how they would be made down under, but with more local ingredients, such as their wagyu burger, or their green salad with yuzu kosho and fresh ginger.

The regular menu at bills has a good selection of vegetarian options, like their fresh and filling salads, their sweet corn fritters, or their shiitake fried rice. But alongside their regular menu is also a seasonal menu, which, this time, is all about dietary inclusivity.

On my visit this time, I tried out bills’ 2024 autumn and winter menu, which was arranged around the theme of inclusivity. Remember the philosophy of “everyone is welcome?” This menu takes that a step further, with not only options for vegetarian, vegan, and gluten-free dishes, but an entire selection built around them.

As a special preview of the menu, I was able to try out a number of different items on my visit, so let’s take a look.

First up was the hojicha porridge. Oat porridge isn’t something you’ll see often in Japan, so it was an interesting surprise to find this on the menu today with a Japanese twist. Hojicha is roasted green tea, which gives it a brown color and almost nutty flavor. In this porridge, it was paired with pistachios and poached-soft pear. A wholesome and hearty way to start your day, I enjoyed the earthy and mildly sweet flavors.

Next were the stracciatella salad and grilled flatbread dishes. The stracciatella cheese was another ingredient I haven’t seen in Japan, and it was delightfully creamy, going well with the simple citrus dressing and fresh salad ingredients. However, I have to say, my favorite of all the dishes I tried was the grilled flatbread. The flatbread was surprisingly thick and satisfying, and the smashed chickpeas were savory and sweet with the combined fermented pumpkin. A definite recommendation from me!

The last of the savory dishes was the bean soup and broccolini rigatoni pasta. The bean soup was warm and comforting, and distinctly tomato-flavored, but without being too heavy. The pumpkin seeds added a crunch, creating a satisfying texture contrast. The pasta, on the other hand, has a somewhat rich and creamy sauce, elevated by the addition of ricotta cheese and parmesan (which can be swapped for nutritional yeast for vegans).

And to finish things off, I had the surprisingly soft apple and almond galette. This galette is somewhat special, though, as it is made with sake kasu in the interest of sustainability. Sake kasu, or sake lees, is a by-product of the sake-making process. These leftover solids could be simply thrown away, but they are in fact mildly sweet and perfectly edible and have been used at bills to produce this fruity fall dessert.

So what about the sake itself, I hear you ask. Well, let’s take a look at the bills house sake!

I had the pleasure of trying out this sake in two different forms: in their jasmine sake highball, and on its own. Despite being an autumn and winter drink, the jasmine sake highball is surprisingly refreshing and citrusy, without the astringency I had expected from the jasmine tea. This is because they use a homemade base of jasmine-infused coconut water, which is complemented by the sake’s fruity citrus notes of yuzu and green apple.

The sake on its own was also very sweet and smooth, with a fairly light kick. A fellow diner described it as similar to a white wine, and it was indeed very easy to drink. The sake is a great option for beginners to sake.

Takafumi Sumikawa, fourth generation brewmaster at the Sumikawa Sake Brewery responsible for the sake, said, “Sake making is a craft with traditional methods that we work hard to preserve. However, it is important to keep improving our techniques while still preserving those traditions. That doesn’t mean ‘change’ necessarily, but evolution and a sense of moving forward.”

Sumikawa even mentioned that he was a fan of bills before they reached out to him to collaborate, so he was more than happy to contribute to the menu!

Of course, this is just a taste of what bills has to offer, as their menu is full of other mocktails, cocktails, dishes, and snacks. Even their seasonal menu has some items we didn’t get to explore here, like the pavlova dessert, or the spiced pear bellini. Rest assured, whether you have dietary restrictions or not, bills Omotesando is a great way to spend any time of day!