What To Eat in Tokyo: 20 Best Must-Try Foods and Snacks

You could spend an entire year living in Tokyo and still stumble upon a street food stall on a sidewalk serving something you've never tried before. Tokyo has changed in profound ways over the years with its new crop of Michelin-lauded restaurants. Some of these places are doing brilliant work, innovating and riffing on local ingredients.

Still, we’d argue that the soul of Tokyo’s food scene is found in tucked-away alleyways and beneath the awnings of bustling fish markets. No trip to Tokyo is complete without at least one — and hopefully more — street foods. 

Just landed in Tokyo? Dive into our roundup of the best, must-try foods and snacks that were either born in Tokyo or popularized in the capital.

Tokyo’s answer to Osaka and Hiroshima’s okonomiyaki comes in the form of monjayaki — a gooier, molten “pancake” cooked on a flat iron grill. It’s part of the konamono family, a category of flour-based Japanese street food.

While okonomiyaki resembles a thick pancake layered with toppings, monjayaki is more fluid with a satisfyingly chewy texture when cooked long enough. Both start with a batter mixed with chopped cabbage and various ingredients, such as seafood, cheese or meat.

The key difference lies in monjayaki’s much thinner batter, which creates a bubbling, crispy-edged dish rather than a structured pancake. It might not be the most visually appealing dish — a medley of ingredients melting together — but the crispy, molten texture is undeniably addictive.

While most okonomiyaki spots in Tokyo offer monjayaki, the best place to try it is in Tsukishima, which is often considered its birthplace. A charming, albeit narrow, cobblestone street known as Monjayaki Street is home to over 80 monjayaki specialists, including Maguroya, a celebrity favorite visited by baseball star Shohei Ohtani and world champion boxer Naoya Inoue. 

Many people are surprised to learn that sushi isn’t Japan’s official national dish (that honor goes to Japanese curry rice). Still, Tokyo is widely regarded as the capital of sushi.

Sushi originally began as a method of preserving fish by fermenting it with rice, a process that could take months. In the 16th century, rice vinegar was introduced, allowing for a quicker curing process. Fish was marinated in vinegar for a few days before being served with rice, a method that eventually led to the creation of nigiri sushi in Edo (modern-day Tokyo) during the 1800s, sold as fast food by yatai street stalls. 

Edomae sushi was born from there. "Edomae" refers to fish caught exclusively in Tokyo Bay. This style of sushi is characterized by specific techniques to preserve both the fish and rice, including marinating fish in soy sauce, curing it with kelp, or simmering it in dashi broth. The rice is seasoned with red vinegar. 

Today, Edomae-style sushi can be found across Tokyo, from inexpensive conveyor belt sushi restaurants (although often less authentic) and standing sushi bars to high-end Michelin-starred establishments. The Tsukiji Fish Market remains one of the best places to enjoy fresh sushi.

Chef Shintaro Suzuki’s meticulous standards are evident in every dish. He personally inspects the day’s catch, rejecting any that don’t meet his high expectations.

His staff applies soy sauce with separate brushes for different fish to prevent flavor contamination. Sushi rice sweetness and savoriness are also adjusted per fish.

This attention to detail earned Sushi Shin a Michelin star, held for over 10 years.

FInd out more: Best Sushi in Tokyo

Historically, Japan was a Buddhist country, where most people refrained from eating meat. Yakitori, or Japanese chicken skewers, is a relatively new culinary development that emerged during the Meiji period, a time when Shamo game fowl stew gained popularity. The meat was expensive, so stalls began using offcuts and innards from restaurants, skewering and grilling them and basting them with tare sauce.

Today, yakitori comes in a variety of styles: salted, known as shioyaki, or basted with the sweet tare sauce in tareyaki. While there are familiar, approachable cuts like momo (thigh) and mune (breast), the adventurous can explore more daring options like the chochin — a skewer of a dangling premature yolk encased in the chicken’s ovary, resembling a lantern — or even chicken neck.

Taira, an upscale Minami-Aoyama restaurant, specializes in yakitori made from free-range chicken, featuring three of Japan's finest chicken breeds.

Guests can enjoy flavorful grilled skewers and seasonal dishes paired with premium Japanese sake. The efficient smoke exhaust system ensures no lingering odor, perfect for dates or special occasions. Taira offers counter seating and three private rooms for a variety of events.

Find out more: Best Yakitori Restaurants in Tokyo

Love watching sumo wrestlers? Try eating like one.

