Restaurant Details

With a flair for French cuisine, Chef Ito Yuki of this creative Japanese restaurant in Minami Aoyama launches a seasonally inspired menu waiting to be explored. A Saitama native, Ito honed his skills in Kyoto and Tokyo's traditional kitchens before a pivotal stint at a French restaurant. At just 26, he opened his own establishment in Minato, describing his approach as “doing the obvious thing as an obvious thing.”

Rather than trying something special, Ito focuses on the basics of prepping and cooking. His sauces are built on dashi, ensuring the flavors never stray from the essence of Japanese cuisine. The result? Honest — or, in his words, “obvious” — dishes designed with precision and just the right touch of playfulness.

But Ito’s cooking is anything but predictable, seemingly winding with twists and turns. He has a knack for employing the right techniques to bring out the best in seasonal ingredients: bamboo shoots in spring, conger eel in summer, matsutake mushrooms in autumn and crab or tiger pufferfish in winter.

Take his winter-special degustation as an example. Ito pairs delicate hairy crab with ripe tomato, fries tiger pufferfish with a zesty lemon twist, and transforms Hayama carrots into mousse while hand-kneading sesame tofu, finished with dashi broth. His marbled Japanese Black wagyu is served alongside cabbage sauteed in truffle butter while snow crab simmers in a clay pot. Seared red seabream from Ehime Prefecture gets a kick from spicy ponzu and grated radish.

Passing its 12th anniversary, Minami Aoyama Itoya carries the charm of a seasoned establishment. The dining room is decorated with plain wooden furnishings and Japanese paintings. With counter seats or private rooms for gatherings, the staff serves customers like lifelong friends and families.

Minami Aoyama Itoya Remarks

• Guests with dietary restrictions and/or food allergies should inform the restaurant beforehand. The restaurant might not be able to accommodate guests who make same-day requests.

• The restaurant reserves the right to refuse reservations to guests who have excessive dietary restrictions, particularly those of fish or vegetables.

• The course menu content listed below is an example, and is subject to change based on seasonal availability.

• The restaurant cannot always guarantee that it can provide guests with their preferred seating options after a reservation due to availability.

• The pictures provided are for illustrative purposes.

Minami Aoyama Itoya Business Days

Minami Aoyama Itoya Address

City Yamazaki 1F, 2-19-1 Minamiaoyama, Minato-ku, Tokyo 107-0062

Minami Aoyama Itoya Access Info

• Minami Aoyama Itoya is a 4-minute walk from Gaienmae Station. Cross the footbridge from Exit 4b and turn right from the main street. Go straight down to find Minami Aoyama Itoya to the right.

Minami Aoyama Itoya Phone Number

Minami Aoyama Itoya Cancellation Policy

Cancel your reservation at least 48 hours before the dining start time to receive a full refund.