Essential Tokyo restaurants and cafes from friends
"secret, amazing izakaya in daikaiyama! Best food! great vibes!"
"Small shacks of old school restaurants in Shinjuku, great yakitori"
"retro small restaurants"
"great seafood restaurant in Shibuya"
"amazing Gyouza in Harajuku (open late! but long line for lunch)"
"73 year all time best fried Tonkatsu pork in Japan"
"Okonomiyaki artsy spot in Ura-Harajuku"
"punk-izakaya"
"high end (2 michelin) innovative kaiseki with humor (book a table)"
"world's best ramen? first Michelin starred ramen-ya"
"Amazing no-soup Ramen with oil and thick home made futomen (A little off the beaten track in Akebonobashi)"
"old people, old recipes, old japan in Asakusa! stew and intestines! if you're visiting the Sensoji shrine"
"the super algae hype"
"cheap hi-tech sushi in Shibuya with a futuristic twist"
"trans waiters"
"organic, sustainable, run by local organic organizer Yuki featured in the documentary Eattrip"
"hyped organic restaurant in Meguro"
"after the cat and goat cafés came the owl"
"30 000 rare vintage magazines, books and movies from the 1960/70s in Tsutayas stylish library/restaurant/cafe in Daikanyama"
"Video Game bar with a menu inspired by classic games, don't miss the Brain Cake (from my first Food Hacking Japan ep)"
"Japanese restaurant near Ikejiri Ohashi station (1 stop away from Shibuya by Den-en toshi line), even close by taxi as well."
"my fave Sushi"
"lunch place by 11:45 (or else it may sell out)"
"The one sushi spot you must eat at hands down Tokyo. This is an enlightened local's secret spot, tourist and celebrity chef free. Get omakase, best toro. No english. MAKE RESERVATIONS EARLY! You will not want to eat sushi again after this this. Everytime I go, I'm literally the only person who doesn't speak Japanese. And everyone is wondering how you were special enough to have the inside tip to come here, but they will never ask cuz Japanese people keep everything to themselves. And get the Toro - it's around $15/piece but so worth it - I eat like at least 10 pieces when I go."
"Tofuya taught me that I don't hate tofu, I only love Japanese tofu, like their twice-fried tofu. Walk around the garden & watch them making the fried tofu. Make reservations! This is a true kaiseki meal that lasts 2-3 hours."
"Get the matcha green tea shaved ice with red beans! Along with the Flower Viewing Picnic Style and Classic Warbi Mochi. This place changed how I understood the wide spectrum of mochi existence. And the Green Tea shaved ice just makes for ridiculously great selfies. Then go to United Arrows afterwards to find ridiculously priced items (some of which you may buy!)."
"You must go here. Get the omakase, and just eat whatever the chef gives you. protip: order 2 servings of the matcha tofu dessert and the homemade tofu. It's not terribly expensive and what's nice is that you would pay 2-3xs more at other more touristy fancy places. And the chopsticks are amazing - my dream is to own a pair one day but you have to go to an enirely diff part of Japan to buy them."
"Just find a muji with a cafe and eat your vegetarian heart out. They make tons of amazing food here and it's super affordable .The reddish rice is a must get - I don't understand why it's so yummy."
"The one place to go for tsukemen broth in Tokyo. Dinner lines start early. Fuunji is how I fell in love with ramen, it expanded my ramen world and now I can never turn back."
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