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China Room
Located inside the world-famous Grand Hyatt Tokyo at Roppongi Hills, the China Room offers the most lavish and refined Chinese cuisine in the capital. From perfectly roasted Peking duck and fragrant shark-fin soup to rare oolong teas and handcrafted dumplings, the China Room is a feast for the senses that never fails to disappoint. In addition to widely known culinary classics, the China Room also offers rare Japanese seafood delicacies such as Niigata snow crab and Hokkaidō uni (sea urchin roe).
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Daidaiya, Minato
Although Asian fusion is all the rage outside Japan, it's still catching on in Tokyo. Of course, it's hard not to fall in love with this culinary mish-mash, especially once you've realised the benefits of eating rich Thai curries alongside innovative sushi rolls and savoury Chinese dumplings. Although the food at Daidaiya is always creative and daring, it pales in comparison to the restaurant's eye-arresting ultramodern interior.
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Daidaya
Unabashedly cool with modern Balinese-style design accents from floor to ceiling, this ultrasophisticated Asian fusion restaurant offers a nouvelle take on this already inventive cuisine. Dishes like Kyshu-style sausages with homemade wasabi-mayonnaise are individually crafted works of art, and are presented in slow but steady stages to allow for the maximum amount of appreciation.
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Daikokuya
The long line snaking around the building should tell you something about this much-loved tempura place before you even catch the unmistakable fragrance of it. Sneak off to the other branch around the corner if the line seems to put too much distance between you and your ebi tendon (shrimp tempura over rice).
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Delhi
Tropical cultures tout the numerous benefits of eating spicy foods; among them, the flushing of toxins when one begins perspiring with the endorphin rush (or pain, as the case may be). For those who like it hot, Delhi serves a fiery Kashmir curry. Patrons with milder tastes will find equally delicious options on the menu.
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Den Rokuen-Tei
Modern twists on seasonally changing Japanese izakaya (pub/eatery) dishes are matched with an array of wine, beer and sake cocktails. Private tatami (woven floor matting) rooms are available, but at this relaxed, stylish perch on the top of Parco 1, the lovely open-air terrace is the prime property.
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Edokko
Just outside the Senjō-ji complex is this well-known restaurant named after the local folk. And in honour of Edo, this place serves the neighbourhood speciality - tempura (try the tendon , shrimp tempura on rice) - in a very authentic atmosphere. Edokko has a traditional wooden façade and a white noren outside.
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Fujimamas
Fujimamas is hugely popular for its Asian fusion cuisine - like pan-seared salmon with wasabi cream on a curried corn pancake - and its quality Californian wines. Upstairs are airy rooms in what was once a tatamimaker's workshop. Fujimamas also offers a great children's menu. The restaurant is in the first alley south of the Omote-sandō and Meiji-jingū intersection. Reservations are recommended.
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Futaba
Like so many homestyle eateries, this place doesn't look like much, in its nondescript corner building, but who needs charm when you make the best tonkatsu on the block? It's a bit like a diner with matter-of-fact service, but it knows its stuff and needs no gimmicks beyond the edges of the plate.
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Hantei
Skewers of kushiage (fried meat, fish and vegetables) arrive at your table six at a time, counterbalanced with small, refreshing side dishes. Though courses are predetermined, and well worth the wait, you'll have to decide when you've had enough (or they'll keep coming) and whether to drink sake or beer. The backdrop is a lovely wood-and-bamboo Meiji-era house, which emphasises the Shitamachi charm of the restaurant.
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Hibiki
The inventive menu at this Japanese pub-style restaurant emphasises top-quality meats and hearty side dishes, all of which perfectly accompany the extensive selection of booze on offer. However, don't let all of this fine food and drink distract you from the incredible views of the Rainbow Bridge sweeping across Tokyo Bay.
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Kantipur
Happily for vegetarians, this Nepalese restaurant has a broad range of acceptable edibles, and the portions of curries and tandoori dishes are large. Kantipur is in the basement of its building, whose entrance is marked by the small, brightly coloured signs on the street.
