Tokyo is a sprawling metropolis, and one that claims the title of the largest city in the world. As if that weren’t already impressive enough, it holds another title of acclaim — Tokyo is the city with the most Michelin star restaurant and it’s held that spot since 2007 with over 200 restaurants in the Michelin Guide.
With that in mind, somewhere in our 7-day itinerary of Japan for first-time visitors (ideally the part where you’re in Tokyo!), it’s an absolute must that you make time for the culinary delights and masterpieces of Japanese cooking.
From the more traditional Japanese food, like ramen, yakitori and soba to the more unexpected, like Michelin star vegetarian and vegan restaurants, affordable Italian food, and omuhayashi — which we’ll tell you all about a little later — there really is a Michelin star restaurant in Tokyo for every group, occasion, and dietary requirement.
To get you started, here’s 20 of the best Tokyo Michelin star restaurants!
Michelin star sushi restaurants in Tokyo
If you’re in Japan, you’ll probably sit down for sushi at least once, so you might as well make it an experience to remember! That’s where these Tokyo Michelin star sushi restaurants come in.
1. Ginza Harutaka
Craving sushi in Tokyo with three Michelin stars? Allow us to introduce you to the intimate Ginza Harutaka, helmed by Takahashi Harutaka. He trained for 13 years at Sukiyabashi Jiro, meaning he has the skills to back up every Michelin star, dishing up fresh, seasonal sushi on a bed of perfectly vinegared and salted sushi rice.
Even the shop’s interior design is a feast for the eyes, with black marble floors, handcrafted furniture, and only twelve seats around the counter for a suitable exclusive dining experience.
Save your spot for 3 Michelin star sushi in Tokyo!
2. Udatsu Sushi
Udatsu Sushi is the Michelin star sushi restaurant of owner-chef, Udatsu Hisashi, famous for his signature dish: the “herb maki.” This unique sushi roll combines seaweed, fish and herbs, to create an eye-catching and flavorsome creation, often with a single sprig of flowers sprouting gracefully from the center.
With fresh fish chosen every morning from trusted suppliers at Toyosu Market and herbs that vary by season, you’ll discover new flavor combinations every time you visit. Now we’re starting to see how Udatsu Sushi earned its Michelin stars.
Note: Please note that on Wednesdays, Sundays and public holidays, Chef Udatsu will not be present at the restaurant.
Book on the 1st floor for Chef Udatsu: While counter seating is available on both the 1st and 2nd floors, Chef Udatsu does not personally make the sushi on the 2nd floor counter, even if he is working that day.
Book your table at Udatsu Sushi, the Tokyo Michelin star sushi restaurant!
Michelin star ramen in Tokyo
Just when you thought ramen in Japan couldn’t get any more delicious, you found out about Michelin star ramen in Tokyo. For more, explore our full list of Tokyo Michelin star ramen restaurants!
3. Ramen Break Beats
Ramen Break Beats is a combination of head chef Yanase Takuro’s favorite things: ramen and DJ-ing. After honing his skills with a blend of French and Japanese cuisine in Toronto, Canada, Chef Yanase’s bold exploration of flavors is his calling card.
Ramen Break Beats’ broth is “yobi-modoshi” style, a Kyushu-born technique that keeps the broth boiling while a new broth is added, compounding flavors from previous broths to create a deeper flavor. Seasonal ramen make an appearance, but their shoyu (soy sauce) ramen is often put in the spotlight for its complex blend of five different sauces.
Full disclosure: Ramen Break Beats actually has a Bib Gourmand, not a Michelin star, but that’s likely because it’s too affordable to earn a star! Both lunch and dinner average at ¥1,000–¥2,000, making this one of the cheapest Michelin ramen restaurants in Tokyo.
Relish Michelin-worthy ramen in Tokyo at Ramen Break Beats!
4. Iruca Tokyo Roppongi
Another ramen restaurant in Tokyo with the coveted Michelin Bib Gourmand is Iruca Tokyo Roppongi, upgrading its diners’ experience with elegant interiors and luxurious kaiseki vibes. As the line outside the restaurant near Roppongi Station would attest, Chef Ogawa Kazuhiro is serving up ramen worth waiting for, with signature dishes like yuzu shio ramen bringing people in all year round.
Their top-selling ramen, though? Porcini shoyu ramen, blending together four different broths: Nagoya cochin chicken, mussels, Satsuma kurobuta (black pork) and ise-ebi (Japanese spiny lobster). This won’t be like any ramen you’ve tried before!
Indulge in Tokyo’s best ramen at Iruca Tokyo Roppongi!
