Tokyo Eateries: A Non-Foodie’s Favorites
Japan travel tips: a few Tokyo eatery suggestions, from an absolute non-foodie.
Good morning,
It’s a lovely, breezy Sunday morning in Tokyo, though the sky can’t seem to decide between sun and clouds. It’s not quite jacket weather yet, but we’re slowly getting there. Students are already back in school, although September/October aren’t the big “back-to-school” moments they are in many other countries. In Japan, the school year starts in April, so September is more like a return after a mid-year break.
Due to some changes in my work circumstances (more like an addition than a change),1 I will this fall be spending more weekends in Tokyo than I did previously, as my new task requires me to be in Tokyo on Saturdays until 11 a.m., at least until the end of January, with a few breaks in between.
Even though I enjoy my weekend trips, especially during the autumn colors season, I’m also looking forward to my obligatory Tokyo weekends (with the added guarantee that I’ll leave the house to get to work) with the hope that I can adopt a more intentional and structured approach to exploring this lovely city that, despite my endless affection for it, I somehow never feel I do enough to get to know more closely.
As the first step toward engaging with one of the world’s largest (and I think gentlest) metropolises a little more intentionally—and in the hope that I can someday craft a more comprehensive, guide-style post about Tokyo that goes beyond a love letter—this month’s extra post for paid subscribers focuses on some of my favorite eateries in the city.2
But, before we get to the list, I should admit a few things first. So that what follows can be read in the right context (and maybe even completely disregarded!).
While I very much like eating (I wish I liked it a little less), I couldn’t be further from a foodie. I can eat almost anything (except cucumbers), even dishes I don’t particularly care for, as long as there’s plain Turkish/Greek yogurt on top. For example, I can eat beans with yogurt, pasta with yogurt, even rice with yogurt (a common Turkish habit that terrifies most people, and particularly Japanese, who have a rather complicated relationship with dairy products). I can also eat the same thing every day (and often do) and would not question it much.3 Maybe I shouldn’t even be allowed to write a post like this—but, well, freedom of speech, I guess as long as it lasts.
So while I enjoy dining out (Tokyo’s eateries are impossibly atmospheric), it’s never the food that drives my choice. It is, instead, the lighting (the warm, no-ceiling kind) that draws me into a restaurant and keeps me coming back (unless, of course, the entire menu revolves around cucumbers - not an entirely outrageous possibility in Tokyo, where concept cafes, shops, and eateries dominate the scene).
With that (big) disclaimer in mind, I’ve listed below some of the places I frequent in Tokyo and feel confident bringing friends to when they visit.
Bistro Aligot in Jimbocho
If I had to pick one favorite among the places in this post, it would be Bistro Aligot, named after the French dish that is its specialty. The two-storey restaurant, converted from an old ice shop, sits in Jimbocho—Tokyo’s “book city,” home to hundreds of second-hand bookstores and recently named the world’s coolest neighborhood for 2025 by Time Out contributors. Aligot makes a perfect stop to end a day in Jimbocho, after exploring the old but rarely dusty (this is Japan, after all) bookshops, which often also offer a small but quite interesting selection of English books.
Aligot`s menu features a rich selection of French bistro food. If you are looking for a sit-down dinner, the second floor of the venue features a tatami-style room that can be booked in advance (online or by phone) with the optional course menu (and even an all-you-can-drink addition - quite common in Tokyo).
However, the real allure of Aligot lies in its first floor and the standing bar, where you can order from the à la carte menu. The place opens at 4 p.m. on Saturdays (5 p.m. on weekdays) and is closed on Sundays. There is no reservation option for the entry floor bar. So, I usually hesitate to go to Aligot if we are a group of three or more, as it fills up very quickly. But you will have more like if you are on your own or a group of two as the circulation is also high.