There are lines to get into Motomura day and night, and it's easy to understand why once you've tasted their very popular gyukatsu (deep-fried beef cutlet). Served rare in the middle with a thin, crunchy layer of breading around it, the lightly...

Vegetable-centered Japanese-style curry rice is the specialty at this highly rated counter shop. The four varieties on offer are onion (with chicken or shrimp), lamb with onion, chickpea keema, and the house-special multi-vegetable curry. You can...

Stylishly modern and surprisingly spacious, Meal Muji makes a pleasant retreat from the crowds of Shinjuku's shopping district. The decor is bright and cheerful, with ubiquitous sleek blond wood furnishings set off by clay-colored stucco walls and...

Whether you're here for a dessert break, a casual evening meal, or an afternoon working on your laptop, Brooklyn Parlor supplies a fun, bustling backdrop. Unlike Tokyo's many quiet, hidden-away cafes, here it feels like you've stumbled onto the...

Choose from about fifteen wines by the glass or bottle, or pick a Latour or Mouton from the back and put it on your expense account. France is amply represented, with biodynamic wines comprising nearly half of the choices on the frequently changing...

Dried baby sardines (niboshi) have been a common ingredient in ramen for many years. It wasn't until recently, though, that ramen chefs began using them in abundance. The tiny fish have a very bitter flavor, and cooking them too long will ruin...

It may look like just another Tokyo craft-beer bar, but Vector serves up an appealing menu of beef-tongue dishes and other solid izakaya fare, making it a popular dining destination as well as a bar. The charcoal-grilled sumibiyaki tongue (Y980) in...

This second outlet of Vector Beer specializes in IPAs - of their seventeen taps, twelve are devoted to various Japanese IPAs on any given day. Glasses are Y450, pints Y750, and three-glass tasting flights are Y1000, with a Y300 table charge that...

True to its name, the Armwood Cottage is Tokyo's answer to a log cabin in the mountains, with tall concrete buildings standing in for trees. The space is intimate and inviting, dominated by rough wooden surfaces and decorated with rustic kitsch - a...

The original branch of a famous and very popular ramen chain, this shop usually has a line to get in. In addition to the usual options of toppings, you can also choose the size of your bowl, and whether you want strong or weak broth. The kakuni...

Perhaps the best bar in the world for Japanese whiskey, with some 300 varieties available, including some rare bottles that are no longer sold in stores. They also serve craft beers from Osaka's Minoh Brewery, as well as Japanese rum and grappa and...

Excellent espresso - either single-origin or blend - as well as fresh-roasted beans to go from this Tokyo outlet of an Australian World Champion Barista. The coffee counter is located inside a branch of Salvatore Cuomo, so you can have pizza with...

Houtou is a hearty winter udon-noodle dish from the mountainous Kofu area of Yamanashi Prefecture, and this is one of the few places in Tokyo where you can find it. The houtou served here is quite substantial, loaded with chunks of chicken,...

Moyan offers a huge variety of tasty Japanese-style curries and ethnic-style side dishes, along with inexpensive wines and cocktails. With its exotic-ethnic decor and Hawaiian background music, the atmosphere here is closer to a Bohemian cafe than...

Perhaps the best deli counter in town, with a huge selection of cold cuts, pates and salads. Lunches are priced from around Y1000, and breakfast is served on weekdays from 8 to 10:30am. The outdoor terrace seating is pleasant in warmer months.

Enjoy chic cocktails in a bamboo grove high in the sky at the Park Hyatt's internationally famous bar and lounge. They also serve afternoon tea, desserts and light snacks. Cocktails start at around Y1600.

This French-influenced bakery across from Shinjuku station produces top-grade breads and pastries to go. The selection includes interesting Japanese-inspired items like yuzu cheesecake and curry baguettes.

Conveniently located next to Shinjuku Station's south exit, this glitzy bar-restaurant is a fun destination whatever you're looking for - a casual group dinner, a late-night snack or just a quick drink or two at the bar. The large dining room is...

Conveniently located next to Shinjuku Station's new south exit, this is the first overseas outpost of a California-based coffee roaster with several branches in San Francisco and Los Angeles. The atmosphere is lively, but it's much more relaxed...

Souvenirs, produce and prepared foods from Miyazaki Prefecture in Kyushu are on sale here, including several types of charcoal-grilled chicken, a specialty of the area. They also stock a good selection of fish cakes, locally made soy sauces, frozen...

This mini-branch of one of our favorite Belgian beer bars sits at the Yoyogi end of Southern Terrace; convenient to Shinjuku station but sufficiently removed from the bustling crowds. And while the interior may be petite, you can enjoy plenty of...

One of the main attractions at this brewpub is its very comfortable outdoor wooden deck, which looks out over a quiet side street just a few minutes from Shinjuku Station. The beer is pretty good too - when we visited recently they were serving...

While we love the Korean barbecue joints, Thai restaurants and Middle-Eastern food markets of Okubo, this stylish but budget-friendly wine bar makes a nice change of pace. Wines by the glass are mostly priced at Y500 (a bit cheaper on average than...

The second Tokyo branch of the internationally famous Belgian organic bakery is open from 7:30am, serving coffee and pastries, salads and tartines - open-face Belgian sandwiches with toppings like smoked salmon-avocado and ham-gruyere cheese. ...

A very lively after-work beer hall, Danke serves a variety of Belgian and German bottled beers and inexpensive wines starting at under Y2000 per bottle. The extensive snack menu offers seasonal pizza variations as well as typical izakaya dishes.