Sougo

While the first image of dining out in Roppongi is haute French cuisine and exclusive omakase sushi restaurants, the district is also home to some of Japan’s more esoteric cuisines, elevated by some of the finest masters of the nation’s culinary scene. There is perhaps no better example than Sougo, a chic restaurant specializing in an ancient Japanese culinary style known as shojin ryori. Visitors are in good hands, because there are few on the planet — if any — more familiar with this storied culinary tradition than Daisuke Nomura, previously head chef of the Michelin-starred shojin ryori restaurant Daigo. Historically, shojin ryori was the domain of Buddhist monks. Naturally, for a culinary style developed with Buddhist philosophies and sensibilities in mind, every dish served in Sougo is free of meat — a celebration of vegetables and fruits. This vegetarian cuisine (vegan options also available) is beautifully arranged on each plate, which perfectly captures the beauty of traditional Japan and its distinct seasons. Key to shojin ryori is the freshness of the ingredients, and Sougo takes this quality to even greater heights with surprising and modern takes on traditional dishes. As the quality of produce changes with the seasons, so does the menu at Sougo, which changes every three weeks so as to offer guests the freshest produce possible. This makes for a new and fresh experience each visit.