15 new restaurants, cafés and bars to try in Tokyo

World-renowned bartender Shingo Gokan is steadily growing a cocktail empire around the globe, from Speak Low in Shanghai to the newly opened Sip & Guzzle in New York, but that’s not to say he’s slowing down business in Tokyo. After many weeks of teasing, the star mixologist just unveiled a new watering hole in the financial district of Marunouchi, this time collaborating with Yoshihiro Narisawa, whose namesake restaurant, Narisawa, is consistently featured on the annual list of Asia’s 50 Best Restaurants.

Like Gokan’s Shibuya flagship bar The SG Club, which draws its inspiration from the first official Japanese journey to the United States, SG Tavern is inspired by a historical cultural exchange. This time, the focus is on the tale of 19 young samurai who broke Japan’s isolationist policies in 1865 to study abroad in the UK to bring back knowledge of industrialisation and modern technology.

SG Tavern’s menu retraces the journey these samurai took through its menu, which included stops in Hong Kong, Singapore and Bombay before finally arriving in England. Drinks include highballs that reflect the ports these students docked at, to be paired with Narisawa’s reiteration of national dishes from around the world, like fish and chips and laksa. Blending local sake culture with international flavours, Gokan masterfully reveals new and exciting discoveries by examining the past.

This Tokyo debut from a much-loved restaurant in the city of Sapporo, on Japan’s northern island Hokkaido, brings the authentic taste of that region’s culinary speciality to Ueno. A Sapporo institution established in 1954, Daruma is famed for the quality of its Genghis Khan, a Hokkaido-born and curiously named dish that consists of mutton slices grilled in a similar manner to yakiniku. 

At this Ueno branch, premium mutton is hand-cut by craftsmen each day before opening, just like how things are done at Daruma’s six hometown locations. Another factor in the superior taste of Daruma’s Genghis Khan is its use of sheep fat for grilling, rather than the beef tallow utilised by many rivals: sheep fat melts noticeably more slowly. Onions, leeks and other vegetables (¥230) are also given a sweet and fragrant taste thanks to being soaked in this sheep fat.

As is the tradition at both yakiniku and Genghis Khan spots, here customers cook each piece of meat over a charcoal grill at their table. As well as the signature Genghis Khan offering (¥1,290) which consists of various cuts including thigh, belly and shoulder, there are also top-shelf meat and tenderloin options (¥1,690 respectively). 

This yakitori joint in understatedly hip Gakugeidaigaku brings a more upmarket vibe to this endearingly bare-bones aspect of Japanese cuisine. At the latest link in a chain of popular eateries that includes Yakitori Yaoya and Riverside Yaoya in Ikejiri-Ohashi, the traditional shopfront is replaced by a sleek, minimal façade comprising squares of sheet glass, and lent a touch of Zen by a surrounding stone garden.

Inside, however, the heady atmosphere of a traditional yakitori spot is very much present, as smoke from assorted cuts of skewered chicken rises into the air and staff call out to each other over the noise of diners perched at a sushi bar-style counter. Yaoya Hanare achieves a mix of the elevated and the modest that could be said to mirror Tokyo itself.

On small dishes, that are a cut above standard yakitori shop ceramics, comes a selection of à la carte delights that make use of superior-quality chicken sourced from regions that include Kagoshima in faraway Kyushu. Popular choices include seseri (chicken neck meat) served with chopped shiso leaf, and a succulent bonjiri (fatty meat from the chicken’s tail).

Also offered are some more unusual options, such as an original Peking Chicken consisting of chicken thigh meat covered with finely sliced cucumber, onion and tare sauce. Wash these down with natural wines, shochu and other tipples.

Nanzuka Underground is changing the way we experience art. From the retail store/gallery Nanzuka 2G to the art space and sushi restaurant 3110NZ by LDH Kitchen, the Tokyo art gallery keeps coming up with new and exciting ways for people to enjoy and appreciate art. The gallery’s latest foray comes in the form of a glitzy bar called Nanzuka Taken.

