Yoyogi-Uehara
Open 9am-10:30pm (LO Sat, Sun 9:30) daily.
If you're in the Uehara neighborhood and have a hankering for craft beer, this taproom run by Swan Lake may be of interest - they offer a handful of beers from Swan Lake plus a few guest taps. Guest...
Open 9am-10:30pm (LO Sat, Sun 9:30) daily.
Open 5pm-midnight (Sat, Sun noon-midnight). Closed Wednesdays.
With its minimalist industrial decor livened up by floral arrangements from the resident flower shop, this small craft-beer counter shares its quarters with gourmet-coffee shop Tomoca Coffee, an...
Open 5pm-midnight (Sat, Sun noon-midnight). Closed Wednesdays.
Open 5pm-midnight. Closed Mondays.
A cozy izakaya located directly in front of Yoyogi-Uehara station, Marche offers a nice selection of seasonal craft sake at very reasonable prices. Sake-friendly dishes like miso-marinated avocado...
Open 5pm-midnight. Closed Mondays.
Open 8am-10pm daily.
The huge breakfast menu here (served all day long) covers everything from buttermilk waffles and brioche french toast to a hefty cornbread plate with chili con carne, smoked bacon, onion soup and...
Open 8am-10pm daily.
Open 11:30am-2am daily.
With its lively, spacious dining room, well-stocked bar and good food, Fireking has established itself as the hub of Uehara nightlife since its opening in 2000. It's busy until late at night with an...
Open 11:30am-2am daily.
Open 5-11pm (to 10:30pm Sat.) (LO). Closed Sundays.
Once known for their amazing sake selection, excellent food, and good prices, Sasagin still offers an amazing sake selection. There's some decent food too, but the menu is hit-and-miss, as is the...
Open 5-11pm (to 10:30pm Sat.) (LO). Closed Sundays.
Open noon-2, 6-11pm. Closed Mondays.
Tokyo's premier Bhutanese restaurant offers an exciting menu of exotic dishes from the mountainous kingdom, most of them incorporating a hefty dose of chili peppers. The national dish of Bhutan is a...
Open noon-2, 6-11pm. Closed Mondays.
Open 11:30am-4, 7-11pm (LO) daily.
In laid-back Yoyogi-Uehara, magazine-reading, designer sneaker-wearing hipsters gather at Dish, a cheerful cafe just a stone's throw from the station. The space has an open, casual feel, decorated...
Open 11:30am-4, 7-11pm (LO) daily.
Open 5:30-11pm (LO). Closed Mondays.
Yuu serves elegant kappo-ryori, the more informal version of kaiseki service, offering both prix-fixe meals (from Y5,500) and a la carte. Gorgeous seasonal vegetables, sourced from small farms in...
Open 5:30-11pm (LO). Closed Mondays.
Open 5:30-11:30pm. Closed Wednesdays.
The grilled chicken here is just about perfect - the wings and the "kashiwa" (chunks of chicken thigh) are especially recommended, and most of the side dishes and non-chicken grilled items are...
Open 5:30-11:30pm. Closed Wednesdays.
Open 11am-10pm (Mon 11-8). Closed Tue, 2nd, 4th Mon.
Mi Choripan proudly serves up "Argentinian Soul Food" - aka overstuffed chorizo-sausage sandwiches seasoned with chimichurri sauce, which are sold from street stalls in Argentina and other parts of...
Open 11am-10pm (Mon 11-8). Closed Tue, 2nd, 4th Mon.
Komaba-Todaimae
Open 10am-8pm daily.
True to its name, this spacious venue is both a cafe and coffee-bean roastery, and its industrial-chic interior is dominated by bean-roasting and coffee-producing equipment. Most impressive is the...
Open 10am-8pm daily.
Open 7am-8pm daily.
With five locations and counting - scattered across some of Tokyo's more fashionable neighborhoods - the Australia-themed Bondi cafes are famous for their sandwiches and their atmosphere more than...
Open 7am-8pm daily.
Higashi-Kitazawa
Open 11am-8:30pm. Closed Sundays.
