11 Restaurants in Kichijoji, From Fine Dining to Casual

The Kichijoji Area

Kichijoji, while a part of Tokyo, exists just outside of the 23 wards, in a city called Musashino. Kichijoji is well known for being rated the most desireable neighborhood to live in by locals, and for good reason. With both old-fashioned and contemporary shopping and dining that sways effortlessly between cool and classical, there seem to be endless appealing nooks and crannies. Kichijoji also borders Inokashira Park, home to the Ghibli Museum on the Mitaka side. A combination of easily accessible lifestyle facilities, verdant nature, and all-ages attractions keeps this town on the edge of Tokyo's metropolitan area busy day and night.

Kichijoji's Food Scene

11 Restaurants in Kichijoji

1. Sushi Marufuku (鮨 まるふく) / Sushi

The intensity of flavor on display at Sushi Marufuku cuts a stark contrast against its understated furnishings. Traditional, rustic serving ware and simple wooden decor underscore Chef Yutaka Isayama's approach to sushi. The chef offers just one menu, his omakase course, which flows between otsumami small plates and nigiri to keep the palate balanced against an onslaught of flavors. Sushi Marufuku's commitment to serving aged sushi innovates on the ancient technique with extra long dry aging periods and vacuum technology adapted to each fish's size and lean-to-fat ratio. The proprietress is a registered sake sommelier with 25 bottles available on average. Known as a sushi-ya for people in the know, Sushi Marufuku has been registered to the Michelin guide in 2024 and 2025.

2. Nikuyama (肉山) / Yakiniku

From zero kitchen experience to un-bookable smash hit restaurant owner, Hideaki Mitsuyama has had an exciting culinary journey. Nikuyama was established in 2012, 9 years after opening his first restaurant, the offal-centered 'Wa.' Designed as a staff-led yakiniku concept, Nikuyama places the focus on red meat while serving an array of small plates that range from cucumber to pate de campagne. While Nikuyama hasn't been widely recognized on the global awards stage, Chef Mitsuyama's success in franchising and cooperation have earned Nikuyama a covered place on convenience store shelves and helped usher in the age of Nikuyama's first-floor casual dining space. While guests can still eat course menus on the upper floors, steak and salisbury steak set meals are available on the first.

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3. Sasaki Seimenjo (佐々木製麺所) / Ramen

1. Michelin (2023, 24, 25): Bib Gourmand

Sasaki Seimenjo has held its Michelin Bib Gourmand since 2023, but this quiet shop in Nishiogi is far from overrun by gourmets clambering for a bowl. Simple and clean are words that encapsulate the ramen experience here. A ticket machine dishes out two types of broth: salt or soy sauce. Noodles are made onsite and also come in two satisfying varieties, both made with domestic flour. Flat or round, soy or salt, dipped or sipped. A few simple choices can transform the experience of Sasaki's ramen, but the uncomplicated menu makes it a popular place for locals and foodies alike. Ingredients are sourced from small vegetable markets and butchers nearby. Come cold weather, miso flavored soup is a welcome addition.

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4. Sennomago (仙ノ孫) / Chinese

1. Michelin (2021 - 25): Bib Gourmand

Though its head chef hails from Oita prefecture, the application of traditional herbs in Sen no Mago's dishes is rootely deeply in Chinese medicine. This Michelin Bib Gourmand has held its position for 6 years and won a Top 100 Chinese award by serving fragrant Chinese cuisine rooted in Schezuan and Shanghainese dining. The vegetables are brought in from Oita, all grown using natural methods, and the spices and seasonings used take a cue from Eastern medicine, right down to the herbal sake and house-made oils, which lend their help to dishes in the form of fragrance and infusion. The chef's mapo tofu is a vessel for his creativity, while a collagen rich soup forms the base for many of Sen no Mago's classic dishes.

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5. Kichijoji Sushi Shiorian Yamashiro (吉祥寺 鮨 栞庵 やましろ) / Sushi

"A lot, little by little." Is an interesting philosophy towards kaiseki that sounds nearly too introspective. However, this approach has earned the original Shiorian Yamashiro a Michelin star three times and the client base to expand to locations far beyond its original footprint. The Kichijoji location upholds the same mastery as the original, unrelenting in its pursuit of creating the finest Edomae sushi. Toppings are painstakingly selected and treated to the finest detail, ensuring that the limits of quality and flavor are pushed with each nigiri. The chef behind it all brings his education in traditional Kyoto style cuisine to the counter, engaging guests from the moment they part the curtain with traditional, understated decor and classical dishes.