Tucked away on the second floor of the new commercial complex Shibuya Axsh, the stylish space was designed by Snark Inc with art direction by Nanzuka’s very own Shinji Nanzuka. Artist Tetsuya Nakamura crafted all the furniture for the bar, including the sofas, bar counters, counter chairs, ceiling monitor frames and even the doorknobs. 

You'll of course be able to enjoy a number of artworks here, including the bar’s centrepiece – a standing table incorporating one of Hajime Sorayama’s signature sexy robots. Sorayama's futuristic works are also displayed on the monitors around the bar and are accompanied by exhibitions from a number of renowned artists including Daniel Arsham and Hiroki Tsukuda. 

Nanzuka Taken also encompasses a members-only private room featuring a gorgeous red oak counter carved by sculptor Ryuichi Ohira and chairs courtesy of a collaboration between artist Haroshi and furniture specialists Modernica. The monitors in this special room showcase animations by pop artist Keiichi Tanaami and features 3D works by Haroshi as well as airbrush paintings by Harumi Yamaguchi.

As for the bar's drink selection, you can enjoy a range of original cocktails made in collaboration with chef Natsuko Shoji of Été and Keiichi Tanaami, and choose from a generous selection of wines and whiskeys.

Don’t be fooled by the name: this stylish new bar in Ebisu is dedicated not to beer, but rather to cocktails made with premium shochu sourced from all over Japan. Draft Ebisu’s cocktail selection is overseen by the bartender of hip Kuramae watering hole Nomura Shoten, Soran Nomura, and its well-timed opening coincides with shochu’s growing international popularity.

Shochu as traditionally enjoyed (straight, or mixed with soda or hot water) isn’t listed on the menu here: the intention is to redefine perceptions of the base ingredient and the forms it can be given. This is ably achieved by Nomura’s lineup of eight shochu cocktails, and the intention is to expand this selection further. Certain cocktails are on-tap and ready-to-drink, an advantage that inspired the bar’s name. The fine shochu varieties used as cocktail bases can, nonetheless, be ordered as stand-alone tipples.

A Japanese Black Tea and Cream Cheese Sour (¥1,400) combines raspberry and black tea in a rice shochu base, and is topped off with a cream cheese foam that has the aroma of Earl Grey tea. The Spicy Palo Santo Sour (¥1,300) blends the toasty aroma of barley shochu with chai syrup, and is given a woody scent thanks to a small piece of wood that is set on fire when the concoction is served.

The food menu comprises dishes that pair well with shochu, including oyster yakisoba (¥1,800). Sample these and other creations in this counter bar-style space that itself innovates upon Japanese tradition. There's also a private room, or head out to the terrace overlooking Ebisu Station.

Tokyo culinary giant the Onodera Group adds yet another string to its bow with the opening of this unagi-focused eatery in Akasaka. Known for its Sushi Ginza Onodera restaurants with locations in Los Angeles and Hawaii, the company here taps the firewood-grilling expertise of chef Keiichi Terada, whose work at the group’s French restaurant Makiyaki Ginza Onodera has been awarded a Michelin star four years running.

Here Terada’s way with a blazing flame is applied to the traditional Japanese delicacy of unagi (eel grilled in a thick, sweetened form of soy sauce) to mouthwatering effect. This dish is especially popular at the height of summer, as it is believed to combat the exhausting effects of the heat.

Terada’s menu serves up domestic eel in various styles. A tangy aroma, which is the result of a sauce specially created under his direction, rises from the staple unaju (unagi served over rice in a lacquered bento box; from ¥2,200), as well as from other offerings including unatamadon (a donburi rice bowl topped with unagi and egg, served at lunchtime only; ¥980).

