Florilège

To be rated among the best restaurants in Japan is no small feat. To be rated among the best in Asia is an astronomical one. This Aoyama French restaurant has achieved just that, ranked in the top five restaurants in Asia for two years running. The name references French poetic anthologies — the detail and innovation on show here really is poetic. Where poets experiment with text, chef Kawate-San instead experiments with texture. Coming from a family of chefs, he did the rounds at Tokyo’s top French Michelin starred restaurants after studying in France for a number of years. At his own two Michelin star restaurant, his sustainability and innovation-led approach has won him no end of praise from old mentors and new fans alike. Top dishes at Florilège include mango dumplings with pigeon cooked in port, and a beef carpaccio — made with beef that is slaughtered at an older age than usual — with beetroot and potato puree. With excellent food, a great wine selection, and the praises of countless gourmets backing it up, it’s no wonder that Florilège is counted among the best Michelin-starred restaurants in Tokyo.