The Egyptian fare at this tiny deli-style shop is tasty and impressively inexpensive. Well-seasoned mutton and chicken-spinach curries run Y500-600, and come with rice or pita bread. Chicken and...
Open 11am-8:30pm. Closed Sundays.
Open 11am-2:30, 5-9:45pm daily.
There is a ramen shop in Japan called Jiro (not to be confused with the famous sushi shop of a similar name). Jiro features thick, wheaty noodles in a mega-porky soup. Add to that copious amounts...
Open 11am-2:30, 5-9:45pm daily.
Shimo-Kitazawa (south)
Open 11:30am-2:30, 5:30-10:30pm (LO) daily.
A more casual sister shop of the excellent Emilia restaurant in Harajuku, Bar Alimentari Daniela offers inexpensive snacks and drinks as well as Y2000-3600 prix-fixe dinners and a Y4500 three-pasta...
Open 11:30am-2:30, 5:30-10:30pm (LO) daily.
Open 11am-9pm daily.
The "Mixed" pizza at this New York-style pizzeria is piled so high with delicious ingredients that we needed a fork to manage it. Garlic cloves, big chunks of onion, semi-raw green peppers, spicy...
Open 11am-9pm daily.
Open 4-11pm (Sat 2-11, Sun 2-9). Closed Tuesdays.
This Star Wars-themed neighborhood liquor shop stocks a wide selection of over 100 Japanese craft beers, one of the better selections in town. It helps to know what you're looking for though, as...
Open 4-11pm (Sat 2-11, Sun 2-9). Closed Tuesdays.
Open 11:30am-3:30 (LO), 5:30pm-3am daily.
This live music venue also serves lunch and keeps their bar open until 3am.
Open 11:30am-3:30 (LO), 5:30pm-3am daily.
Open 11am-2:30, 6-8:30pm (LO). Closed Tuesdays.
A pioneer of Osaka's thriving spice curry scene, Kyuyamutei produces complex original curries with a diverse mix of ingredients, flavors, textures and colors. Recipes change every month, and the...
Open 11am-2:30, 6-8:30pm (LO). Closed Tuesdays.
Open 6pm-1am. Closed Mondays.
A three-story Okinawan restaurant - the first floor has a noodle-shop atmosphere, with inexpensive Okinawan soba. The second floor is more of a nomiya, with some 50 different types of...
Open 6pm-1am. Closed Mondays.
Open 9am-10pm (Fri, Sat -11pm) daily.
Unlike regular Starbucks branches, this offshoot serves wine and beer along with the usual coffee and dessert drinks, making it a popular evening gathering spot. The atmosphere is very relaxed, with...
Open 9am-10pm (Fri, Sat -11pm) daily.
Open noon-11:30pm (LO) daily.
Among the half dozen or so soup curry shops in Shimo-Kitazawa, Cosmos is one of the most vegetable-focused. Soup curries are loaded with up to twenty different vegetables, along with main...
Open noon-11:30pm (LO) daily.
Open 2pm-5am daily.
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...
Open 2pm-5am daily.
Shimo-Kitazawa (east)
Open 8am-4:30pm (LO) daily.
Disappointingly, they don't serve club sandwiches at Sandwich Club, but they do offer eight or nine other varieties including Tuna-Cheddar, Pork Cheesesteak and an ever-changing daily special. The...
Open 8am-4:30pm (LO) daily.
Open 6pm-3am (LO) daily.
Cheap and cheerful are the bywords at this Osaka-based yakitori chain, with all dishes and drinks priced at Y294. Besides the usual yakitori (the wings are suprisingly good) there are entertaining...
Open 6pm-3am (LO) daily.
Open 11:30am-11pm daily.
This popular spaghetti shop offers both traditional Italian-style noodles and a wide variety of Japanese pastas, featuring ingredients like spicy cod roe, salmon roe, asari clams, natto and Japanese...
Open 11:30am-11pm daily.
Open 11:30am-8:30pm daily.
Curry no Mise Hachigatsu serves a typical range of chicken, pork, shrimp and hamburg steak curries, though they're best known for their voluminous seasonal-vegetable curry. The roux is tasty and...
Open 11:30am-8:30pm daily.