The talents of an award-winning barista and an acclaimed architecture studio come together in this compact roastery cafe, tucked away in semi-suburban Kyodo. Naruse Inokuma Architects, whose past projects range from futuristic capsule hotels to mountainside villas, have transformed the ground level of a 50-year-old residential building into an inviting venue that showcases the superior coffee created by Takeshi Kondo. As well as winning awards at a string of events including the Japan AeroPress Championship, Kondo is among the few Japanese to have ‘Q Grader’ status: the coffee world’s equivalent of a wine sommelier.

Inside, design that enables the premises to be flooded with sunlight creates the impression that this is a larger, airier space than it actually is, while still keeping the vibe cosy. Meanwhile, an assortment of vivid artworks line the walls, including the sleeve that legendary graphic designer Peter Saville created for the New Order single ‘Fine Time’, from which this roastery takes its name.

On pleasant days, a verdant open space directly in front of Fine Time, complete with bench seating, provides another spot at which to sample Kondo’s coffee. With a focus on coffee that combines complexity with a sweet fruitiness, the barista offers around 20 varieties of bean.

With branches dotted around inner city neighbourhoods including Tomigaya, Asakusa and Hanegi Koen, Fuglen is a Tokyo coffee institution. Its latest café in Sangubashi opened just early this year in January. This pristine café looks nothing like your regular coffee shop, as it’s set in a beautifully restored old Japanese house. The space is divided into two sections: the front of the house and garden for casual sit-down and takeaway drinks, and the back counter which is dedicated to Fuglen’s coffee tasting course (by reservation only).

While this Fuglen uses the same beans as its other outlets, what sets this Sangubashi café apart is the way it pushes the envelope by refining the beans’ flavour profiles through various preparation methods. For instance, beans for hand drip coffee are first shaken in a canister to air them out and prevent unwanted acidity. They are then ground using a unique hand grinder to prevent heat affecting their aroma. Then, just before brewing, the coffee ground is shaken through a sieve to extract a uniform-sized ground and eliminate any components that might bring out bad flavours.

With the coffee tasting course (¥2,700), you’ll sample two types of coffee. The first is a hand drip with your choice of bean, meticulously prepared to bring out the individuality of the beans. This brew is paired with an exclusive Fuglen coffee yokan (traditional red bean paste confection). The second cup is a Kokekaffe, a Norwegian hiking-style coffee, brewed in front of you in a kettle, making this a more rustic way to enjoy Fuglen’s coffee. This drink is paired with a light snack of brown cheese atop a crisp bread made from oats and sunflower seeds.

If you’ve reserved a seat at the counter, you can choose from either the coffee tasting course or the hand-drip (¥1,400) and Kokekaffe (¥1,500) individually. Coffee yokan is available separately for ¥450 (two pieces). If you’re not seated at the counter, you can enjoy the café’s regular menu, which includes a daily coffee served hot or iced.

This new arrival on Kuramae’s vibrant coffee scene is all set up to get your morning in Tokyo’s ‘Little Brooklyn’ off to a bright start. From opening time at 8am, sunlight pours through the glass windows of this roastery-café located just across from Kuramae Shrine. Inside, rough-hewn concrete walls contrast with ‘Japandi’ (Japanese-meets-Scandinavian) furniture to create a space that combines refinement with a sense of untamed nature. 

Bark’s signature croissant roll sandwiches (served with coffee of the day; ¥1,200) have a shape that echoes the tree trunks which inspired this venue’s name, and are served until 11am. With these croissants, a crisp and crunchy exterior gives way to a tender inner which is moist with fragrant butter. Ham, melted cheese, mayo and grainy mustard complete the medley of flavours.

Coffee roasted on the premises, meanwhile, is available in both light and medium roasts. Especially recommended is the cold brew coffee, which is made with Ethiopian beans and possesses a refreshing acidity.

This restaurant is a first-of-its-kind venture from UK-born furniture and interiors retailer the Conran Shop. Orby aims to reflect the passion for good food of the brand’s late founder Sir Terence Conran, and is found just across from the Conran Shop’s latest Tokyo store in Azabudai Hills Tower Plaza. The restaurant’s moniker is itself a tribute to Sir Conran, taken from his middle name.

