Tokyo — the city of anime, robots and Michelin stars! Japanese cuisine has always been a favourite, which is why we find ourselves constantly returning to Japan. With so many popular restaurants and things to eat in Tokyo, it can be pretty daunting to even begin planning. To help you navigate this complex culinary landscape, we’ve put together a Tokyo food guide featuring Michelin-awarded and Michelin-worthy places to eat at.
Omakase Tempura, Michelin-star ramen, Wagyu beef…we won’t judge if you’re already salivating at the thought! So be sure to check out our video where we cover 12 Michelin-worthy foods in Tokyo! Check out 12 Things to Eat in Tokyo — Michelin (Worthy) Restaurants That Are Worth Your Money for a detailed breakdown of all the places we recommend to help plan your trip.
Plan your food adventure with our other Japan food guides:
– Tokyo Halal Food Guide — Muslim-friendly Kobe Beef, Snow Crab Tempura and Udon
– Hokkaido Food Guide — 9 Must-Eats on Your Next Japan Itinerary
– Tokyo Famous Food Guide: 7 things you can’t leave Tokyo without trying
– 17 Things to Do in Hokuriku, Japan— First Timer’s Guide to Fukui, Ishikawa and Toyama
Michelin-Worthy Things to Eat in Tokyo
1) DELUXE TONKATSU WITH CHEESE – 00:08
Tonkatsu Hasegawa — Freshly battered and deep fried and topped off with lemon squeeze, this pork loin cutlet is thick, succulent and incredibly juicy.
Cost: ¥2,700
Reservations: Accepted, but not necessary
Opening Hours: Varies
How to get there: 6min walk from JR Ryogoku Station
2) COLD & WARM SOBA – 00:19
Tsukiji Bunkajin — A Michelin Bib Gourmand restaurant, this place specialises in cold, warm soba, and seasonal soba. Our picks are the hot clam soba and cold duck soba!
Cost: From ¥900
Reservations: Recommended for dinner service. Tel: +81-3-6228-4293
Opening Hours: 11:30AM – 2PM (Lunch), 5:30PM – 9:30PM (Dinner). Closed on Sun – Mon
How to get there: Walk 5 minutes from Higashi-Ginza Station.
3) MAKE-IT-YOURSELF SUSHI – 00:26
Junisoh of Hilton Tokyo — A culinary experience, make your own hand-roll sushi and choose between the types of sushi rice and different toppings. From toro to uni, the sushi you made yourself just tastes better!
Reservations: Not necessary
Opening Hours: 11:30AM – 3PM (Lunch), 5:30PM – 10PM (Dinner).
How to get there: Walk 5 minutes from Nishi-Shinjuku or Tochomae Stations.
*Update (8 May 2023): The make-it-yourself hand-roll sushi course meal is no longer available.
4) YAKITORI – 00:35
Sumibi Kushiyaki Fuku — With a wide variety of skewered meats and other vegetarian options, this hole-in-the-wall restaurant is so popular that phone reservations are necessary to snag a seat!
Cost: From ¥260/stick
Reservations: Necessary. Tel: +81-3-3485-3234
Opening Hours: 5PM – 11PM. Closed on Wed
Address: 3 Chome-23-4 Nishihara, Shibuya City, Tokyo 151-0066, Japan
5) YAMABUKI UNAJI – 00:43
Nodaiwa— This one Michelin-starred restaurant only uses freshly caught wild eels for their dishes, promising melt-in-your-mouth unagi.
Cost: From ¥2,500
Reservations: Recommended for parties of four and above. Tel: 03-3583-7852.
Opening Hours: 11AM – 1:30PM (Lunch), 5PM – 8PM (Dinner). Closed on Sun
How to get there: Walk 7 minutes from Akabanebashi Station.
6) CHANKO NABE – 00:52
Chanko Kawasaki — Also known as sumo stew, this is a staple dish for sumo wrestlers! If you’re in Tokyo during the colder seasons, warm yourself with this tasty hotpot of chicken broth slowly simmered with vegetables, lean chicken meat and other chicken parts.
Cost: ~¥2,900/bowl
Reservations: Recommended. Tel: +81-3-3631-2529
Opening Hours: 5PM – 10PM (Mon – Fri), 5PM – 9:30PM (Sat), Closed on Sun
How to get there: Walk 5 minutes from JR Ryogoku Station.
7) DEEP-FRIED BEEF CUTLET – 01:02
Gyukatsu Motomura — Gyukatsu is the beef variant of tonkatsu and you get to cook these deep-fried beef cutlets to your preferred doneness on a personal mini hotplate stove!
Cost: From ¥1,400
Reservations: Not necessary.
Opening Hours: 11AM – 11PM, Closed on Sun
How to get there: Multiple outlets
8) ODEN – 01:10
Shinbashi Kamata Oden — Known as Japanese fish cake stew or Japanese winter stew, this oden joint is popular amongst locals and the perfect comfort food for rainy nights.
Cost: From ~¥2,480/pax
Reservations: Not necessary. Tel: +81-3-3502-5133
Opening Hours: 5PM – 11:30PM. Closed on Sun and PH
How to get there: Walk 3 minutes from Shimbashi Station.
9) GRILLED SPINY LOBSTER WITH SEA URCHIN – 01:18
SOUTEN at The Prince Gallery — Located on the 35th level of The Prince Gallery Tokyo Kioicho, SOUTEN is known for their contemporary Japanese cuisine and stunning views of the city.
Reservations: Recommended online
Opening Hours: 11:30AM – 3:30PM (Lunch), 5:30PM – 10PM (Dinner). Lunch till 5PM on weekends and PH.
How to get there: Walk 8 minutes from Akasaka-Mitsuke or Nagatacho Stations.
10) OMAKASE-STYLE TEMPURA – 01:27
Tempura Tensuzu — This fourth-generation tempura restaurant serves tempura omakase style, with the chef delicately and skilfully frying tempura items with a pair of giant chopsticks. It has also been featured in the Michelin Guide for six consecutive years!
Cost: From ¥5,400/set
Reservations: Not necessary.
Opening Hours: 11AM – 2PM (Lunch), 4:30PM – 9PM (Dinner). Closed on Wed
How to get there: Walk 3 minutes from Ueno-Hirokiji and Ueno-Okachimachi Stations.
11) SHOYU RAMEN – 01:35
Tsuta — This One-Michelin Soba Ramen is one of the OGs. While the top seller on their menu is the shoyu ramen, we also recommend trying the shio ramen.
Cost: From ¥2,000
Reservations: Recommended online
Opening Hours: 11AM – 3PM, 5:30PM – 8:30PM (Dinner on weekends), Closed on Tue
How to get there: Walk 2 minutes from Yoyogi-uehara Station.
12) KUROGE WAGYU – 01:45
Ginza Enzo — You don’t have to break the bank to enjoy melt-in-yout-mouth Wagyu beef!
Cost: From ¥5,000/set
Reservations: Recommended online
Opening Hours: 11:30AM – 3PM (Lunch), 5PM–11PM (Dinner), 11:30 – 11PM (Weekends and PH)
How to get there: Walk 4 minutes from Ginza Sation.
Getting Around Tokyo
Tokyo has a reputation for having one of the most confusing train systems in the world, with multiple line operators requiring different transport passes for different train lines, at the same station. To avoid the hassle of constantly purchasing tickets, we recommend getting the Tokyo Subway Ticket which covers the Tokyo Metro and Toei Subway lines. There are options for unlimited use of 24, 48 or 72 hours (from ~S$8 via Klook), to suit your needs!