Michelin star soba restaurants in Tokyo
Soba is a noodle for all seasons, as delicious cold in the summer as it is in a bowl of hot broth in the winter. Even more irresistible are noodles from Michelin star soba restaurants, so check out these soba noodle restaurants with Michelin stars in Tokyo.
5. Tamawarai
Based in Omotesando, Tamawarai can make a claim that not every soba restaurant can make: they grow their own buckwheat before harvesting and turning it into the fresh soba you’d see before you, should you be lucky enough to take a seat at this Michelin star soba restaurant.
If you turn up without a reservation, expect to join the line of excited diners outside, before making it into a waiting room inside the restaurant itself. From there, dream of the next-level soba noodles you’ll soon discover, topped with everything from herring, natto, and radish to tempura and raw egg.
Savor Michelin star soba in Tokyo at Tamawarai!
6. Yuan Yamori
Yuan Yamori is the Michelin star soba restaurant that is known for doing things a little differently, putting a focus on historic soba dishes that you may struggle to find elsewhere. In his quest for exquisite Edo-period soba, owner-chef Yamori Akihisa also uses a mix of differently milled flour for his noodles, giving them a unique texture you’re sure to love.
For a full display of the different types of soba on offer here, we’d recommend going for their course menu — you can thank us later!
Bring cash (and clean socks!): Yamori is a cash-only restaurant, so make sure you bring some cash along with you. As you’ll also be asked to remove your socks, make sure you’re wearing a fresh pair of socks!
Book now and save room for Michelin star soba in Tokyo!
Michelin star izakaya food in Tokyo
Japanese bars, known as izakaya, are mostly seen as cheap and cheerful places to relax over a few drinks and quick bar snacks, but Tokyo even has a Michelin star izakaya for that elevated izakaya experience.
7. Washokuya Taichi
Washokuya Taichi is the Michelin Bib Gourmand izakaya where worlds collide: an intimate bar setting that seats 13 for that izakaya atmosphere, while still serving up Michelin-worthy dishes and daily sashimi and dessert specials, hand-picked for that latest seasonal ingredients.
Two specials keep people coming back for more: a signature salad, made of fresh vegetables, bitter melon, and Brussels sprouts, and a thick-cut pork cutlet sandwich, fried to order and crafted with melt-in-your-mouth tenderloin. So, hungry?
Upgrade your next izakaya outing at Washokuya Taichi!
Michelin star tonkatsu fried pork restaurants in Tokyo
Tonkatsu is another must-try dish for those traveling to Japan, tempting many with its crispy batter and juicy fried pork. Just when you think it can’t get better, there’s our full selection of Michelin star tonkatsu restaurants in Tokyo!
8. Kanda Ponchiken
Kanda Ponchiken is located in Kanda Ogawamachi, a fitting spot as it’s a town filled with restaurants battling for the top spot when it comes to serving the best tonkatsu. We’re not going to take any sides, but we will say that Ponchiken has been awarded the Michelin Bib Gourmand every year since 2015… which says a lot!
Expertly balancing the thickness of each cut of meat with the thickness of the breadcrumb coating before being deep-fried in the restaurant’s special corn-sesame oil blend, every bite promises to be as perfect as the last.
Feel the crunch of Michelin star tonkatsu in Tokyo at Kanda Ponchiken!
9. Tonkatsuya Sato
Tonkatsuya Sato is a Michelin Bib Gourmand tonkatsu restaurant that keeps things simple, focusing on creating award-winning tonkatsu at its cozy spot in Jiyugaoka. The restaurant itself is unassuming, but step inside and you’ll see that looks can be deceiving.
With a simple selection of premium pork cuts or chicken katsu — which you can order either as a set or à la carte — Tonkatsyuya Sato puts its focus on creating panko bread-crumbed perfection, pairing their tonkatsu sets with rice, miso soup, and a generous mound of fresh cabbage. We’d recommend bringing an appetite!
Bite into the cheapest Michelin tonkatsu in Tokyo at Tonkatsuya Sato!
Michelin star nabe hot pot restaurants in Tokyo
Nabe, known as Japanese hot pot, is a wonderfully warming dish throughout the colder months, but when it comes to enjoying Michelin star nabe hot pot restaurants in Tokyo, we’d say there’s never a bad time!
10. Negima
Back in the Edo Period, before modern refrigeration existed, tuna would quickly spoil. To attempt to reduce wastage (and sell more!), fishermen used the offcuts in a dish called negima-nabe, consisting of a soy sauce broth, onion and local greens. This became somewhat of a comfort dish and a symbol of working-class Japanese home cooking.