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6. Kichijoji Sushi Tempura Iwai (吉祥寺 鮨 天ぷら いわい) / Tempura

Operated by the Michelin awarded Tempura and Wine Ashiya Iwai, in Hyogo prefecture, Sushi Tempura Iwai in Kichijoji introduces the Iwai brand's world-renowned tempura with Edomae sushi. A dailogue of playfulness and conservatism, new cuisine and old, the chef puts all of his skills on display. And these skills are many, as Iwai's head chef is both a registered wine sommelier and vegetable sommelier and has experience working in hotels as well as restaurants. On top of the mastery that defines Iwai's tempura, the use of uncommon ingredients such as abalone, uni, and shark fin add an element of glamour to the menu, further emphasizing the exciting contrast between Edomae tradition and contemporary gastronomy.

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7. 1er etage (プルミエ レタージュ) / French

RED is domestically known as a proving ground for chefs. In particular, its Under- competitions bring talented young chefs to display their culinary process and pit their skills against prodigious peers. Chef Takaya Shinkai is no different. He credits the competition for deepening his knowledge of other chef's thought process, which he says has influenced his own cuisine, as has his experience working in heavily foreigner trafficked Akasaka restaurants and his own personal study of French and Italian food. Chef Shinkai's cuisine is mainly French, with influences of Italian and a strong affinity for sustainable efforts to loop in local farms and producers. Premier Etage offers affordable lunch courses and classically satisfying dinners.

8. Sushi Tomikawa (鮨 富かわ) / Sushi

Sushi Tomikawa is named after the chef's master, a 11 time Michelin starred chef. In the hands of this accomplished chef, Sushi Tomikawa takes on a nouvelle "Wa" approach to sushi that commits to Edomae nigiri while introducing creativity and individuality. From the single plank counter to the easygoing but professional service, Sushi Tomikawa is a place visitors can feel comfortable stopping into freely. The chef has experience working in Amersterdam at Hotel Okura, giving him a talent for taking care of visiting guests. A reasonable price and selection of sommelier selected wines, whisky, and sake make the omakase course reliably popular. The chef heads out to Toyosu market each day to choose seasonal ingredients.

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9. eclat (エクラ) / French

1. Japan Restaurant Award, Bronze (2019)

Chef Yuuji Imai opened Eclat in 2014, after spending time cooking in a traditonal Japanese ryotei and in a three starred Michelin restaurant in Nice. His cuisine still forms a careful balance between the light French dishes of Nice and the seasonal focus of Washoku. Eclat embraces the art of dresse. Plating is extremely detailed, with ribbons and curls of fresh vegetables and colorful paint strokes of richly flavorful sauces. The colors used reflect the seasons with edible flowers and impactful flavors that have earned Eclat a Bronze Restaurant Award. The understated design of the restaurant allows the vibrance of the cuisine to shine in both visual and gustatory exellence. Dining options are certainly rooted in French cusine but also leave room for creativity.

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10. Mamezou (まめ蔵) / Curry

1. Japan Restaurant Award, Best 100 (2019 - 20, 2022 - 24)

Mamezou has been named one of Tokyo's 100 best curry shops 5 times and is beloved as one of the Kichijoji area's "Big Three' curry houses. Located in a charming brick building, this curry house and cafe has been in business for nearly half a century. Its singature curry features over 10 varieties of spices, a dash of red wine, and a long resting time to bring out its characteristic depth of flavor. The owner, Minami Kuukuu, also creates picture books and terra cotta art. This eclectic space with a focus on nostaliga and charming retro evokes the coffee houses of the Pacific Northwest, but with a singularly Japanese ambiance. The vegetable and special curries are especially popular, with whole mini-tomatos, shishito peppers, and an appealing richness.

11. Pizzeria GG Kichijoji (ピッツェリアGG) / Pizza

1. Japan Restaurant Award, Best 100 (2017 - 19, 2021, 2023)

Recognized as one of the county's top 100 pizza venues and officially recognized by the Associazione Verace Pizza Napoletana for serving authentic Napolitan pizza, this home-style pizza parlor is as authentic as any you would find on a corner of little Italy or on an italian side-street. GG's Pizza, founded by Kohno Tomoyuki and his partner, are considered one of the first Napolitan pizza venues in Tokyo and is still one of the best. The location, in a subterrarean cavern that mirrors the interior of the stone pizza oven inside, is easy to miss. Though Italian lovers may be a bit surprised to find a lack of pasta on the menu, a generous selection of antipasti and dolce soon alleviates any misgivings.