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 does the bar by the entrance that stays open until 3am. Expats claim Cicada serves Tokyo’s tastiest hummus, and that the menu offers one of the city’s most extensive vegetarian menus. The accompanying wine list is equally Euro-centric while the bar offers six craft beers on tap.

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 the restaurant where a chef produces skewer after delectable skewer of chicken, steak, vegetables, cheese, scallops and more. The English menu and the presence of an English-speaking staff makes for an easy dinner after a long day of sightseeing.

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 eponymous bar. Tucked on a side street in a quiet neighborhood, Gen Yamamato features only eight seats around a beautiful wooden counter. Gen, mixologist, maître d’ and bar manager all at once, never leaves his spot behind the bar, crafting cocktails for patrons who reverently sip their drinks while watching him mash, mix, microwave and create the innovative cocktails for which he is becoming famous. The menu is short and changes seasonally; in the winter for instance, drinks include quince, fennel and kumquat mixed with a variety of sochus and sakes. Go for a flight to fully appreciate the artistry behind each cocktail.

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 returned home to open Quintessence in 2006, the restaurant immediately earned a whopping three Michelin stars. Kishida’s modern French kitchen incorporates Japan’s extraordinary produce to turn out dishes like sea urchins with leek, croutons and organic vegetables. Diners should come with an open mind and palate since lunch and dinner are menu carte blanche based on fresh seasonal products and change daily, but always involve Kishida’s signature cuisson (low-temperature long-time roasting). In typically meticulous Japanese fashion, the restaurant makes note of what you ate, thus you will never be served the same meal twice.

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 really unique. The wine cellar comprises some 1,800 bottles of vintages for around the world. Two Rooms is a great spot for a cocktail and some nibbles after a shopping spree in the city’s most fashionable district.

Yoshitake may be small on space—there are only six seats—but what it lacks in size it more than makes up for in flavor. The three-Michelin-starred sushi bar respects the traditional principles of the cuisine, presenting simple ingredients in beautiful arrangements. Hidden away on the third floor of what looks like an office building, Yoshitake may be hard to find, but the impeccable offerings and intimate atmosphere make it worth the hunt. Reservations should be made at least one month out.