Chanko nabe, also known as sumo stew, is a hearty Japanese stew traditionally eaten in large quantities by sumo wrestlers as part of their weight-gain diet. 

This one-pot dish, a type of Japanese nabemono, is rich in protein and nutrients, and it typically contains a mix of vegetables, tofu, meat (often chicken) and fish, all simmered in a flavorful broth.

Chanko nabe has become a popular restaurant dish, particularly at establishments run by retired sumo wrestlers who specialize in it. The first of these, Kawasaki Chanko, opened in 1937 in the Ryogoku district of Tokyo, an area known for its sumo stables. For the best chanko nabe experience, head to one of the specialty restaurants near the Kokugikan Sumo Stadium in Ryogoku, where many ex-sumo wrestlers continue the tradition.

Find out more: Best Places for Chanko Nabe in Tokyo 

Immerse yourself in the world of sumo in Asakusa, Tokyo! Savor a wrestler’s chanko meal, featuring chanko-nabe, inari sushi, and fried chicken, all crafted with a unique recipe by a former sumo wrestler. 

Enjoy a traditional Japanese dance performance while sipping drinks, followed by an exciting sumo demonstration. Experience a one-of-a-kind opportunity to interact with former wrestlers and, if you're brave enough, dress up in a sumo suit or mawashi to challenge them in a playful sumo match!

Almost every country has its own version of dumplings, and for Japan, it's gyoza.

Originally, gyoza was derived from the Chinese dumpling called jiaozi, which consists of ground meat and vegetables wrapped in a thin dough, sealed and either boiled or pan-fried.

Gyoza, however, is a Japanese adaptation of jiaozi, brought back by Japanese soldiers returning from the Japanese-backed puppet state of Manchukuo in northeastern China during World War II.

Gyoza is especially popular in Tokyo, where it's commonly offered in izakaya or, more famously, in specialty gyoza shops. It can be enjoyed on its own, often paired with a dipping sauce, or served alongside rice.

Tamagoyaki may not be new, but tamagoyaki on a stick is a more recent twist. Tamagoyaki is Japan's rolled omelet, traditionally made by cooking thin layers of egg one at a time, and it’s typically sweeter due to the addition of sugar and mirin.

While a tamagoyaki skewer might sound like just another trend of putting everything on a stick, it's actually a beloved street food at Tsukiji Outer Fish Market.

Oden isn’t just one dish — it’s a collection of ingredients gently simmered in a delicate dashi broth, making it the perfect winter staple. Its origins trace back to a simple skewered tofu dish served with miso, but during the Edo period, it evolved into the hot pot-style dish loved today.

Traditionally served from street stalls, oden features a variety of ingredients, from tender daikon radish and boiled eggs to konyaku (a firm, jelly-like yam cake) and assorted fish cakes. 

Tokyo-style oden is known for its katsuobushi-based broth, which takes on a light brown hue and carries a rich yet subtly sweet soy sauce flavor. Some enjoy it with a dab of mustard for an extra kick.

Find out more: Best Oden Restaurants in Tokyo

Hong Kong has pineapple buns. Mexico has conchas. Japan has melon pan — a soft, fluffy bread crowned with a crisp, cookie-like topping. Though the name suggests a melon flavor, the bread was actually named for its resemblance to a cantaloupe’s textured rind.

If you’ve watched enough anime, you’ve probably seen a protagonist dashing out the door, late for school, with a piece of melon pan clutched between their teeth. That is because it’s one of the easiest, cheapest and most fulfilling Japanese snacks to buy. 

You’ll find melon pan everywhere, from convenience stores to specialty stalls in Asakusa, where vendors take it up a notch by slicing it open and stuffing it with ice cream. While the classic version remains a favorite, modern variations have introduced flavors like strawberry, chocolate and, at last, actual melon.

Find out more: Best Street Snacks and Desserts in Asakusa Street

Taiyaki is a nostalgic fish-shaped waffle, traditionally filled with sweet red bean paste.

The creator of taiyaki, Seijiro Kobe, who owned the store Naniwaya Sohonten in Azabu Juban, was struggling to sell imagawayaki — another sweet filled with red bean paste. In a stroke of genius, he came up with an idea: shape the cakes like tai (red sea bream), a symbol of good fortune and an expensive delicacy.

The concept took off, and taiyaki became a beloved Tokyo treat. Originally, it was only filled with azuki red bean paste — Seijiro’s version was slow-cooked for eight hours — but over time, variations emerged. 

