Arroceria La Panza

Tokyo’s Spanish dining scene might have seemed lackluster for a while, but when Victor Garcia’s Arroceria La Panza opened its doors in Ginza in 2017 and received its first Bib Gourmand award in its second year of operation, a five-year streak followed and signaled that changes were finally due. The crowd gathers at this homey arroceria — restaurants that specialize in rice dishes — for an exciting spread of classic Spanish fares and drinks. The space conjures images of a tucked-away tavern in a back alley in Spain: plaques and photo frames line the walls, the lighting is low and warm and the tapas come out sizzling. The loyal paella lineup might not push the envelope, but what the restaurant does, it does exceptionally well — the Basque rice baked with sea bream stock and clams are crowd-pleasing, but the even bigger draw is the paella cooked with Spanish sherry and porcini mushrooms and topped with roasted duck breast. In the evenings, excitement heightens as guests order Basque wines, poured theatrically from a height into glasses, earning applause from neighboring diners. This is where Tokyo’s Spaniards go when they're feeling homesick, or where you'd take a friend who loves wine and food. Michelin Guide accolades: 2019 - 2024 - Bib Gourmand