Roku

Opened in 2020 by a husband-wife duo, tiny French restaurant Roku (“six” in Japanese) is named for their shared birth month (not coincidentally, the restaurant also seats just six per service). He plays the role of chef, while she assumes responsibility for patissier work. Together, the two of them are a formidable team that brings Michelin-recognized high-end French cuisine to their small corner of Yoyogi. As is to be expected from a chef who trained at the legendary Hiroo establishment Restaurant Manoir before its closure, the puff pastry is bewitchingly flaky, and each sauce is simmered to perfection. A standard and special omakase course menu is offered at both lunch and dinner, with special options for diners who come in after 8pm. Roku is perfectly happy to serve a short course or desserts for guests who plan to come in after typical dining hours, or before an exciting night out. The finest ingredients, including vibrantly fresh greens, foraged plants, and wild game from the chef’s native Nagano are prepared and plated with the same contemporary sense as the restaurant’s cool concrete facade. In this intimate restaurant just outside Sangubashi Station, what the couple accomplishes in such a small space is nothing short of stellar — and they have a Michelin Bib Gourmand to prove it. Michelin Guide: 2022 - Bib Gourmand