Tokyo mule
The 20 Best Restaurants in Tokyo A city tokyo mule with Michelin stars, Tokyo’s abundant cuisines and fresh ingredients make for unforgettable experiences. Boasting more Michelin stars than any other city on the planet, Tokyo is home to some of the best restaurants in the world. As any serious foodie will know, a trip to Japan’s vibrant capital is a must. With its array of delicate, seasonal ingredients and talented chefs who know exactly what to do with them, it’s the perfect destination to embark on a culinary adventure.
And while sushi and ramen might be the first dishes that spring to mind when you think of Tokyo, for those eager to explore there is so much more to discover. However, this abundance of choice can make deciding where to dine feel a little overwhelming. To help, Elite Traveler has rounded up 20 of the best restaurants in Tokyo. The Best Restaurants in Tokyo Takazawa This tiny restaurant is a family affair, with Yoshiaki Takazawa behind the stoves and his wife Akiko running the service. The elaborate and inventive cooking is illustrated by a ratatouille of 15 vegetables as a little terrine.
Fukamachi Behind the discreet entrance is a little L-shaped counter at which the chefs prepare light, delicate tempura using high-quality ingredients. The prawn tempura combines excellent fresh seafood with the airiest coating to produce delicious tempura, and vegetables receive the same care and attention as the costlier ingredients. 81 3 5250 8777 for more information. Joel Robuchon The flagship outpost of iconic French chef Joel Robuchon is located in a custom-built French chateau in the heart of Tokyo.
The elaborate three-star Michelin cooking relies on French technique and top Japanese ingredients, such as ravioli of lobster with Japanese radish. Kadowaki Toshiya Kadowaki serves two Michelin star kaiseki cooking, but allowing some French influences into this ultimately Japanese dining style. He uses only top ingredients, and you may be served snapper with spicy pepper, or white asparagus with sesame sauce and mountain vegetables. The cooking is balanced and highly skilled. Located in the Ginza, an upscale shopping destination filled with independent boutiques and luxury brands, Ginza Kojyu is the perfect place to enjoy a memorable two-hour kaiseki course in the heart of the city.
Kanda Three-Michelin-starred Kanda serves kaiseki cuisine in a residential Roppongi apartment block. You can watch the chefs demonstrating their considerable knife skills as they prepare your meal, which might include a dish such as baby sea trout or a ball of rice wrapped with eel skin and seasoned with lime. Kondo Fumio Kondo cooks superbly light tempura for his guests in this two Michelin star 9th floor Ginza restaurant. From ultra-fresh prawns to finely julienned carrots, the ingredients are of top quality, and the great skill of the chef self-evident. This is one of Tokyo’s top tempura restaurants. 81 3 5568 0923 for more information.
Nanachōme Kyōboshi If you have ever wondered just how good tempura cooking can really be, Nanachōme Kyōboshi will show you. 81 3 3572 3568 for more information. Quintessence This smart restaurant serves classical French cuisine using the finest Japanese ingredients. An example of this is sweet sea scallop with a buckwheat crust, served with buckwheat risotto seasoned with Gironde salt.
The chef, who trained at Astrance in Paris, now has three Michelin stars of his own. There is still a focus on ultra-seasonal, high quality ingredients, but modern kitchen techniques are brought to bear too. Sushi Saitō Sushi Saitō is widely acknowledged as the top sushi restaurant in Tokyo, despite the removal of its three Michelin stars in 2019 after it stopped accepting reservations from the general public. 81 50 5263 6863 for more information.