Open 1-9pm (LO). Closed Fridays.
A charming cafe slightly off the main path in Shimokitazawa, Coffea Exlibris specializes in French press and is one of the best serious-coffee options in the area. The small interior is done up in a...
Open 1-9pm (LO). Closed Fridays.
Open noon-11:15pm (LO) daily.
Tucked away in a back alley near Shimo-Kitazawa station, Tag is a pleasantly relaxing spot for an afternoon break. The musical soundtrack is on the mellow side, and tablet computers are supplied on...
Open noon-11:15pm (LO) daily.
Open 5pm-midnight daily.
Good grilled chicken and a decent sake list to go with it have made this casual yakitoriya a neighborhood favorite. The wings are nicely charred and crisp, while skewers of lamb are full-flavored...
Open 5pm-midnight daily.
Open 3-11:30pm daily.
One of Tokyo's pioneering craft-beer bars, Ushitora devotes several taps to their own beers, brewed in Tochigi, along with a good selection of Japanese and imported craft beers - there are 25 taps in...
Open 3-11:30pm daily.
Open 11:30am-2:30, 5:30-10:30pm (LO). Closed Tuesdays, Wednesdays.
The main Sapporo branch of Magic Spice first coined the term "soup curry" in 1994, so the shop has played an important part of the history of this dish. The riotously colorful interior is decked out...
Open 11:30am-2:30, 5:30-10:30pm (LO). Closed Tuesdays, Wednesdays.
Open noon-3am daily.
An extensive vinegar menu is one of Marusan's quirky features: they list several pages of oddly compelling vinegar-based cocktails and soft drinks, and even the food menu has a vinegar soup section...
Open noon-3am daily.
Open 11:30am-9:30pm (LO; Fri, Sat -10:30pm) daily.
Hokkaido venison burger is one of the unusual soup-curry main ingredients here, and it's a tasty change from the usual chicken. Ponipirika also distinguish themselves from the competition with their...
Open 11:30am-9:30pm (LO; Fri, Sat -10:30pm) daily.
Open 6pm-2am (LO; Fri, Sat -4am; Sun -11pm). Closed Wednesdays.
This lively neighborhood bar offers a decent selection of craft beers - both Japanese and imported - from their dozen taps. One unusual feature is that they serve a number of Belgian and other...
Open 6pm-2am (LO; Fri, Sat -4am; Sun -11pm). Closed Wednesdays.
Open 8pm-8am daily.
This tiny, ramshackle hole-in-the-wall is a late-night Shimo-Kitazawa legend, going strong since 1974. The space behind the bar is filled with mountains of CDs and shelves of vinyl (many of them 70s...
Open 8pm-8am daily.
Open 8pm-3am daily.
This tiny basement bar hosts live performances from local jazz musicians a few evenings a week, and plays a wide assortment of jazz CDs and videos the rest of the time.
Open 8pm-3am daily.
Open 11:30am-2:30, 5-7pm. Closed Mondays.
The atmosphere may seem somber, but the carefully constructed vegetarian dishes are first-rate.
Open 11:30am-2:30, 5-7pm. Closed Mondays.
Open 11:30am-2:30, 6-10:30pm (LO) daily.
If you're a cheese fan it's well worth dropping by this casual wine bar just to try their excellent four-cheese platter. The shop offers around a hundred wines by the bottle and twenty by the glass,...
Open 11:30am-2:30, 6-10:30pm (LO) daily.
Open 3pm-midnight. Closed Tuesdays.
The well-chosen selection of twenty craft beers here is accompanied by a very nice food menu, with enticing dishes like stewed pork belly and chicken wings, herb-infused fish and chips, and potato...
Open 3pm-midnight. Closed Tuesdays.
Open 3-11:30pm. Closed Mondays.
This cozy standing-bar branch of the Tochigi craft-beer brewery has fourteen taps, dispensing several of their own beers plus a good assortment of Japanese and imported craft beers. They also have a...
Open 3-11:30pm. Closed Mondays.
Shimo-Kitazawa (west)
Open 11am-8pm daily.