Today, taiyaki can be found stuffed with custard, used as an ice cream cone or filled with seasonal flavors like strawberry in spring or chestnut cream in fall. For the classic experience, Naniwaya is still open today, serving taiyaki as it has for over a century.

Ningyoyaki is similar to taiyaki — both are baked treats traditionally filled with red bean paste. If there’s a pattern here, it’s that red bean paste in Japan is as common as chocolate in the West.

But where taiyaki takes the shape of a lucky sea bream, ningyoyaki is molded into bite-sized figurines. It first appeared in Ningyocho, Tokyo, where artisans crafted the sweets in the likeness of Japanese deities, making them as much a cultural symbol as a snack. 

During the Taisho era (1912–1926), ningyoyaki makers migrated to Asakusa, where they introduced meishoyaki, a variation that traded deities for landmarks like the Kaminarimon Gate, a thunder deity, the five-story pagoda and the dove at Sensoji Temple.

Individually wrapped and easy to share, ningyoyaki remains a favorite Asakusa souvenir.

Think of anmitsu as Tokyo’s version of a parfait. This refreshing dessert is a mix of agar jelly, sweet red bean paste and black sugar syrup, often served with a variety of fruits like peaches, pineapples or oranges.

Though it feels like an ancient treat, anmitsu is actually a more recent addition to the world of wagashi, or Japan's traditional sweets. It first appeared in 1930, invented by Wakamatsu, a dessert store in Ginza that opened in 1894.

Wakamatsu is still serving the “original” anmitsu today, tucked among Ginza’s designer flagships and boutique stores. While the classic version remains a staple, you'll now find many variations in traditional wagashi shops in Tokyo and kissaten (Japanese-style cafes), often updated with ice cream or dango. 

Doraemon’s love for dorayaki is so strong that he often falls into traps set with these treats as bait and it’s easy to see why. Dorayaki consists of two pancake-like patties — though the batter is actually castella — sandwiching sweet azuki bean paste.

Originally, dorayaki had just one pancake layer. Legend has it that a samurai forgot his gong (dora) when leaving a farmer’s house, and the farmer used the gong to make the pancake.

However, the snack became popular in Ueno thanks to Usagiya, a sweet shop (its name meaning “House of Rabbit”), which began making dorayaki as a sandwich in 1913. Now, dorayaki is a Tokyo sweet staple sold in traditional stores, although you can spot them in the snack aisle of your beloved convenience store. 

Who can forget the iconic crepe stalls lining Harajuku's bustling Takeshita Street, with crowds gathering around the bright pink storefronts, eager for rolled crepe cones filled with cream, fruits and cake?

Sure, this sweet, over-the-top, ultra-kawaii treat might cause a spike on your blood sugar, but crepes have become the culinary mascot of Harajuku. If you’re in Tokyo, it's one of those must-try experiences. 

Popular spots like Santa Monica Crepes and Marion Crepes are known for their long lines, but if you’re up for a less crowded experience, explore the street for more local crepe stalls where you can indulge without the wait.

Heading to Harajuku? Check out our guide on:

• Best Crepes in Harajuku

• Things to Do in Harajuku

• Where to Eat in Harajuku

Hear us out: eating sweet potatoes should be as simple as eating corn on the cob — just as they are. And yakiimo, or the roasted Japanese sweet potato, makes a compelling case for that.

Typically sold during autumn and winter, the smell of yakiimo can be detected from meters away, a blend of burnt caramel and the earthy, sweet fragrance of Japanese sweet potatoes. These treats are often sold by yakiimo trucks, which slowly journey through neighborhoods, playing a familiar tune similar to an ice cream van’s. 

Roasted over heated stones, yakiimo are sometimes called ishi (stone) yakiimo, a nod to their traditional preparation. They’re eaten much like an ice cream cone — you peel them back and bite into the gooey, tender yellow flesh, which melts into a burst of sweetness. You can even find them at stores like Don Quijote.

Nikuman are Japanese steamed pork buns filled with juicy ground pork, shiitake mushrooms and cabbage. They're typically found in shops during autumn and winter, making them the perfect snack to warm you up on a cold day. 

The nikuman is Japan’s take on the baozi, a steamed bun from northern China. The texture is incredibly satisfying: rich, gooey meat encased in soft, almost chewy dough. The result is a comforting, piping-hot treat that’s hard to resist.

While not originally from Tokyo, nikuman has become a staple, sold everywhere from convenience stores to specialty stores in department stores.

