East of the Sumida River, a tiny restaurant churns out one thing and one thing only: tempura of the edomae variety, meaning it adheres to seasonal ingredients of the Shigunate era. Reservations are a must.
1-3-1 Fukuzumi
Koto-ku, Tokyo, 135-0032
+813-3643-8383
Open since 1895, Imahan is one of the oldest sukiyaki spots in the city. Try not to drool as your server prepares the perfectly marbled wagyu beef sizzling in the shallow iron pot. Once the beef is cooked, it's presented to you dipped in raw egg (all that umami flavor!). End the meal with fluffly eggs scrambled with the remaining sukiyaki sauce. Oishii-desu!
2-9-12 Nihonbashi Ningyocho
Chuo-ku, Tokyo, 103-0013
+813-3666-7006
Finding this spot takes a little work, but you will be handsomely rewarded. Turn down a non-descript alleyway in Harajuku and up a narrow flight of stairs leading to a tiny shop overflowing with flowers and an organic, farm-to-table restaurant that sits less than 20 people (make reservations in advance). Eatrip does dinner on Tuesday through Saturday and brunch on the weekend.
6−31−10 Jingumae
Shibuya-ku, Tokyo, 150-0001
+813-3409-4002
A cluster of pop-up food stalls in a lovely outdoor space away from the fray of Harajuku. There's the vegan Cori stand (rare in Tokyo), the cute Coffee Shozo, and the deliciously crisp Brooklyn Ribbon Fries. Check out the rotating exhibits of local artists in the Festival Tent or rent the parked caravan (instead of a hotel) for a night.
3-13 Minami-Aoyama
Minato-Ku, Tokyo, 107-0062
A destination cafe and garden shop where the rustic plates and O-Kitchen desserts are as much of a draw as the stock inside the pop-up shop/outdoor hut for wood carving workshops and rosette making. After coffee, cruise over to nearby Playmountain, another beacon of postmodern Japanese lifestyle from Landscape Products Co., Ltd.
3-3-14 Sendagaya
Shibuya-ku, Tokyo, 150-0051
+813-3470-3940
Enter only when ready to grub at the yakitori joint at the bottom of the massive Roppongi Hills shopping complex. A mob of friendly, grill-happy young men in hachimaki (traditional headbands symbolizing determination) sling skewers of all kinds (meat, chicken, seafood, veggies) and keep the cold beer coming.
B2F Hollywood Plaza Roppongi, 6-4-1 Roppongi
Minato-ku, Tokyo, 106-6108
+813-5413-6886
Act like a local and post up for an afternoon at this cafe, mercantile, and event space. Go for coffee, tea, and baked goods, or take the Mediterranean sandwiches, salads, and pasta route. Either way: end up on a couch and take advantage of WiFi in the sunny back room. Pick up chocolates, stationery, candles, or other gifty items on the way out.
3-38-11 Jingumae
Shibuya-ku, Tokyo, 150-0001
+813-6438-9624
Whether crammed in at the bar or tucked into a Tatami room in the back, the friendly cooks deliver the authentic Izakaya experience you've always dreamed of and the sashimi and tempura of tonight’s dreams. This hole-in-the-wall is tough to find but worth every baffling wrong turn. The best we can do: Just north of Tokyu Hands there's a 7-11; look for the alley entrance directly across the street, then head up hill. The restaurant entrance is on your right. Ganbatte! (Translation: good luck.)
11-11 Udagawa-cho
Shibuya-ku, Tokyo, 150-0042
It doesn’t look like much from the street. But once inside, this after-work and late-night dining destination reveals itself to be a revelrous winding food hall showcasing regional dishes from across the country. Grab frosty mugs of lemon shochu cocktails and take a table in the aisle where you can dig into all sorts of small plates from onigiri and sushi to yakisoba and steak.
1-7-4 Ebisu
Shibuya-ku, Tokyo, 150-0013
Ramen is to Tokyo what pizza is to New York City: a hot-button topic that often boils down to water. All three locations of this popular mini chain swear by h20 from the wells of Mt. Afuri in Kanagawa. Pick and pay for a bowl using the picture menu on the vending machine, hand the ticket to the chef, and then join the best-noodle-bar-in-town debate inevitably going on at the bar.
1-1-7 Ebisu
Shibuya-ku, Tokyo, 150-0013
+813-5795-0750