When visiting Tokyo, you might wonder what local foods you should definitely try.
Tokyo offers many tasty dishes, from warming bowls of ramen and crispy tempura-topped tendon, to delicious sushi and mouthwatering Wagyu beef.
This guide shares 10 local favorites that you’ll easily find in Tokyo.
I hope this helps you discover something delicious and enjoy your time exploring Tokyo’s food scene! 😊
1. Ramen
Ramen is a famous noodle soup in Tokyo. It has chewy noodles in tasty broth, topped with ingredients like pork slices, green onions, seaweed, and boiled eggs. It’s affordable and easy to find.
Tokyo offers different types of ramen. Shoyu ramen is Tokyo’s traditional style, with a clear chicken or pork broth seasoned with soy sauce. Shio ramen has a lighter, salt-based broth that’s mild and easy to eat.
Miso ramen uses a thicker broth made from soybean paste and has a richer taste. Tonkotsu ramen has a creamy broth made by boiling pork bones for hours.
Chicken Paitan ramen is similar but uses chicken for a smooth and creamy broth without pork. Lastly, Tsukemen is a style where noodles come separately, and you dip them in a stronger, flavorful broth.
Eat your ramen as soon as it’s served, while it’s hot. Taste the broth first before adding anything extra, so you can enjoy the original flavor.
Recommended Ramen Shops in Tokyo
a. Famous and Popular Shops
- Ginza Kagari Honten: Hidden gem famous for its creamy chicken ramen. They add tasty toppings like truffle oil. They have an English menu, making ordering easy.
- Ichiran: Famous for its rich pork broth ramen. You eat in individual booths, so it’s private and comfortable. You can also customize your ramen exactly how you like it.
- Ippudo: Popular for creamy, pork-based Hakata ramen. It’s well-known, friendly to visitors, and feels welcoming even if you’re new to ramen.
b. Unique and Bold Flavors
- Fuunji: Famous for its thick, creamy chicken-based tsukemen broth. Their chewy noodles are legendary.
- Afuri: Offers ramen with a refreshing, citrus-flavored broth. Their specialty is yuzu-shio ramen, which is lighter and less heavy than other types.
- Niboshi Ramen Nagi: Located in Shinjuku’s Golden Gai area. They specialize in strong-flavored ramen made from dried sardines. It’s bold, tasty, and open 24 hours.
- MenShō Taketora: Known for flavorful broth and handmade noodles. They combine chicken and pork to create a tasty, balanced soup.
c. Hearty and Filling Bowls
- Hakata Tenjin Ramen: Serves creamy pork-based Hakata-style ramen. It comes with thin noodles and tasty toppings like pickled ginger.
- Ramen Jiro: Known for huge bowls of ramen with a thick and fatty broth. It’s great if you’re feeling very hungry.
2. Tendon
Tendon is a rice bowl topped with crispy tempura, which is seafood or vegetables dipped in batter and deep-fried. The dish is served with a tasty soy-based sauce drizzled on top.
Common seafood ingredients include shrimp, eel, white fish, squid, or anago, which is a type of saltwater eel popular in Tokyo.
For vegetables, you’ll usually find sweet potato, pumpkin, green beans, eggplant, lotus root, or mixed veggie fritters called kakiage.
To fully enjoy tendon, eat it right after it’s served so the tempura stays hot and crunchy.
Hold the bowl close to you and use chopsticks to eat both the rice and tempura together.
Your tendon usually comes with a bowl of miso soup and some pickles, which you can enjoy alongside the main dish.
Best Places to Try Tendon in Tokyo
- Tendon Tenya: A budget-friendly chain with many branches across Tokyo. It’s popular for convenience, fast service, and English menus.
- Kaneko Hannosuke (Nihonbashi): Famous for authentic Tokyo-style tendon with generous portions and quick service. It’s very popular, so you might have to line up.
- Tempura Daikokuya (Asakusa): Historic shop (since 1887), known for tempura fried in sesame oil with a rich, flavorful sauce, giving a softer texture.
3. Gyudon
Gyudon is a popular Japanese beef bowl dish. It’s made with thin slices of beef and onions cooked together in a slightly sweet sauce.
