They've pulled out all the stops to recreate the feel of an open-air Italian caffe-bar here - barrel tables, chalkboard menus, old advertising posters, grafitti on the walls, Italian hams hanging from the ceiling, with Italian radio providing the soundtrack.

The eight wines by the glass go well with the carpaccio of the day (served with tangy fresh rocket leaves) or the Y1000 cold-cut platter (generous portions of prosciutto, salami and speck). Other choices include grilled meats, antipasti and salads, with huge pints of Belgian Hoegaarden white beer a refreshing alternative to wine. [data]

Ushi-tora is a specialty beer bar that attracts Japanese connoisseurs from all over town with its collection of twenty beers on tap, most of them local microbrews. We recommend the Yona Yona Real Ale, one of three traditional cask-conditioned "real ales" that are hand-pumped.

The small food menu is good and inexpensive, with tasty beer-friendly dishes like deep-fried octopus, fish and chips, spicy fried chicken and shepherd's pie. The atmosphere is quiet and low-key, and service (in Japanese) is friendly and helpful. Beers rotate frequently, so every visit can be a new experience. [data]

The small Spain Bar/ Spain Club chain has hit on a winning formula - good-quality wines by the glass, tasty tapas dishes and a down-to-earth vibe. The daily specials board covers some two dozen choices, and from it we recently enjoyed a big sizzling pot of garlicky sauteed mushrooms and some surprisingly spicy and juicy grilled pork on skewers - a nice match for our Y900 glasses of Rioja Reserva. Spanish travel videos play on the TV in the background. [data]

This tiny, ramshackle hole-in-the-wall is a late-night Shimo-Kitazawa legend, going strong since 1974. The counter tilts at an alarming angle, the space behind the bar is filled with mountains of CDs and shelves of vinyl (many of them 70s UK rock and local Japanese bands), and the seating area is so small that you have to step outside to let other customers in and out. When you order a drink the bartender telephones the similarly dilapidated sister bar just upstairs (Trouble Peach) and they deliver. [data]

The decor here is all earth tones, raw concrete and slabs of wood, with a big tree sitting right in the middle of the floor. Music ranges from reggae to laid-back rock, and the atmosphere is totally chilled-out - people talk in hushed voices, which may be exactly what you need when you stumble in here at 3am. It's "cafe time" from 2-7pm, with coffee and cake. No table charge; no English. [data]

This multi-purpose art space/cafe-bar is way off the beaten track but it draws a crowd of loyal regulars, including personalities from the Tokyo art scene and local hipsters. The incense-hazed CD shop up front is well-stocked in obscure avant-garde music from the past two decades; just past that is a retail corner selling videos, artsy toys, mens' hats and art magazines. In back is a gallery, and in between is a spacious cafe-bar area.

During the day you'll find standard cafe lunches (pastas, curries) served till 6pm, plus gourmet coffees - they roast their own beans once a week. At night there's a bigger cafe food menu plus wide-ranging cocktails (150 kinds of drinks in all); beers include the excellent Edelpils on tap for Y850/pint. The wall of vinyl records spans everything from contemporary classical to obscure folk music, but tends toward the mellow end of the spectrum in the evenings. [data]