20 Great Places To Eat In Tokyo – The Ultimate Beginner’s Guide To Exploring Tokyo’s Best Eats!
This is a list of 20 awesome places to eat in Tokyo! Other than its many entertainment and culture options, this vibrant capital city is also home to plenty of great restaurants, cafes, and street food. Therefore, I have created this list of wonderful eateries in Tokyo, categorised by their respective wards.
What To Eat In Tokyo
Shinjuku
1. Ichiran
2. Fuunji
3. Tsunahachi
4. Nabezo
5. Omoide Yokocho
6. Narikura
7. The Alley
Harajuku
8. Harajuku Gyozaro
9. Bills Omotesando
10. Flippers
11. Luke’s Lobster
12. Zaku Zaku
13. Eiswelt Gelato
14. Totti Candy Factory
Shibuya
15. Afuri Ramen
16. Niku Yokocho
Chiyoda
17. Buta Daigaku
Chuo / Koto
18. Tsukiji Outer Market
19. Sushi Dai
Shinjuku
1. Ichiran
Ichiran Ramen is a famous Japanese ramen chain known for its delicious tonkotsu ramen. This is a creamy pork broth ramen served with chashu (braised pork belly), green onions and Hiden no Tare (spicy red sauce). I visited the Shinjuku outlet, but there are many other Ichiran branches across Tokyo.
I ordered the signature Tonkatsu Ramen (JPY890) and it was super delicious! The broth was rich, creamy and fragrant. The noodles were springy with just the right amount of bite, going together with the luscious broth perfectly. The chashu was really tender and juicy, and the hiden no tare (spicy red sauce) provided a perfect tinge of heat.
Ichiran Ramen (Shinjuku Branch)
What to Order: Tonkotsu Ramen (JPY 890)
Directions: 3-minute walk from Shinjuku Station East Exit
Address: 〒160-0022, B1F, 3-34-11, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo 6F
Opening Hours: Daily 24 hours
Phone: +813 3225 5518
2. Fuunji (風雲児)
Fuunji is a popular ramen shop in Shinjuku known for its “tsukemen ramen”. This is a dry ramen dish where you dip cold noodles into a separate bowl of hot savoury broth.
I ordered the signature Special Dipping Noodle (JPY1000), which was really delicious! The savoury broth had a rich chicken essence fragrance, and the dashi powder added a tasty umami flavour. It was very satisfying to eat it with the cold noodles. I also enjoyed eating the chunks of tender pork belly inside the broth.
Fuunji (風雲児)
What to Order: Special Dipping Noodle (JPY 1000)
Directions: 8 minute walk from Shinjuku Station JR South Exit
Address: Hokuto Daiichi bld. 2-14-3 Yoyogi, Shibuya-ku, Tokyo
Opening Hours: | Mon – Sat: 11am to 3pm, 5pm to 9pm | CLOSED on Sun and PH
Phone: +813 6413 8480
3. Tsunahachi
Tsunahachi is an old-school Japanese restaurant known for its high quality tempuras. The tempura dishes are prepared in the traditional Edo style, which is why they are very light and crispy.
The wife and I shared a Tempura Zen (JPY 2300) set, which consists of two prawns, one seafood, one vegetable, one sea eel, one kakiage (Japanese fritters with prawns), appetisers, and osoroi (rice, miso soup, and pickles).
All the tempura items were delicious and satisfying. I liked that they had a light taste and didn’t feel overly greasy at all.
My favourite item was the prawn tempura, which was fresh, light, and crispy. I can still remember dipping the prawn tempura in the radish and tempura sauce mixture, before putting it into my mouth to enjoy the rich, refreshing and savoury finish.
Tsunahachi (Shinjuku)
What to Order: Tempura Zen (JPY 2300)
Directions: Five minute walk from Shinjuku Station East Exit
Address: 3-31-8 Shinjuku, Shinjuku-ku
Opening Hours: Daily 11am to 10pm
Phone: +813 3352 1012
Other branches: www.tunahachi.co.jp/en/shop/index.html
4. Nabezo
Nabezo is a popular restaurant in Japan that offers all-you-can-eat Japanese hotpot buffet with a time limit of 100 minutes. The most popular soup bases are Shabu-Shabu and Sukiyaki.