While no single city in Japan can claim to be the definitive capital of ramen (though Fukuoka might argue for its tonkotsu), Tokyo makes a compelling case with its abundance of Michelin-featured ramen shops — more than most other cities in Japan. This is a testament to the city’s spirit of constant reinvention, where ramen masters devote decades to perfecting their broths and noodles.

Beyond the classic shoyu ramen, which traces its origins back to 1910 at Rairaiken in Asakusa, Tokyo boasts shops that use unique ingredients like shellfish, fish, game meats and bonito to create layers of umami. 

Tsukemen (dipping noodles), shoyu ramen and abura soba (oil-based dry ramen) all claim Tokyo as their birthplace. Plus, with new ramen spots popping up daily, this makes Tokyo the perfect playground for ramen lovers. 

Want to explore ramen in Tokyo? Check out our guides for the:

• Best Tsukemen in Tokyo

• Best Ramen Restaurants in Tokyo

• Best Ramen in Ginza

• Best Ramen in Shinjuku

• Most Unique Ramen Shops in Tokyo

Have specific dietary restrictions? Thankfully, Tokyo has a plethora of more contemporary and inclusive ramen stalls that cater to different dietary needs. 

• Best Halal Ramen Shops in Tokyo

• Best Vegan Ramen Shops in Tokyo

Tempura, or deep-fried seafood, meat or vegetables, has evolved significantly over the centuries. In its early days, deep-fried foods in Japan were prepared without batter. However, the introduction of batter made from eggs and flour by Portuguese missionaries in the 16th century revolutionized the cooking technique. Vegetables remained the primary ingredient used for tempura.

This changed in the early 17th century in the Tokyo Bay area, when street vendors (yatai) began using fresh seafood from Edo Bay to prepare tempura. The abundance of seafood in the region played a significant role in making tempura popular.

Today, tempura recipes trace their roots to "Tokyo-style" tempura, which was developed at food stalls along the riverside fish market during the Edo period. What sets this style of tempura apart from other deep-fried dishes is its light, delicate batter made from just flour, egg and cold water. The cold water prevents the activation of gluten, resulting in the airy texture that defines tempura. 

Find out more: Best Tempura Restaurants in Tokyo

Soba (buckwheat noodles) are enjoyed throughout Japan, but they hold a particularly special place among Tokyo natives. During the Edo period, soba became a fast food staple and a local specialty of Tokyo. 

A traditional soba meal often starts with dishes like itawasa (sliced fish paste with wasabi) and dashimaki tamago (rolled omelet made with egg and dashi), enjoyed alongside alcoholic beverages.

In Tokyo, the dipping sauce (tsuyu) used with soba is traditionally thicker, and diners are encouraged to dip their noodles lightly into it for the perfect balance of flavor. When enjoying cold soba, it's customary to finish your meal with soba-yu, the hot water used to boil the noodles. 

Today, you can find soba all across Tokyo, from standing soba eateries outside train tracks to specialized soba restaurants (soba-ya).

Find out more: Best Soba Restaurants in Tokyo

Fukagawa meshi is a traditional dish from the small fishing town of Fukagawa in eastern Tokyo. Flourishing during the Edo Period (1603-1868), Fukagawa was known for its abundant supply of asari (short-neck clams) and oysters. 

The humble dish, originally a fisherman’s staple, consists of a broth made with clams, green onions and tofu, served over cold rice.

Although purists argue that the original Fukagawa meshi referred to rice served with clam broth, the term today generally refers to rice cooked directly with clams. The dish is now enjoyed as a quick, nourishing meal for busy fishermen and remains a beloved Tokyo specialty.

Dojo nabe is a distinctive hot pot dish made with dojo loach, a type of freshwater fish. It originated in the old downtown Tokyo area during the Edo period. The fish is simmered in a soy sauce-based broth with chopped scallions. In traditional preparation, the loaches are either killed before cooking or soaked in cold sake to be cooked alive.

Yanagawa nabe, a variant of dojo-nabe, includes dojo, sliced gobo (burdock root) and eggs, all simmered in a sweet warishita sauce. The subtle sweetness of the sauce complements the earthy flavor of the dojo, and the eggs enrich the dish’s texture and taste. It is said that the burdock root helps remove any muddy smell from the gojo. 

There are different stories about the origin of the name “Yanagawa,” one attributing it to the name of the restaurant that invented the dish and another linking it to a river in Fukuoka.

Because of its nutritional benefits, dojo nabe and yanagawa nabe are enjoyed during the summer.