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Khazana
Come early to snag one of the coveted tables out on the deck for maximum sensory pleasure. This Indian restaurant serves a good all-you-can-eat buffet lunch and has a fair amount of vegetarian options on the menu.
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Kinkantei
Although the heart of Tokyo's gay district is just about the last place you'd expect to find a 200-year-old soba shop, Kinkantei is the real thing. Although purists swear that soba this traditional should just be eaten as is, more avant-garde diners can dress their dishes up with a whole slew of treats including the restaurant's signature deep-fried nattō (fermented beans) wrapped in seaweed.
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Matsuya
Rival to Kanda Yabu Soba and located almost next door, Matsuya is just as bustling and feels a notch more casual. Try plain zaru soba , then follow it up with the kamo nanban , soba with slices of roast duck. Soak it all up along with the merry crowd.
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Mitsukoshi
Classic style and status at this Ginza institution. Further outlets can be found in Ikebukuro, Marunouchi and Ebisu.
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Monsoon
Monsoon serves up a variety of pan-Asian cuisine from peanut satays to steamed shrimp dumplings in an evocative tropical café setting. Alfresco seating and fruity cocktails help stave off the oppression of Tokyo's notoriously muggy summers, while tropical lagers and spicy curries will help you escape the depression of Tokyo's notoriously grey winters.
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Moti
You'll get the red-carpet treatment at Moti, where some of Tokyo's best Indian food is served up by attentive and friendly staff, in elegant surrounding. The lunch sets are a terrific deal, and this branch serves dosa and other South Indian specialities. Moti has another branch in Akasaka, one in Roppongi, and several others beyond.
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Moti, Minato
Loved by local expats, Moti maintains a loyal base of foodies who come for the set lunches and well-seasoned curries. Settle into one of the comfortable booths and watch as first one embassy staffer and then another comes and goes. Moti can fill to the rafters around noon.
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Nabi
Paying tribute to its progressive surroundings, Nabi offers an organic spin on the traditional Korean dish of yakiniku . While you're grilling your meat and veg at your private tabletop barbecue, stop for a moment to appreciate the fact that you're eating healthily and making the environment a cleaner place at the same time.
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Nair's
Like Japan's foremost living novelist, Murakami Haruki, Nair's was born in 1949, signalling a shift in tone in postwar Tokyo. Though curry restaurants are now a dime a dozen, this was one of the first to introduce naan and cardamom to Tokyo. Since quality midrange fare is a rare find in Ginza, this neighbourhood landmark tends to be extremely busy, though the crowds blend with the Bollywood music to create a festive atmosphere.
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Rakutei
If the Japanese have elevated the deep-fried to an art form, then the chefs at Rakutei create masterpieces nightly. The freshest seafood and the lightest tempura batter are prepared to order, resulting in tender prawn and sweet potato that actually does melt in your mouth. Although there isn't an English menu, you can easily choose a set meal depending on how much yen you're willing to part with.
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Robata
Back near the railway tracks, this is one of Tokyo's most celebrated izakaya (Japanese-style pub). A little Japanese language ability is helpful here, but the point-and-eat method works just fine. It's hard to spot the sign, even if you can read Japanese; better to look for the rustic, weathered façade.
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Sometaro
Sometaro is a fun and funky place to try okonomiyaki, which are Japanese-style pancakes filled with meat, seafood and vegetables that you cook yourself. It's a friendly spot where the English menu even includes a how-to guide for even the most culinary challenged of restaurant goers.
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Ten-Ichi
Since 1930 tempura at the much esteemed Ten-Ichi has rightfully earned its reputation as supernaturally light and nongreasy. The dignified dining area at the flagship Ginza shop is a pleasure, though you can expect to spend significant coin for the privilege of dining here. Ten-Ichi is regarded as the city's best tempura, which means you're going to need a reservation if you want to dine among those in the know.
