8 best heritage restaurants in Tokyo

This soba restaurant in Azabu-Juban has been a popular local spot for over 230 years, even serving daimyo lords during the Edo period (1603-1867) and, later, the imperial household. Soba usually comes in different shades of brown, courtesy of the buckwheat husks traditionally ground into the dough. The downside of that approach is it can give the noodles less elasticity and a rougher texture.

Sarashina Horii has its own special technique for dealing with this, which yields the shop’s signature white soba noodles. Of course, you’ll also find classic light brown soba and some thicker noodles, as well as seasonal soba with flavours like yuzu, shiso, tomato or pumpkin kneaded into the dough. The best way to eat the soba here is with cold dipping sauce (from ¥900), but the kamo seiro (cold soba and warm dipping sauce with grilled duck; ¥2,090) or natto soba (¥1,590) are also great options. There are also plenty of warm soba dishes like the kamo nanban with grilled duck slices (¥2,090) and classic tempura soba (from ¥2,040), too. 

Yoshino Sushi Honten has been serving sushi in Nihonbashi since 1879. The signature dish here is the toro (tuna) sushi, which just melts in your mouth – it’s the definition of smooth. The tuna here is so famous, the word ‘toro’ for tuna originated here, with satisfied customers raving about the quality of the fish. Yoshino’s Edomae-style sushi is made the traditional way, using only red vinegar and salt to enhance the natural flavours of the rice, and topped with fish delivered fresh every morning.

While you can’t go wrong with octopus, squid, eel, kohada (silver-skin fish marinated in vinegar) and shako (mantis shrimp), the tamagoyaki (egg) is a real standout, with a thin omelette wrapped over the rice.

Come here for lunch and you can get seven pieces of sushi for ¥2,530, but we recommend upgrading to the ¥3,080 set, which comes with a piece of toro. If you’re really hungry, go for the ¥3,630 set, which comes with 11 nigiri and three sushi rolls.

Suegen may have only set up shop in front of Shinbashi Station in 1997, but its history can be traced back to 1909. It has always been a traditional kappo (counter-style fine dining) restaurant at heart, specialising in chicken. To truly appreciate its expertise in fine poultry, go for the dinner course meal (¥8,800), the highlight of which is the hot pot with chicken stock, served with duck, tofu, minced meat and, yep, more chicken.

For an option that doesn’t break the bank, queue up for the lunchtime oyakodon (chicken and egg on rice, ¥1,300). It may be a cheaper dish, but Suegen’s bowl of clucking goodness doesn’t skimp on quality. While most restaurants resort to rough cuts, Suegen uses three highly prized types of chicken (Okukuji-shamo, Tokyo-shamo and Jiyodori) plus some duck. The result is sweet and flavourful. Coupled with the fluffy egg and wild chervil, it's easily one of the best bowls of comfort food in this part of town.

Upon entering this 92-year-old establishment, you’re immediately smacked with the intense smell of beef stew, simmered for who knows how many hours. The recognisable ‘Yamariki aroma’ makes its presence felt on each of the three levels (and stairwell) of this shitamachi (downtown) classic, where the speciality is, of course, nikomi beef stew (¥715).

Besides the hearty signature dish, you can order typical izakaya fare like yakiton (pork skewers, ¥330) with soy or salt, sashimi, tofu and pickled vegetables. Large bottles of chilli-infused liquid are scattered all over the joint. On closer inspection, we realised that this is actually a vodka mix that can be added to the nikomi – or pretty much any dish – to give it a special kick. Be warned, it packs a punch. English menus are available, but the restaurant only takes cash. 

A long-standing Tokyo-style sushi restaurant that's been in operation since 1861. Get the set lunch of hand-rolled sushi that are offered at ¥3,300, ¥4,400 and ¥6,600.

Rengatei sits quietly on gas-lit Ginza-dori, and has served traditional fare since 1895. At lunchtime, the place is packed with customers spilling out on to the street. Rengatei means 'brick restaurant', which shows you just how remarkable the brown brick building was at the time.

Rengatei is one of the oldest still-operating Western-style restaurants in Japan. It has helped to define classic yoshoku (Japanified Western food) dishes like pork cutlets (¥2,000) and hayashi rice (beef in demi glace sauce with rice, ¥2,300).

But the restaurant is most famous as the possible bithplace of omurice (fried rice wrapped in an egg omlette, ¥2,100). Rengatei's original recipe omurice is a bit different, though – here, the beaten eggs are mixed into the rice and then all fried together.

Founded back in 1880, Kamiya is something of a legend. It’s the oldest Western-style bar in Tokyo and one of the friendliest to boot. The crowds certainly come here for the atmosphere – loud and occasionally raucous – that's typical of old-school working-class Asakusa. 

The house special is the Denki Bran cocktail (brandy, gin, wine, curacao and herbs). Loosely translated as 'electric brandy', this strong concoction was invented during the 1890s, when electricity was new and exciting. The name is apt, though – it'll certainly give you a jolt. 

Established in 1923, Nihonbashi Otako Honten specialises in Kanto-style oden, where vegetables and ingredients made with fish paste are simmered in a light and clear dashi stock flavoured with kombu and bonito flakes. Despite the restaurant’s relocation to its current Nihonbashi spot from the original shop in Ginza 16 years ago, the broth recipe has remained unchanged for over 60 years.

For your oden, pick and mix from a variety of ingredients including beef tendon, tomatoes and daikon. And don’t forget to order the oden staple tomeshi, a simple but flavourful dish of tofu drenched in soup stock and served on rice. The drinks menu is worth a gander too, especially with its extensive selection of more than 50 types of Japanese sake and shochu.