If you don't have the time to hit up one of Costco's suburban locations, reseller Stockmart is the next best thing. With a small fraction of the space of an actual Costco warehouse, they stock some...
Open 11am-8pm daily.
Open 11:30am-midnight daily.
Fashioned after an American roadside diner, Village Vanguard offers diner-style comfort food, including tasty apps like mozarella croquettes and entertaining burger variations such as garlic mushroom...
Open 11:30am-midnight daily.
Open 11am-10pm (Fri, Sat -10:30) daily.
Run by Yokohama's excellent TDM 1874 Brewery, this stylish retail outlet and bar serves as a tasting room for their beers as well as an all-purpose liquor store, with sake and wines for sale in...
Open 11am-10pm (Fri, Sat -10:30) daily.
Open 11am-11pm daily.
Conveniently located in the Shimo-Kitazawa station complex, Schmatz offers an extensive menu of German dishes as well as German craft beers. Lunch is served from 11am-3pm, with a choice of...
Open 11am-11pm daily.
Open 11am-9pm (Sat, Sun 10-9:30) daily.
With its spacious, comfortable lounge area, Cateriam is a pleasant place to relax over tea and scones or a glass of wine. While there are only a few perches, the room is well furnished with...
Open 11am-9pm (Sat, Sun 10-9:30) daily.
Open 11:30am-3, 5-9:30pm (LO). Closed 2nd Wednesday.
The choice of soup base is an important part of the soup-curry experience, and Sama offers a wider selection than most, with umami-rich bases like coconut, shrimp, and shrimp-soy milk as well as the...
Open 11:30am-3, 5-9:30pm (LO). Closed 2nd Wednesday.
Open noon-6:30pm (LO; Sat Sun 11am-7:30pm). Closed Tuesdays.
Open noon-6:30pm (LO; Sat Sun 11am-7:30pm). Closed Tuesdays.
Open 11am-8pm daily.
A spacious, high-ceilinged bakery-cafe in the midst of Shimo-Kitazawa's young-fashion shopping district. The menu includes casual dishes like shrimp and avocado salad with French toast and cream...
Open 11am-8pm daily.
Open 8am-6:30pm (LO) daily.
Located on a quiet backstreet in the middle of Shimo-Kitazawa's bohemian shopping zone, Look Up is a relaxing spot for a mid-day coffee break. They serve both drip coffee and espresso drinks, with...
Open 8am-6:30pm (LO) daily.
Open 5-11:30pm daily.
Va Bene's casual ground-floor bar is a convivial spot to enjoy some scrumptious meaty snacks along with a glass of wine or two. The assorted appetizer plate (Y980) is a perfect match for a robust...
Open 5-11:30pm daily.
Open 6pm-midnight. Closed Mondays.
Craft beer to go is the selling point at this tiny neighborhood bar. They've got eighteen taps dispensing a nicely varied selection of Japanese craft beers, including some rarities, and you can...
Open 6pm-midnight. Closed Mondays.
Open 11am-10pm (LO) daily.
This bustling branch of one of Hokkaido's most famous soup curry shops offers appetizing curries like habanero pepper, lamb, ravioli, smoked bacon with cabbage, and 14-vegetable. Curries are built...
Open 11am-10pm (LO) daily.
Open 9am-7:30pm (LO) daily.
Treat yourself to a coffee adventure at the tastefully minimalist Ogawa Coffee Laboratory, where you can select any of 19 different single-origin beans and blends. The theme of the shop is...
Open 9am-7:30pm (LO) daily.
Open 6-10pm (LO). Closed Sun, Mon, Tue, Thu.
Without a doubt one of Tokyo's best Mexican restaurants, the festively decorated Tepito offers a wide menu of regional dishes and Mexican standards prepared south-of-the-border style. Mexican wines...
Open 6-10pm (LO). Closed Sun, Mon, Tue, Thu.
Open 11:30am-3, 5:30-10pm (LO) daily.
Samurai offers some of the most customizable soup curries in town with their "Samurai Matsuri" bowls, which let you choose three or four main ingredients from the thirty or so options available on...
Open 11:30am-3, 5:30-10pm (LO) daily.
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