I ordered the Nabezo Course (JPY2800) and chose both the Shabu-Shabu and Sukiyaki soup bases. For the meats, I ordered Pork Boston Butt (pork shoulder) and Pork Sparerib.
The highlight for me was the Sukiyaki base. I cooked a slice of meat inside before dipping it quickly into a bowl of raw eggs. It tasted great! The meat had a sweet-savoury flavour from the broth, and the raw eggs coated it with a luscious smooth texture.
Nabezo (Shinjuku)
What to Order: Nabezo Course (JPY2800) with Shabu-Shabu and Sukiyaki soup bases
Directions: Five-minute walk from Shinjuku station, located on the third floor.
Address: Japan, 〒160-0022 Tōkyō-to, Shinjuku City, Shinjuku, 3-chōme−28−10
Opening Hours: | Mon to Fri: 11.30am to 3pm, 5pm to 11pm | Sat, Sun & PH: 11.30am to 11pm |
Other branches: http://nabe-zo.com/lan_en/restaurant_search_en
Phone: +813 3356 4129
5. Omoide Yokocho
Omoide Yokocho is a vibrant alleyway lined with small Japanese restaurants selling grilled food and alcohol.
Other than the usual fare like grilled chicken and pork belly, expect to also find exotic foods like grilled intestines, turtles, frog sashimi, horse meat, pig testicles, etc.
After looking around for a while, we entered Banshakuya, a tourist-friendly restaurant that had an English menu.
We ordered the grilled chicken (JPY160 per stick), shiitake mushroom (JPY150 per stick), grilled pork belly (JPY180 per stick), tamago (JPY340) and Kirin draft beer (JPY390 for half pint).
The food was really delicious! I especially enjoyed the grilled chicken, which was tender, savoury and juicy. Together with the smooth Kirin draft beer, this was a super satisfying supper.
Omoide Yokocho
Directions: Three-minute walk from Shinjuku Station
Address: 1 Chome-2 Nishishinjuku, Shinjuku-ku, Tōkyō-to 160-0023, Japan
Opening Hours: Daily 5pm to 12am (varies between shops)
6. Narikura (成蔵)
Narikura is a Michelin Bib Gourmand restaurant famous for its delicious tonkatsu dishes. I had to wait for almost two hours before entering this super popular restaurant.
I had the Snow-Aged Pork (雪室熟成豚) Loin 130g for JPY2580, and it was the BEST tonkatsu I had ever eaten!
The chunks of pork meat were juicy and tender, with a pretty tinge of pink that reminded me of lightly seared tuna. The cutlet coating was a perfect light golden-brown, and didn’t taste greasy or oily at all.
The panko (bread crumbs) were super light and fluffy, but still crispy enough to provide crunch. It complemented the pork meat perfectly.
I will never look at tonkatsu the same again.
Narikura (成蔵)
What to Order: Snow-Aged Pork 雪室熟成豚 Loin (JPY2580)
Directions: 3 minute walk from Takadanobaba Station
Address: 1 Chome-32-11 Takadanobaba, Shinjuku, Tokyo 169-0075
Opening Hours: | Daily 11am to 1.30pm, 5.30pm to 8pm | CLOSED on Thurs and Sun |
Phone: +813 6380 3823
Directions: 2-minute walk from Takadanobaba Station, which is two stops from Shinjuku Station.
7. The Alley
The Alley Lujiaoxiang is a famous Taiwanese bubble milk tea chain with branches across many countries such as Singapore, Hong Kong, Japan, etc.
I ordered the signature Royal No. 9 Tapioca Milk Tea (JPY500) which had a sweet milky taste and pleasant smooth texture. The pearls were chewy and tasty too. On the whole this was quite a satisfying drink though I felt the texture could have been thicker.
The Alley Lujiaoxiang (Lumine)
What to order: Royal No. 9 Tapioca Milk Tea (JPY500), Brown Sugar Tapioca Latte (JPY600)
Directions: B2 floor of Lumine 1 Shopping Mall, Near South Exit of Shinjuku Station
Address: Nishi-Shinjuku, 1 Chome 1-1-5 Lumine 1 B2F
Opening Hours: Daily 8am to 10pm
Phone: +813 6258 0507
Other locations: www.the-alley.jp
Harajuku
8. Harajuku Gyozaro
Harajuku Gyozaro is a Japanese restaurant that specialises in delicious and affordable gyozas. We ordered the Pan Fried Dumplings (JPY290 for six pieces), which took almost 20 minutes to arrive.
