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JapaneseMinami Aoyama
Yoshihiro Narisawa's Aoyama room runs innovative satoyama cuisine. Two Michelin stars plus a Green Star, Japanese foraging through European technique.
OrderThe bread of the forest course, served with bark-scented butter.
TipClosed Mondays and Sundays. Lunch is the easier seating; reserve six weeks ahead through TableAll.
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JapaneseToranomon
Hiroyasu Kawate's Florilege moved to Azabudai Hills in 2023 with a communal counter and a vegetable-forward French tasting menu. Two Michelin stars in Tokyo.
OrderThe signature beef-and-dairy course that takes you through the life of one cow.
TipClosed Mondays and Tuesday lunch. Online booking opens exactly one month ahead at 10:00 JST.
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JapaneseMinami Azabu
Tomoya Kawada's Sazenka in Minami-Azabu was Japan's first three-star Chinese restaurant, awarded 2020. Chinese technique meets kaiseki rhythm.
OrderThe full tasting; the smoked duck and house-made hand-pulled noodles are the through-line.
TipClosed Sundays and irregular Mondays. Booking via byFood opens 60 days ahead for international guests.
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Edo-style SobaKanda
Kanda Yabu Soba in Tokyo has served Edo-style buckwheat noodles since 1880. The current building reopened in 2014 after a fire, sing-song order calls intact.
OrderThe seiro cold soba and a side of anago tempura; in winter, kamo nanban duck.
TipClosed Wednesdays. Cash and major cards. Lunch queues from 12:00; weekday afternoons are calmer.
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TonkatsuJingumae
Tonkatsu Maisen's 1965 Aoyama shop in Tokyo occupies a former Omotesando public bathhouse. Kurobuta cutlets so tender they're sliceable with chopsticks.
OrderKurobuta hire (lean) set with shredded cabbage refills; the katsu sando is the takeaway hero.
TipOpen 11:00-22:45 daily. Long lunch lines; arrive before 12:00 or after 14:00 for a counter seat.
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YakitoriGinza
Toshihiro Wada's Bird Land in Tokyo Ginza grills Ibaraki shamo over binchotan, the basement that invented elevated yakitori. One Michelin star.
OrderThe omakase course closing with the oyakodon rice and silken liver pate as the opener.
TipClosed Sundays, Mondays and public holidays. Reservation by phone only, six weeks out.