Top 7 Restaurants in Tokyo

The Japanese cuisine is known for striking a perfect balance between the health benefits and the taste of a culinary dish. If you are daydreaming of authentic sushi, sticky rice or a hot, vegetable-infused bowl of ramen, why not treat yourself to a flight from Hong Kong to Tokyo and feast on all the cuisine the best of Japan’s chefs have to offer.

Well, the lovers of Japanese cuisine living in America need not be disappointed as of course, flying to Japan just to taste their delicious dishes might sound like a joke. For their relief and to satiate their taste buds, restaurants like Kobeyaki have come up in the US. So, if you are in the US and want to have a sushi lunch or an okayu dinner, you can head directly to one such place.

Anyway, below are 10 of our favourite restaurants to visit while you’re on your business trip or holiday to Tokyo.

1 Butagumi

Tonkatsu is a Japanese dish that consists of breaded, deep-fried pork cutlets. Butagumi is a restaurant specially dedicated to serving its restaurateurs tonkatsu fried to a golden, crispy crunch with the Japanese Worcester-style sauce and shredded cabbage. Butagumi prides itself in owning an impressive list of more than 50 varieties of premium pork from all over Japan. It is located in the bustling district of Roppongi and its interior design is inspired by Tokyo from the 1960s. If you’re interested in seeing the chefs at work as you eat, you can check out Butagumi’s second branch located in the nearby Roppongi shopping centre. Please check the restaurant’s official website for opening hours as they are quite specific and may change according to the seasons.

2 Shirosaka

The chef at Shirosaka, Chef Hideki Ii, undertook his culinary training in Sydney and went on to work as a chef exclusively for the Japanese UN ambassador in New York. On returning to Japan, Hideki opened Shirosaka and it proudly boasts the title of one of the best fifty restaurants in the entire world. The restaurant has the interior design of a traditional kaiseki restaurant and serves food that is cooked in a personal kappo-ryori style developed by Hideki himself. If you are looking for a gourmet restaurant with a personal twist from the chef, Shirosaka is the place to be. Please check the restaurant’s website for its official opening hours as they may change depending on the day of the week and according to the seasons.

3 Hakkoku

In search of a spot that serves the best of Tokoy’s sushi, head over to Hakkoku. A stone’s throw away from Hibiya Park, Hakkoku promotes the Japanese tradition of letting a chef choose your order, also known as omakase. The menu boasts a long list of 30 individual pieces of sushi (nigri and maki only) and each piece is a culinary masterpiece. Sushi is turned into art by the skillful hands of Chef Hiroyuki Sato. Seating is limited to ten people for lunch and ten people for dinner each day, so be sure to make your reservations in advance! Please check the restaurant’s website for its official opening hours.

4 Sora No Iro

If you prefer dishes suited to your dietary requirements, Sora No Iro offers healthy vegan and vegetarian ramen. Each dish is filled with fresh vegetables and authentic noodles made with the best ingredients. The dishes are beautifully presented and the broth acts as a delicious soup once the vegetables have been consumed. Sora No Iro is very popular with locals and tourists alike, so it can get crowded during the lunch hour. Dinnertime hours tend to be quieter, so plan your visit wisely. Please note that Sora No Iro has several branches, make yourself aware of the branch closest to you and its specific opening hours by visiting the restaurant’s official website.

5 Tsuta

Located in the upscale neighbourhood of Yoyogi-Uehara, Tsuta was the first ramen restaurant in Tokyo to receive a Michelin star. Its ramen bowls contain Japanese staples such as soy sauce, truffle oil, shaved truffle and Japanese pork, depending on which dish you choose from its assorted menu. With balsamic vinegar, clams, salmon and roasted tomatoes bringing an Italian twist to the traditional Japanese ramen bowl, Tsuta designs its dishes so that they break you out of your comfort zone and engage you in an infusion of its Asian and Mediterranean cultural inspirations. Located by the famous Yoyogi Park means the restaurant is another popular destination, so be sure to make your reservations in advance and check the official website for opening and closing times.

6 Nakiryu

Following Tsuta’s Michelin success, Nakiryu followed in its footsteps to become the second ramen restaurant in Tokyo to get a Michelin star. The quality of its food can be tasted in its house special dandanmen, shoyu ramen, shio ramen and rice bowls. The restaurant is so popular that it sometimes runs out of soup or noodles, so book your table in advance, check the website for official opening hours and make sure you get there right on time!

7 Edo Koji

On your way back home, remember to check out the seemingly endless lines of shops at Tokyo’s international Haneda Airport. On one of the airport floors, you will find Edo Koji, an imitation market modelled after a typical street of ancient Japan. The architectural style of the market dates back to the seventeenth century and has excelled at recreating the unique atmosphere and traditions from the Edo period. The red pillars in the imitation market and a tall Edo fortified tower make Edo Koji a thoughtful architectural expression of Japanese craftsmanship. The market boasts a wide variety of restaurants, and after your meal, if you have time to spare before your flight,  you can purchase traditional Japanese goods as well as take pictures in front of the black plaster walls, known as Edo Guro.

Are you ready to treat yourself with a return flight to Tokyo? You can book your tickets here with Cathay Pacific. Our mission is to help you make the most out of your travels. Your journey matters as much to us as it does to you. That’s why we’re here to help you on your way, to make the most of everything that lies ahead. Book your flights to Tokyo today and experience an unforgettable flight and holiday like never before!