Just as you thought, there are countless #instagrammable food spots in Tokyo. There are actually many restaurants left out, which are totally underrated and deserve to be posted on Instagram more often. Let’s forget about the fruit-loaded parfait, animal latte art, and limited edition donuts for a second; here are my personal top 5 Instagram-worthy food spots in Tokyo that need to be discussed more.
1. Nishi-Waseda: I Love Toufa
There is no doubt that many of my Waseda Taiwanese friends visited this cute restaurant and express positive comments on how they want to go every single day. I Love Toufa is a small Taiwanese food spot that is conveniently located between Waseda and Takadanobaba. This restaurant is relatively new and was opened in February 2017. Not only do they serve the beloved flavored tapioca tea and toufa–which is soybean pudding– I Love Toufa also serves delicious egg pancakes, radish cake, and minced pork noodles. The seating is quite limited and can fill up rather quickly, so why not give it a try for your weekday lunch?
2. Nihombashi: Byron Coffee Company
One day, I was searching for good cafes that are open early on weekdays around the Nihombashi area, and came across Byron Coffee Company. This petite coffee shop is not located in a department store or on a major street; therefore, take an extra look at Byron as you might miss out this place when you walk through the streets. Byron Coffee Company is an Australia-based cafe that is famous for their homemade pie. Looking for a perfect breakfast in Tokyo? I would recommend ordering their berry custard pie together with hot coffee.
3. Multiple stores: Sarabeth’s
This renowned New York brunch spot is enjoyed by tourists in Tokyo. Due to the restaurant’s popularity, there are currently 3 branches in Tokyo; one in Nagoya and one in Osaka. Sarabeth’s is famous for their eggs benedict, french toast, and pancakes. As I’ve personally tried all three, my favorite is definitely their lemon ricotta pancakes, which I say it’s undefeatable. When you are searching for a comforting brunch on the weekends to satisfy your hungry soul, give Sarabeth’s a go, and you will not be disappointed.
4. Multiple stores: Gyunta
As for a savory meal, teppanyaki is one of the popular choices that both tourists and locals will go for in Tokyo. Coming from the Kobe region, Gyunta is a teppanyaki specialty store that serves delicious teppanyaki in various flavors, fusing Japanese with Korean style. Having tried various teppanyaki stores in both Tokyo and Hiroshima (different style of teppanyaki), Gyunta is the store that I remember and want to go back again. Teppanyaki is typically DIY-style by customers themselves, but you can also kindly ask the chef to cook the teppanyaki for you.
5. Afternoon tea with your besties: Noa Cafe
Just when I thought I was already familiar with the majority of restaurants in Ginza, I was surprised to find out that there is a beautiful cafe in the center of Ginza that sells reasonably-priced waffles. Located at the B1 level, Noa cafe attracts many tourists that are shopping around in Ginza. They serve over 15 different waffle flavors that all look extremely delicious. I have tried the blueberry waffle and caramel tiramisu waffle. What’s best about their waffles is that the portion is perfect and the flavor is not overly sweet. Noa cafe is the ideal place if you want to have a reunion with your besties.
All picture credit: Angela Chung.