TOKYO FOOD GUIDE
Tokyo’s reputation as a food lover’s paradise is not without good reason. With over 400 Michelin rated restaurants and over 200 Michelin starred restaurants, there is something to satisfy everyone’s wallet and taste buds.
If you would like to eat like a local in Tokyo be sure to wrap your tastebuds around as many of the items listed in our local flavors guide as you can. Wondering where to eat? Check out the where to eat section for our top picks. Finally, looking to stop by a Michelin rated restaurant, but don’t want to spend hundreds of dollars on one meal? Check out our affordable Michelin restaurants section for our top picks.
Click into each item for more information.
Food | Drinks | Where to Eat | Affordable Michelin Restaurants | Our restaurant reviews | Recipes | Halal and Vegan Eats
LOCAL FLAVOURS - FOOD
Instead of eating crepes on a plate with a fork and knife, you can find crepes wrapped in paper and carried around like ice cream cones. Try unique flavors in Japan.
We’ve all heard of Cup Noodles. But have you tried the unique flavors that Japan has to offer?
This small ball of mochi with a sweet filling is one of the best things you’ll eat in Japan. Try it on our Tokyo Food Tour.
Ever tried mochi on a stick? Go pick up a dango in Japan and see what the buzz about dango is.
Dashi is the hidden secret ingredient that forms the base of Japanese cooking. Find out what it is on our Tokyo Food Tour.
Try this delicious pancake sandwich filled with azuki red beans. You can try some on our Tokyo Food Tour.
Fruits Parfait is a bit different from the American parfait. It’s made from a base layer of granola/sponge cake, then some whipped cream and topped off with ice cream, mochi and fruits.
The fruits sandwich is exactly what it sounds like, a sandwich with fruit fillings. Typically it uses milky white bread with the ears cut off with cream and some kind of fruit in it
The Japanese green tea flavored boom actually didn’t start in Japan…can you guess where?
These traditional, crispy, candied sweet potatoes are the perfect snack - they're cheap AND addicting!
Japanese curry is a thick and sweet curry that will usually include potatoes, carrots, onions and meat. It’s much milder than Indian and Thai curry.
Kaisen Don usually consists of a variety of different raw seafood over white rice.
If you're fond of fried chicken then trying karaage is a must. Karaage is Japanese fried chicken that's juicy, crispy and bursting with flavor.
Kombu is Japanese kelp widely enjoyed in Japan. It is a primary ingredient in dashi (a type of broth) and forms the base for many Japanese dishes. Try it on our food tour!
Manju is a traditional Japanese confection that is one of the cheapest and most popular in Japan. There are many varieties, but they are basically a tasty red bean filled cake.
Melon Pan is a type of Japanese sweet bread…but does not taste like Melon! The bread is nice and soft on the inside and crispy like a cookie on the outside.
Nabe is a variety of different hot pot dishes typically enjoyed during the colder seasons. Most nabes are stews and soups where one giant pot sits in the middle to cook all your food.
Ningyoyaki, or literally baked dolls are a famous sweet snack from Asakusa in Tokyo. They are basically small cakes filled with red beans in different shapes.
Okonomiyaki is a pan fried, savory pancake with a variety of different toppings. It has a wide range of what can be inside of it, as the name suggests - okonomi means whatever you like and yaki means fried.
Onigiri or rice balls are white rice, balled up into a triangular shaped ball, wrapped in seaweed and filled with some kind of ingredient such as Japanese sour plum, salmon or kombu.
One of the most well known dishes in Japan - ramen is cheap, delicious and literally everywhere in Japan. Learn about the different types of ramen.
Sashimi, alongside sushi and ramen is one of Japans most famous dishes. It is thinly sliced raw foods like seafood or even meats such as horse and deer.
Satsuma-age is deep fried fish cake usually eaten as a side or a topping on noodles, oden or stewed dishes. There are different types of satsuma-age ranging from vegetables to seafood.
Shabu shabu is a type of Japanese nabemono or hotpot dish. It usually consists of thinly sliced meat and veggies in a boiling pot served with dipping sauce.
Soba noodles are buckwheat flour noodles that can served either hot or cold. The most basic dish of soba is mori soba - when the soba is prepared cold and served with a dipping sauce (tsuyu).
One of the most well known Japanese foods in the world that needs no introduction...sushi!
This popular fish-shaped cake imitates the shape of tai fish. They are made with regular pancake batter and red bean filling.
Takoyaki or octopus balls are a favorite dish in Japan. It’s a ball shaped appetizer made from wheat flour based batter with cut up pieces of octopus, green onion, tempura batter and ginger.
Tamagoyaki is basically a Japanese omelette. It is made similarly to an omelette but with sugar and mirin to make it a bit sweet.
Tempura is various deep fried pieces of vegetables and seafood. They can be used as a main dish eaten with rice or on top of rice for a donburi , a side dish or toppings on udon and soba.
Tokyo Banana has been voted the #1 souvenir to buy these past two years. This creme filled banana cake is one of Tokyo’s specialty.
Udon is a thick, white and chewy wheat flour noodle, typically served in a warm broth made from dashi, mirin and soy sauce.
Yakisoba is a Japanese stir fried noodle dish. Wheat flour noodles are stir fried with pork and mixed veggies with yakisoba sauce.
Yakitori or grilled chicken skewers is a common food item that is eaten with alcohol. Yakitori is usually bite sized chicken that can consist of breast, thigh, skin, liver or other innards.
