Tokyo welcomes you into their stunningly perfect and complex cuisine world!
In this week’s bi-weekly signature of Bar Stools Furniture, we take you to the best restaurants in Tokyo you just can’t miss if you visit the charming Japan. A magical city during Christmas, if you check out Tokyo this Winter, you’ll want to drop by these testimonies of the best local cuisine you’ll taste in the capital of Japan.
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Sushi Aoki (Sushi)
You’ll find that Ginza, in Tokyo, has no shortage of amazing sushi restaurants. Sushi Aoki is one of them, a 1-star Michelin restaurant that sits quietly down a quiet lane with a discreet lantern on the street. Despite its discreetness, this is the perfect place to start your journey through authentic Japanese cuisine. With a casual and relaxed atmosphere, you can take the time to relish on the delicious local food while enjoying the ambiance.
Address: 2F Ginza Takahashi bldg., 6-7-4 Ginza, Chuo-ku, Tokyo, 104-0061
Opening Hours: noon-1:30pm, 5pm-9:30pm
Telephone: +81-3-3289-1044
Website: www.sushiaoki.jp/en/
Ichiran (Ramen)
A very well-known restaurant, Ichiran is the quintessential solo Ramen dining experience. In here they serve the most popular style of Ramen outside of Japan: tonkotsu. This stayle of Ramen is when pork bones are simmered for hours until they break down into a creamy, fatty broth. Ichiran is one of the most well-known chains specializing in tonkotsu Ramen, having exported their Ramen and unique dining style to cities abroad, such as New York, Taipei, and Hong Kong. Of course, there is nothing like the experience of eating it in Tokyo, so make sure to drop by Ichiran and get your personalized Ramen that is sure to be unforgettable.
Address: B1F Iwamoto bldg., 1-22-7 Jinnan, Sibuya-ku, Tokyo, 150-0041
Opening Hours: 24h
Telephone: +81-3-3463-3667
Website: en.ichiran.com/shop/tokyo/shibuya/
Nakame no Teppen Marunouchi (Izakaya/Sake)
A lively robatayaki izakaya that’s easy to walk past if you aren’t looking for it, this restaurant is a must when it comes to grilled meat. Their winning formula is fresh ingredients cooked over charcoal, and you just won’t be able to resist it. You’ll find the usual izakaya classics like potato salad and dashimaki omelette, in addition to all manner of yakitori and grilled items. Whether you’re craving vegetables, tofu, fish, or meat, you’ll find what you need for dinner.
Address: B1 iiyo!!, 1-4-1 Marunouchi, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo, 100-0005
Opening Hours: Monday-Friday: 11am-2:30pm, 5pm-12am / Saturday: 11am-2:30pm, 5pm-11pm / Sunday: 4pm-10pm
Telephone: +81-3-6273-4901
Website: www.mugen-c.jp/store_marunouchi.html
Honmura-an (Soba)
A rather chic and contemporary restaurant with an ambiance of calmness and tranquility, you’ll find Honmura-an to be the perfect place to welcome English-speakers, not only in the menu but in the service as well, and with some of the best Soba noodles and other delicious dishes (such as tori dango or chicken meatballs) that you’ll absolutely adore.
Address: 7-14-18 Roppongi, Minato-ku, Tokyo
Opening Hours: 12noon-2.30pm, 5.30pm-10pm (Sat, Sun & hols until 9.30pm) / Closed Mon, 1st & 3rd Tue of every month
Telephone: +81-3-5772-6657
Website: HonmuraanTokyo
Maruka (Udon)
Udon Maruka in Kanda is by far the best Sanuki udon restaurant in Tokyo with incredible thick, chewy noodles. Sanuki udon is a Kagawa prefecture specialty, and noodle aficionados in Tokyo swear by Udon Maruka, so it’s definitely a must-visit, even if you’ll have to wait in the queue for your chance to taste this amazing meal. Trust us, you won’t regret it!
Address: 1F New Surugadai bldg., 3-16-1 Kanda-ogawa-machi, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo, 101-0052
Opening Hours: Monday-Friday: 11am-4pm, 5:30pm-7:30pm /Saturday: 11am-2:30pm /
Closed Sunday and national holidays
Telephone: +81-3-3294-1320
Website: none
Yabaton (Tonkatsu – deep-friend pork cutlets)
Who doesn’t love juicy pork cutlets that’ve been battered and deep-fried till golden and crisp? Yabaton in Ginza provides just that, with the classic Teppan Tonkatsu, their most popular dish. They’ll pour their signature miso sauce onto the cutlet once it’s in front of you, creating a little cloud of miso and pork-scented steam. You just can’t resist visiting this restaurant to taste the amazing food they have!
Address: Ginza Daisaku bldg., 2-11-2 Ginza, Chuo-ku, Tokyo, 104-0061
Opening Hours: 11am-10pm / Closed Monday
Telephone: +81-3-3546-8810
Website: ginza.yabaton.com/modules/pages/global.html
Kushiwakamaru (Yakitori)
Kushiwakamaru is a beloved yakitori institution in Nakameguro, popular with Japanese locals. There’s an English menu available, and the service is prompt, the drinks affordable, which makes for a fun, rambunctious night out, and the food is incredible. A must-order is the ‘chizu-pi,’ a skewer of cheese-stuffed green pepper wrapped in pork. Definitely a restaurant you should visit if you’re interested in great food!
Address: 1-19-2 Kamimeguro, Meguro-ku, Tokyo, 153-0051
Opening Hours: 5pm-12am
Telephone: +81-3-3715-9292
Website: kushiwakamaru.com
Momonoki House (Vegetarian)
Momonoki House’s menu leans heavily on vegan and vegetarian options, making it a good choice for anyone following these diets or that simply have a preference or even curiosity to trying authentic vegetarian and vegan Japanese food. Vegetables and brown rice dominate, along with tofu steak and vegetable curries. It’s the perfect choice for the vegetarian and vegan lovers!
Address: 2-18-5 Jingumae, Shibuya-ku, Tokyo, 150-0001
Opening Hours: Monday-Saturday: 11am-3pm, 5pm-10pm
Sunday and national holidays: 11am-3pm, 5pm-9pm
Telephone: +81-3-3405-9144
Website: www.mominoki-house.net/index_en.html
Izuei Honten (Unagi – Eel)
For an unagi experience of a lifetime, visit Izu-ei Honten in Ueno. A restaurant that’s been going strong for over 200 years, it should be on your bucket list to visit during your time in Japan. The well-known and beloved restaurant began as a small shack during the Edo period, and though it’s since expanded, you can still have a taste of the original stall right at their main restaurant in Ueno.
Address: 2-12-22 Ueno, Taito-ku, Tokyo, 110-0005
Opening Hours: 11am-10pm
Telephone: +81-3-3831-0954
Website: www.izuei.co.jp/en/
Tenichi Ginza Honten (Tempura)
High-end tempura that’s worth the splurge, Ten-ichi is a restaurant with slightly higher prices, but with amazing food that just can’t be get anywhere else. Given that people like Frank Sinatra and Gorbachev have eaten here, however, the price tag is probably worth it. Everything is incredibly fresh, and the batter is light and ethereal, and it will be hard to get it anywhere else.
Address: 6-6-5 Ginza, Chuo-ku, Tokyo, 104-0061
Opening Hours: 11:30am-10pm
Telephone: +81-3-3571-1949
Website: www.tenichi.co.jp
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