The Where To > Tokyo Guide
WHERE TO DRINK >Stay up-to-date
DRINK > Mikkella Bar, Shibuya
Sharing the same space as the About Life Cafe (read our review here) in the evening they pull down some venetian blinds that cover the coffee shop and pull up the venetian blinds that open the bar. The rest of the space is the same…
It is tucked…
The Tokyo Guide >
Tokyo resists being “done.” It’s a city you return to in pieces: a counter seat in Shibuya, a quiet canal in Nakameguro, a martini spun in the half‑light of an Ebisu bar. This ALMANAK guide builds on where to EAT, DRINK, STAY, PLAY and SHOP with a neighbourhood structure — anchored by sharp venues, strong drinks, and the kind of nights you keep replaying on the flight home.
WHERE TO HAVE COFFEEIts more than just a caffinated beverage you know
CAFE > Fuglen Espressobar, Tokyo (18/20)
There’s a certain timelessness at Fuglen Espressobar, tucked away on Tomigaya’s sleepy backstreets, just moments from Yoyogi Park — somewhere between retro Norwegian cool and Tokyo edge, every detail balancing minimalism with cosy, mid-century warmth. Fuglen is a Japanese coffee institution dating back 60 years and this super hip…
CAFE > Turret, Tokyo
It doesn’t seem that long ago that finding a decent espresso in Tokyo was quite a difficult thing. There were a few Tully Coffee Shops and a few Starbucks but that was it. A wasteland for those needing a real caffeine fix.
Turret Coffee was the exception,…
CAFE > Verve Cafe, Roppongi Hills
Over in Roppongi Hills right next door to the excellent design store ‘Living Motif’ you will find an outlet for the popular Verve Coffee (and roasters) chain.
Here they do an excellent range of pour over coffee’s (some of them are quite specialised and they are priced…
CAFE > Kitasando Coffee, Kitasando
Not far from the Meiji Jingue Temple in Yoyogi Park and sandwiched between the Shinjuku Goyen National Garden you will find the small suburban area of Kitasando (there is even a Kitasando station there on the Fukutoshin Line). In amongst the apartments and small shops you will find a…
WHERE TO EAT >
Tucked into the ground floor of TRUNK(HOTEL) YOYOGI PARK on the Yoyogi Park side of Shibuya, L’ombelico feels like a little slice of contemporary Tokyo-Italian: wood-fired warmth, natural wine energy, and that relaxed, park-adjacent buzz that rolls from breakfast through to late-night pizza.
AMBIENCE >
Set on a prominent corner…
Tucked into a quiet backstreet on the Akihabara side of Chiyoda, Kufuku feels like stepping out of electric town and into a parallel world—one where time, fermentation, and French technique quietly reframe Japanese comfort food. Set inside a lovingly preserved kominka, this is destination dining for travellers who like their…
High above Ginza’s polished sidewalks, Gucci Osteria da Massimo Bottura feels less like a fashion-house spin‑off and more like a jewelled little universe of its own—part salon, part stage, part lucid dream in Gucci green. Here Italian technique, Japanese produce and a distinctly theatrical sense of storytelling converge into a tasting…
Tucked away in the residential fringes of Jingumae, just beyond Omotesando's designer bustle, JULIA remains a Shibuya gem for those seeking Japan's seasonal essence through innovative fine dining. Returning after our acclaimed 2024 visit to the expanded space—where Chef Nao and Sommelier Kenichiro elevated their husband-and-wife intimacy to a poised…
Osaka is well known for its street food, with 222 listings in the Michelin Guide (3 for 3 star, 9 for 2 star and 80 for 1 star) you know that they are serious about food. But what about wine, well that is a little harder to find,…
Udon, the under rated noodle. Its chewy and tasty, fresh and filling and at Menchirashi it is made into an enormous range of wonderful dishes, from traditional Udon (noodle) soup dishes to a Japanese twist on Carbonara.
You do need to line up and yes it will probably take about…
Did someone say Soba? Ryan is not quite your standard Tokyo noodle stop. It is a stylish room with tables as well as bar seating, seating is comfortable and you can easily settle in for something of a session here. And let us be clear this…
It was back in January 2023 and we were returning from Japan and we bumped into the incredibly talented Nicky Reimer chef of Bellota Restaurant on our flight home, sharing stories of food and travel, I asked her what was the best food experience you had in Japan she did…
Tokyo Restaurants >
Tokyo’s dining landscape is a study in contrasts, where intimate counter-only **sushi** ateliers sit just a few train stops from high-energy izakaya alleys and cutting-edge Franco-Japanese tasting rooms.
From multi-course kaiseki experiences in discreet Omotesando townhouses to tempura and wagyu paired with serious Burgundy in sleek, design-forward spaces, the city remains the world’s most decorated Michelin destination, yet still celebrates soulful bowls of ramen, yakitori over binchotan charcoal, and late-night curry in stationside diners.
For the Almanak reader, Tokyo offers a layered culinary itinerary: glass-wrapped hotel dining rooms with skyline views, chef-driven counters where provenance and seasonality are narrated course by course, and bustling food halls and markets that reveal the everyday rhythm of how the city actually eats.
WHERE TO STAY >
STAY > TRUNK(HOTEL), Yoyogi Park, Shibuya Tokyo (17/20)
TRUNK(HOTEL) YOYOGI PARK is a design-led, boutique bolthole on the edge of Yoyogi Park that channels low-key Tokyo cool, rooftop glamour, and neighbourhood warmth in equal measure. This is a place for those who want Shibuya’s energy within walking distance, but prefer to wake up to trees, terrace light, and the scent of wood-fired pizza drifting up from below.
AMBIENCE >
Perched on the Tomigaya side of Yoyogi Park, the hotel feels more like an elevated urban hideaway than a city high-rise, with 25 rooms layered in polished concrete, warm timber, soft textiles, and just enough greenery to echo the…
STAY > Agora Tokyo Ginza, Tokyo
The Agora Ginza Hotel is a welcome hotel for travellers sticking to a budget but wanting a great location and a reasonable room.
Rooms have the kind of features you expect from a nice hotel in Japan, (thinking a warm toilet seat with all the functions), slippers, jinbei (japanese pajamas), bottled water, smart tv and enough room to open your suitcase on the floor rather than on the bed (just).
The Agora is in a great location moments from the Kabuki theatre, a few streets from Tsukiji Tuna Market and only a street back from the main…
STAY > Andaz Hotel, Tokyo
Andaz is a luxury hotel part of the Hyatt brand and the Andaz Toranomon Hills (Tokyo) has recently been voted as one of the best hotels in Asia. So a great time to revisit what makes this such a great hotel.
With 164 rooms in the tower and check in on the 51st floor you know that part of staying at the Andaz is all about the views which are amazing you sit looking out across Tokyo and at night the view of Tokyo Tower is stunning. On a clear day you can even see Mt Fuji.
Rooms…
STAY > All Day Place, Tokyo
Located just off Meji Dori Avenue in Shibuya, the All Day Place Hotel is hidden away above a cafe / craft beer bar in a tower building. A simple place with rooms that are functional with smart design at a reasonable price.
SLEEP >
Rooms come with the usual Pyjamas, reusable Slippers (no thanks), quality ammenities (Shampoo, Conditioner, Hand & Body wash), Organic bamboo toothbrush, and Toothpaste paper (interesting). There is also a large safety box (not a safe), hair dryer, humidifier, and a large TV with screen mirroring.
It Tokyo so you know the…