Must-see restaurants in Japan

  • Gion Yuki

    Southern Higashiyama

    Squeeze in at the counter for front-row seats to watch the chefs do their thing at this lively izakaya (Japanese pub-eatery). Seafood is big on the menu,…

  • Ryōtei Kagetsu

    Nagasaki

    Dating to 1642, this sky-high shippoku-ryōri restaurant started life as a high-class brothel. Japanese skills or a chaperone, and a love of food, will…

  • Kyoto Rāmen Kōji

    Kyoto Station & South Kyoto

    If you love ramen, do not miss this collection of nine ramen restaurants on the 10th floor of the Kyoto Station building (on the west end, take the…

  • Milk Mura

    Sapporo

    A grown-up twist on the classic ice-cream parlour, Milk Mura serves mugs of soft-serve ice cream accompanied by three tiny chalices of your choice of…

  • Amanoya

    Kōrakuen & Akihabara

    The owner of this charming dessert cafe is a bit of a collector, as you'll discover from the eclectic bits and bobs on display ranging from model trains…

  • Chōraku

    Kanazawa & the Hokuriku Coast

    The family behind Chōraku has been making delicate gyōza (dumplings) by hand to order for more than 50 years, and their experience has deliciously paid…

  • Chīzu Rāmen-no-mise Karin

    Hokkaidō

    Testing the adage that everything is better with cheese, Karin adds local Furano cheese to its ramen. Whether that sounds amazing or awful, you know you…

  • Mikasa

    Naha

    Come to Mikasa hungry, and at any hour, for cheap, no-nonsense grub with the locals. All the Okinawan favourites are whipped up here – gōyā champuru and…

  • Aoba

    Kyūshū

    A minute's walk left from the station, this cheery shop serves a satisfying and varied menu of local specialities like katsuo-donburi (bonito on a bowl of…

  • Shimanto-gawa

    Ginza & Tsukiji

    This beneath-the-train-tracks izakaya takes its theme literally by creating a dining area of wooden booths built beside and over a flowing stream – the…

  • Aburaya-Shokudō

    Kansai

    Just down the steps from the main gate of Kurama-dera and on the street corner, this classic old-style shokudō is a reminder of Japan before it got rich…

  • Yūki

    Western Honshū

    The Tsuwano teishoku (a carp-themed sampler of local dishes) is recommended at this elegantly rustic restaurant, which has wooden tables and the sound of…

  • Okonomiyaki Mangetsu

    Amami Islands

    Locals pile in for the excellent okonomiyaki (batter and cabbage cakes cooked on a griddle) at this excellent Naze eatery. For carnivores, we recommend…

  • Izumi Soba

    Kyūshū

    There are less expensive soba shops in town, but at this classy place with a view of Kinrin-ko you can often watch the noodles being made in the window…

  • Sun Sun Shopping Village

    Northern Honshū (Tōhoku)

    Atop reclaimed land near where the old centre of Minami-Sanriku stood, this new shopping village opened in 2017 to much fanfare. It represents the…

  • Cube

    Kyoto Station & South Kyoto

    This is a great collection of restaurants located on the 10th floor of the Kyoto Station building; otherwise it can be accessed by the JR Isetan…

  • Camelback

    Shibuya & Shimo-Kitazawa

    Okay, this is a cafe and the staff really want you to order a drink (and the coffee is good) but the real reason everyone wants to come here is for the…

  • Mew’z cafe

    Downtown Kyoto

    With its relaxed bohemian feel and Pan-Asian menu, Mew'z cafe-restaurant is a great place to break up bouts of shopping on Teramachi-dōri. Drop in for a…

  • Café Independants

    Downtown Kyoto

    Located beneath a gallery, this cool subterranean cafe offers a range of snacks, meals and drinks, including craft beer, coffee and cocktails, in a…

  • Mojanopan

    Okinawa & the Southwest Islands

    If you couldn't see this hole-in-the-wall bakery, you'd smell it. It's unique for its owner's commitment to selling fresh bread throughout its opening…

