The Best Restaurants In Tokyo
There are more restaurants in Tokyo with Michelin stars—230—than any other city, making Tokyo an unrivaled culinary capital. The city's range of restaurants is astonishing, from traditional Japanese cuisine to French fusion and beyond. There are also, of course, sushi restaurants where you can try sea urchuin, traditional kaiseki, tasting menus, haute cuisine spots that rely on seasonal ingredients, and so much more. Quick tip: Michelin star or not, it’s a good idea to check in with your hotel’s concierge about your restaurant of choice to make a reservation. Many fine dining restaurants have only a few, very coveted tables.
Japan, 〒107-0062 Tōkyō-to, Minato-ku, Minamiaoyama, 2 Chome−6, 港区南青山２丁目６−１５
One of Japan's most talented chefs, Yoshihiro Narisawa presents Japanese ingredients in a style he calls “innovative Satoyama cuisine,” which highlights the country's natural bounty. Narisawa works directly with purveyors to get the...
Japan, 〒150-0001 Tōkyō-to, Shibuya-ku, Jingūmae, 2 Chome−3−１８ 建築家会館ＪＩＡ館
Chef Zaiyu Hasegawa’s modern Japanese cuisine is served in a playful and relaxed atmosphere. A large communal table takes center stage, and conversations with new friends fill the air. Fried chicken stuffed with seasonal ingredients and a...
3 Chome-12-１０ Tsukishima, Chūō-ku, Tōkyō-to 104-0052, Japan
Tsukishima is a neighborhood best known for one of Tokyo’s local dishes, monjayaki. This casual dish is similar to Osaka’s savory okonomiyaki pancake but with much more liquid, making it great fun to cook. Diners are seated around a...
Japan, 〒153-0042 Tōkyō-to, Meguro-ku, Aobadai, 1 Chome−28, 青葉台1-28-9
While it might come as a surprise, Tokyo is known for its Neapolitan pizza. One of the great pizza makers in the city is Hisanori Yamamoto, whose restaurant is a short walk from Nakameguro Station. The tables are squeezed next to each other, but...
Japan, 〒151-0051 Tōkyō-to, Shibuya-ku, Sendagaya, 3 Chome−63−１ グランデフォレスタ原宿
Afuri is a popular ramen chain with branches throughout the city in neighborhoods like Harajuku, Ebisu, Nakameguro, Roppongi, and Azabu-Juban. The signature bowl is chicken and dashi with yuzu shio, an aromatic citrus, and salt. Noodles are thin...
Japan, 〒101-0063 東京都千代田区神田淡路町２丁目１０
There are hundreds of soba shops in Tokyo, but Kanda Yabu stands out for its rich history and ambience. Aficionados recommend ordering cold noodles for dipping into the soy broth, all the better to enjoy the texture and aroma of the buckwheat...
5 Chome-5-１３ Ginza, Chūō-ku, Tōkyō-to 104-0061, Japan
Walking into Kondo, the aroma of sesame oil fills the air. The master, Fumio Kondo, bends over behind the counter as he observes the tempura frying. Part of the pleasure of dining at a tempura shop is listening to the knives chopping the...
5 Chome-2-１ Ginza, Chūō-ku, Tōkyō-to 104-0061, Japan
Udon, a thick, chewy wheat noodle, shines whether it is served hot or cold. TsuruTonTan has a few shops in the city, though the best views are from the floor-to-ceiling windows on the 10th floor of Ginza Tokyu Plaza. The udon noodles are served in...
2 Chome-3-１ Atago, Minato-ku, Tōkyō-to 105-0002, Japan
While most shojin ryori (Buddhist cuisine) meals are very simple, Daigo elevates such cooking to the level of kaiseki ryori, the multi-course haute cuisine that was long favored in aristocratic circles. Diners are introduced to an impressive array...
Japan, 〒153-0051 Tōkyō-to, Meguro-ku, Kamimeguro, 1 Chome−26−１ １０８
Wagyu katsu sando (beef cutlet sandwiches) have been around for a long time, but under the able hands of Hisato Hamada, the dish is hip and cool. The sleek, Instagram-friendly, stand-and-eat shop is in the trendy Nakameguro area along the Meguro...
Japan, 〒104-0061 Tōkyō-to, Chūō-ku, Ginza, ４丁目2−１５ 塚本素山ビル B1F
Bird Land is a yakitori shop that shares the same subway basement space with two other famous restaurants: fifth-generation Nodaiwa and Sukiyabashi Jiro—yes, that Jiro. There is a brigade of staff behind the counter and a master who oversees...
Japan, 〒104-0061 Tōkyō-to, Chūō-ku, Ginza, 5 Chome−15−８ 時事通信ビル1F
Teppanyaki meets French cuisine at this elegant institution, the lobby of which feels like a museum filled with Art Nouveau pieces by Lalique and Émile Gallé. The first few courses are classic French dishes that have been elevated...
8 Chome-7-6 Ginza, Chūō-ku, Tōkyō-to 104-0061, Japan
High-end sushiya are often open only at night, but that's not the case for venerable Kyubey, on the Ginza periphery. Lunch there is popular and a great value, and reservations are required. Some sushi counters can be very stiff and hard to relax...
2 Chome-24-9 Nishiazabu, Minato-ku, Tōkyō-to 106-0031, Japan
A traditional freestanding house in residential Nishi-Azabu is the unique setting for this tonkatsu shop where panko-encrusted cuts of pork are deep-fried until golden. Butagumi has a big selection of pork to choose from, almost too many. There's...
2 Chome-4-１ Nihonbashi, Chūō-ku, Tōkyō-to 103-8265, Japan
Near Shinjuku Station you'll find Takashimaya Times Square, which includes the Takashimaya department store and a large branch of Tokyu Hands. The depachika, or basement food floor, at Takashimaya has some excellent food counters for sukiyaki and...
3 Chome-26-１１ Shinjuku, Shinjuku-ku, Tōkyō-to 160-0022, Japan
Japan's fascination with flawless fruit is one of those aspects of the country's culture that surprises many visitors. A great way to indulge in it is with a fruit parfait or a glass of freshly squeezed juice at Takano Fruit Parlor. Just minutes...
Japan, 〒160-0022 Tōkyō-to, Shinjuku-ku, Shinjuku, 3 Chome−7−３ 丸中ビル 1F
Enthusiastic staff welcome diners to this tachinomi, a casual pub where there are no chairs, and diners eat and drink at high counters, usually overlooking an open kitchen. The specialty at Saisei Sakaba is cuts of meats and organs that are...
Japan, 〒150-0002 Tōkyō-to, Shibuya-ku, Shibuya, 3 Chome−18−７ 渋谷東一号館ビル１Ｆ
Curry, one of Japan’s popular comfort foods, is a not-so-spicy dish served on a plate with steaming rice. When you walk into this popular eatery near Shibuya Station, you'll find a vending machine with the menu—decide on your order,...
