Tokyo Restaurant Recs
By YiPin Wu, (University of Tokyo, Japan)
As a foodie, ofc I’m not missing out the food in Japan. Sushi, Curry, Ramen… These are the spots I kept going back to, and the ones I’ll miss when I leave.
202 Curry (202カレー道)
This is probably the place I’ve visited most since being in Tokyo:)
This is probably the place I’ve visited most since arriving in Tokyo. It’s “soup curry”, a style of curry that originated in Hokkaido, thinner and more broth-like than regular curry, but packed with spice and flavour. I’ve tried quite a few soup curry places across Japan, including up in Hokkaido itself, and this one is still my favourite. You pick your base curry, spice level, rice amount, and toppings. And don’t skip the desserts. The matcha pudding and Basque cheesecake are both banging.
Note: it’s on the second floor of a supermarket just near Shimokitazawa station and easy to miss.
Midori Sushi (寿司の美登利)
There are thousands of sushi places in Tokyo, but this one is the best because the quality and portion sizes are genuinely good for the price. I always go for the big prawn sushi, raw squid, and stewed fish!! But if raw fish isn’t your thing, they also do meat sushi (like beef) and grilled options. There’s almost always a queue during dining hours, so I’d recommend going for a late lunch or early dinner. Alternatively, grab a waiting ticket from the machine at the entrance and go shopping while you wait.
Steak Rice & Curry Restaurant センタービーフ
A bit of a hidden gem. There are a few branches dotted around Tokyo and some have mixed reviews online, but the one in Shibuya has been great every time I’ve been. The beef is tender and the bowl is fully customisable (normal rice, garlic rice, salad rice, and so on). It’s quick, filling, and really good value.
Kougan Ken (光が丘軒)
Kougan Ken does classic Japanese-style western food (yoshoku), and you must try their omurice! I’ve been twice. The first time, I was genuinely shocked by how well everything came together. It’s tomato fried rice at the base, a beef burger patty on top, and a soft, jiggly omelette draped over everything. Sounds like a lot, but somehow the combination just works pretty well. The portions are on the smaller side and it takes a while to make tho. It opens at 11:30, but when I showed up at 10:45 on weekend I was already third in the queue.