17 Best Restaurants in Aoyama

Aoyama's Dining Scene

Aoyama is a sophisticated district for adults.

Despite being in the heart of Tokyo, Aoyama exudes a calm and refined atmosphere. Adjacent to Shibuya and Harajuku, it's a place where you can enjoy shopping and stroll through beautiful streets. Aoyama boasts a cosmopolitan side, with global luxury brands lining its avenues, while also offering parks and museums where you can appreciate nature and art. This district truly has a multifaceted charm.

Aoyama boasts more Michelin-starred restaurants than most areas in Tokyo.

From casual cafes to luxurious fine dining establishments, Aoyama offers a variety of dining options to suit your mood and lifestyle. The district features many sophisticated eateries that blend seamlessly with its stylish streetscape, including restaurants that serve organic ingredients and vegan menus.

In Aoyama, you can savor a wide range of Japanese cuisine while enjoying the high-quality service and meticulous attention to detail each restaurant offers. This article introduces dining establishments in Aoyama where you can enjoy premium and authentic cuisine.

17 Restaurants in Aoyama

1. Sushi Masashi / Sushi

Sushi Masashi, a Michelin one-star restaurant, specializes in traditional Edomae Nigiri sushi. The owner trained at prestigious sushi restaurants, including those in The Ritz-Carlton and other luxury hotels, eventually rising to head chef at several renowned establishments.

Since its opening in 2020, this restaurant has offered not only exquisite sushi but also a carefully curated selection of sake, champagne, and white wine to complement the dishes.

2. Tenoshima / Japanese

Tenoshima is a Michelin one-star Japanese restaurant opened by an owner who trained at Kikunoi, a Michelin three-star traditional Japanese restaurant in Kyoto. The restaurant aims to make authentic Japanese cuisine more accessible. At Tenoshima, you can enjoy traditional Japanese dishes, the chef’s regional specialties, and popular Japanese home-cooked meals, such as karaage, which is Japanese-style fried chicken. The intricate presentation of the dishes is a visual delight in itself.

The drink menu features over 100 varieties, including sake, shochu, and wine. Guests can also enjoy drink pairings curated by the proprietress, who has a background in web design.

3. NéMo / French

This Michelin one-star French restaurant, led by a chef who has cherished fishing with his grandfather since childhood, offers a course menu abundant in rare fish dishes. Its manager, an experienced sommelier with a background in renowned restaurants, expertly selects fine wines that complement the cuisine. The highlight of the menu is the NéMo Kebab, prepared right before your eyes. In the cozy and inviting ambiance of the wood-accented interior, you can unwind and savor your meal.

4. Miyasaka / Japanese

Miyasaka is a traditional Japanese restaurant renowned for showcasing the natural essence of its ingredients, having earned two Michelin stars. Emphasizing seasonal ingredients, the restaurant employs authentic Japanese cooking techniques. The chef, with 11 years of experience at a Japanese restaurant in Tokyo and 10 years at a prestigious establishment in Kyoto, meticulously mills brown rice daily and cooks it to perfection in a clay pot.

The restaurant also offers a curated selection of beverages that perfectly complement the dishes. Inspired by the art of the tea ceremony, the chef creates a dining atmosphere rich in Japanese aesthetics, evident in the exquisite tableware and presentation.

5. Sudachi / Japanese

A Japanese restaurant listed in the Michelin Guide, Sudachi offers creative cuisine that combines traditional Japanese cooking with innovative ideas. The owner, who gained experience at several renowned Japanese restaurants such as Kamogawa, opened La Bombance in Nishiazabu in 2004, and then Sudachi in 2014.

The courses, crafted with fresh ingredients procured daily, allow guests to enjoy a wide range of dishes, including wagyu beef and sushi. The extensive drink menu features rare local sake, hard to get even in Japan, as well as wines that pair well with Japanese cuisine.

Vegetarian menu options are also available.

6.Kappo Ryu / Japanese

This Japanese restaurant is listed in the Michelin Guide. The chef, who has experience preparing dishes for international events, values seasonal ingredients. After perfecting his craft at Japanese restaurants in Osaka and Nagoya, he now leads the kitchen at a Michelin-starred Japanese restaurant in Tokyo.

The restaurant's interior features elegant Japanese decor, creating a refined atmosphere for guests to enjoy their meals. Alongside beer and sake, there's a broad selection of wines that complement Japanese cuisine. The menu includes a popular course with Tai Chazuke —sea bream served over rice with tea—available for both lunch and dinner, as well as a special course featuring premium Wagyu beef.

7. Itsuka / Chinese

This Michelin one-star Chinese restaurant highlights the rich variety of Japanese ingredients. The owner, who honed his skills at prestigious Chinese restaurants in Yokohama and Azabu, launched Itsuka in December 2019. The restaurant pays homage to traditional Chinese cuisine while incorporating Japanese sensibilities into its dishes, such as lamb and seafood like shark fin. The menu also features unique appetizers designed to bring good fortune, offering a selection of seven or eight exquisite items.

