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
Kanagawa · Fine Dining
Experience the inventive, acid-forward cuisine of a Dutch three-star chef on the 46th floor in Yokohama. SMAAK pairs Japanese ingredients with Nordic technique in creative tasting menus, all set against panoramic harbour views.
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Tokyo · Fine Dining
An intimate, husband-and-wife-run kaiseki restaurant in Akasaka. It's known for its delicate, Kyoto-style treatment of seasonal seafood and vegetables, served in a tiny space with just four counter seats and two tables.
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Tokyo · Fine Dining
In Tokyo's Hiroo district, Melograno is a high-end Italian restaurant celebrated for its open kitchen and creative use of seasonal Japanese produce. It's a top choice for a special occasion, centred on chef Yuji Goto's signature truffle tarte Tatin…
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Hyōgo · Fine Dining
In Sanda, Hyogo, this family-run restaurant offers a destination kaiseki experience. A father-son duo presents a seasonal omakase menu focused on local Tanba produce and Akashi seafood, complemented by unique sake and wine pairings.
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Nagano · Casual Dining
A one-chef restaurant in Ina, Nagano, where southwest Chinese cooking meets the wild ingredients of the Ina Valley. Go for the signature tasting menu that showcases local produce with refined, personal technique.
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Tokyo · Bakery
An artisan bakery in Setagaya celebrated for its complex loaves made with house-cultured natural leavens and on-site milled ancient grains. Expect long queues for their signature fruit-and-nut breads, which are sold by weight.
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Tokyo · Casual Dining
A celebrated yakiniku restaurant in Asagaya, Suginami, known for its multi-course menus centered on premium chateaubriand. Staff grill every cut for you, making it a destination for a high-end wagyu experience.
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Kagawa · Casual Dining
Experience a distinctive style of udon in Takamatsu, Kagawa, the heartland of Japanese noodles. Oudon Setobare is celebrated for its uniquely soft yet chewy noodles and large, freshly fried tempura, served in a modern house-restaurant setting.
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Tokyo · Casual Dining
A reservation-only curry restaurant in Kyodo serving a single, weekly-changing thali. Known for its inventive regional themes, precise spicing, and a competitive reservation system that makes it a prized destination for spice lovers.
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Tokyo · Fine Dining
Chef Kinya Komoda reinterprets Sichuan cuisine with premium Japanese seafood at this intimate counter restaurant in Minami-Aoyama. Expect theatrical tasting menus for a splurge-worthy special occasion.
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Kyoto · Fine Dining
A deeply personal kaiseki experience in a traditional Kyoto townhouse in Kamigyo Ward. Chef Mitsuyasu and his wife often host just one or two parties a night for a slow, contemplative meal built around signature dishes and exceptional seasonal rice.
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Kagawa · Casual Dining
A legendary noodle factory in Sakaide, Kagawa, that opens as an udon eatery for just one hour a day. Visitors queue for the chance to taste exceptionally fresh, springy noodles served simply to highlight their pure wheat flavour.
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Tokyo · Casual Dining
A celebrated ramen shop in Minamiotsuka, Nakiryu (創作麺工房 鳴龍) draws crowds for its exceptionally layered tantanmen. It's a destination for ramen connoisseurs willing to navigate its same-day ticket system for a world-class bowl.
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Tokyo · Pâtisserie
A celebrated French pâtisserie counter in the Ginza Mitsukoshi food hall, famed for what many call Japan's best mille-feuille. It's a top choice for an exquisite takeout dessert or a prestigious gift.
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Kyoto · Take-out / Takeaway
In Kyoto's Higashiyama district, Kyoshumi Hishiiwa (京趣味 菱岩) is a 200-year-old takeaway specialist crafting exquisite multi-tiered bento boxes. It's a top choice for a special-occasion meal designed to be perfect even when cold.
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Nagano · Casual Dining
In a converted 300-year-old longhouse in Iida, Nagano, Nagayamon Kuwahara offers a theatrical BBQ experience. Guests grill premium, unfrozen wagyu, lamb, and pork over binchotan charcoal, guided by attentive staff.
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Kyoto · Fine Dining
In the heart of Kyoto's Gion district, Maeda is a ten-seat counter where chef Maeda presents a masterful seasonal omakase. It's a destination for connoisseurs seeking flawless technique and Japan's finest ingredients.
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Fukuoka · Fine Dining
A highly personal tasting menu experience in Kitakyushu's Kokurakita ward. At a tiny four-seat counter, the chef-proprietor serves a creative, multi-course progression that reworks Indian, Thai, and other Asian cuisines into entirely new forms.
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Kagawa · Casual Dining
A celebrated udon specialist in Zentsuji, Kagawa, dedicated to perfecting one dish: kamaage udon. Visitors come for the freshly boiled noodles and the signature ritual of pouring a rich, anchovy-forward dashi from a large, hot flask.
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Tokyo · Pâtisserie
A celebrated patisserie in Tokyo's Jiyugaoka neighborhood, serving masterful French cakes and baked goods. Visitors travel here for its complex, multi-layered creations and exceptional croissants, considered among the city's best.
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