Ranking
An editorial ranking of restaurants, cafés and bars: grades from A+ to F, price range, and the Tabelog score where one exists.
Places ranked: 2,446
Aichi Prefecture · Fine Dining
Amaki (あま木) is an 11-seat sushi counter in Nishiki, Nagoya, on the 18th floor of the Nagoya Kanko Hotel. Its omakase runs to about 30 tsumami and nigiri, at a price reviewers call fair next to Tokyo.
Book months aheadView details
Tokyo · Fine Dining
Experience a kaiseki meal informed by the Japanese tea ceremony at this intimate 8-seat counter in Higashi-Azabu. Chef Ishida stages each course as part of a seasonal story, culminating in a dramatic multi-part rice service.
Book days aheadView details
Hokkaido · Fine Dining
An intimate, four-seat Italian restaurant in a quiet Hakodate suburb, serving a single omakase menu. It's a destination for its masterful transformation of premium Hokkaido seafood, like Ezo abalone, into refined Italian dishes.
Book months aheadView details
Kanagawa · Wine Bar
A reservation-only wine salon in a traditional Kamakura house, Hekireki pairs an encyclopaedic wine list with creative small plates. It's a destination for wine lovers seeking rare Japanese labels and chef-driven cuisine in a tranquil garden setting.
Book months aheadView details
Tokyo · Fine Dining
A highly-regarded yakitori counter in Minamiaoyama, serving a chicken-focused omakase praised for its precise charcoal grilling and signature quail dishes. Booking is notoriously difficult, but it's a destination for connoisseurs.
Book months aheadView details
Aichi Prefecture · Fine Dining
A course-only Italian restaurant in Chiyoda, Nagoya, on the 1st floor of the Green Heights Tsurumai Koen building. It cooks Aichi and Mie produce with Japanese technique and is known for its truffle gelato.
Book months aheadView details
Osaka · Fine Dining
In Osaka's Sonezakishinchi district, NH offers a theatrical modern French dining experience at an intimate 10-seat counter. It is a destination for its signature aged duck and meticulously crafted Franco-Japanese tasting menus.
Book months aheadView details
Hiroshima · Fine Dining
An intimate counter kaiseki in Hiroshima, where chef Nakashima prepares exquisite seasonal dishes from Setouchi seafood and local produce. It's a destination for diners seeking a personal, high-craft experience with a focus on exceptional…
Book months aheadView details
Fukuoka · Fine Dining
In Kitakyushu's Uomachi district, Bekk offers a refined tasting menu of modern Italian cuisine. The chef reimagines local Kyushu produce with precision, served in an intimate counter setting. Strictly by reservation.
Book months aheadView details
Tokyo · Fine Dining
An eight-seat counter in Akasaka serving a refined omakase experience. The restaurant is celebrated for its signature karasumi soba and intensely flavourful dashi, making it a destination for connoisseurs of Japanese cuisine.
Book months aheadView details
Kyoto · Fine Dining
An inventive Japanese restaurant in a standalone house in Kyoto's Sakyo ward. Kenya (研野) is a destination for its theatrical dining experience, complete with musical pairings and a signature char siu dish that fuses Japanese and Chinese techniques.
Book months aheadView details
Aichi Prefecture · Steakhouse
A celebrated steakhouse in Nagoya's Showa ward, famed for its theatrical presentation of a whole Matsusaka beef chateaubriand. A pilgrimage for meat lovers seeking a unique, high-end dining ritual.
Book months aheadView details
Tokyo · Bistro
A tiny, husband-and-wife French restaurant in Tomioka, celebrated for its masterful sauces and creative dishes. It's a destination for serious diners who can navigate the notoriously difficult reservation process.
Book months aheadView details
Osaka · Fine Dining
In Osaka's Sonezakishinchi district, Kahala is the personal culinary theatre of Chef Mori. This intimate, 8-seat counter serves a unique omakase that blends Japanese, Western, and other global techniques.
Book months aheadView details
Tokyo · Fine Dining
An acclaimed eight-seat sushi counter in Minamiaoyama, known for its masterful omakase course. Takumi Shingo is a destination for connoisseurs seeking a classic sushisho experience with expertly aged fish and generous sake pairings.
Book months aheadView details
Tokyo · Fine Dining
In Tokyo's Jingumae district, Higuchi offers a singular omakase experience focused on masterful charcoal grilling and exquisite seasonal ingredients. It's a destination for connoisseurs seeking one of the city's most refined kappo meals.
Book months aheadView details
Tokyo · Fine Dining
An intimate, eight-seat counter in Minamiaoyama serving a top-tier Edo-mae omakase experience. Sushi Masuda is celebrated for its exceptionally sharp and well-textured shari (sushi rice), making it a destination for connoisseurs.
Book months aheadView details
Kyoto · Fine Dining
A highly-regarded kaiseki restaurant in Kyoto's Higashiyama district, known for its charcoal-fired cooking, aged beef, and elaborate rice and soba finales. Guests come for the theatrical presentation on antique ceramics and the exceptional value.
Book months aheadView details
Shizuoka · Fine Dining
A destination unagi restaurant in Hamamatsu, Shizuoka, renowned for its live charcoal grilling and singular focus on eel. Guests travel here for the exceptional texture and flavour, prepared as a counter-front spectacle.
Book months aheadView details
Tokyo · Fine Dining
A top-tier sushi counter in Higashiyama from a protégé of the legendary Saito. Go for the precisely timed nigiri, where the rice temperature is tuned to each seasonal topping, especially the standout red uni.
Book months aheadView details
