Destination
Type of Restaurant
Type of Meal
Editors Pick
Read MoreAfuri
Ramen joints flourish in Tokyo, and nearly all are excellent, but Afuri is one of the best and most easily accessible to foreigners, thanks to its English menu and helpful staff. Afuri has a handful of locations throughout the city;...
Read MoreBlind Donkey
This fantastic little restaurant is the product of a collaboration between Jérôme Waag, an American chef formerly of Berkeley’s famed Chez Panisse, and Shin Harakawa, a Japanese restaurateur. The focus is on sustainable, organic and seasonal ingredients to produce dishes...
Read MoreBricolage Bread & Co
Serious foodies are likely to have Tokyo’s two Michelin-starred Restaurant L’Effervescence on their list, but for those wishing to try chef Shinobu Namae’s creations in a more casual setting, Bricolage Bread & Co is a hybrid bakery-cafe-restaurant that may be...
Read MoreButagumi
A relaxed spot for phenomenal pork tonkatsu, Butagumi has achieved cult status for its breaded and deep-fried pork. Located near Roppongi Hills in a beautiful, traditional two-story Japanese home, the restaurant has an English menu and a rotating menu of...
Read MoreChatei Hatou
Tokyo is serious about its coffee, and many of the cafés are more akin to restaurants than grab-and-go spots. The most famous of the city’s coffeeshops is Chatei Hatou, a dimly-lit Shibuya destination that opened in the 1990s. The old-school...
Read MoreCicada
This longtime Mediterranean favorite moved to a three-story Omotosando mansion in October 2012. The outside terrace instantly became one of this city’s hottest dining spots. Indoor booths, counters and three private rooms fill up during Tokyo’s winter months too, as...
Read MoreDaigo
A tranquil oasis in bustling Tokyo, Daigo serves vegetarian kaiseki meals from a beautiful teahouse-style building that is surrounded by a Japanese garden. Meals at the two-Michelin-starred restaurant, which opened in 1950, take place in tatami rooms with shoji-screen doors.
Read MoreDen
If you can only go to one Michelin-starred restaurant in Tokyo, Den should be a top contender. Serving some of the most exquisite food in the city, the kaiseki restaurant has a playful feel, as evidenced by courses including black...
Read MoreEatrip
Hidden in Harajuku sits this unassuming humble home with a shabby-chic garden. The juxtaposition itself feels thoroughly Japanese, even before the fresh seasonal dishes arrive at rustic tables indoors and on the cozy outdoor terrace. Owner Yuri Nomura is known...
Read MoreFlorilège
A gorgeous foodie-adored restaurant in Tokyo, Florilège is helmed by chef Hiroyasu Kawate who previously worked at one of Tokyo’s most acclaimed restaurants, Quintessence. The 22-seat restaurant has a concrete, u-shaped bar and private dining room, where patrons enjoy expertly...
Read MoreFuji Ramen
A tiny eatery in the Asakusa neighborhood, Fuji Ramen makes for a very satisfying lunch after touring the Sensō-ji Temple. Diners make their selection and pay at a vending machine before taking a seat at the wooden bar, which was...
Read MoreFuku Yakitori
Hard to find from the street given its very basic exterior (adorned with just a fern and a small sign) this quaint restaurant has a great atmosphere on the inside. The buzz centers around the grill in the middle of...
Read MoreGen Yamamoto
This hard-to-find cocktail bar is the sort of place that makes Tokyo’s nightlife scene exciting and full of surprises. Gen Yamamoto is a Tokyoite who spent eight years training in New York’s cocktail scene before returning home to open his...
Read MoreHigashiya Ginza
Seasonal Japanese sweets take center stage at this traditional Japanese tearoom in the heart of Ginza. There are sweet buns with grated yam wrapped in bamboo leaves, cold kuzu noodles and aromatic shiso leaf mochi. Japanese beer, distilled spirits known...
