Eats – Jonelle Patrick writes about Japan

Here are some of our favorite spots to eat in Tokyo!

Click on restaurant/bar name for map & info

Japanese Food

Kind of food: Ramen & tantan-men (spicy ramen noodles, with or without soup)
Why we love it: It’s the best tantanmen in Tokyo, and there are dragons all over the restaurant
What we always order: Get the tsukemen version (noodles with dipping sauce) or the shiru-nashi ramen (without broth) for super intense spicy goodness
Train station: Roppongi

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UZU Vegan Ramen at TeamLab Planets

Kind of food: Ramen
Why we love it: It’s right outside the TeamLab Planets site, and the ramen is served in a mirrored infinity room where you’re immersed in an ever-changing digital landscape of floating calligraphy*
What we always order: Fire ramen
Train station: Shin-toyosu
*They don’t take reservations—best to eat early or late because the line is super long when it gets close to noon

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Cafe Kagafu Fumuroya

Kind of food: Multi-course lunch featuring fu cooked in different ways
Why we love it: Fu is the savory “wheat marshmallows” you usually see floating like not-sweet Japanese Lucky Charms in clear soups, but this versatile stuff takes on many delicious flavors when cooked in different ways, while still delivering the same satisfying mouthfeel.
Train station: Roppongi (this is the cafe at the Suntory Museum in the Tokyo Midtown mall)

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Sushi Zanmai Honten

Kind of food: Sushi
Why we love it: It’s open 24/7, it’s ultra super fresh & has more kinds of sushi than you can possibly imagine
What to order: The “tuna tasting flight”—one pice maguro, one piece chū-toro, one piece ō -toro
Train station: Tsukiji

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Tofu-ya Ukai

Kind of food: Fancy multi-course traditional Japanese kaiseki
Why we love it: The food is absolutely top-notch, and served in gorgeous private tatami rooms with a view of their beautiful Japanese garden (you need to reserve in advance for these)
Train station: Kamiyacho
Note: This place is pricey, and you’ll need to reserve in advance online (in English) but worth it for the experience

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Omoide-yokochō food alley

Kind of food: Most stalls are food that’s skewered and grilled over charcoal, but the link suggests a few that are great even though they’re off-theme
Why we love it: You can stroll along and have whatever looks good without making a major restaurant commitment, and no reservations required
Neighborhood: Shinjuku

Only-in-Japan “Western” food

If you want a genuinely Japanese experience, go to a restaurant that serves, uh, “Western food.” Why spaghetti might be the most interesting food you eat in Japan.

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“American Style Family Restaurants”

These are both better and weirder than they are back in the States. When you check out the menu at Denny’s, you’ll know you’re not in Kansas anymore. There’s also a worthy Japanese Denny’s knockoff called Jonathan’s.

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Alt Burgers

One of Burger King’s monthly specials: the “Kuro Burger.” Yes, even the cheese was black

Check out this month’s special at Burger King
Or go for the rice-instead-of-buns burger
or the green-bunned veggie offering at Mos Burger

How can you let everyone know you’re eating plant-based? MosBurger’s green bun eco-signaling, of course

And where can you get delicious ultra-curated Japan-does-burgers-right?

Mokudo Tengoku’s sign is only in Japanese, but here is what the burger bar looks like

Mokudō Tengoku (home of the the Hamburger Otaku)
Burger Mania
Blacows
&
Dragon Burger (in Kamakura)
will not disappoint.

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Alt Pizza

You haven’t seen crazy pizza flavors until you’ve checked out Domino’s Japan menu (and yes, you can order online and in English and they do deliver to hotel rooms!)

Domino’s pickle pizza with Camembert sauce

But seriously, the Dominos pizza in Japan is a completely different experience than Dominos back home. If you’re in the mood for a real pizza, be sure to order it (online, in English) with the “millefeuille” cheese-stuffed crust. And if you’re dying for a really good deep dish pizza & housebrewed craft beer experience: get thee straight to DevilCraft

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Souffle Pancakes & other breakfasty things