Keeping this tradition alive is a single female chef, working away in the kitchen of the Michelin Bib Gourmand restaurant, Negima. From the second you step into this 8-seat restaurant, you’ll feel like you’ve traveled back to 20th-century Japan, with the chef wearing a traditional kimono and serving sake the old-fashioned way.
Bring cash: This restaurant is cash-only, so make sure you stop at an ATM on the way, or you’ll be missing out on this cozy delicacy.
Book for the culinary delights of Michelin star nabe in Tokyo!
Vegetarian and vegan Michelin star restaurants in Tokyo
Being vegetarian or vegan in Japan can be difficult at times, but it can also be delicious, as proven by these Michelin star vegetarian and vegan restaurants in Tokyo.
11. Noeud.Tokyo
Noeud.Tokyo is the proud owner of both a Michelin star and a Michelin Green star, signaling to diners everywhere that their French cuisine is sustainable and incredibly delicious. Based in Chiyoda City, owner-chef Nakatsuka Naoto’s restaurant creates an unforgettable experience with a 6-course meal for lunch and a 10-course meal for dinner, along with an equally memorable interior style.
Take a seat at the thick hardwood counters for a front-row view of the culinary magic on display, watching the season’s freshest ingredients become Michelin star French cuisine before your very eyes.
For vegetarian or vegan dining: For a fully vegetarian or vegan set-course menu, please book at least three days in advance and let the restaurant know at the time of booking.
Book now for Michelin star sustainable dining in Tokyo!
12. Narisawa
Two Michelin stars and a Michelin Green star is impressive enough, but the owner-chef of Narisawa, Narisawa Yoshihiro, has a culinary path that’s equally as impressive. At 19, he learned his craft under the guidance of some of the most prestigious chefs on the continent, before returning to Japan and opening his own restaurant, now considered one of the best in the country for European-Japanese gastronomy.
Narisawa’s signature dish is the Satoyama Scenery appetizer — an edible model of the terrain representing its hills, trees, and moss-covered rocks. Never one to stray from unique cuisine, one of his soups even features the actual soil of the Nagano Prefecture, so you’re sure to discover a few dishes here that you’ll find nowhere else.
Book now for Michelin star gastronomy at Narisawa!
Michelin star omuhayashi restaurant in Tokyo
Omuhayashi is the lesser-known friend of omurice (omelet and rice), combining a Japanese specialty and a Western specialty to create something newly delicious, especially if you visit a Michelin star omuhayashi restaurant in Tokyo.
13. grill GRAND
There’s no other place like grill GRAND in Asakusa, the Bib Gourmand yoshoku (Japanese-style Western food) restaurant near Senso-ji Temple and Kaminarimon Gate.
Follow the yellow-brick wall and you’ll find this popular spot for Japanese home-style cooking, founded in 1941 and dishing up cozy favorites like katsu sandwiches, gratin, and beef stew. However, it’s the omuhayashi rice that sets this restaurant apart.
Fluffy egg is gently laid over a dome of steaming rice, then drenched in homemade demi-glace, a sweet, rich sauce that takes the restaurant over two weeks to create.
Enjoy premium omurice in Tokyo at grill GRAND!
Unique Michelin star restaurants in Tokyo
Every Japanese restaurant is unique in its own way, but here are a few especially unique Michelin star restaurants that we think you’re going to want to try while you’re traveling around Tokyo.
14. falo
Falo is a unique Michelin Bib Gourmand-winning Italian restaurant based in Daikanyama. Falo, meaning “bonfire” in Italian, gives a nod towards the importance of communal dining in head chef Kashimura Noritaka’s vision.
With an open-style kitchen and a charcoal grill at its center, Kashimura has created a welcoming, intimate atmosphere that draws people together. From skewered fish to slow-grilled porchetta, there are sure to be a few conversation starters being prepared before your very eyes.
Grab your spot by the fire at falo!
Cheapest Michelin star restaurants in Tokyo
Hungry for quality food, but already spent all your money in the arcades at Akihabara? We’ve been there. Browse our selection of the least expensive Michelin star or Bib Gourmand restaurants in Tokyo. Allow us to show off two Italian restaurants that make the cut!
15. Il Ballond’oro
Il Ballond’oro is another Michelin Bib Gourmand Italian restaurant with a name that’s as famous as its Michelin-recognized cuisine. Named after the Ballon d’Or, the award given to the best footballer every year by the sports magazine, French Football, it’s a reminder of Chef Iwata Masaki’s youth as an aspiring football player.
