Shokuto Midorino Kūchūteien

nothing to shout home about but legit fries. i was expecting so much more after some of the reviews but these are just fries. were they fried in duck fat by chance? i dunno. i dont speak japanese but can never go wrong with fries!!!
CASH ONLY

A roof top relaxation space with food stalls on top of SEIBU Department Store in Ikebukuro.
For years, I been criticizing Seibu Railway Company’s (the company that operates SEIBU Department) business decisions, but they got something right with their newly renovated (spring 2015) rooftop garden. They created an utopia in the middle of congested city. Okay, saying it is an «utopia» might be bit of a stretch, but if you spent some time in Ikebukuro, you will know what I mean. This area lacks places to chill. The busy station and the shopping street from the station to Sunshine Shopping Mall is very congested. Most of the shops and cafes are also congested and space is tight. You need a place to vent! A place you can relax. That is why this roof garden in an utopia.
What surprised me was that there were plenty of tables and seats. I initially imagined the roof top of Shinjuku Isetan or Ginza Mitsukoshi. Both of these places has roof top garden, but very few tables. Here, there are plenty of free seats where you are not required to buy anything.
HOW TO GET HERE: Seibu Department store is attached to Ikebukuro Station on the east side. Take one of the elevators to 9^th floor.
FOOD STALLS: 9 fast foodish outdoor food stalls were newly created here. Best of all: Pommeke Belgium Fries!!! Yes, you no longer need to go all the way to Aoyama-​Gaien to eat these delicious fries. I highly recommend their beer and fries set for 1000 Yen. It is not just any beer. It is Belgium crafbeer Primus on draft! So cool. Unlike their main store in Aoyama, the default is that they pour the sauce of your choice straight onto the potato fries. However, if you ask, they will put the sauce in a dipping tray. I recommend this method of eating these real Belgian fries.
RESTAURANT: La Terracce, an Italian/​Spanish bistro is also there. You need to be careful, because some of the really cool looking booth seats are reserved for La Terracce customers only.
RECOMMENDATION: While food stalls are great, one of the best way to utilize this space is to purchase food at Seibu’s «depachika» (basement floor food shop) and eat it here. Seibu’s Depachika is arguably best in Tokyo.