Tokyo · Japan

The Tokyo food cheat sheet

One page from Chef Amazing · November 2026

The dish to eat

A thick pork cutlet in light panko, deep-fried until crisp and juicy, with shredded cabbage, rice, miso soup and tonkatsu sauce.

Best at Tonki, Meguro. Get: Rosu katsu (loin) set at the counter

Onigiri Bongocounter · Otsuka (Kita-Otsuka, Toshima)
Get: Any of 50+ fillings; classics like pickled plum or salmon, or odd ones like bacon and cheese
Fuku Sobainstitution · Ningyocho, Chuo
Get: Tempura soba with a crisp fritter disc (about 610 yen)
Aidayacounter · Ueno
Get: Tsukemen with pork, shrimp, garlic or tantan broth; add smoked ham and a soft egg; wagyu sirloin over rice
Sushi Unitorafor edomae sushi · Tsukiji
Get: Pick-and-choose nigiri, sea urchin in season
Sobakiri Mimakifor tempura soba · Akasaka
Get: Soba set with shrimp and vegetable tempura

Wholesale market complex. Seafood, sushi, produce

FuunjiShinjuku

Get: Tsukemen (dipping ramen) in a fish and chicken broth

Expect: 30 to 60 min. Beat it: Go mid-afternoon.

Matsutake mushroom and shinmai (new rice)

Tip: Never tip; it can embarrass people. Some upscale places add a service charge.

Book: Book sushi counters and kaiseki weeks to months out (often through your hotel); ramen and izakaya are walk-in, so line up.

When locals eat: Lunch 11:30am-2pm is the deal; dinner 6-9pm, many kitchens close early.