October 10, 2026. The first day of a three-day holiday weekend in Japan.
On my way to Olympic National Golf Club, I stopped at Dangozaka Service Area (SA) on the Chuo Expressway.
Actually, I’ve written about Dangozaka SA on this blog before.
This is a little follow-up story.
I was just planning to grab something to eat, but I ended up discovering a surprisingly delicious apple pie.
Looking for Onigiri… But There Was None!
When I head out for an early round of golf, I sometimes stop at a service area to pick up a light breakfast.
This time, I went into the convenience store at Dangozaka SA, hoping to buy some onigiri (Japanese rice balls).
But I couldn’t find any.
There were drinks and bottled water, but no onigiri!
Dangozaka SA has a large food court and several other places to eat.
I wondered if the convenience store might not carry onigiri because there were already so many food options.
Of course, they might simply have been sold out that morning.
So, what should I eat instead?
“The World’s Best Apple Pie” Caught My Eye!
That’s when I spotted a sign saying:
“The World’s Best Apple Pie”
The world’s best?
Now that definitely caught my attention!
The shop was called mille mele, an apple pie specialty store.
Its bright red storefront was hard to miss, and freshly baked apple pies were displayed at the counter.
There was also a large sign introducing a “World No. 1 Chef.”
Well, I just had to give it a try.
Apple Pie Created by a World-Renowned Chef
The chef featured on the sign was Marco Paolo Molinari, an Italian chef with an impressive list of culinary competition awards.
The display introduced his many achievements and international honors.
Curious about the shop, I did a little research afterward.
It turns out that mille mele is an apple pie specialty brand based in Kamakura, Japan.
Its main shop is located along Wakamiya Oji, the famous avenue leading toward Tsurugaoka Hachimangu Shrine.
The brand has also expanded to other locations, including Ebina Service Area and Dangozaka SA.
At the time I checked, its official website listed 12 locations.
As for the phrase “World’s Best Apple Pie,” it appears to be a marketing expression based on the chef’s award-winning background.
It doesn’t necessarily mean that this particular apple pie won first place in a world competition.
Learn more about the apple pies, the brand’s story, and its store locations.
Visit the mille mele Official Website →So Light and Flaky, It Almost Falls Apart!
I decided to buy one.
It came in a brown paper bag with the red “mille mele” logo.
The apple pie looked delicious even before the first bite.
And when I finally tasted it…
Delicious!
The first thing that impressed me was the pastry.
It was incredibly light and flaky.
In fact, it was so delicate that I had to be careful while eating it, or the pastry would start falling apart!
The apple flavor was also rich and clearly noticeable.
And the best part?
It wasn’t overly sweet.
I could really enjoy the taste of the apples without the sweetness becoming too heavy.
Exactly the kind of apple pie I like!
Later, I learned that mille mele pays particular attention to its ingredients, from the pastry dough to the custard cream.
Perhaps that’s part of the secret behind that wonderfully light texture.
No Onigiri, But a Wonderful Discovery!
I originally stopped at Dangozaka SA just to buy some onigiri.
I didn’t find any rice balls, but instead, I discovered a really delicious apple pie.
Most of us stop at expressway service areas for a restroom break, a drink, or a quick snack.
But sometimes, those short stops lead to unexpected discoveries.
Last time, I discovered a little-known back entrance to Dangozaka SA.
This time, I discovered “The World’s Best Apple Pie.”
Apparently, there are still plenty of things to discover on the way to a golf course in Japan!
If you enjoy apple pie that isn’t too sweet, I’d definitely recommend giving mille mele a try.
I have a feeling I’ll be buying another one the next time I stop at Dangozaka SA.