Read MoreIl Ristorante
The Bulgari outlet, spread over ten floors, is the jewelry firm’s largest in the world. If the prices are a little too extravagant, settle for a bite to eat or a cocktail in Il Ristorante, which has its own rooftop...
Read MoreImahan
After visiting the Sensoji temple, head to Imahan for a traditional Sukiyaki dinner or lunch. The restaurant is filled with private stalls where servers in kimonos will help you prepare your meal. A big frying pan is placed in the...
Read MoreImahan Ginza
Tucked in a quiet corner of the fifth floor of Barney's New York (where several restaurants are located), the venerable Imahan is a good place for one-pot shabu-shabu and sukiyaki. Founded in 1895, Imahan is a chain with several branches,...
Read MoreJiro Sukiyabashi Roppongi
Those who have their heart set on eating at the famed Sukiyabashi Jiro but couldn’t get in (or who perhaps are turned off by the legendarily gruff and serious chef Jiro Ono) might try their luck at the Roppongi branch,...
Courtesy Shinichiro ShiraishiRead MoreKabi
Prior to opening Kabi in 2017, Chef Shohei Yasuda worked at Copenhagen’s two-Michelin starred Kadeau, so it’s only fitting that the menu here incorporates elements of New Nordic Cuisine. However, the 13-course tasting menu experience at Kabi feels distinctly Japanese,...
Read MoreKojyu
Tokyo visitors craving the experience of a multi-course kaiseki dinner should head to this tiny, unassuming—yet three-Michelin starred—restaurant in Ginza. Everything, from the earthenware dishes to the incredibly arranged plates is exquisite. You can only choose between three set menus....
Read MoreKotaro
Snagging a seat at the small bar or handful of tables at Kotaro is a challenge, but those lucky enough to get one can experience some of the finest izakaya cuisine in Tokyo. The hip, no-menu restaurant has a chill...
Courtesy IndagareRead MoreKyubey
Gourmets agree that this is one of the very best places in Tokyo to sample sushi, which means it’s among the finest on Earth. This family-run restaurant has a decades-long history; the owner, Yosuke Imada, learned to make sushi from...
Read MoreL’Effervescence
The two-Michelin-starred L’Effervescence is known for its expertly executed French cuisine. Dishes implementing the freshest seasonal ingredients are served in a sleek dining room and plated artfully. While the menu changes, one can expect haute dishes like venison filet with...
Read MoreLes Créations de Narisawa
Chef Yoshihiro Narisawa took the top honors when San Pellegrino launched an all-Asia 50 Best List in 2013 (having already racked up two Michelin stars). His minimalist-sleek dining room is unusually easy to find, among the car dealerships near Aoyama...
Read MoreMaisen
This cavernous eatery is housed in a former bathhouse and has zero ambience. But gourmands head here to dig into heaping plates of tonkatsu, a heavily breaded and deep fried pork cutlet, topped with thick and tangy sauce and served...
Read MoreMaru
Homey, Kyoto-style cooking has become popular in Tokyo since chef Keiji Mori opened the city’s first high quality Kyoto eatery ten years ago in Aoyama. Diners may select elegantly presented items including sashimi, grilled fish and regional delicacies off the...
Read MoreMisojyu
Located a few blocks from Tokyo’s Sensō-ji Temple, the casual-cool Misojyu restaurant specializes in two typical Japanese comfort foods: onigiri and miso soup. The rice balls come in flavors like spicy tuna, ume plum and avocado, and you can deck...
Read MoreNew York Bar & Grill
Widely featured in Sofia Coppola’s Lost in Translation, the New York Bar & Grill is the renowned bar on top of the Park Hyatt Tokyo. It actually lives up to the hype, thanks to spectacular views and a cool vibe....
Read MoreNihonbashi Yukari
For kaiseki and kappo ryori, head to Nihonbashi Yukari. Come for lunch if you are on a budget, but a dinner is also great. For lunch, you can reserve a special bento ahead of time or order one of the...
