Best Food in Tokyo Japan

Updated on January-09-2016

Besides your typical sushi and ramen, there are plenty of other variety of delicious food in Japan for travelers to explore. I have come up with a list of my recommendations for delicious of food in Japan for adventurous eaters, foodies and connoisseurs.

Dobin Mushi Teapot Soup

- To read about the most famous ramen franchise in the world, visit: The origin of Ippudo Ramen: Quest for world's first Hakata Ippudo restaurant
- To read about my recommendations of affordable and reasonable hotels in OSAKA, visit: Osaka Reasonable Affordable Hotel
- To read about my recommendations of Reasonable/Convenient hotels in Tokyo, visit Affordable Cheap Reasonable Hotels in Tokyo
- To read about how to plan your trip to Tokyo, visit Planning for your trip to Tokyo
- To read about where you can find the best Ramen in Tokyo, visit Best Ramen in Tokyo



Almost every traveler has eating delicious Japanese food in mind during their vacation in Japan. Other than planning itinerary for sightseeing spots, I have always recommended travelers to plan their trips revolving delicious food. With hundreds of thousands of restaurants in Tokyo, I would suggest travelers to schedule breakfast, lunch, and dinner carefully in order to avoid tourist traps and less than delicious restaurants.

Consider using Tripadvisor, Gurunavi or other social media recommendations for restaurants in Japan. Majority of the restaurants in non-touristy areas offer menu or meal ticket machine only in Japanese language; however, those restaurants could be some of the best restaurants in Tokyo.

Having some sense of spontaneity is essential for independent travel, but focusing on the best reviewed restaurants is also essential when travelers have limited vacation time in Tokyo/Japan.



Best Food in Tokyo Japan

Omu Yakisoba

Omu Yakisoba. One of my favorite dishes

This was one of first dishes I had during my very first independent trip in Japan in 2001. Years have past, this dish remains one of my favorite. This dish is often served at franchise izakazaya or okonomiyaki restaurants, just order it if you see it on the pictorial menu. Price ranges from 800 to 1500 yen.
- Teppanyaki Romantei
- Shinjuku Pasutakan
- Nijyumaru Shinjuku Nishiguchiten





Omelet Rice

Omelet Rice 

Similar to Omu yakisoba; it is often served with ketchup flavor fried rice underneath runny egg. It is soften served with special sauce or curry sauce. My number one recommendation is Hokkyokusei in Osaka area, but there are also many restaurants in Tokyo serving this dish. Price ranges from 800 to 1500 yen.
- Ginza Rengatei
- Azabushokudo





Tonkatsu

Tonkatsu Pork Cutlet

Deep fried battered Pork cutlet, served with finely chopped cabbage and rice. Tonkatsu is usually served with Tonkatsu sauce which complements the flavor of the deep fried pork tenderloin. Price ranges from 1200 to 2500 yen.
- Wako Shinjuku Isetan
- Tonkatsu Maisen Aoyama Honten
- Narikura





Hayashi Rice

Hayashi Beef Stew

Special beef stew over rice. Closest thing that came into my mind is the Goulash in Prague. Red wine based beef stew with a touch of Worcester sauce flavor. Price ranges from 800 to 1200 yen.
- Maruzen Cafe
- M & C Cafe, Marunouchi





Tenshinhan (rice)

Tenshinhan Omelet rice

Chinese-Japanese dish. Assorted ingredient omelet over rice with tangy sauce dripped all over. I believe this Tenshinhan originated in Nagasaki chinatown, but it is served at many Chinese-Japanese cuisine or ramen restaurants throughout Japan. Price ranges from 500 to 1000 yen.
- Ginza Tenryu
- Gyoza no Osho, Kamata




Shabu Shabu

Shabu Shabu

Cook your food by dipping thin slices of beef or pork in boiling pot of clear seaweed based konbu soup. Self-service style. Ponzu and sesame dipping sauce are usually included. Huge price range from 1000 to 10,000 yen, depending on the quality of the beef.
- Kisoji Shinjuku
- Shabusen Ginza





