10 Foodie Favorites (Tokyo, Osaka, Kyoto)
The post you’ve been waiting for! Let’s talk FOOD! Below I’ll detail our favorite spots by city. But first, a couple of notes about eating in Japan:
1) If you can make a reservation, do make a reservation (there were a few places we wanted to eat that were already booked out — even for lunch).
2) Budget time to wait in lines. Most restaurants are small and have a queue. If it’s a really popular place and they don’t take reservations, try to get in line right when they open.
3) Consider making breakfast at “home” or grabbing something from the convenience store. Not a lot is open before 10 AM, most breakfasts are "Western style” (i.e. avocado toast), and I can’t think of a time we didn’t wait in line for breakfast. Plus, Family Mart, Lawsons, and 7/11 actually have some good options. So, give the “conbini” life a try if you’re in a hurry!
5 TOKYO FAVES
1) Misojyu (Asakusa)
This was our favorite breakfast spot, which we returned to again and again. It was walking distance from our hotel and had a set menu of miso soup, your choice of onigiri (rice ball), soft boiled egg, and tea, and only cost about $5 per person.
2) Shutoku Ganzo (Tsujiki Market)
You wouldn’t find this tiny alley in the Tsujiki Outer Market unless you were looking for it. It’s an omakase style sushi bar where the chef crafts each piece of nigiri in front of you. It basically ruined us for sushi forever.
They only have 10 seats and don’t take reservations. We got there around 12:10 — cutting it close for their second lunch seating around 12:30 (others who arrived behind us were turned away. If this happens to you, they do have other locations nearby, though less intimate).
Our meal lasted about 1.25 hours and cost 6,500 yen per person (~$42) for 10 pieces of the freshest seafood — including uni and otoro — we have ever eaten. Plus, a miso soup course and hot green tea.
There are TONS of fancy sushi spots in Tokyo, sporting multiple Michelin stars, and charging in the hundreds per person. They book out months in advance and probably offer complex flavor combos and beautiful plating. That was not the vibe at Shutoku Gonzo.
Instead, it was unassuming, casual, and straightforward — a small bar inside a small alleyway, under a tarp. Simple set up: just two guys. Not trying too hard to impress, but letting the quality of the food speak for itself (which it did!). Highly recommend!
3) Aoyama Flower Market Tea House (Akasaka)
I found this super cozy Flower Market and Tea House through YouTuber @AllanSu and tagged it as a potential spot to take my mother-in-law for Mother’s Day. I had no idea it’d be in the most adorable, London-esque / Harry Potter neighborhood, or that they’d have really tasty food as well as tea! Everything we ordered here was amazing!
4) Ramen Nagi (Shibuya)
This spot on our Tokyo Ramen tour had the most unusual/unique/funky ramen flavors, including squid ink and pesto. Check it out if you’re in the neighborhood!
5) PST Pizza (Higashiazabu)
Authentic Italian pizza, listed in the Michelin Guide Bib Gourmand. Pricey, but delish and worth it! Line up early if you want a seat.
P.S. we saw Justin and Hailey Bieber here. LOL.
3 OSAKA FAVES
1) YumeTori
We LOVED this cozy Korean-owned bar for yakitori (skewers). On our first visit, we ordered as we went — three rounds of food — to sample the menu. By our second visit, we knew our faves: the chicken hearts, chicken with leeks, kimchi, and shishito peppers. Their plum wine with yuzu was the best of our whole trip as well. The staff was welcoming and the grand total only came out to about 6500 yen (~$40). Cash only.
2) Ajinoya Okonomiyaki
This Bib Gourmand spot prepares one of Osaka’s signature dishes: Okonomiyaki, table-side! And wow! We loved it!
We were also lucky to get there before the queue stretched all the way down the stairs.
Osaka’s version of okonomiyaki is essentially a cabbage omelet with a sweet BBQ sauce (we added the egg on top). Do as we did: get an “Ajinoya’s Mix” okonomiyaki (loaded with squid, octopus, pork, and shrimp) and the “Ajinoya Homemade Stewed Beef Tendons.” Both were piping hot and delicious! We got some fun pickled veggies on the side too. A+ all around! It was the perfect amount for us to split, being our first meal of the day, but if you’re very hungry, you’ll want to order more.
3) Off the Beaten Path Osaka Local Bar Crawl
As I detailed in a previous post, this sake tour on Airbnb Experiences was incredible! Easily the most fun we’ve ever had on a food/drink tour! Taka took us to three super local spots, where he ordered various small plates of food, beer, and sake for the table and curated the whole experience.
He was a master at facilitating the group with his hilarious stories. It was the best thing we did in Osaka. Just book it. You won’t be disappointed.
P.S. Don’t plan anything too early the next morning. Taka offered to drop us all at a karaoke bar at the end, which would have been so fun, but most of us had early-morning trains to catch :(
2 KYOTO FAVES
1) OU MASA
We didn’t even mean to eat here (the other place we were trying to go for lunch was fully booked), but it ended up being one of my favorite meals of our whole trip!
We knew what we were ordering. But in a much more real way…we had no idea what we were ordering.
HOW MUCH, that is. A FEAST! Wow, I still can’t believe it! (Neither could our server.) #NoRegrets.
The tempura veggies were so good dipped in that sauce! The sashimi melted in your mouth! The little fried things were scallops! The soup! The tea! Sitting cross-legged on the tatami mats — it was an unforgettable experience! And so affordable! A full tray of food ranged from $6 - $12.
2) Chivanty Tea House
This place was posh and pricey by comparison, but so cozy for breakfast/tea. Mmmmm.
The quiche and scones were super yummy and we sat on cushions by windows overlooking the water. Loved it.
BONUS: Taiyaki
This is not specific to any one location, but a general food observation: of all the sweet treats we tried out and about, our favorite was the taiyaki.
It’s batter in a fish shape, filled with red bean paste. The paste is sweet, with a thick texture kind of like apple butter (but more of a neutral flavor, IMO). And the whole thing is hot, oozing butter, kinda like a stuffed pancake — but also not. You’ll just have to go to Japan and try one for yourself! :)
Stay tuned for my next post about our favorite coffee shops!