Read MoreNihonryori Ryugin
Tokyo’s current three-Michelin star darling, chef Seiji Yamamoto, has been cited for his “defiant perfectionism” and called “a brilliant experimentalist” by the world’s toughest critics. Diners often sit silently in the glam, gold-on-black dining room, their attention and senses consumed...
Read MoreObana
Unagi (freshwater eel) is the specialty at Obana, and despite its location in a somewhat less-visited section of Tokyo (a 20-minute drive from Ginza), the centuries-old restaurant is a must-visit for anyone who wants to try the best eel in...
Read MoreQuintessence
Japanese attention to detail and the nuances of haute French cuisine blend seamlessly under Chef Shuzo Kishida, who trained in some top French restaurants in Japan for seven years before joining Pascal Barbot’s L’Astrance in Paris in 2003. When he...
Read MoreSeamon Ginza
Located in the midst of the luxury boutiques of Ginza (Chanel and Dior are nearby), this is a great sushi spot for a lunch while shopping in the area. A deep-red sushi bar sets the tone and provides a glamorous...
Read MoreSeirinkan
Located in the hipster Naka-Meguro neighborhood, Seirinkan is a Beatles-themed restaurant known for serving the best pizza outside of Naples. The obsessively-crafted pies are the brainchild of Tsubasa Tamaki, the sneaker-clad chef who had a stone-and-iron kiln custom built for...
Read MoreSense
It does indeed make “sense” to pick a Hong Kong–owned hotel chain if you’re in the mood for Cantonese food. Tokyoites, regular visitors to Hong Kong, know their Chinese food well, so the chef does not have to pander much...
Read MoreShima
Declared by some to be the “holy grail” of beef in Tokyo, this small, modest restaurant resides under a Tully’s Coffee in the basement of a business building in Nihonbashi. It's marked by only a small sign, and patrons must...
Read MoreSignature
The stunning, Art Deco–inspired dining room is located on the 37th floor of the Mandarin Oriental. The Michelin-starred restaurant is overseen by a much-lauded French chef whose morning forays into Tokyo’s fish and vegetable markets manifest exquisitely on his authentic...
Read MoreSushi Dai
Expect to stand on line up to an hour or two to snag one of the coveted seats at this unfussy sushi counter inside Tokyo’s Toyosu Fish Market. Once inside, the chu toro fatty tuna is a must, and when...
Read MoreSushi Sho
Opened in 1983, Sushi Sho is one of the more casual sushi restaurants in Tokyo, but it still serves some of the finest quality fish. With a laid-back atmosphere and 11-seat sushi counter (and a private tatami room), the restaurant...
Read MoreSushi Zanmai
Avoid the lines at nearby Sushi Dai and get equally fresh sushi at this popular chain restaurant, most famous for the hefty price its owner paid for hugely expensive tuna. There are three floors of seating area, so you’ll have...
Read MoreTakazawa
Ranked on the World’s 50 Best Restaurants in Asia list in both 2014 and 2015, this 10-seat fine-dining spot is one of the hardest tables to book in Tokyo, and that isn’t just because of the size. Chef Yoshiaki Takazawa...
Read MoreTenmo
Established in 1885, this humble, ten-seat eatery in Nihonbashi is still helmed by descendants of founder Mosaburo Okuda. These days, two generations of tempura masters stand behind the wooden counter, coating fresh prawns, unagi and unexpected items like persimmon leaf...
Read MoreTofuya Ukai
In the shadows of the city’s landmark Tokyo Tower is one of the most unique dining experiences in the city. Tofuya Ukai specializes in tofu and soy products, but also serves seafood and meat. The menu is kaiseki style with...
Read MoreTwo Rooms
Two Rooms sits in the heart of trendy Aoyama. Designed by San Francisco-based Eight Inc., the restaurant and bar overlook the stunning Tokyo skyline. It’s located on the 5th floor, so just above the roofs of the surrounding area and...
Read MoreUsagi Ramen
As its packed interior indicates, Usagi Ramen is a popular, local spot for excellent ramen. The tiny restaurant serves classic ramen noodles in a flavorful and spicy broth along with other Japanese specialties.
