Restaurants & Cafés

It's almost worth rerouting your trip via Tokyo Station to eat at this noodle shop. T's Tantan, an offshoot of Jiyugaoka eatery T's Restaurant, earns the rare distinction of being one of the few, and first places selling vegetarian/vegan ramen in Tokyo – or, at least, ramen that's actually worthy of the name. The speciality of the house is Chinese-style dandanmen, served in a broth flavoured with sesame and peanut oil and available with a range of toppings. The menu has expanded massively since they opened almost seven years ago, but their staples remain the same. Our medium-spiced 'midori tantan', topped with leafy greens, soymeat mince and pumpkin seeds (nice touch, that) wasn't as rich as the meat-based version of the dish, but made for a hearty lunch nonetheless. For the non-spicy version, have the white, black or 'gold' (it comes with peanuts) sesame dandan noodles, all of which have a creamy enough finish to trick you into thinking there were animals involved in the process. Add a side of soy karaage if you're feeling particularly peckish.  T's Tantan can be found inside JR Tokyo Station, at the end of the Keiyo Street shopping arcade on the way to the Keiyo line platform – note that you'll need to buy a platform ticket to get to the shop unless you're already travelling on JR lines. If coming from outside the station, note that JR Yaesu South is the closest exit to the restaurant. 

Notomi specialises in everything from the flavourful Noto peninsula, with a little bit of Kansai style thrown in for good measure. Have one of their chiritori nabe, served in a low-rimmed square pan. A dish originally created by Osaka’s Korean residents, ‘chiritori’ means dustpan, and whether that’s a reference to the pan or a tendency to chuck in what looks like leftovers is up for debate. We’re also partial to their voluminous buri shabu, with yellowtail sourced from Noto. If you're with four or more, order a course menu to try their best bits; if you're on your own, know that most of their nabe can be had for one too. 

Nakameguro’s Shinka offers a modern Japanese interpretation of a traditional lobster meal, with a seasonal menu in which prized Ise-ebi (Japanese lobster, the best being from Mie prefecture) is incorporated in most, if not all, dishes. The all-Japanese menu can feel a bit overwhelming, but you'd do well to stick to the first two pages to start with – they're both full of Ise-ebi dishes. For a multi-course dinner that will leave you very well fed, select one option from the mains, ippin and otsumami listings each per person, and finish it all off with one of the gohan (rice) options. Even though the menu starts off listing the mains, you'll be served everything in an appropriate order, which means rice last; we were already pretty stuffed by that time and were quite happy with a single serving of the deep, gusty lobster risotto. As of winter 2017/18, you can also look forward to the likes of sesame tofu infused with lobster dashi and the signature Shinka plate, a surf ’n turf number pairing wagyu with perfectly grilled lobster.  Spare an eye for their tableware too: the plates are rather cool, while some of the bowls and cups are made with traditional Japanese pottery techniques. Some of these are for sale on the second floor.  The bill? Surprisingly reasonable, considering what you're eating. Ours came to around ¥15,000, including drinks for two – a splurge, yes, but you'd be paying twice the price if this had been in Ginza. Our only complaint is that their prix fixe me

Robata meets sake has never looked – nor tasted – better. This robatayaki (slow-grilling) specialist, tucked away inside an unassuming building in Nishi-Shinjuku, manages to make you feel like you've entered a cave or a dimly lit hunter's hut, with bounty to match. It's also a great place to sample a diverse lineup of warm sake to go with your grilled nibbles. Try to nab a counter seat, from where you’ll see the grill – and the sake-loving manager – in action. The nihonshu is heated, served in traditional aluminium pitchers, and handed to you on a massive paddle. Ask for recommendations for both food and booze, but whatever you do, make sure to have the marutama, a textbook example of a perfect whole roasted sweet onion. Prices may seem a bit steep at first, but portions are rather substantial; take a friend or come with a group so you can share and enjoy the full Kanagari experience.