Tokyo is one of the world's most exciting dining destinations. The city features a wide range of both local and regional Japanese cuisine in addition to all types of international fare. Its top restaurants have accrued more Michelin stars than both Paris and New York combined. But good food can be found at every price range from cheap hole-in-the-wall joints to expensive high-class restaurants with every budget in between.
As Japan's political center for over four centuries, Tokyo has naturally exerted great influence on the Japanese cuisine. Consequently, some Tokyo specialties have become so popular that they are now known as the standard version of the dish rather than a local specialty. Local creations from Tokyo (formerly called Edo) are often referred to as "Edo-mae", literally meaning "in front of Edo", in reference to Edo Bay (now Tokyo Bay) which provided the city with its local seafood. The following are some popular Tokyo specialties:
Tokyo is also a good place to enjoy regional Japanese foods from across the country, which have been available in Tokyo since the Edo Period when the regional lords (daimyo) from across Japan were forced to maintain large villas in the capital and spend alternate years there. A by-product of this policy to keep the regional lords under the shogun's control was the influx of various regional cooking styles into the capital.
These days, foods from across the country can be found at many restaurants specialized in regional cuisines. Some of the most popular regional foods that can be sampled around Tokyo come from Okinawa, Kagoshima, Fukuoka, Kyoto and Hokkaido. In addition, successful restaurants from across Japan often open outlets in Tokyo in an effort to branch out and make a name for themselves.
International food is enjoying great popularity in Tokyo, and many Japanese chefs have achieved recognition for their skills in foreign cooking, often acquired by practical training overseas. Furthermore, Tokyo is home to various international communities, which have brought a variety of different cuisines with them. While popular foods such as Chinese, Indian, Italian, French and Korean can be found virtually anywhere in the city, there are also a few districts serving less prominent international cuisines especially around the embassies located in the Azabu, Hiroo and Roppongi districts. Below are a few of the more concentrated international districts:
There are lots and lots of casual dining restaurants of all types found across Tokyo. While restaurants are easy to find just about anywhere in the city, good places to go for a large variety of them are around train stations, entertainment districts and the restaurant floors of most department stores, where there is usually a good selection of restaurants ranging from Japanese cuisine to international dining.
Izakaya are the most common type of casual dining establishments and are good places to try a variety of Japanese foods. They can be found in droves around train stations and entertainment districts, and serve popular food items such as yakitori, sashimi and of course beer. The following are a few casual dining areas around Tokyo that are well known for their atmosphere:
Tokyo is well known for its fine dining, and has the highest number of Michelin-starred restaurants of any city in the world. Fine dining restaurants are often found on the top floors of skyscrapers and major hotels, and the cuisine served at these restaurants ranges from traditional Japanese to international and fusion fare. Of course, they tend to be priced accordingly, and some restaurants may require advance reservations. The following are a few districts that are known for their fine dining establishments.
Themed cafes such as maid and butler cafes, as well as pet cafes are popular attractions where you can converse or play games with a maid or butler, or spend time with animals such as cats, rabbits or birds while eating light meals or enjoying a coffee or tea. Maid cafes can easily be found in Akihabara whereas butler cafes are more concentrated around Ikebukuro. Pet cafes can be found in small numbers around the city. All these types of cafes usually charge a small cover charge in addition to food and drinks.
There are also other types of themed cafes such as the Moomin, Gundam and AKB48 cafes where fans can enjoy various themed dishes and drinks. The menu at the AKB48 cafe is a little bit different and is based on the AKB48 members' favorite foods. The cafes also usually sell character goods in the store. Be warned that the lines at these popular cafes may be long during the weekends.
Another type of themed dining are food theme parks (also known as food museums) which typically feature different variations of a specific food such as ramen or gyoza. Despite the name, food theme parks are usually indoors and work similarly to a food court except that all the vendors are selling variations and regional types of the same dish. Some food theme parks around Tokyo include the Namja Gyoza Stadium in Ikebukuro, the Jiyugaoka Sweets Forest, and a ramen theme park in Aquacity on Odaiba.
Finally, for those looking for a quirky and entertaining meal, themed restaurants like the Ninja Restaurant, the Robot Restaurant, The Lock Up and Alcatraz ER in Tokyo can be a fun and appealing attraction. Themed restaurants are decorated similarly to an amusement park, have themed menus and staff who dress in costume. The food usually follows the overall theme of the restaurant, and there may be some type of show during the meal. The Robot Restaurant is one of the few that is an actual dinner show, where the live dancing and entertainment are the main attraction rather than the food.
The easiest place to try a Japanese-style breakfast are hotels, many of which offer Japanese breakfast set meals or buffets with both Japanese and Western dishes. Otherwise a Japanese-style breakfast is difficult to find as most restaurants and coffee shops tend to serve Western-style breakfasts or coffee and toast sets only. One option may be gyudon restaurants which often offer basic Japanese breakfast sets at cheap prices.
For the more adventurous, the sushi restaurants around Tsukiji are open from early morning. Visitors can have a fresh sushi breakfast and experience the bustle of the market. If raw seafood is not your cup of tea, there are restaurants in both the inner and outer market that serve cooked food. While there are a handful of 24-hour sushi restaurants at Tsukiji, a large majority of the restaurants close by mid-afternoon.