LOCAL FLAVOURS - DRINKS
Try this super healthy, traditional drink. There’s both an alcoholic and nonalcoholic version to it.
Japan’s most popular alcoholic beverage isn’t sake but a good, cold beer.
Very popular overseas, but sold under a different name called Calpico. Have you tried it before?
Try a highball on your visit to Japan. A regular highball is usually whiskey mixed with carbonated water and some sort of flavoring such as Coca Cola.
Matcha is a type of ryokucha. Ryokucha is green tea and there are many different types of it such as matcha. Matcha is the powdered form of ryokucha leaves.
Melon Soda is a popular drink in Japan - particularly loved by every Japanese kid. It has a neon green color to suggest it’s melon flavoring but it might not exactly taste like the fruit!
Ramune is a beloved Japanese carbonated soft drink. It’s basically regular soda (like Sprite), but it’s distinguishing feature is it’s codd-neck bottle with a marble ball as it’s cap.
This popular Japanese alcoholic drink is made from fermented rice. In Japan, it’s commonly known as Nihonshu, as sake can sometimes refer to as alcohol in general.
Loosening up with a glass of sour. It’s an alcoholic drink mixed with shochu soda water and some kind of flavoring such as lemon juice, grapefruit juice or yuzu.
WHERE TO EAT
In our guide we mention a very common type of restaurant called an izakaya. An izakaya is an informal bar that serves Japanese alcohol and snacking foods. Typically an izakaya menu will include yakitori, karaage, edamame and rice/noodle dishes to fill up. All of the districts listed below have izakayas, but two in particular are famous for a collection of izakayas.
Got a little money to spend? Fine dine in one of the most upscale neighborhoods in Japan.
Revolving around the oldest temple in Tokyo - Sensoji Temple - the Asakusa area has lots of traditional eateries to complete your Asakusa exploration.
Eight of the best ramen joints in Tokyo under one roof? Go check out Ramen Street for a hearty bowl of ramen to amp up your day.
Sushi and seafood for breakfast? Why not! Roam around Tuskiji Fish Market early in the morning to get a fresh meal to start the day.
Roam the streets of Golden Gai made up of 6 alleyways filled with over 200 bars and eateries.
Discover the lively dining experience underneath the railroads surrounding the Yurakucho area.
Explore the back alleys of Shinjuku and eat at small, packed izakayas to enjoy some yakitori and Japanese alcohol!
After conquering your shopping run in Harajuku, feed your appetite with all the wonderful sweets and snacks that Harajuku has to offer.
AFFORDABLE MICHELIN RESTAURANTS
Understanding the Michelin Awards
STAR: Coveted by many chefs but bestowed upon only to an excellent few. Getting a star (or three) could change the fate of a restaurant. Here are the star ratings according to Michelin:
One Star: High quality cooking, worth a stop!
Two Star: Excellent cooking, worth a detour!
Three Star: Exceptional cuisine, worth a special journey!
BIB GOURMAND: Good quality, good value. Not quite a star, but most definitely not a consolation prize. The Bib Gourmand is a just-as-esteemed rating that recognizes friendly establishments that serve good food at a moderate price.
For our guide to affordable Michelin rated restaurants, we offer a mix of one starred and Bib Gourmand restaurants.
Marugo tonkatsu is said to be one of Japan’s finest tonkatsu and on a “another level of tonkatsu”.
Restaurants in Ginza sound expensive, but you can get a Michelin rated tempura store for a reasonable price at Tempura Abe Honten! (Lunch)
The sobas fragrant, coarse-ground flour is made from buckwheat harvested by hand and sun-dried in a time-consuming, labour-intensive way.
One of the most well known and popular places to eat dumplings, Ni Hao has been a Bib Gourmand recipient for years.
Try a traditional Japanese cuisine called kappo. Kappo cuisine is usually little at a time consisting of raw or cooked seafood. The presentation of it is just as important.
Their excellent selection of Japanese sake and mouth watering daily special dishes will leave you more than satisfied.
If you’re around the Kanda Jimbocho area, your nose will probably guide you to Kyoeido curry.
Recently receiving a Michelin Star in 2019, this shio based ramen (salt) is a one of a kind, affordable ramen.
Nakiryu Ramen in Otsuka, Tokyo - the second ever ramen restaurant to be awarded a Michelin Star - is a very affordable option to enjoy a tasty bowl of ramen.
OUR RESTAURANT REVIEWS
The 1-star Michelin ramen restaurant.
RECIPES
Kara-age is a Japanese style fried chicken! It’s often served in many Japanese restaurants outside of Japan, but in Japan it’s a common food enjoyed at izakayas (Japanese drinking establishments), in bento lunch boxes and street stalls. This juicy, flavorful and crispy chicken is a must try in Japan.
A delicious bowl of Japanese curry for dinner - tender pieces of chicken, carrots, potatoes, curry sauce and any other ingredients you wish to put in can make for a very simple and easy Japanese meal from home!
A very common staple food in Japanese dishes, miso soup is a basic soup familiar to the Japanese household. This traditional soup is made from dashi stock mixed with miso paste.
A beloved snack in Japan, the fruits sandwich consists of a milky white bread with the ears cut off with whip cream and your choice of fruit (typically strawberries) in between for a sweet-delicious sandwich. If you have a sudden craving for a fruits sandwich, check out the recipe below by Just One Cookbook.