8 best restaurant food halls in Tokyo

The stylish Toranomon Yokocho has put a modern spin on Tokyo's vibrant food alleys. Here you'll find everything from ramen (Ramen Katsumoto) to casual Spanish fare by an offshoot of a Michelin-starred restaurant at Plancha Zurriola. The open floor plan at Toranomon Yokocho makes it easy to hop between these myriad restaurants, and there's a central seating area where you can enjoy takeout from any of the restaurants.

Some of our favourite haunts include Ryukyu Chinese Stand Tama, which serves up a delicious mix of Chinese, Taiwanese and Okinawan dishes, and Shushokudo Toranomon, an izakaya with an on-site distillery producing Tokyo's very first craft gin. If you fancy a bit of heat in your meals, Somtum Der has a outpost here serving spicy northern Thai dishes.

Eat Play Works is an upmarket international dining hall with an open concept, making it a fun space to stroll around while watching the kitchens up close and personal. There are 16 restaurants spread over two floors, plus a spacious outdoor terrace for days when you want to dine al fresco.

We recommend Oxomoco, the Tokyo outpost of the Brooklyn-based and Michelin-starred Mexican restaurant, famed for its modern Mexican cuisine. There's also the Bib Gourmand-rated An Com, the younger, more casual sibling of popular Vietnamese restaurant An Di – you’ll find excellent banh mi and pho as well as a modern Vietnamese omakase course at this Eat Play Works venue.

For Spanish, you can't miss Gracia, another Bib Gourmand restaurant helmed by chef Jerome Quilbeuf who used to work at the three-Michelin-star Sant Pau in Catalonia. For something cheap and filling, try the mind-blowing clear tonkotsu ramen at Butasoba Tsukiya.

Oh, keep in mind that Eat Play Works is cashless, so make sure you have your credit card or electronic payment methods.

Just as its name suggests, the basement food hall in Shibuya Parco offers a riot of colours, neon signs and cuisines. Chaos Kitchen is lively, has a youthful vibe, and is a bit more spacious compared to your average street-side yokocho. In between all the restaurants you'll find some fun shops including Union Record Shibuya and Condomania.

Take your pick from a wide range of restaurants including wagyu beef ramen at Jikasei Mensho (which also serves vegan dandanmen) to vegan Japanese comfort food at Izakaya Masaka. Adventurous eaters might want to try out the insect dishes at Kome to Circus. End your night at the fun and welcoming Campy Bar, where drag queens serve you drinks in glamorous outfits.

For Korean food, make your way to this lively yokocho in Shin-Okubo, Tokyo’s self-proclaimed K-Town. Located just a five-minute walk from Shin-Okubo Station, the two-storey space is home to ten restaurants serving up a good mix of Korean favourites.

Get your fried chicken fix at Chicken-ya, where the KFC (Korean fried chicken, that is) comes in unexpected flavours like mentaiko (spicy pollock roe), honey garlic and jalapeno. Looking for something more traditional? You can't go wrong with a classic samgyeopsal (grilled pork belly) at Shinsadon Horani Kopchan.

This bustling yokocho food hall is inspired by Japan's traditional matsuri (festivals), so much so that it even hosts regular performances of yosakoi, awa odori and bon odori festival dances. You can look the part, too, by visiting the kimono rental shop on the same floor as the yokocho. Perfect if you want to dress up for your meal or to stroll around Asakusa.

Aside from the entertainment, there are seven restaurants here. Feast on an array of sushi from Asakusa Sushi, or opt for an ice cold beer and classic izakaya dishes at Rocky Kanai. Meat lovers can enjoy pork skewers at Shinton and yakitori at Yura Yura.

This modern food hall, tucked away in the backstreets of Tachikawa, is within walking distance of both Tachikawa Station and the beautiful Showa Kinen Park. There are ten restaurants here and the space is open until 11.30pm, making it ideal for after work drinks or not-too-wild weekend nights out. 

Stop by Mexican restaurant Taco Wasa Tokyo Tacos for quesadillas and burritos, or head to Vigo Oyster Bar for freshly shucked oysters. Tamaya Craftbeer is also great for yakitori over an ice-cold pint, or opt for a sweet basque cheesecake from Galera Press Coffee.

Toranomon has become a popular spot for Tokyo’s modern yokocho. Just a short walk from Toranomon Yokocho is Kotora Komichi, which opened in the basement of the Urban Toranomon office building. This retro food hall will have you spoilt for choice with 12 restaurants and bars to pick from.

Churayoi Shangri-la is a must for Okinawan cuisine, as well as its speciality frozen shikuwasa sour, made from a citrus native to Okinawa. If you're on the hunt for a protein-packed meal, stop by Dateya, a yakiniku restaurant originally from Sendai that specialises in thinly-sliced beef tongue.

This hip venue in Nihonbashi is home to a diverse selection of excellent fast-casual options. It may be on the smaller side compared to the other food halls on this list, but it still packs a punch with a well-curated selection that includes pizza, tacos, pastries and craft beer. 

Don’t miss Commissary’s outpost of Kitade Tacos, where the chefs whip up crowd-pleasing Mexican fare including proper tortillas made from 100 percent Hokkaido corn. If you want a quick grab-and-go, stop by Chigaya Bakery for its American-style doughnuts and baked goods.