  • Sakura-tei

    Harajuku & Aoyama

    Grill your own okonomiyaki (savoury pancakes) at this funky place inside the gallery Design Festa. In addition to classic options (with pork, squid and…

  • Uoriki

    Shibuya & Shimo-Kitazawa

    Uoriki is a fishmonger's run by the same family since 1905 (back when Shibuya was practically still a village). There's a restaurant hidden in the back…

  • Sông Bé Cafe

    Kamakura

    This mellow day-to-evening joint serves up dishes such as pad thai (stir-fried rice noodles) and green curry, with veggies sourced from the local farmers…

  • Yayoiza

    Nagano Region

    This establishment just before the gates to Zenkō-ji has been serving seiro-mushi (ingredients steamed in a wood-and-bamboo box) for over 150 years. The…

  • Nanairo Ramen

    Takayama

    This workmanlike ramen joint is a little grubby, but that kind of authenticity, where locals come to drink and dine, is part of its charm: it's smoky,…

  • Akasaka Ichiryu Bekkan

    Roppongi, Akasaka & Around

    While it won't win any awards for its decor, this three-decades old, round-the-clock joint is beloved for its heart-warming rendition of the Korean beef…

  • Kimagure-ya

    Ginza & Tsukiji

    This sandwich counter, run out of an old barbershop, is a market-worker favourite, and also sells some of Tokyo's cheapest (and still decent) coffee (¥140…

  • Cafe Phalam

    Downtown Kyoto

    A short walk from Nijō-jō, this homey cafe is a great spot to lunch on mainly vegan and vegetarian homemade food, from veggie burgers with salad to vegan…

  • Nagi Shokudō

    Shibuya & Shimo-Kitazawa

    A vegan haven in fast-food-laced Shibuya, Nagi serves up dishes like falafel and coconut curry. The most popular thing on the menu is a set meal with…

  • Kura

    Nara

    This popular spot in Naramachi is styled like an old storehouse and has just 16 seats around a counter amid dark-wood panels and an old beer sign. Indulge…

  • Nagaya Sakaba

    Northern Honshū (Tōhoku)

    Rebuilt after a 2017 fire, Nagaya Sakaba is easy to spot due to the massive Namahage demons above the entrance. Sake flows freely once you've negotiated…

  • Idaten

    Fuji Five Lakes

    Load up on some delicious, deep-fried goodness pre- or post-hike at the Idaten counter, where you can watch the chefs prepare your tempura to order. Aside…

  • Karē Kōbō Chalten

    Iwate Prefecture

    Serving the best curry we tried in the whole of northern Japan, this small, charming restaurant makes nothing except creamy plates of curry. The wonderful…

  • Cafe Hale

    Around Tokyo

    Hale's deck, facing Chichi-jima's port, is a top spot to enjoy a delicious lunch of sashimi on a bowl of rice, or a slice of lemon cheesecake. They also…

  • Trattoria Cesari

    Nagoya

    You may be surprised to find an Italian trattoria of this calibre and value smack bang in the heart of Nagoya. Prepare to queue at weekends, as folks line…

  • Rakushō

    Southern Higashiyama

    This casual Japanese-style tearoom on Nene-no-Michi in the heart of the Southern Higashiyama sightseeing district is well placed for a break while doing…

  • Kakinohasushi Tatsumi

    Kansai

    This tiny, family-run takeaway shop serves kakinoha-zushi. Choose your fish – salmon (sake), mackerel (saba) or both (combi) – and quantity (the smallest…

  • Gyōza-ya

    Western Honshū

    At that moment when you think you'll go crazy if you see another Izumo soba restaurant, proceed immediately to this cheap and late-opening station-area…

  • Antonio

    Hiroshima

    A seafood restaurant that wants to give the impression of dining at a market somewhere in Portugal, complete with (Japanese) produce plucked from an ice…

  • Oishiisā-gu

    Yaeyama Islands

    This sunlit soba place in Kabira serves local dishes like chilled yomogi-soba (mugwort soba) served in a conch shell, or tebichi soba (Okinawan soba…

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