Le Verre Volé à Tokyo

It may look like a no-frills bistro to the untrained eye, but that didn't stop New York Times writer from Alec Lobrano hailing the original Le Verre Volé as his favourite wine bar in Paris. This Tokyo outpost opened in November 2012, with a well-stocked cave of French natural wines, and a food menu of dishes including pâté de campagne and boudin noir. Owner Ryotaro Miyauchi worked for four years at the original Le Verre Volé, and he's brought much of the spirit of the place with him (not to mention much of the attitude: some local diners are left aghast by the bar's refusal to swap glasses with every new wine). Though it's over ten minutes' walk from Meguro Station, that hasn't stopped the place drawing a dedicated crowd, and reservations are recommended at the weekend.