Tokyo Food Guide: The Best Foods You Can Eat There

It is no exaggeration to say that food alone is a strong reason to visit Tokyo. The dedication and pursuit of technical perfection that has continued for decades has earned Japan's food paradise more Michelin awards than anywhere else in the world except France. Are you ready to experience what we might call an epic gastronomic adventure?

1- Sushi

Tokyo, the world capital of sushi, is where you can get another level of sushi that stands out from sushi in the rest of the world. There are two main factors that make it win this status: the first is the abundance of fresh seafood, and the second is the time-honored skills available in terms of making rice with vinegar, also known as sushi rice. After all, sushi is the best food that can be considered synonymous with Japanese cuisine.

The news that could be one of the best news here is that good sushi is everywhere in Tokyo and no matter what budget you have. Do you want to enjoy sushi on a budget? Then head to cheap and casual Kaiten Zushi restaurants, where you can get a wide range of seafood without spending a lot of money. It's our favorite place to enjoy as much sushi as possible! If you want an emotionally stimulating sushi experience, there are prestigious Michelin-starred restaurants that deserve to be revered (if your budget allows).

What we recommend in Tokyo is:

Matsui (Ebisu, Roppongi)

Kyube (Ginza, Shinjuku, etc...)

Sushi no Midori (Ginza, Shibuya, etc...)

Also, it wouldn't be wrong to eat at any of the sushi restaurants located in the famous fish markets Toyosu and Tsukiji. Go early and enjoy multiple sushi breakfasts. Sushi Dai and Daiwa Sushi are the best, but any store where you find rows of locals won't disappoint.

2- Tempura

Our opinion may be biased, but we dare to say that no other cuisine in the world serves as excellent fried food as Japanese cuisine! Tempura is the clear evidence for this claim. What could you not like about fried shrimp or sweet potatoes topped with the lightest and crunchiest buttermilk? Only in Japan can you find restaurants that specialize in serving the best tempura ever.

What we recommend in Tokyo is:

Tempura Abby (Ginza)

Tsunhachi (Shinjuku, Ginza, Tokyo, etc...)

Tempura Condo (Ginza)

3- Yakitori

Yakitori is a delicious grilled chicken meat that is topped with a layer of sweet soy and grilled over charcoal. But while chicken meat is the most common in yakitori, it is also possible to find other types of meat or vegetables prepared on barbecue skewers in yakitori menus. Yakitori preparation is also a place where one can learn the advanced level of Japanese chicken butchery, where we encounter opals (eye of the sun), liver, gizzards and skins on a regular basis.

The best places in Tokyo to enjoy yakitori are Izakaya (Japanese food bars) and yakitori specialty restaurants.

What we recommend in Tokyo is:

Torikizuku (Shinjuku, Shibuya, Tokyo, etc...)

Turishiki (Shinagawa)

Koshiwakamaru (Nakamigoro)

4- Onagi

One of the summer traditions in Japan is to eat onagi or freshwater eels to keep cool during the hot weather season. There is also a common habit of eating onagi on Taurus Day in the middle of summer, as this is believed to provide energy and stamina on hot days.

Some of Onagi's popular dishes include unadon (grilled eels served over a layer of rice), unagi nigiri (a ball of rice topped with a small slice of grilled eel), shirayaki (grilled eels marinated with salt only), eels (deep-fried eels enjoyed as a snack with alcoholic beverages), and kimosui (pure soup flavored with boiled eels).

You can enjoy onagi sushi in most sushi restaurants or you can head to specialty restaurants that only serve onagi.

What we recommend in Tokyo is:

Aikawa (Takadanobaba)

Ishibashi (Idogawabashi)

Hatsugawa (Asakusa)

5- Giokatsu (beef katsu)

Here we will learn about the most fashionable star in Japanese food culture: gyōkatsu (牛カツ) or beef katsu. You probably guessed what was right, yes jiokatsu is the equivalent of tonkatsu prepared from beef. Immersive beef steaks covered in breadcrumbs have gained popularity since 2015. Giokatsu is served similarly to tonkatsu with a crispy exterior and low to medium cooked internal content, and is served with dipping sauces, rice, cabbage, pickles and misso soup. You can grill the meat as much as you prefer on the small stove on your table.

As juicy, almost melts as you feel it, and has the perfect amount of crunch, this dish is any meat lover's dream. Is it really worth making all the noise around him? Well, all our friends who have tasted jiyokatsu have testified that it can easily be one of their memorable dishes! So you should try it yourself.

What we recommend in Tokyo is:

Gyokatsu-motomura (Shibuya, Shinjuku, Hamamtsuko, etc...)

Gyokatsu Ona (Shinjuku, Ueno, etc...)

Gyokatsu Iruha (Ikebukuro)

6 - Sukiyaki

Sukiyaki is a favorite Japanese food in cold weather, where a variety of fresh vegetables and thin steaks are cooked in a sweet and salty soup, soy-based soy sauce soup that boils and gargles in a hot pot. If you visit Tokyo in the fall or winter, put this hot dish on your must-eat list.

What we recommend in Tokyo is:

Imahan (Ningyuchu, Ginza, Uyno, etc...)

Hiyama (Ningyuzhou)

Shabu Zen (Shibuya, Ginza, Yotsuya, etc...)

7. Teppanyaki

It's true that you can easily find teppanyaki restaurants outside of Japan, but only in Japan can you taste the finest veined wagyu beef and the freshest and freshest ocean fish. It's a feast for all five senses, because teppanyaki combines the concept of Western-influenced cooking with the use of an iron teppan tray.

As someone who will have dinner, you will sit around a large open grill, and watch the skilled chef perform cooking tricks like an entertaining actor on an evening stage, cooking meat, seafood and vegetables in an impressively talented way. While teppanyaki restaurants outside Japan can be informal and affordable, eating teppanyaki in Kanto areas (including Tokyo) is usually something specific to the upper classes of society (on the other hand, less formal in Kansai). You have to save money to have an unparalleled experience when you eat teppanyaki, but it's worth it!

What we recommend in Tokyo is:

Ginza Okai Thai (Ginza)

Okahan Hunton (Ginza)

Atelier Morimoto XEX (Roppongi).