If you’re feeling peckish or just need a cold one heading back to or from artsy Kitakagaya at night, do consider stopping by this gyoza-focused izakaya. Conveniently located right by the metro station, Tonchinkan is your quintessential neighbourhood pub, with the obligatory grumpy chef and his more jovial better half who waits the tables, extremely affordable beer (¥500 for a pint of draught) and a lengthy menu of booze-compatible eats like cucumber with miso (¥450) and deep-fried spring rolls (¥560).
Dumplings are what set Tonchinkan apart from the crowd. Trained in traditional Chinese cooking, the chef’s signature Tonchin gyoza (¥400) are served on a piping hot iron plate and appropriately packed with garlic and ginger underneath a thin, crispy skin. Dip them in some house-made chilli oil or shoyu-based sauce and you have a dish worth writing home about. The shrimp gyoza (¥500) are another highlight, best eaten with a pinch of salt to bring out the umami flavour in full.