Looking to stay on the cutting edge of food, drink and shopping trends in Tokyo? Sure, keeping track of all the new restaurants, bars, shops and stands opening across the city every month can feel exhausting and almost hopeless – but that's where we come in. Sparing you the trouble of wading through long lists of shiny promotional pics and hollow praise, we've again compiled a handy list of the top five spots to start business this month. Check out our editorial team's picks below, and make sure to leave a comment if you think we missed something.
1) Tokyo Saryo
Will 2017 finally see a tea takeover? For years, Tokyo's caffeine addicts have been spoiled with an overflowing supply of 'third wave' coffee shops, while green tea – Japan's native pick-me-up – has been left by the wayside. But times they are a-changin': 2016 saw the opening of several verdant brew specialists, and we're betting on the trend to continue deep into this year and beyond. First up is Sangenjaya's austere Tokyo Saryo, which offers single-origin green tea in hand drip form. The folks behind the lightly decorated shop have even developed their own tea dripper, which is supposed to help bring out the full flavours of the leaves. Don't forget to also explore the sweet selection, which includes a tasty hojicha blancmange, dried fruit and ohagi (mochi balls with anko).
A former ice cream maker for the British royal family, Patrice Chapon made the switch to chocolate early in his career – and the decision sure has paid off. Now operating several of his own shops in Paris, where he has received awards from both the city government and the venerable Salon du Chocolat trade show, Chapon is an early proponent of the 'bean to bar' philosophy and one of the world's most in-demand chocolatiers. With the opening of this Jiyugaoka shop, the praline pioneer aims to charm locals with a diverse selection of goodies, plus an in-store café where you can try the chocolate before you buy.
The Udagawa café group, known for their string of comfy hangouts in and around Shibuya, are at it again. And to make more expats and travellers happy at any time of the day, they're striking down in Roppongi this time. Their venue of choice is inside the B Roppongi hotel, a very short walk from the station, and their morning buffet menu is especially noteworthy, with over 30 Western and Japanese options to choose from. For lunch and dinner, the focus is on seafood; if you're not the fishy type, consider exploring their range of meat dishes and pastas, or move straight to the rather good wine selection.
What do you get when three Germans meet? A casual beer diner, apparently. The guys behind Schmatz started out with a simple stall at Aoyama's Commune 246 a few years ago, then managed to branch out into a fully-fledged restaurant in Akasaka, and are now launching their latest venture in Kanda. As with the Akasaka location, they'll have eight German beers on tap, including a refreshing weissbier and a bitter, full-flavoured pale ale. Taste your way through the menu or ask your beertender for recommendations. Wurst and schnitzel are also on the cards, and they'll even have some dishes only available at this Kanda outpost.
Pioneered by Los Angeles coffee shops like Alfred and Zia Valentina a few years back, the waffle shot – a shot of espresso served in a chocolate-coated waffle cone – is finally coming to Tokyo. And as is to expected, the capital's version is looking even sweeter than the original: you can choose to coat your mini-cone with chocolate cream, marshmallows and mascarpone at Harajuku's Anywhere Door, where an extra-creamy tiramisu cone filling will also be offered. Unless our trend radar is completely off, look out for your Instagram feed to be flooded with choc-covered waffle shots in the months to come.
Catching up? Check out the hottest openings in December here