Tokyo: Where to Eat: Quick Break: Lion Beer Hall

Lion Beer Hall

It is impossible to miss this spot, a rather garish aberration in the midst of the posh boutiques of Ginza. The outside seems to have been inspired by a German woodcutter’s hut; the clue to its Japanese heritage is the replicas of the fare on offer in the window. Just why Japanese restaurateurs think plastic sausages and eggs, or plastic anything, lures customers is one to ponder over a large beer inside: this frills-free diner features plenty of Bavarian fare, the perfect hearty antidote to all that picky and delicate sushi and sashimi. Later in the evening, expect to see salarymen downing foaming glasses of beer: Japanese men like to celebrate the end of the working day, and week, by chugging cold ones.