10+ Perfect Places To Eat Around Tokyo
Tokyo is massive - bigger and more populous than any big cities in the world - and a trip here should be full of food. there’s so much more that Tokyo has to offer from ramen to traditional izakayas to katsu and more. It’s why we’ve broken this guide down into different categories, so you can easily find the types of food you might be looking for, plus other Japanese staples you might not have known you needed to try
Even eating five to eight meals a day, I was barely able to scratch the surface of the list of recommendations. Nevertheless, Here is the list I wanted to share the combined suggestions of the community and my own investigations.
1. Udon Yamachou (Shibuya City)
Yamachou is a great udon spot ideal for a casual afternoon meal. It’s a nice place to hang, it’s known for tempura udon and a duck udon, which is our favorite thing here
2. Kanda Matsuya (Chiyoda City)
Zaru soba is a must try at here. Using buckwheat flour from Ibaraki Prefecture, all noodle is freshly made and cut to order. The noodle was a dull, greyish brown, a far cry from the sparkly Juwari soba at Hirosaku. A faint taste of buckwheat, the texture was firm but not particularly bouncy. The dipping sauce was extremely salty. I have to admit my palate is spoiled.
3. Yakitori Imai (Shibuya City)
Yakitori Imai is a cozy den with sliding-glass entry. Guests sit down at an L-shaped wooden bar as the restaurant's namesake prepares his legendary chicken skewers—juicy, lightly charred morsels of delight. Yakitori is typically more about the flavor than the elegance,
The ingredients here are ultra-high-quality, but the presentation remains instantly recognizable and reasonable prices encourage experimentation.
4. Ishikawa (Shinjuku City)
Ishikawa has a winning way with grilled fish, which pairs with the impressive selection of sake and wine
5. Taiyaki Wakaba (Shinjuku City)
Taiyaki Wakaba's glass-encased kitchen is viewable from the street and bordered by a green awning. Inside, craftsmen crank out taiyaki, a traditional seafood dessert, as they've been doing so skillfully here for more than a century.
Most Americans have never heard of taiyaki; here you can discover firsthand what you've been missing.
6. CoCo Ichibanya (Minato City)
There are a ton of curry spots around town, so stick with us when we say CoCo Ichibanya, a chain, is really great. Get the traditional katsu curry and add your own level of spice. Take note: a 10 on their spicy spectrum is a bad idea
7. Ostrea Oyster Bar and Restaurant (Ginza)
If you are an oyster lover then Japanese oysters are big and meaty, and the ones here were no different. They also lacked a very briny, oceany taste to them ( you can also try sweet oysters, very good as well ). The restaurant doesn’t get too busy, so you can enjoy your food with space
8. Kondo
Kondo is hallowed ground for monja, a cook-it-yourself delicacy that isn't so much a meal as it is an interactive experience. The restaurant doesn't reinvent the style; rather, it merely provides the perfect environment in which to enjoy it. You'll find higher-quality ingredients here, unlike many of the competing monjayaki destinations in Tokyo's Tsukishima neighborhood
9. Sushi Yuu
Sushi Yuu was possibly the best culinary experience I’ve ever had. Expensive, but worth it. Make a reservation and ask to sit at the bar. Shimazaki-san makes the meal extremely personal and answers all your fish-related questions
10. Standing Sushi Bar
this standing sushi location is one of many in town. It’s great for a quick bite: you stand, eat sushi, and go out. It has a robust menu, so you can get anything you want, and a meal here will only set you back around 1,000 yen (Around $9 USD)
11. Robot Restaurant (Shinjuku)
It was recommended by just about everyone, but they have robot, and it is fun. Robot Restaurant is the most incredible most popular tourist attractions, a show that combines robots, dragons, ninjas, blue-haired dancers
12. Udon Maruka (Chiyoda City)
A noodle heaven with a small kitchen bordered by a bar that seats about 12 diners. But the restaurant is a well-oiled machine, and deep umami aromas leave little doubt as to why fans are willing to wait in 45-minute queues just to get their hands on a bowl. If you're visiting Japan and only have one day for a casual lunch, come here—and come hungry so you can enjoy all the foods at Maruka.
13. Magurodonya Miura Misakiko
Unlike in the US, conveyer-belt sushi in Japan isn’t considered corny at all. It’s quick, convenient, affordable, and a great way to try a lot of different stuff. Magurodonya Miura Misakiko is far up north in Ueno, but it’s near Ueno Park and the National Museum.
Magurodonya Miura Misakiko is located in a row of other conveyor-belt spots near the train station, but it’s the best of the bunch. Eat here over anywhere nearby, and see how many mini sushi plates you can stack up
14. Memory Lane (Shinjuku City)
Located in the lively Shinjuku district, on this tiny alley of yakitori joints, some require an entrance fee, but they are all worth it. I ate at about three of them
You can visit their website at here
15. Shakey's: Pizza & Pasta
You can head to Shakey’s, a big pizza franchise for some Japan pizza style. The lunch buffet is served for 961 yen ($8.75) on weekdays and for 1,280 yen ($11.6) on weekends and holidays. The menu includes a wide variety of pizzas and pastas. The Shibuya branch is a 6 minute-walk from JR Shibuya station.
16. Crayonhouse HIROBA: Lunch Buffet at an organic restaurant (Omotesando, Tokyo)
This is an organic restaurant with a natural food shop, offering organic vegetables as well. The lunch buffet costs 1,500 yen ($13.67) for 90 minutes, which is a very reasonably priced considering most of the ingredients are organic products. And it take only 5-minute walk from Omotesando station.