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Tokyo is undoubtedly one of the most exciting dining cities in the world. Seasonal ingredients reign supreme here, and there's an emphasis on freshness—not surprising given raw seafood is the cornerstone of sushi. And though Tokyoites still stubbornly resist foreign concepts in many fields, the locals have embraced outside culin
Tokyo is undoubtedly one of the most exciting dining cities in the world. Seasonal ingredients reign supreme here, and there's an emphasis on freshness—not surprising given raw seafood is the cornerstone of sushi. And though Tokyoites still stubbornly resist foreign con
Tokyo is undoubtedly one of the most exciting dining cities in the world. Seasonal ingredients reign supreme here, and t
Tokyo is undoubtedly one of the most exciting dining cities in the world. Seasonal ingredients reign supreme here, and there's an emphasis on freshness—not surprising given raw seafood is the cornerstone of sushi. And though Tokyoites still stubbornly resist foreign concepts in many fields, the locals have embraced outside culinary styles with gusto.
While newer restaurants targeting younger diners strive for authenticity in everything from New York–style bagels to Neapolitan pizza, it is still not uncommon to see menus serving East-meets-West concoctions such as spaghetti topped with cod roe and shredded seaweed. That said, the city’s best French and Italian establishments can hold their own on a global scale. Naturally, there's also excellent Japanese cuisine available throughout the city, ranging from the traditional to nouveau, which can be shockingly expensive.
That is not to imply that every meal in the city will drain your finances—the current rage is all about "B-kyu gurume" (B-class gourmet), restaurants that fill the gap between nationwide chains and fine cuisine, serving tasty Japanese and Asian food without the extra frills of tablecloths and lacquerware. All department stores and most skyscrapers have at least one floor of restaurants that are accessible, affordable, and reputable.
Asakusa is known for its tempura, and Tsukiji prides itself on its fresh sashimi, which is available in excellent quality throughout the city. Ramen is a passion for many locals, who travel across town or stand in line for an hour in order to sit at the counter of a shop rumored to have the perfect balance of noodles and broth. Even the neighborhood convenience stores will offer colorful salads, sandwiches, and a selection of beer and sake. There have been good and affordable Indian and Chinese restaurants in the city for decades. As a result of increased travel by the Japanese to more exotic locations, Thai, Vietnamese, and Turkish restaurants have popped up around the city. When in doubt, note that Tokyo's top-rated international hotels also have some of the city's best places to eat and drink.
The deep-fried, breaded pork cutlets at this casual restaurant just south of Ueno Park's pond combine generous portions with melt-in-the-mouth tenderness, and for a great price. Set meals here come with enough rice, miso soup, shredded cabbage, and pickles to loosen your belt a notch or two.
A family joint, Tonki is a success that never went conglomerate or added frills to what it does best: deep-fried pork cutlets, soup, raw-cabbage salad, rice, pickles, and tea. That's the standard course, and almost everybody orders it, with good reason—it's utterly delicious. Just listen to customers in line as they put in their usual orders while a server comes around to take it. Then go ahead and join in; the wait is only about 10 minutes, but the line continues every night until the place closes at 10:45.
1–1–2 Shimo-Meguro, Tokyo, Tokyo-to, 153-0064, Japan
03-3491–9928
Known For
Hearty, affordable meals
Juicy pork
A line out the door
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: Closed Tues. and 3rd Mon. of month. No lunch
When it comes to preparation, this long-running unagi (freshwater eel) restaurant sticks to tradition, claiming to follow a 200-year-old recipe. For its ingredients, however, Maekawa takes a modern turn towards sustainability. Instead of using (rapidly dwindling) wild caught unagi, the restaurant uses only the highest quality domestically farmed unagi for its dishes. Choose from the una-ju (eel over rice served in a lacquered box), kabayaki (sweet grilled eel set meal), or shirayaki (plain grilled eel without sweet glaze). Maekawa offers a few small side dishes such as sashimi and dashi-tamago (Japanese rolled omelet) but like most classic unagi restaurants, Maekawa does exactly one thing and does it well.
2--1--29 Komagata, Tokyo, Tokyo-to, 111-0043, Japan
This classic izakaya epitomizes the casual yet lively nights out of a down-to-earth district like Fukagawa. Opened in the 1950s, the four floors here include counter-only seats on the first and second floors that are ideal for watching and chatting with the chefs, and then tables for larger groups on the third and fourth floors. Wherever you sit, the focus is mostly on seafood, with the fresh cuts of sashimi (of whatever fish is sourced that day), especially good when paired with one of the sakes on the menu. The only challenge is ordering if your Japanese isn’t up to scratch, as the menu is handwritten in Japanese on the walls. However, this being Fukagawa, the friendly staff will find a way to get you well fed, even if that means pointing at other diners' dishes. Or you could ask for what they recommend (osusume wa nan desu ka?) and go with the flow.
High-quality marbled beef is taken quite seriously in Japan—cuts are ranked based on the ratio, distribution, and sweetness of the fat in relation to the meat. At Ushibenkei, you can sample some pieces of the highest rank at reasonable prices in a charmingly rustic atmosphere. Although you could order á la carte, for the full (and easier) experience select a gyu-nabe ("beef pot") course, and your server will move a shichirin (a portable coal-burning stove) to your table and prepare a range of cow tongue, beef, tofu, and vegetables in front of your eyes. The meat is fresh enough to be safely eaten raw, so don't be surprised if you are given paper-thin cuts of beef that are only lightly seared.
3–18–7 Shimbashi, Tokyo, Tokyo-to, 105-0004, Japan
Originally a teahouse, Waentei-Kikko is now a cozy, country-style Japanese restaurant serving kaiseki-style set meals along with premium sake. What makes this place extra special is that the owner, Fukui Kodai, is a traditional Japanese Tsugaru-shamisen (string instrument) musician, who performs at scheduled times throughout the day. Narrow your field of vision, shut out the world outside, and you could be back in the waning days of Meiji-period Japan.
Not far from Tsukiji, Tsukishima (Moon Island) is a large man-made island known as the birthplace of delicious monjayaki: a thin batter is mixed with shredded cabbage and other ingredients, fried on a griddle built into the table, and eaten directly from the grill with metal spatulas. The main street in Tsukishima is filled with dozens of monjayaki establishments, but Yumeya is one of the best, an obvious fact when you spot the line of waiting patrons. Tried-and-true monjayaki eaters make it themselves at the table, but it can be a tricky endeavor—you need to form a ring of dry ingredients on the grill and pour the batter into the middle. If you're not feeling confident, servers can also make it for you at your table.
3–18–4 Tsukishima, Tokyo, Tokyo-to, 104-0052, Japan
03-3536–7870
Known For
Monjayaki cooked at the table
Popular monjayaki restaurant
Lively local vibe
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: Closed Mon. and 3rd Tues. No lunch weekdays, No credit cards
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