Tokyo has some of the world’s best and most experienced culinary kitchens. While proficiency in Japanese cuisine is a given, you’ll find restaurants with Michelin stars in every global cuisine you can think of!
Tokyo’s restaurants are renowned worldwide for being the best in quality, taste, presentation, and the perfect blend of flavors and textures. Tokyo has a staggering 203 restaurants with Michelin stars and plenty of others with the Bib Gourmand status as they pay the closest attention to sourcing each ingredient in the finest quality possible and preparing it with utmost care.
It’s no wonder that Tokyo has the best Japanese cuisine restaurants in the world, but it also features some of the best French and Italian cuisine restaurants. Whether you’re on a hunt to enjoy some fresh seafood, local Japanese food from curry rice to thick udon noodles, the finest quality Kobe beef or Wagyu beef, or high-grade sushi, Tokyo has it all and more.
A must-have experience in Tokyo is going to a fine-dining Japanese cuisine restaurant and indulging in a tasting menu with wine pairing. This would be an unforgettable way to experience Tokyo’s food. Let’s look at a list of the six best restaurants in Tokyo.
Quick Jumplinks
Best 6 Restaurants in Tokyo, Japan
Den
KEY INFO
| 📍 Address | Japan, 150-0001 Tokyo, Shibuya City, Jingumae, 2 Chome−3−18 Architectural Institute JIA Building. Get Directions |
| 🍲 Best Tokyo Restaurant For | Cozy modern Japanese restaurant |
Sporting the number one spot on Asia’s Best Restaurants list in 2022, Den has been a feat of bringing together umami, elevated Japanese flavors, vibrant colors, and impeccable plating, to present the finest contemporary dishes with a touch of elegance. This two Michelin stars holding restaurant gives traditional Kaiseki cuisine a very modern spin.
With a recent location change to central Tokyo, Zaiyu Hasegawa wanted to bring together the feel of experiencing fine dining closely with your family in a serenely designed space due to which he relaunched his own restaurant. Enjoy their signature dishes of the Den Salad and Dentucky Fried Chicken while experiencing a tastefully curated seasonal menu paired with the finest wines, teas, and sake.
They also have a highly experienced sushi chef during certain times of the year. Not only is it one of the Tokyo best restaurants, but Den is also one of the best restaurants in the world.
Hotels In Tokyo – Authentic Hospitality In The Heart Of Japan
L’Effervescence
KEY INFO
| 📍 Address | 2 Chome-26-4 Nishiazabu, Minato City, Tokyo 106-0031, Japan. Get Directions |
| 🍲 Best Tokyo Restaurant For | A French-Japanese fusion dining experience that combines seasonal ingredients, innovative techniques, and an elegant atmosphere. |
This unique restaurant led by Chef Shinobu Namae highlights French cuisine in a different way by using French techniques to prepare Japanese ingredients like fresh seafood meticulously with French flavors. The three Michelin stars restaurant L’Effervescence is an artisanal fine dining experience.
Expect to devour signature dishes like the Artisanal Vegetables dish which features seasonal vegetables, umami-packed dishes featuring seasonal seafood contrasted with umami from land ingredients, whole sous vide Japanese turnip, and a fine dining take on the McDonald’s Apple Pie (yes, you read that right)!
Narisawa
KEY INFO
| 📍 Address | Minami Aoyama 2-6-15, Minato-ku, Tokyo. Get Directions |
| 🍲 Best Tokyo Restaurant For | A fine-dining restaurant that offers a carefully sourced and seasonal menu of innovative Japanese dishes. |
This restaurant’s ideology is based on the Satoyama culture, which blends conscientious living with humans being mindful of forests and helping them flourish. Chef Yoshihiro Narisawa is a devout believer in the importance of farm-to-table food made of sustainable produce and does exactly this at Narisawa.
This two Michelin star-holding wonder serves authentic Japanese ingredients with flavors inspired by Japanese, French, and Chinese cuisines. ‘Satoyama Scenery and Essence of the Forest’ is its main signature dish, and we highly recommend trying it. You must also try their fine Wagyu beef, the Okinawan sea snake broth, and soil soup, some of their more authentic regional dishes.