Luckily for us, he decided to use his fancy footwork in the kitchen of this beloved Ebisu trattoria. His signature dish, golden risotto, brings together a hat trick of saffron rice, Parmigiano Reggiano, and a dish worth pairing with the restaurant’s selection of vintage reds or whites. And yet, Il Ballond’oro is still one of the most affordable Michelin restaurants in Tokyo!
Book a table for Michelin-recognized Italian food in Tokyo!
16. La Bettola da Ochiai
La Bettola da Ochiai is the passion project of Chef Ochiai Tsutomu, a man who many consider to be the grandfather of Italian food. It holds three titles: Michelin Bib Gourmand Italian restaurant, one of the “hardest restaurants to reserve in Japan” (unless you book through our platform!), and one of the most affordable Michelin restaurants in Tokyo.
For authentic Italian dishes like rigatoni with red wine-stewed beef cheek, pork cutlet with rucola and tomato, and daily seafood specials without breaking the bank, this is the place to go.
Spend a luxurious evening at La Bettola da Ochiai!
Michelin star yakitori grilled chicken restaurants in Tokyo
Along with our list of the best yakitori restaurants in Tokyo, we’ve also got an extensive range of Michelin star yakitori and yakiniku restaurants in Tokyo, just waiting for that next night out in Japan’s capital city.
17. Torishige
Yakitori grilled chicken is in no short supply in Tokyo, but few do it as well as Torishige — a restaurant that’s known for its grilled chicken and more, also featuring high-quality beef and pork on its menu, setting it apart from other yakitori restaurants.
With a selection of affordable set-course meals and even the somewhat daring pork, chicken, and beef sashimi, there are more than a few reasons why Torishige is a Michelin-recognized yakitori restaurant worth visiting.
Book early: To land a successful reservation, guests are recommended to try booking at least a week in advance.
Taste Michelin-recognized yakitori in Tokyo at Torishige!
Michelin star cafe and desserts in Tokyo
Even with all this Michelin star cuisine, you still saved room for Michelin star desserts in Tokyo, right? Spoil your sweet tooth with some of the finest desserts in Japan!
18. Roku
Six is the magic number at Roku (meaning “six” in Japanese) in Yoyogi. Run by a husband-wife duo who share June birthdays, this small French restaurant also has six seats per service, creating an intimate atmosphere that’s ideal for savoring their Michelin-recognized French cuisine.
A standard and special omakase course menu is offered at both lunch and dinner, with special options for diners who come in after 8pm. Even if you just feel like stopping by for the Bib Gourmand desserts you’ve been hearing so much about, that’s fine by Roku.
Catch up at this Michelin star cafe in Tokyo!
19. Personalized Michelin star Tokyo restaurant experiences
With our VIP Gourmet Concierge service, make Tokyo’s best Michelin star restaurants come to you! Tell us what you’re looking for and our team will create a personalized itinerary that suits your needs, budget, schedule, and dietary restrictions.
What are you in the mood for while you’re in Japan? With the help of our experts, hop from Michelin star vegetarian or vegan restaurants to Michelin star ramen, sushi, soba, tonkatsu and anything in-between.
No matter what you choose, there’s a Michelin star restaurant in Tokyo waiting for you.
Tempted to know more about Tokyo’s tastiest cuisines? Explore our full list of Michelin star restaurants in Tokyo, or book your spot on our Tokyo food tours. More interested in Michelin star cuisine beyond Tokyo? Discover the best Michelin star restaurants in Osaka and Kyoto.
Michelin star restaurants in Tokyo FAQS
How does a restaurant get a Michelin star?
Every year, potential Michelin-worthy restaurants are scouted ahead of the release of that year’s Michelin Guide. Within this guide, there are three categories of Michelin star they can award:
One star: “A very good restaurant in this category.”
Two stars: “Excellent cooking that’s worth a detour.”
Three stars: “Exceptional cuisine that’s worth a special journey.”
Bib Gourmand: A restaurant that’s been recognized for high-quality ingredients and standards, yet still retains affordable prices.
Michelin Green star: A restaurant that has been recognized for its eco-friendly and sustainable practices.
Why does Japan have so many 3 Michelin star restaurants?
When Michelin inspectors start searching for new additions to the annual Michelin Guide, they’re looking for high-quality ingredients, considered presentation, and chefs who dare to go the extra mile within their culinary space. Japanese restaurants tick a lot of these boxes, with culinary expertise that takes years to train and decades to hone.
Which city in the world has the most Michelin stars?
Tokyo is the city with the most Michelin stars in the world. In fact, Tokyo has held this title for 17 consecutive years as of 2014. From Michelin star sushi and ramen to Michelin star soba, tempura, tonkatsu and more, you’ll never get bored of wining and dining in Tokyo!