The sauce is usually made with soy sauce, sugar, mirin (a sweet rice wine), and a broth called dashi. Everything is served on top of a bowl of hot steamed rice.
You can add toppings like pickled red ginger, green onions, or even cheese, depending on where you eat.
Many people also like to add a raw or lightly cooked egg for extra taste.
Gyudon shops sometimes offer side dishes like miso soup or kimchi.
It’s a tasty, quick, and affordable meal, perfect when you’re traveling around Tokyo.
Popular Gyudon Shops in Tokyo
- Matsuya: Offers a free bowl of miso soup with your gyudon. Ordering is simple, often using vending machines with English menus.
- Yoshinoya: The original gyudon shop dating back to 1899. Known for quick, tasty, and affordable bowls. You’ll easily spot their orange signs all over Tokyo.
- Sukiya: Japan’s largest gyudon chain, famous for letting you customize your bowl with extra toppings like cheese, kimchi, or eggs.
4. Sushi
In Tokyo, sushi usually refers to Edomae sushi, simple rice topped with fresh seafood.
It began 200 years ago as a quick snack in old Tokyo, called Edo. Today, the most common type is nigiri, bite-sized rice topped with fish or seafood.
Tokyo offers different kinds of sushi restaurants.
Kaitenzushi shops have sushi plates moving on a conveyor belt; they’re casual, affordable, and easy to order from.
Standing sushi bars near train stations are quick and cheap, but you’ll eat standing up.
Sushi chains are found throughout Tokyo, offering good quality sushi at reasonable prices.
For something special, try omakase restaurants. Here, the chef chooses premium sushi dishes for you, but they can be expensive, and reservations are usually needed.
When dipping sushi into soy sauce, lightly dip the fish side, not the rice, to prevent it from breaking apart.
Popular Sushi Shops in Tokyo
a. Budget and Casual Sushi
- Uobei Shibuya Dogenzaka Store: Modern, affordable sushi with touchscreen orders delivered by mini conveyor trains, popular with travelers.
- Uogashi Nihonichi (Shinjuku): A standing sushi bar near Shinjuku Station. Chefs make fresh sushi right in front of you. Prices are affordable, and service is quick.
- Sushi Zanmai: Popular 24-hour sushi chain, famous for quality tuna and lively atmosphere.
b. Conveyor-Belt Sushi
- Sushi no Midori: A conveyor-belt sushi chain serving fresh, good-quality sushi at fair prices. It’s often busy, so be prepared for a line.
- Mawashizushi Katsu (Seibu Shibuya): Located on the 8th floor of Seibu Shibuya department store. It’s a conveyor-belt sushi restaurant offering many sushi choices, including some higher-quality options, in a relaxed and lively setting.
c. Famous and High-End Sushi
- Sushi Dai (Toyosu Market): Fresh sushi breakfast sets at good prices, long queues starting early morning.
- Sukiyabashi Jiro (Ginza): Famous, exclusive sushi restaurant from the documentary “Jiro Dreams of Sushi”, extremely pricey and very difficult to book.
5. Curry Rice
Curry rice, known locally as “kare raisu”, is a favorite comfort food in Japan. It’s a simple dish of rice served with a thick, mild curry sauce.
Typically, the curry has meat like pork, chicken, or beef, plus vegetables such as potatoes, carrots, and onions.
Japanese curry tastes mild and a bit sweet, so it’s easy to enjoy even if you usually don’t eat spicy foods.
It often comes with crunchy pickled vegetables called “fukujinzuke”, which add extra flavor.
You’ll find different versions to try in Tokyo. One popular choice is katsu curry, where the curry rice is topped with crispy fried pork or chicken cutlet, making it filling and satisfying.
Another variation is soup curry, originally from Hokkaido, which has a thinner curry broth served separately from the rice.
There’s also dry curry, which is like curried fried rice and is flavorful without being saucy.
Top Places to Eat Curry Rice in Tokyo
- CoCo Ichibanya: Famous curry chain across Tokyo, lets you customize spice levels and toppings exactly how you like it.
- Go! Go! Curry: Specializes in Kanazawa-style curry, thick sauce served with a large pork cutlet and shredded cabbage.