But it was definitely worth the wait, because these were the best gyozas I had ever eaten! The skin had a wonderful crisp texture. As I bit into the gyoza, the sweet savoury juices of the tender pork fillings started oozing into my mouth. It was super satisfying!
Harajuku Gyozaro
What to order: Pan Fried Dumplings (6 pieces for JPY290), Steamed Dumplings (6 pieces for JPY290), Beansprouts (JPY250)
Address: 6-2-4 Jingumae, Shibuya, Tokyo
Directions: Six minute walk from Harajuku Station
Opening Hours: | Mon to Sat: 11.30am – 4.30am | Sun: 11.30am – 10pm |
Phone: +813 3406 4743
9. Bills Omotesando
Bills Omotesando is an Aussie cafe on the 7th floor of Tokyu Plaza that serves delicious breakfast and brunch items. This cafe is extremely popular so make sure you go early to avoid disappointment.
I ordered the signature Ricotta Hotcakes (JPY 1500), which comprises three pancakes dusted with icing sugar, a few small chunks of honeycomb butter, a banana, and a small pot of maple syrup.
The pancakes were delicious! They had a soft and moist texture that seemed to melt in my mouth. On the whole, it was lovely savouring the fluffy pancakes, sweet maple syrup, tasty butter, and fresh banana as they turned into a sweet pleasant mush in my mouth.
Bills Omotesando
What to Order: Ricotta Hotcakes (JPY 1500), Full Aussie (JPY 2200)
Address: 7F Tokyu Plaza Omotesando Harajuku, 4-30-3 Jingumae, Shibuya-ku
Directions: Walk 5 minutes from Harajuku Station, then take elevator or escalator to 7th floor of Tokyu Plaza
Opening Hours: Daily 8.30am to 10pm
10. Flippers
Flippers is a pancake cafe chain famous for their delicious souffle pancakes. We ordered the signature Kiseki Pancake Fresh Fruit (JPY 1300).
These “Kiseki” souffle pancakes are made with eggs from the Miyagi prefecture, domestic wheat, ricotta and buttermilk. They are paired with Flippers’ house-made maple butter cream, colourful fresh fruits, and dusted with icing sugar.
These pancakes were super light and fluffy, with a luxuriously smooth texture and a subtle eggy fragrance. Eaten together with the sweet butter cream and fresh fruits, the pancakes were heavenly! The tangy strawberries provided a nice balance to the dish.
Flippers (Omotesando Branch)
What to order: Kiseki Pancake Fresh Fruit (JPY1300), Kiseki Pancake Plain (JPY1000)
Address: 6-1-4 Jingumae, Shibuya-ku, Tokyo Garden terrace 1F
Directions: 7-minute walk from Harajuku Station
Opening Hours: | Daily 11am to 8pm |
Phone: +813 5468 2133
11. Luke’s Lobster
Luke’s Lobster is a famous seafood joint in Japan known for its sumptuous lobster rolls. It also offers other seafood rolls like crab rolls and shrimp rolls.
The wife and I ordered one regular Lobster Roll (JPY 1058) to share. It is quite a small portion, so I recommend getting the “US size” if you’re feeling hungry.
Like the New York version, the Lobster Roll consists of lobster chunks covered with glistening butter and sandwiched in a toasted buttered bun.
The lobster chunks were fresh, tender and juicy. On the whole this was quite a satisfying lobster roll, but I wished the bun had been warmer.
Luke’s Lobster (Harajuku / Omotesando)
What to Order: Luke Lobster Roll US (JPY 1706)
Address: 6-7-1 Jingumae, Shibuya-ku, Tokyo
Directions: 10-minute walk from Harajuku Station
Opening Hours: Daily 11am to 8pm
12. Zaku Zaku
Zaku Zaku (ザクザク) is known for its signature Croquant Chou, which is basically a cream puff with an elongated shape. When I first saw the snack I actually thought it was a churro.
It was really delicious! I loved biting into the crispy exterior covered with crunchy almond nuts, and savouring the luscious sweet custard fillings inside.
The wife and I both enjoyed this snack very much even though we were already quite full from all the food we had eaten earlier along Takeshita Street.