Wagyu Sukiyaki

Wagyu Sukiyaki

Thin slice of Japanese marbled beef cooked in sweet soy sauce. Similar to Shabu Shabu except that waitress would often cook your food in front of you. The Wagyu component often makes it an expensive dish. Lunch set cost me 6,000 yen in year 2012.
- Tsukitei Shinjuku
- Imahan Asakusa





Convenient store Onigiri and Sandwich

Onigiri Rice Ball

Japanese Convenient Store Sandwich

Onigiri is referred to rice ball with stuffing inside. I recommend tuna or chicken salad stuffing for beginners. Japanese convenient sandwiches are often served with crust removed. Heavy on cream and mayonnaise, comes with whole egg and different type of meat. Ham, teriyaki chicken, and pork cutlet are some of most popular topping meat inside of the sandwiches. About 150 to 250 yen for each Onigiri rice ball; Japanese sandwich ranges from 200 to 400 yen.
- Seven-Eleven
- Lawson




Street vendor yakitori

Yakitori BBQ Chicken Skewer

Broiled chicken skewers. Most of the yakitori restaurants/stands serve more than just chicken. I recommend restaurants/stand in Omoide Yokocho and Yakitori street nearby Asakusa area. Approximately 100-300 yen per skewer.
- Omoide Yokocho





Oden

Oden Fish Cake

Fish cake made of pureed fish meat plus other ingredient, cooked in dashi based soup. Price ranges from 200 to 400 yen per plate/item.
- Otafuku Asakusa




Tempura

Tempura

Both gourmet/Michelin star restaurant and budget fast food joint. Lightly battered seafood and vegetable fried to perfection. Sometimes served with sprinkles of sea salt and sometimes served with tempura dipping sauce. Price ranges from 500 yen per tempura bowl to 10,000 to 20,000 yen per gourmet tempura dinner set.
- Tenya Shinjuku
- Tempra Kondo




Chicken or Horse sashimi

Sakura Horse Sashimi

Reserved for brave/adventurous eaters. Only the freshest and of the best portion would be served sashimi style. They are often served at specialty restaurants or izakaya. Price ranges from 1000 to 3000 yen per plate.
- Nikuzushi Ebisu Yokocho





Okonomiyaki, Tokyo Self service style

Okonomiyaki Assorted Japanese Pancake/Pizza.

Japanese style assorted pancake/pizza. Ingredient usually includes chopped cabbage, pork, squid and egg. Okonomiyaki is usually topped with slightly tangy sauce, mayonnaise, and bonito flakes. Okonomiyaki restaurant in Tokyo is usually of self service style, similar to yakiniku restaurants. Okonomiyaki in Osaka is usually prepared/cooked by the chef or restaurant staff. Hiroshima style okonomiyaki is usually served with noodle underneath the pancake. Price ranges from 500 to 1500 yen.
- Tsukishima Monjya Street




Takoyaki

Takoyaki Octopus Ball.

Grilled seasoned octopus balls. An Osaka's favorite, but this dish is served throughout Japan. Price ranges from 300 to 600 yen per 6 to 10 Takoyaki balls.
- Odaiba Takoyaki Museum





Japanese hanbagu (hamburger)

Japanese Hamburger Steak

Consist of a thick patty of well seasoned ground beef (or mixture of beef and pork) grilled to perfection. Charred on the outside, tender and juicy inside. Served with demi glace sauce. This dish usually comes with a plate of steamed rice. Price ranges from 1200 to 2000 yen.
- Gusto Shinjuku
- Saizeriya Akihabara




Food for special dietary preference

With increased number of international travelers and increased demand for the market for special diet, specialty restaurants have increased significantly in major cities in Japan. I can not claim that I am an expert in vegetarian or halal cuisine; therefore, I have collected some links of websites that provide reliable information on specialty cuisine.

Vegetarian

- Best Vegetarian Restaurants in Tokyo - Tripadvisor
- Tokyo's Top Vegetarian Restaurants


Halal food/restaurants in Japan

- Gyumon Yakiniku, Shibuya
- Sumiyakiya Yakiniku, Roppongi
- Hala food stores
- Must-try Halal Restaurants in the Tokyo Area
- Restaurants through out Japan