- Curry Bondy (Jimbocho): Serves rich curry, unique for giving you boiled potatoes as a starter and interesting toppings like raisins and coconut flakes.
6. Unagi
Unagi is freshwater eel grilled with a sweet soy sauce.
It’s usually served on rice, either in a bowl called unadon or in a box called unaju, often sprinkled with a spice called sansho.
Unagi tastes sweet, savory, and slightly smoky. In Japan, people often eat it during hot summer days because it’s said to give you extra energy.
Recommended Unagi Restaurants in Tokyo
- Unatoto: Affordable and convenient restaurant known for tasty grilled eel bowls at reasonable prices.
- Kabuto (Shinjuku): Small, simple shop known for grilling every part of the eel, offering a unique experience.
- Izuei Honten (Ueno): Historic shop with over 200 years of tradition serving classic eel dishes.
- Tsukiji Miyagawa Honten (Shinjuku): Famous since 1893, serves quality unagi in a comfortable setting with English menus.
- Unazen (Sumida, near Tokyo Skytree): Small family-run restaurant serving freshly grilled eel made to order. Expect a calm atmosphere and high-quality unagi.
7. Tonkatsu
Tonkatsu is a crispy, deep-fried pork cutlet covered in crunchy breadcrumbs.
It’s a popular comfort food in Tokyo, first made about 100 years ago as a Japanese version of Western pork cutlets.
There are two main types of tonkatsu you can try.
Rosu is pork loin and has some fat, making it juicy and tender. Hire is pork fillet, leaner and softer, perfect if you prefer something lighter.
To enjoy tonkatsu, dip each piece into the sweet and savory tonkatsu sauce or pour the sauce on top.
Your meal usually comes with rice, miso soup, pickles, and shredded cabbage.
Many restaurants offer free refills of cabbage and sometimes rice, so feel free to ask for more.
Recommended Tonkatsu Restaurants in Tokyo
- Tonkatsu Maisen (Aoyama): Famous for soft and juicy kurobuta pork; located in a unique former bathhouse with historic charm.
- Tonki (Meguro): Classic and simple, around since 1939. Watch chefs cook at an open kitchen; menu limited to rosu or hire cuts, with free cabbage refills.
- Butagumi (Nishi-Azabu): Offers a premium experience with over 20 different pork breeds. Great for tasting and comparing different flavors in a cozy setting.
- Ginza Katsukami (Ginza): Offers a tasting-menu style with rare cuts and chef-paired condiments like truffle salt.
- Imakatsu (Roppongi): Conveniently located near Roppongi Station. Famous for both pork and chicken cutlets, especially its tender chicken fillet katsu. Meals come with free refills of rice and cabbage salad, so you’ll leave satisfied.
8. Yakitori
Yakitori is grilled chicken served on bamboo skewers and cooked over charcoal.
You’ll find different parts of the chicken, like breast and thigh, as well as more adventurous options like heart, liver, or skin.
Each skewer is simply seasoned with either salt or a sweet soy glaze called tare, bringing out the chicken’s natural flavors.
Yakitori places in Tokyo are usually relaxed and cozy, often tucked away in small alleys or beneath train tracks.
The atmosphere is casual, making it an ideal spot to unwind after a day exploring the city.
When enjoying yakitori, beer is a popular drink choice. Brands like Asahi or Sapporo pair perfectly with the smoky flavors.
You could also try sake or shochu, traditional Japanese drinks that go well with grilled chicken.
Best Places for Yakitori
- Torikizoku: Popular and budget-friendly yakitori chain. They serve affordable, tasty skewers in a lively atmosphere, with a simple fixed-price menu.
- Omoide Yokocho (Shinjuku): An iconic alley packed with small, lively yakitori stalls offering an authentic Tokyo experience.
- Yakitori Alley (Yurakucho): Located under train tracks, ideal for mingling with locals over affordable yakitori.
- Bird Land (Ginza): Upscale yakitori restaurant serving high-quality chicken in a modern setting, great for a special meal.
9. Wagyu Beef
Wagyu simply means “Japanese beef”, and it’s famous around the world for its juicy, tender meat.
