Michelin Guide Tokyo: Showcasing some of Japan's Top Flavors

Toriyaki Ohana, Fry-ya, Iruca Tokyo

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added on : August 26, 2024

Tokyo is a global culinary hotspot, consistently boasting the most Michelin-starred restaurants worldwide each year. This reputation makes the Michelin Guide—a trusted authority among travelers and foodies alike—essential reading for its list of top dining spots across Japan’s capital city. Beyond Michelin-starred venues, their guide directory lists a range of other recommended restaurants too, including Bib Gourmand venues that offer some of the best food in Tokyo for a more reasonable price. Explore some recently added Japanese cuisine to see how Tokyo’s gourmet landscape is evolving.

Yakitori meets kaiseki in Ebisu ── Toriyaki Ohana

Toriyaki Ohana offers an exclusive counter-only dining experience in Ebisu where guests can enjoy a fresh meal prepared in front of them. Under the watchful eye of Chef Shintaro Sato, yakitori cooking becomes an art form. With a bamboo fan in hand, he masterfully grills each cut of chicken to perfection, serving them one-by-one straight from the grill. This is kaiseki-style dining, with each dish—20 in all—part of a culinary ensemble that takes the guest on a flavor journey. From the chargrilled chicken thigh, or Tsukune Monaka, to the sushi-esque chicken wrapped with pickled ginger and shiso, each dish is served skewerless, elegantly plated and packed full of flavor thanks to the restaurant’s use of Date-dori brand chicken. Expect a meal here to leave a lasting impression befitting of a Michelin-recognised venue.

Mixed fry in Takadanobaba ── Fry-ya

New to the Michelin Guide in Spring 2024, Fry-ya (lit. ‘Fry House’) takes a novel approach to fried cooking—a beloved food genre in Japan known for everything from tempura to karaage chicken. If you’ve ever found it hard to choose from a delectable menu line-up, Fry-ya solves this by encouraging you to select several dishes at once. Enjoy creating your own ‘mix fry’ and, with Chef Nishiyama at the helm (who has Michelin stars under his belt in both Japan and Switzerland), you would surely be wise to do so.

From succulent sasami chicken to flavor-packed, tender and matured pork tonkatsu, each dish is uniquely and freshly prepared to maximize its taste, using a different combination of oil, breadcrumb variety and even optimum cooking temperature. Enjoy from a teishoku/set menu selection at lunch, or spoil yourself with a full-course dinner experience, with a sommelier-produced wine list and sake.

Ramen in Roppongi ── Iruca Tokyo

Iruca Tokyo in Roppongi has been published in the Michelin Guide since 2023 and is beloved by the local community. The signature Porcini Soy Sauce Ramen is a must-try, featuring a rich broth crafted from a blend of chicken, beef, shrimp, and shellfish. They also offer a tasty Yuzu Salt Ramen, while their truffle-topped creamy rice with egg is also a popular sidedish worth your attention. As a Bib Gourmand restaurant, you can be sure Iruca’s ramen is not just exceptional quality, but that the wider menu is wallet-friendly too. Nestled behind Tokyo Midtown, the store’s newfound popularity may mean you have to queue, so it could be wise to arrive at the store 30 minutes before opening. Iruca offers counter seats and a private room.