Ichita

Kaiseki (the historic dining style of imperial Kyoto), with its aura of dignity and tradition, can be quite an intimidating dining style for the uninitiated. Thankfully, Tokyo offers a solution. On the stylish streets of Aoyama there’s a kaiseki restaurant which strikes a perfect balance — casual enough to not be intimidating, but formal and dignified enough to provide an authentic experience. The chef at Ichita makes sure of that with his cheery demeanor. He may be casual and friendly in his speech, but he’s very serious about his cooking. His omakase (chef’s choice) meal consists of ever-changing seasonal dishes. In winter, guests can enjoy baby sardines and snow crab, and conger eel in summer. Whatever the dishes, the quality remains consistent and exceptionally high (hence the Michelin star, acquired in 2022, just a year after opening). Perhaps the best indicator of this is the fresh soba which finishes every meal, the flour for which is ground on the premises every day.