8. Sushi Rizaki Aoyama / Sushi

Sushi Rizaki Aoyama is a genuine sushi spot offering high-quality sushi at reasonable prices, driven by the owner's passion for making sushi accessible to everyone. It opened in Aoyama as the second location of the renowned Sushi Rizaki, which is situated in the Oku-Shibuya area—a part of Shibuya known for its serene and refined atmosphere.The restaurant uses seasonal ingredients to create carefully crafted sushi for each guest. The menu offers a single dinner omakase course.

9. Kuroge Wagyu Restaurant Hachi / Steakhouse

At Kuroge Wagyu Restaurant Hachi, you can savor premium A5-grade Kuroge Wagyu beef at reasonable prices. The skilled chefs create an exceptional dining experience, showcasing Wagyu beef alongside seasonal ingredients. The restaurant is certified to serve raw meat, allowing you to enjoy unique dishes like beef tartar named yukhoe and sashimi. Its extensive drink menu features a wide selection of beers, whiskies, champagnes, white wines, and numerous red wines. The interior is designed with calming green walls to enhance your dining experience.

10. Jinbo Minami Aoyama / Italian

This Italian restaurant features Japanese ingredients, driven by the passionate belief that "you may never encounter these ingredients again." The owner personally travels across Japan to source specialty vegetables, including their signature bagna càuda. The vibrant dishes are served on exquisite tableware. Their limited-course meals, available only on the day, are designed with food waste in mind. They also offer a carefully curated selection of domestic beers, wines, and non-alcoholic beverages.

11. Sushi Riku / Sushi

This restaurant offers a close-up view of skilled artisans expertly preparing sushi right in front of you over the counter. They carefully craft each piece of sushi using seasonal ingredients sourced every morning from Toyosu Market. The drink menu is also extensive, featuring a wide variety of beverages including Japanese sake and shochu, as well as wine and whiskey.

12. Yakiniku Kirameki / Barbecue

1. Japan Restaurant Award,Best 100 (2023)

This barbecue restaurant is listed among the top 100 on a prestigious Japanese gourmet review site. They specialize in the rare female Black Wagyu, known to be one in a thousand. You’ll experience the exceptional aroma and melt-in-your-mouth texture of this meticulously selected Wagyu, showcasing the unique qualities of Black Wagyu. The menu also includes a tasting of three types of beef tongue and caviar yukhoe, which is beef tartare topped with truffles.

13. L'Intemporel / French

L'Intemporel, a Michelin-starred restaurant, serves classic French cuisine and its name translates to "eternal" or "unchanging" in French. You can savor seasonal dishes like Cauliflower Pie and Mackerel Consommé, crafted with carefully selected ingredients from Japan and around the world. The restaurant features a selection of 400 French wines for pairing and offers a serene, natural ambiance for a refined French dining experience.

14. PRISMA / Italian

PRISMA is an Italian restaurant with two Michelin stars, where the exquisite presentation and subtle French influences showcase the chef’s expertise in both Italian and French cuisines. A standout dish is the Tagliolini with Caviar and Red Wine Sauce, which features house-made caviar, as the chef prefers to avoid store-bought options. Enjoy the chef’s meticulous attention to ingredients in an intimate setting with just 8 seats, offering a serene and luxurious dining experience. The lush greenery visible through the large windows adds a calming touch to the ambiance.

15. Ristorante HONDA / Italian

This Michelin one-star restaurant offers Italian cuisine with a Japanese twist. The chef, who trained in France and Italy before becoming a sous-chef at a renowned Italian restaurant, focuses on highlighting the natural flavors of the ingredients. After gaining this experience, he opened his restaurant, where he stays true to Italian cooking principles while using rich, locally sourced ingredients. His pasta dishes are particularly noteworthy, with favorites like Tagliolini with Hokkaido Sea Urchin and HONDA Carbonara. The presentation, which draws on Japanese aesthetics, is also a standout feature.

16. Sushi Ryujirou / sushi

1. MICHELIN (2022 - 24): One Star

Ryujirou is a Michelin one-star sushi restaurant renowned for its meticulously crafted sushi rice, designed to perfectly complement the tuna. The skilled chef, who trained in Kanazawa and Ginza and previously served as the second-generation head chef at a prestigious Aoyama sushi restaurant, presents a selection of expertly chosen ingredients daily. From the stylish counter seats, you can enjoy an up-close view of the chefs' impressive techniques.

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17. NARISAWA / Innovative

1. MICHELIN (2013 - 23): Two Star

NARISAWA is an innovative restaurant that has held a two-star Michelin rating for over a decade, showcasing Japan’s culinary excellence. It embraces Satoyama Culture, a traditional Japanese way of life that emphasizes harmony with nature. Guests can experience Innovative Satoyama Cuisine, with dishes that change daily to reflect the season. The restaurant also caters to various dietary needs, including allergies, and vegan, and vegetarian options.

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