Between work and leisure travel, I’ve lost count of how many times I’ve been to Tokyo. Here’s a list of places we explored in our most recent jaunt last week. I hope it helps you build your own itinenary for your trip.

Meals

Gensuidon
Small Tonkatsu restaurant with 12 bar seats. They had three cuts of pork that day and I picked two. The breading on the pork is lighter than usual other places.

Torishin
Charming and unassuming yakitori joint with a wide selection of chicken parts and alcohol options. Try the seseri (neck).

Mallory Pork Steak
Pork steaks are sous vide’d then fried for a beautiful crust. Order by weight; we shared a 700 gram piece for three of us.

Romance
Modern okonomiyaki and teppanyaki with a relaxed vibe. Sit at the bar to watch the action, or at the tables for more privacy. The kimchi motsu (beef offals) is delicious.

Shirunashi Tantanmen Kokokara
Brilliantly executed tantanmen in a ten-seater, one-man-operated hole in the wall. I prefer the original goma over the black goma.

Perfect Beer Kitchen
Beer on tap and fried food. Try the original blend draft paired with friend chicken.

Sushi Yachiyo
Cheap and cheerful standing sushi bar with a decent selection of seasonal fish and sake.

Los Tacos Azules
Traditional Mexican flavors fused with Japanese ingredients made this an unforgettable breakfast. Four to five tacos per person feels just right.

Coffee and Snacks

Obscura Coffee Roasters
Excellent coffee in a no-frills, minimalist and spacious cafe. Today’s coffee is good value. I liked the dark roast with a splash of milk. No laptops or toilet here.

Verve Coffee Roasters
Tiny space but you can order to-go. They sell beans if you buy a bag, you’ll get a free cup of coffee.

Onibus Coffee
Small coffeeshop tucked away in a busy district. Sit outside to enjoy the weather; sit upstairs to escape from it.

Taiyaki Hiiragi
The taiyaki had generous filling of Azuki. I found it tad sweet. Sells out by mid-afternoon.

Junibun Bakery
Beautifully crafted pastries, bread and cake. Buy takeaway then go to the second floor for coffee.

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