Overseeing the project is Shin Nakahara, a key figure in Japan’s own interior design scene. Besides his current role as president of the Conran Shop Japan, Nakahara is part of the team behind Playmountain, a Tokyo shop whose great influence belies its compact size. Orby’s interior is every bit as stylish as expected: understated natural tones are flooded with light via expansive floor-to-ceiling windows during the day.

Head chef Makoto Konno, of acclaimed Tokyo bistros Uguisu and Organ, has put together a French bistro-style menu in which around 20 percent of the elements are derived from the often-underrated cuisine of the Conran Shop’s homeland. The prix fixe lunch (¥4,400) comprises an entrée, main dish and dessert, with vegan options also offered. Dinner, meanwhile, is a delectable eight-course affair priced at ¥11,000. A fine eye for design extends right down to the tableware, which has been custom-made in Japan’s pottery heartland of Mashiko, Tochigi prefecture.

This Sydney transplant has been in the coffee business since 2003 and set up an outpost in Tokyo’s sumo heartland, Ryogoku, in 2014 – on the cusp of Japan’s coffee boom. Fast forward to 2024 and the roastery has now moved into a brand new space in celebration of its tenth anniversary in Japan.

Still located in Ryogoku, the new premises function as both a café and roastery, which stay open five days a week instead of just on the weekends, as was the case with the previous tasting bar. The spacious 200sqm building, which was once used as a wood-processing factory, includes plenty of seating and takes after Single O's main store in Sydney with similar interiors courtesy of award-winning architecture and interior design firm Luchetti Krelle.

Single O prides itself on securing ethically sourced coffee and highlighting the beans' natural flavours. For instance, the vibrant Reservoir house blend of Costa Rican and Ethiopian beans is a winner, producing an acidic brew that’s bright with citrus notes. Similar to the Single O Hamacho outpost, you can enjoy self-service coffee on tap here, taking your pick from four different varieties.

The menu also includes a selection of long-standing food favourites from their Sydney café. Highlights include the Reservoir Dog, a hot dog featuring sausages made with Okinawan ham and caramelised onions, avocado toast served on sourdough bread, and Boris' Beans, a Middle Eastern-inspired dish combining labneh strained yoghurt with feta cheese and mixed beans.

One of the most popular ramen restaurants in Ueno, Kamo to Negi specialises in duck noodles. Its simple recipe of just Japanese duck and leek – as its name suggests – simmered over low heat for two days, produces a beautifully clear stock that’s light yet flavourful. Add in a custom blend of three different types of soy sauce and you get a soup that sings with the meaty sweetness of duck without being gamey. Kamo to Negi also takes pride in not using any chemical additives in its ramen, while the excellent house-made noodles are springy and firm to the bite.

A regular bowl of ramen here will only set you back ¥980. But we recommend you upgrade to a bowl with extra slices of duck meat (¥1,260), or go the whole hog with the special (¥1,480), which comes with wonton, onsen egg, bamboo shoots and additional slices of duck. On the menu are also duck tsukemen (dipping noodles) and a comforting oyakodon side dish featuring a deliciously runny egg and duck meat mixture served over piping hot rice.

This branch in the newly opened Eato Lumine food hall on level B1 of JR Shinjuku Station (inside the ticket gates near the west exit) has 14 counter seats. And yes, it’s just as popular as the Ueno store. So be ready to queue – fortunately the line moves along briskly.

The sky-high Tokyo Node complex, spanning several upper floors of Toranomon Hills Station Tower, gets another fine dining restaurant with the opening of Kei Collection Paris. This 49th-floor eatery has been conceived as a dramatic stage on which to present à la carte creations by owner-chef Kei Kobayashi, whose Parisian outpost Restaurant Kei earned him the distinction of being the very first Asian chef to be awarded three Michelin stars.