Zaku Zaku (Harajuku)
What to Order: Croquant Chou (JPY 250)
Address: 1-7-1 Jingumae, Shibuya-ku, Tokyo
Directions: the store is near the middle of Takeshita Street at the Cute Cube building, a three minute walk from Harajuku Station (Takeshita Street Exit)
Opening Hours: Daily 10am to 8pm
13. Eiswelt Gelato
Eiswelt Gelato is a new ice cream shop at Takeshita Street that sells super cute animal shaped gelatos.
We ordered the Froggy (JPY580), a Japan exclusive green tea ice cream. This was the most adorable ice cream I had ever seen, and it tasted delicious! It had a sweet green tea flavour, along with a smooth but firm texture.
We also indulged in the Piggy (JPY580), a strawberry ice cream. It had a pleasant strawberry flavour that was sweet but not overwhelming. It is suitable for people who do not like overly sweet stuff.
Eiswelt Gelato
What to order: Froggy (JPY580), Piggy (JPY580), Teddy (JPY580), Bunny (JPY650)
Address: 1 Chome-8-5 Jingumae, Shibuya, Tokyo 150-0001, Japan
Directions: Six minute walk from Harajuku Station
Opening Hours: Daily 10am to 8pm
Phone: +813 6804 3103
14. Totti Candy Factory
Totti Candy Factory is a Japanese candy store most famous for its colourful giant cotton candies.
We bought the gorgeous Harajuku Rainbow (JPY 900) which is made up of five colours: purple, blue, green, yellow, and pink.
I tried eating the cotton candy directly with my mouth, but ended up with bits of candy on my face and glasses. I figured out that the best way was to pull off small pieces and fold them into small portions.
Using this method, we finished the huge cotton candy in a few minutes. It tasted like typical cotton candy, but it definitely makes for a great Instagram photo!
Totti Candy Factory
What to Order: Harajuku Rainbow (JPY 900)
Address: 1 Chome 16-5 Jingumae, Shibuya-ku, RYU Apartment 2F
Directions: the candy store is located along the middle of Takeshita Street, a three minute walk from Harajuku Station
Opening Hours: | Mon to Fri: 10.30am to 8pm | Sat, Sun & PH: 9.30am to 8pm |
Phone: +813 3403 7007
Shibuya
15. Afuri Ramen
Afuri Ramen is a famous ramen shop that was founded in Ebisu, Tokyo. It is known for its delicious yuzu ramen which consists of yuzu (a Japanese citrus), chicken broth, dashi (fish broth), and charcoal-grilled pork.
The ramen shop has many branches across Tokyo, and I visited the original Ebisu branch.
My Yuzu Shoyu Ramen (JPY1,080) looked good and tasted really delicious too! The sumptuous bowl of ramen came with yuzu peels, ajitsuke tamago (ramen egg), seaweed, bamboo shoots, charcoal-grilled pork slice, and mizuna leaves.
The highlight for me was the broth, which had a light and refreshing citrusy yuzu flavour. This was complemented nicely by the savoury chicken broth and the sweet-salty shoyu.
The noodles had a very smooth texture along with a firm bite. I also really enjoyed eating the charcoal-grilled pork slice! It was tender and juicy with a pleasant smoky flavour.
Afuri Ramen (Shinjuku Lumine)
What to Order: Yuzu Shoyu Ramen (JPY 1080), Yuzu Shio Ramen (JPY 1080)
Directions: Three minute walk from Ebisu Station
Address: Japan, 〒160-0023 Tokyo, Shinjuku City, Nishishinjuku, 1 Chome−1−5 ルミネ1 B2F
Opening Hours: Daily 11am to 10pm
Other branches: http://afuri.com/findus
Phone: +813 5990 5182
16. Niku Yokocho
Niku Yokocho is an indoor bazaar home to dozens of Japanese restaurants selling meat dishes like yakitori (chicken skewers), yakiniku (grilled beef), etc. The prices here are very affordable, therefore it is very popular with young Japanese office workers.
We dropped by one of the restaurants to indulge in delicious yakitori, pork belly skewers, and chicken skin skewers. We only paid around JPY1300 for eight skewers, which was very reasonable.
While the restaurant definitely did not have a classy ambience, it had a cozy and authentic Japanese vibe which I enjoyed.