The secret behind Wagyu’s delicious taste is its marbling. These fine layers of fat running through the beef give it a soft texture and rich, buttery flavor.
In Tokyo, restaurants usually serve high-quality Wagyu. You’ll often see it marked as “A5”, which is the highest grade and guarantees exceptional taste.
The most common Wagyu you’ll find is called Japanese Black (or Kuroge). It’s known for its intense marbling and melt-in-your-mouth texture.
You might have also heard of Kobe beef, a famous type of Wagyu from Kobe city. Kobe beef is carefully produced and has a tender, flavorful taste.
Matsusaka beef is another top-grade Wagyu, known for beautiful marbling and extreme tenderness.
Lastly, Omi beef from Shiga is one of the oldest Wagyu brands in Japan. It’s famous for its softness and well-balanced flavor.
How to Enjoy Wagyu in Tokyo
- Yakiniku (Grilled BBQ): Grill thin Wagyu slices yourself at the table, briefly cooking each side, then dip in sauce or salt.
- Sukiyaki: Thin Wagyu slices simmered in sweet soy broth, eaten after dipping in raw egg (safe and delicious).
- Shabu-Shabu: Swish thin slices quickly in hot broth, dip in citrus or sesame sauce.
- Gyukatsu: Breaded and quickly fried Wagyu cutlet, served rare; finish cooking on a hot stone yourself.
- Teppanyaki or Steak: Chef expertly grills Wagyu in front of you, served simply to highlight its natural flavor.
Popular Wagyu Restaurants in Tokyo
a. Classic Wagyu Experiences
- Ningyocho Imahan (Sukiyaki): A famous and traditional spot. You cook thin slices of Wagyu beef in a sweet soy broth at your table.
- Ginza Ukai-Tei (Teppanyaki): A high-end restaurant with a Michelin star. The chef cooks Wagyu steak on a hot griddle in front of you.
b. Casual and Affordable Wagyu
- Oreno Yakiniku (Ginza): Specializes in top-quality A5 Wagyu. You can taste different cuts from their menu, which features beef from the entire cow. Good quality at reasonable prices.
- Rokkasen Otakibashi (Shinjuku): Known for high-quality, all-you-can-eat Wagyu yakiniku and hotpot.
- Ushihachi: Affordable yakiniku chain with good-quality Wagyu; casual, great for beginners.
c. Quick and Unique Wagyu
- Gyukatsu Motomura: Known for Wagyu beef cutlets served rare. You finish cooking each slice on a hot stone right at your table.
- Roast Beef Ohno (Akihabara & Harajuku): Famous for delicious Wagyu roast beef bowls. The beef is slow-cooked, juicy, and soft. You can choose from several tasty sauces. A casual, tasty option.
10. Udon
Udon is a popular Japanese noodle dish. It has thick, chewy noodles made from wheat flour.
Most of the time, udon noodles are served hot in a tasty broth, usually flavored with fish stock and soy sauce.
In Tokyo, this broth is darker and slightly stronger in taste compared to other regions in Japan.
There are many tasty ways to enjoy udon. Kake udon is the simplest type, with noodles served in hot broth and topped with chopped green onions.
Kitsune udon includes sweet, fried tofu on top. Tempura udon features crispy shrimp or vegetable tempura placed on the noodles.
Curry udon is mixed with a mild and flavorful Japanese curry sauce.
When the weather is hot, you might prefer zaru udon, which is served cold with a dipping sauce on the side.
Top Udon Restaurants in Tokyo
- Sato Yosuke Ginza Inaniwa Udon: Known for thin, smooth noodles called Inaniwa udon from Akita. They offer cold dipping noodles and seasonal specialties.
- Udon Shin (Shinjuku): Known for the creamy carbonara udon. It’s trendy and often crowded.
- Udon Maruka (Kanda): Famous for its Sanuki-style handmade noodles and juicy chicken tempura. It’s small so lines are common during lunch.
- Godaime Hanayama Udon (Ginza): Specializes in wide, silky Himokawa noodles that are Instagram-famous.
- Oniyanma: Quick, affordable, stand-up udon shops around Tokyo. Popular choices include pork belly or chicken tempura udon.
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