Kei Collection Paris’ luxurious interior sets the tone for the gourmet thrills to follow. Walls and ceiling come together in organically curved layers reminiscent of a theatre curtain’s drape, and dotted around are works by artists including photographer Mika Ninagawa. A panoramic city view unfolds below, and can be marvelled at from both the dining space and bar counter. Diners are also welcome to enjoy their drinks out on Tokyo Node’s rooftop terrace, which features an infinity pool some 250m above ground level.

Kobayashi’s dishes are noted for bringing the essence of Japanese-style sumibiyaki grilling to such French culinary techniques as sauté and poêle, and for their painstaking adjustment of cooking temperature to fully manifest the natural taste of the ingredients. Sample the fruits of this approach in meat, fish and vegetable dishes such as sazae (turban mollusk) grilled in seaweed butter and served with lemon confit (¥1,500), or perhaps the Akagi Beef roll sushi (¥1,500 per piece) in which this famed wagyu is wrapped in crispy nori seaweed sourced from Saga prefecture.

In the salaryman enclave of Shinbashi – think cheap and cheerful izakaya sandwiched between ramen joints and casual standing eateries – lies a new sushi restaurant that looks more suited for the glitz of neighbouring Ginza. While Sushi Restaurant Issekisancho may have the polish of a classy, upmarket sushi counter, its prices are friendlier on the wallet.

At Issekisancho you can enjoy an omakase sushi meal for just ¥8,800, which gets you eight pieces of nigiri as well as eight dishes including a light and jiggly sea cucumber chawanmushi that tastes of the ocean, and a buttery, foie gras-like monkfish liver that’s been stewed in a sweet-savoury mixture of soy sauce, sake and mirin. There’s also the more sumptuous Issekisancho full-course dinner at ¥13,000, where you get five extra pieces of nigiri sushi in addition to the aforementioned dishes.

The offerings at Issekisancho are classic Edo-mae, or exemplary of Tokyo-style sushi. The shari (sushi rice) is made up of two strains of Niigata rice: the sushi-grade emi no kizuna is folded with shinnosuke, which brings some stickiness and a hint of sweetness to the mixture. This is then seasoned with a blend of pure rice vinegar plus an exclusive sake lees vinegar from Ehime that’s born of a 27-year fermentation process. 

While the fish and seafood selection here varies according to the season, you can always count on having prime tuna in various levels of fattiness. More importantly, the chefs incorporate subtle creative touches to elevate the sushi without straying too far from authenticity. All this is complemented by a free-flow of the restaurant’s signature clam soup that works as a palate cleanser, and helps balance out the alcohol for those who choose to indulge in sake or wine with their sushi.

If you’re looking for quality sushi that won’t break the bank, head straight to the newest location of Kaitensushi Ginza Onodera. But hurry up before the word gets out: if the lengthy queues outside the Omotesando branch are anything to go by, this new offshoot near Shibuya Station should be just as popular. Kaitensushi Ginza Onodera is a conveyor belt sushi restaurant run by the Onodera Group, which operates famous sushi restaurants around the world, including the Michelin-starred Sushi Ginza Onodera branch in New York. Their casual kaitensushi restaurants don't require advance reservations and you can enjoy high-quality seafood at affordable prices.

What sets this new location apart from the main Omotesando shop is that it stays open until 4am on Fridays, Saturdays and eve of public holidays. This makes it the perfect late-night haunt to curb those sushi cravings after a night out. 

Musuko Shibuya has a total of 23 seats and offers a range of authentic Edomae sushi as well as limited-edition menu items unique to the shop. These include the Shibuya Scramble Roll, made with seasonal seafood and finished off with uni (sea urchin roe), and the Shibuya Mountain, a towering dish featuring a layered seafood mille-feuille topped with salmon roe and grated mountain yam. You'll also be able to enjoy a range of drinks offered at more reasonable prices than at the main Omotesando restaurant.

As this shop is a bit smaller than the main restaurant, no conveyor belt is used to bring your sushi out. Instead, you can order directly from the sushi chefs behind the counter, who’ll prepare your dish right in front of you.