Niku Yokocho
Directions: 3-minute walk from Shibuya Station
Address: 13-8 Udagawacho, Shibuya City, Tokyo 150-0042, Japan
Opening Hours: | Mon to Fri: 5pm – 5am | Sat & Sun: 4pm – 5am |
Chiyoda
17. Buta Daigaku (豚大学)
Buta-Daigaku is a hole-in-the-wall eatery that sells just one dish: the classic butadon (豚丼), or pork rice bowl.
I ordered a Medium Butadon (JPY 650), and was impressed by how tantalising it looked. The flame-grilled pork belly slices were covered in a shiny glaze, and arranged neatly on the steaming white rice.
The pork slices were tender and juicy with a nice crisp texture. They were covered with a delicious savoury-sweet sauce. Eaten together with the hot white rice, this was a real treat!
Buta-Daigaku (豚大学)
Directions: Two-minute walk from Shimbashi Station
Address: New Shinbashi Building, 2-16-1 Shinbashi, Minato Ward, Tokyo
Opening Hours: | Mon to Sat: 10.30am – 9.45pm | Sat, Sun & PH: 11am to 3pm, 4.30pm to 8.15pm | Closed on 2nd Sunday of odd months |
Phone: +813 5512 3121
Chuo / Koto
18. Tsukiji Outer Market (築地場外市場)
Tsukiji Outer Market is a small vibrant market with many shops selling local produce, fresh seafood, dried goods, kitchen knives, etc. And of course, it offers plenty of delicious street food too.
My favourite food here was the Tamago (Japanese sweet egg omelette) from Tsukiji Yamachō. The stall had a very long queue, but it was worth the wait! The tamago had a savoury-sweet taste and soft custard-like texture that seemed to melt in my mouth.
The Horumon-don (Stewed Entrails Rice) from Kitsuneya was pretty good too. The savoury miso-flavoured entrails were perfect for eating with the steaming hot Japanese rice.
Tsukiji Outer Market
Directions: 4-minute walk from Tsukiji Shijo Station
Address: 4 Chome-16-2 Tsukiji, Chuo City, Tokyo 104-0045, Japan
Opening Hours: 5am to 1pm (the best time to visit is between 7am and 11am). Closed on Sundays and PH. Some shops are closed on Wednesdays.
19. Sushi Dai
Sushi Dai is a super popular sushiya at Toyosu Market that has customers queueing daily for hours every day! Another than the fact that it can only seat 10 people, the reason for the long queue is because many people swear by their fresh and delicious sushi.
If you wish to dine here, the common advice is to start queueing from around 3am so that you can make it for the first or second seating (unless you don’t mind waiting at least 4 hours for later seatings).
Alternatively, if you do not wish to wake up super early or queue for a few hours, you can also check out the many other great Japanese restaurants in Toyosu Market.
Sushi Dai (Toyosu Market)
Opening Hours: 5am to 2pm (Closed on Sundays)
Address: 3rd floor of Block 6 in Toyosu Fish Market (〒135-0061 Tōkyō-to, Kōtō-ku, Toyosu, 6 Chome−5, 市場６街区３F)
Directions: How to Go Toyosu Fish Market
Phone: +813 6633 0006
Toshima
20. Nakiryu
Last but not least, Nakiryu is a One Michelin Star ramen shop located in the quiet neighbourhood of Otsuka. It is famous for its dandan noodles served in spicy broth, a dish inspired by Chinese Sichuan cuisine. I queued two hours to enter the restaurant!
I ordered the Tantanmen 担担麵 (JPY850). The thin dandan noodles were cooked perfectly with just the right amount of bite. The broth was rich and creamy, with tantalising flavours of sesame, soy sauce, peanut and chili oil. The delicious chunks of minced pork inside the broth completed the experience.
Nakiryu
What to order: Tantanmen 担担麵 (JPY850)
Directions: 6 minute walk from Otsuka Station
Address: 170-0005 Tokyo, Toshima-ku, 2 Chome-34-4, Minami Otsuka
Opening Hours: | Mon: 11.30am – 3pm | Wed to Sun: 11.30am – 3pm, 6pm – 9pm | Closed on Tuesdays |
Phone: +813 6304 1811
This article is part of our super awesome Ultimate Tokyo Travel Guide For First Timers. Everything you need to know about Tokyo is just a click away!
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