Tokyo Restaurants
Establishment
neighborhood
Tempura Motoyoshi
2 Chome−8−11, Ebisu
Chef Kazuhito Motoyoshi might say there’s no secret to tempura, only the intuition to know whether you have the batter right. The truth is that there are a few secrets: batter density, water types, liquid nitrogen to cool the flour… But he’s right: Only an insane level of experience can get you there. Come, drink sake and shochu, and trust that if Motoyoshi’s giving it to you, it’s fantastic. (This place has two Michelin stars for a reason.)
One note: Tempura Motoyoshi doesn’t take reservations online or by phone; you’ll have to ask your hotel concierge to pull some strings.
Sushi Meino
The V-City, Minato
Chef Mei Kogo’s sushi mastery all comes down to her ingredient knowledge and point of view: She picks smaller fish for their delicate flavor and texture and washes, cures, and marinates it just so. She even gets her wasabi from a single farmer—the terroir makes a difference, she explains, like with wine. Her six-seat sushi counter is members-only; if you’re headed to Tokyo, find someone who knows someone.
Tomita
1339 Matsudo, Chiba
At what’s considered the best ramen shop in Japan, the main draw is tsukesoba, ramen master Tomita-san’s fresh, bouncy dipping noodles. They come with thick, gravylike tonkotsu broth made with pork bones, dried sardines, yuzu, and tougarashi (spicy!), as well as your pick of toppings, like pork chashu and perfectly runny egg. This is the OG, about an hour outside of Tokyo. It’s a trip worth taking, even though you have to come in early and line up for timed tickets; ramen fanatics consider it a pilgrimage.
Ninja Akasaka
Chome-14-3 Nagatacho, Chiyoda
From the second you arrive at this discreet Chiyoda doorway, you’re in ninja land. The restaurant is an underground prohibition-style bar/ninja hideout, which you reach by being led through what feels like a never-ending series of doors, guided by, naturally, a ninja—in head-to-toe black. The food is pretty good (the Wagyu beef is beyond tender and buttery), but the real entertainment is watching the ninjas perform their magic tableside.
Robot Restaurant
1 Chome-7-7 Kabukicho, Shinjuku
Much of the dining scene in Tokyo is a measured, civilized, indoor-voices only affair. Robot is the opposite. Located down a flight of steps in the heart of busy, Technicolor Shinjuku, this dinner-meets-dance-performance rivals the best of Las Vegas. Inside, the music pounds, the neon lights flicker, and the dancers—in their outlandish, elaborate costumes—move around the stage, acting out a futuristic cabaret. Eating at Robot is more an experience in snacking than a full meal. Yes, there are sushi bento boxes and some meat dishes, but honestly, a bowl of popcorn and a Japanese beer is the way to go as you watch the robots battle it out to the grand finale.
Tsuta
1 Chome-14-1Sugamo, Toshima City
Get to Tsuta early. And by early, we mean before noon if you want to secure the precious ticket that guarantees your seat. (You then come back later in the day, around thirty minutes before your allotted seat time.) There are only nine seats, so plan your day around this event. Not only is this silky, rich, Michelin-starred ramen inexpensive; the noodles are made in-house, the salt comes from Okinawa, and even the soy sauce is cedar-cask-aged. All the ingredients down to the herbs are world-class. The chef’s winning formula is to infuse his broths with truffle oil or dust. While this may sound weird, the truffle brightens the flavor of the ramen and adds an extra layer of umami punch.
Butagumi
2 Chome-24-9 Nishiazabu, Minato City
The pork at Butagumi is out of this world. Tonkatsu—breaded, deep-fried cutlets—are the specialty here, and the experience is an exercise in thoughtfulness. The pork comes from heritage breeds from the world’s best purveyors (Spanish Iberico, Hungarian Mangalica, and domestic breeds from Hokkaido, Chibo, Okinawa). Sides of cabbage, smooth miso, rice, and sharp pickles complement the heavy fried cutlets perfectly. The setting—inside a traditional Japanese home in the quiet Nishi Azabu district—doesn’t hurt either.
Takumi Shingo
2-2-15, Minami Aoyama
The friendly master Shingo Takahashi apprenticed for Sushi Sho chef Keiji Nakazawa before opening his own place behind this discreet sliding bamboo door on a small street near Aoyama Park. It’s omakase only here—and it does not disappoint. From fresh-as-possible cuts of familiar fish to creamy baby shrimp and sweet uni to the intense flavor of in-season horse mackerel and sea eel. There are also offerings you rarely see, like caviar seaweed to start (the seaweed has little bubbles on the outside that pop when you crunch down), raw eggplant (ever so slightly pickled, though you can’t really tell), and so much more. Takahashi kindly requests no snaps inside the small, pale, minimal space so that you can focus and enjoy your meal. Image courtesy of Tabelog.com.
Ishikawa
162-0825, Shinjuku
Down a street that looks like a movie set of Old Tokyo, and with no sign indicating its presence, Ishikawa is a subtle gem specializing in the traditional multicourse kaiseki dining tradition. The restaurant is divided between small rooms and a kitchen-side counter. If you get one of the rooms, it’ll be just you and your kimono-clad server—as private an experience as you’ll ever find (but a seat at the counter will allow you to witness the knifework and alchemy taking place at the hands of chef Ishikawa). In keeping with kaiseki tradition, dinner consists of a progression of small plates, including ingredients like snow crab, scallops, and signature rice dishes prepared tableside by the chef himself. An impressive selection of sakes and wines rounds out the experience.
Nagamine
104-0061, Ginza
While not strictly a vegetarian restaurant, Nagamine offers a “vegetable kaiseki” that’s not to be missed.