Ebisu, Meguro & Around
Afuri has been a major player in the local ramen scene, making a strong case for a light touch with its signature yuzu-shio (a light, salty broth…
Must-see restaurants in Tokyo
Ginza & Tsukiji
In pricy Ginza, this compact bistro stands out for being warm, friendly and eminently reasonable. Between lunch and dinner service, stop by for coffee and…
Asakusa & Sumida River
Yuwaeru prides itself on its brown rice, and other traditional, healthy dishes. Lunch is teishoku (set meal) cafeteria-style: grab a tray and follow the…
Ebisu, Meguro & Around
This mellow little izakaya (Japanese pub-eatery) specialises in simple pleasures: fish and sake (there’s an English sign out front that says just that)…
Asakusa & Sumida River
Suzukien boasts of having the most matcha-ful matcha ice cream around, and the deep moss-green Premium No 7 (one scoop ¥585) does not disappoint. In…
Roppongi, Akasaka & Around
Keep an eye on the open kitchen: no, that's not your dinner going up in flames but the cooking of kogashi (burnt) ramen, which this dark and stylish…
Roppongi, Akasaka & Around
Tuck into delicious and authentic renditions of all the Thai classics – including tom yam soup, green curry and prawn toast – at this spacious, bright…
Ueno & Yanesen
Summer in Japan is synonymous with kakigōri, shaved ice topped with colorful syrups and sweetened condensed milk. So popular is Himitsu-dō, however, that…
Tokyo
Located inside the labyrinthine covered market Harmonica-yokochō, Tetchan has been drawing locals for years. But it's now become something of a tourist…
Ginza & Tsukiji
Chain-cafe-operator Pronto is, remarkably, the manager of this stylish all-day cafe in a visitors centre added to the compound of Tsukiji Hongwan-ji in…
Tokyo
This restaurant is a showcase for Nihombashi's gourmet retailers, such as Ninben (maker of katsuobushi – dried bonito flakes – since 1699) and Yamamoto …
Harajuku & Aoyama
Manjū (まんじゅう) – that's where the shop's name comes from; it's not just for men! – are hot buns stuffed with sweetened red-bean paste. They're steamed…
Tokyo
Eight hand-picked rāmen-ya operate branches in this basement arcade on the Yaesu side of Tokyo Station. All the major styles are covered – from shōyu (soy…
Shibuya & Shimo-Kitazawa
Both a counter restaurant and take-away shop, Kinkume specialises in seiro meshi, food steamed in bamboo baskets – in this case rice topped with seafood…
Brown Rice by Neal's Yard Remedies
Harajuku & Aoyama
Yes, this is Neal's Yard Remedies, as in the British health and beauty company, but for some reason they decided to open a restaurant, just one, here in…
Ginza & Tsukiji
Specialising in produce from Hokkaidō and Kanagawa, this farm-to-table operation is one of the star restaurant players within Tokyo Midtown Hibiya, with a…
Ginza & Tsukiji
We know you didn't come to Tokyo to eat Greek food but hear us out: this Sydney import nails dishes like grilled octopus and fennel salad, taramasalata,…
Roppongi, Akasaka & Around
This cosy kitchen has bar seating, rows of ornate shōchū (liquor) jugs lining the wall and hundreds of freshly prepared skewers splayed in front of the…
Ginza & Tsukiji
Specialising in fish roe, this sparkling clean stall has a few counter seats and also does takeaway rice bowls and noodle dishes covered with generous…
Odaiba & Tokyo Bay
Australian chef Bill Granger has had a big hit with his restaurant chain in Japan – unsurprising given how inviting and spacious a place this is. The menu…
Kōrakuen & Akihabara
This French-owned cafe, hidden on a cobblestone lane in Kagurazaka, is credited with starting the Japanese rage for crêpes back in 1996 when it opened…
Ginza & Tsukiji
Digital-art supremos teamLab provide the mesmerising visual effects at this restaurant specialising in premium grade Saga beef. There are only eight seats…
Asakusa & Sumida River
When you just want something simple, filling and delicious: choose a soup (say, mushroom miso soup or a chunky pork soup with root vegetables) and an…
Tokyo
Nemuro is a fishing port in the far east of Hokkaidō (Japan's northern island), and visiting the original kaiten-zushi (conveyor-belt sushi restaurant)…
Shinjuku & Northwest Tokyo
This tiny shop in Ikebukuro's Chinatown deals in Shanghai street food, namely shēngjiān (pan-fried pork buns; called yaki-shōronpo in Japan). Warning:…
Asakusa & Sumida River
Sometarō is a fun and funky place to try okonomiyaki (savoury Japanese-style pancakes filled with meat, seafood and vegetables that you cook yourself)…
Asakusa & Sumida River
If you're keen to try chanko-nabe – the hearty, protein-rich stew that fattens up sumo wrestlers – Tomoegata is a great place to do it. The daily lunch…
Kōrakuen & Akihabara
Botan has been making a single, perfect dish in the same traditional wooden house since the 1890s. Sit cross-legged on rattan mats as chicken sukiyaki …
Ebisu, Meguro & Around
Megutama calls itself a 'photo books diner' – because its walls are lined with literally thousands of photo books. Diners are free to flip through them …
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…
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…
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…
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…
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…
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…
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…
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…
Roppongi, Akasaka & Around
British baker Stacey Ward has caused a sensation with her authentic marzipan Battenburg cake and Victoria sponges – so much so that fans queue for…
Ebisu, Meguro & Around
Green tea isn’t the only flavour Japan has contributed to the ice-cream playbook; other delicious innovations available (seasonally) at this famous Ebisu…
Shibuya & Shimo-Kitazawa
'Uncle Eggplant' specialises in Japanese-style curry – that curious dark-brown melange that manages to be both sweet and savoury, mild and flavourful –…
