Ponta Honke
- 3-23-3 Ueno, Taito-ku, Tokyo, 110-0005, Japan
- ¥¥ · Yoshoku
MICHELIN Guide’s Point Of View
Ponta’s taste, upheld by fourth-generation owner-chef Yoshihiko Shimada and his family, goes back generations. His famous cutlet is deep-fried in lard carefully taken from the fat of the pork he will fry. Work is done by hand, as it has been from the first generation. Fried anago (conger eel) and Japanese whiting are also popular. Pig’s-tongue stew, aged over three weeks, is even more popular and often sells out. Shimada compromises on nothing, which is why his customers keep coming back.
Facilities & Services
- Air conditioning
- American Express credit card
- Counter dining
- Credit card / Debit card accepted
- Diners Club credit card
- JCB
- Mastercard credit card
- Visa credit card
+81 3-3831-2351
Tompachitei
- 4-3-4 Ueno, Taito-ku, Tokyo, 110-0005, Japan
- ¥ · Tonkatsu
MICHELIN Guide’s Point Of View
This homestyle restaurant was founded in 1947. Lard is used for frying since it goes well with the pork. It’s fried slowly at low temperatures, and the residual heat is used to cook the thick tonkatsu.The third-generation owner-chef incorporates Western cooking techniques he learned in Europe to take over the family business, into his careful preparations. If it’s your first time, we recommend the loin cutlet, with its good balance of red meat and fat.
Facilities & Services
- Air conditioning
- Cash only
- Counter dining
+81 3-3831-4209
KAMIYA
- 3-18-18 Negishi, Taito-ku, Tokyo, 110-0003, Japan
- ¥ · Yoshoku
MICHELIN Guide’s Point Of View
The founder ran an import shop in 1925. He then began providing light meals to geisha in the pleasure quarter of Negishi, which was a flourishing district at the time, and later turned the place into a yoshoku restaurant. The specialities are beef stew and beef tongue stew, cooked for a long time to bring out the flavour. We also recommend the juicy minced meat cutlet.
Facilities & Services
- Air conditioning
- American Express credit card
- Credit card / Debit card accepted
- Diners Club credit card
- JCB
- Mastercard credit card
- Visa credit card
Tempura Otsuka
- 2-12-11 Iriya, Taito-ku, Tokyo, 110-0013, Japan
- ¥¥ · Tempura
MICHELIN Guide’s Point Of View
The owner-chef, born and raised in Iriya, is an artisan through and through. Proceedings are by the book, starting with milder flavours like tiger prawn, squid and sillago before proceeding to bolder tastes. Edomae toppings are favoured, such as tidepool gunnel and big-eyed flathead. Decorating the walls are senshagaku, wooden tablets typically posted on the pillars of shrines, inscribed with local supporters’ names. The characters suffuse the restaurant with the atmosphere of old neighbourhoods.
Facilities & Services
- Air conditioning
- American Express credit card
- Counter dining
- Credit card / Debit card accepted
- Diners Club credit card
- JCB
- Mastercard credit card
- Visa credit card
+81 3-3873-8826
Asakusa Hirayama
- 1-3-14 Nishiasakusa, Taito-ku, Tokyo, 111-0035, Japan
- ¥ · Soba
MICHELIN Guide’s Point Of View
Owner-chef Hirayama’s soba journey began in New York, where he witnessed soba noodles being made. Aspiring to become a soba chef, upon his return to Japan he apprenticed at a Tokyo-style soba shop and his potential was noticed at a kappo. Both these threads of experience are evident at Asakusa Hirayama. In recognition of Tokyo gastronomic traditions, he favours a rich dipping sauce. The kaeshi for his kake soba uses a light soy sauce, taking a page from his simmered and boiled dishes.
Facilities & Services
- Air conditioning
- American Express credit card
- Counter dining
- Credit card / Debit card accepted
- Diners Club credit card
- JCB
- Mastercard credit card
- Visa credit card
+81 3-5830-6857
Sugita
- 3-8-3 Kotobuki, Taito-ku, Tokyo, 111-0042, Japan
- ¥ · Tonkatsu
MICHELIN Guide’s Point Of View
Owner-chef Mitsuo Sato took over from his father along with his spirit of hospitality. This comes across not only in the meticulously prepared dishes but also in the immaculate counter and polished copper pot. He leaves the pork broth free of pieces of pork because, he says, the ultimate focus is the tonkatsu. High- and low-temperature lard is used depending on the meat, which is cooked slowly. The light-textured batter is robust in flavour, and the meat juicy and tender.
Facilities & Services
- Air conditioning
- American Express credit card
- Counter dining
- Credit card / Debit card accepted
- Diners Club credit card
- JCB
- Mastercard credit card
- Visa credit card
+81 3-3844-5529
Torinao
- 1-5-9 Kaminarimon, Taito-ku, Tokyo, 111-0034, Japan
- ¥¥ · Yakitori
MICHELIN Guide’s Point Of View
The umami of brand-name chicken from Yamanashi, grilled over Kishu-binchotan (white charcoal), comes more from the meat than from the sweetness of its fat. Liver is sprinkled with sansho before grilling; breast meat is dressed with yuzu pepper for a change of flavour. Applying his experience in Japanese cuisine, the chef offers rape blossoms as shiraae (salad with sesame seeds) and summer vegetables as surinagashi (pureed soup) to alternate with the skewers.
Facilities & Services
- Air conditioning
- American Express credit card
- Counter dining
- Credit card / Debit card accepted
- Diners Club credit card
- JCB
- Mastercard credit card
- Visa credit card
+81 3-3843-5805
Onigiri Asakusa Yadoroku
- 3-9-10 Asakusa, Taito-ku, Tokyo, 111-0032, Japan
- ¥ · Onigiri
MICHELIN Guide’s Point Of View
Ingredients are displayed behind a glass case, as in a sushi shop. Yosuke Miura, the third-generation owner-chef, listens to his customer’s order and immediately begins moulding it by hand. Before taking over the reins here, he was a flautist. In classical music, you play what’s written on the music sheet. Onigiri is the same, says Miura; you don’t try to do something new. Yadoroku is a score handed down from his grandmother, one which he will reproduce faithfully.
Facilities & Services
- Air conditioning
- Cash only
- Counter dining
noura
- 4-10-6 Asakusa, Taito-ku, Tokyo, 111-0032, Japan
- ¥¥ · French
MICHELIN Guide’s Point Of View
This bistro is supervised by the owner Arai of HOMMAGE. In the kitchen is Chef Matsumoto, who spent time together with him in France. They prepare traditional dishes without excess. Standard offerings include pâté de campagne, smoked salmon and steak and fries. The Asakusa roots show in such touches as serving a rice dish at the end.
Facilities & Services
- Air conditioning
- Credit card / Debit card accepted
- Mastercard credit card
- Visa credit card
Hatsuogawa
- 2-8-4 Kaminarimon, Taito-ku, Tokyo, 111-0034, Japan
- ¥ · Unagi / Freshwater Eel
MICHELIN Guide’s Point Of View
Founded in 1907, this restaurant is run by the third-generation proprietress and her son. Slips of paper of the kind posted by pilgrims to shrines decorate the pillars inside, creating something of a downtown atmosphere. Only once the order is placed are live unagi sliced, grilled, steamed and repeatedly flipped until fragrant and browned. There is a discernible sense of pride in having carried on the traditions of a long-established restaurant.
Facilities & Services
- Air conditioning
- Cash only
+81 3-3844-2723