Maidreamin’ Shibuya
KEY INFO
| 📍 Address | Japan, 150-0042 Tokyo, Shibuya City, Udagawacho, 30−1 Horaiya Building B1ama 2-6-15, Minato-ku, Tokyo. Get Directions |
| 🍲 Best Tokyo Restaurant For | The delightful dining experience and a unique blend of delicious food and lively performances. |
Maidreamin’ is one of the world’s biggest chains of popular maid-themed cafes, and the Tokyo branch in Shibuya City is a uniquely Japanese experience. Japan has a distinctive and one-of-a-kind culture, with maid cafes being an exciting and fun part of this culture. With servers dressed in maid outfits who call you “master” or “princess” and Japanese cafe food plated to look like cute animals, you would not have visited any cafe like this.
Enjoy Japan’s famous Omurice with a variety of sauces, chicken Yakitori, grilled chicken dumplings or Gyoza, and several other Japanese cuisine street food-inspired dishes. They also serve champagne and cocktails. Don’t forget to take pictures with the cute maids as well!
Gyukatsu Motomura Harajuku
KEY INFO
| 📍 Address | Japan, 150-0001 Tokyo, Shibuya City, Jingumae, 3 Chome−23−2 B1F NS Building. Get Directions |
| 🍲 Best Tokyo Restaurant For | Exceptional Tonkatsu, a breaded pork cutlet typically served with rice and gravy. |
Gyukatsu Motomura is a tiny restaurant in an unassuming space in the basement of a building, famous for serving the best Tonkatsu, a breaded pork cutlet usually served with rice and gravy. They also serve chicken and beef Katsu cutlets with rice, and the whole menu only consists of four items. The meat cutlets are finished cooking by the customers on their own hot stones and that is a fun experience in itself.
This quaint hole-in-the-wall restaurant with local chefs has been raved about by locals and tourists alike for its high-quality meat and delicious sauce. It is truly one of the best restaurants in Tokyo.
GYOPAO Gyoza Roppongi
KEY INFO
| 📍 Address | 4 Chome-9-8 Roppongi, Minato City, Tokyo 106-0032, Japan. Get Directions |
| 🍲 Best Tokyo Restaurant For | Delectable and creative gyoza dishes, featuring a wide variety of fillings and cooking styles that offer a modern twist on the traditional Japanese dumpling. |
This small cozy restaurant is extremely popular in Tokyo for being one of the best restaurants in Tokyo for Gyoza. Enjoy Pork Gyoza, fried Gyoza, and Xiaolongbao which are soup dumplings, steamed spring rolls, Mapo Tofu, and several other delicious fusion dishes that combine Japanese cuisine and Taiwanese cuisine perfectly.
Gyopao also serves premium Japanese malt beer, high-quality Japanese whiskey, Sake, Soju, wine, and cocktails. Located a short distance from the Roppongi district station, it is very centrally located and usually has a queue outside it due to its popularity, so we recommend making a table booking online beforehand.
Frequently Asked Questions
What are some recommended restaurants in Tokyo for a unique dining experience?
For a unique dining experience in Tokyo, consider visiting:
- Tapas Molecular Bar
- Den
- Narisawa
What are some top Tokyo restaurants for traditional Japanese cuisine?
Some best places to eat in Tokyo for traditional Japanese cuisine include: Toufuya Uka and Nihon Ryori Ryu Gin.
What in the best restaurant in Tokyo for tofu cuisine?
The best restaurant in Tokyo for tofu cuisine is Toufuya Ukai.
What is the best street food in Tokyo?
The best street food in Tokyo includes:
- Takoyaki
- Yakitori
- Taiyaki
- Crepes
- Senbei
What are the top spots for the best dining in Tokyo for a romantic evening?
The top spots for the best dining in Tokyo for a romantic evening include: Jambo Hanare, Goryu Kubo and Butagumi.
What are the best restaurants Tokyo has to offer for sushi?
The best restaurants Tokyo has to offer for sushi include: Hakkoku, Sushi Saito and Higashiazabu Amamoto.
