The Michelin guide is the gold standard of culinary ratings, and we all wouldn’t mind savoring dishes that are given the French tire company’s stamp of approval. Fortunately, experiencing a Michelin-rated restaurant doesn’t have to break the bank, despite its reputation for being illustrious and fancy. There are plenty of restaurants in Tokyo that have been awarded stars and given recognition, yet are casual and not overly expensive. Here are some affordable Michelin restaurants in Tokyo that are well-worth visiting.
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Kyorakutei
Kyorakutei is a soba restaurant in one of the many backstreets of Kagurazaka, a neighborhood full of great eateries. Make sure to get there early, as a line forms even before opening. Its popularity is attributed to the soba noodles hand-crafted by the noodle master, as well as its extensive menu, including the classic soba (made of 80% buckwheat and 20% regular flour) and the juwari soba, made entirely from buckwheat. The buckwheat used is sourced from the chef’s hometown of Aizu, and made in the countryside style, with thicker noodles. Kyorakutei’s tempura is also fried to perfection and a must-try. As is the restaurant’s tomato soba in the summer.
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Ponchiken
Receiving a Bib Gourmand for six consecutive years, Ponchiken is the first tonkatsu-only restaurant to earn recognition from Michelin, and the chef’s devotion to the pork cutlet is apparent at the Ogawamachi restaurant. Recommended for a hearty lunch is the classic pork loin cutlet, which is flavorful and crispy.
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There Is Ramen
Opened in 2022, There is Ramen is a humble, home-style eatery that has grown in popularity in the last two years. The owner was told to “live a life where you can appreciate how delicious a bowl of ramen is,” by his grandfather. These words of wisdom are hung in the restaurant. The ramen’s broth is a light soy sauce, using plenty of dried sardines to deliver umami to the taste buds. The ramen is recognizable by its generous layering of chashu braised pork belly.
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Vegan Ramen Uzu
Located within the teamLab Planets plaza in Toyosu, Vegan Ramen Uzu is the only vegan ramen restaurant to receive recognition from Michelin. Established in Kyoto, Uzu’s vegan miso ramen uses oat milk and sesame paste to give it a rich, flavorful impact without any meat. You don’t need a ticket to teamLab to enjoy the ramen. It can even be eaten in one of the designated immersive art spaces, or outside, on the One Stroke Bench.
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L’Insieme
Ranking in 50 Top Pizza Asia-Pacific, L’insieme offers brick oven pizzas in the classic Neapolitan style. It has received Michelin Bib Gourmand selection for six consecutive years. Claiming that Kameido reminded him of the modest atmosphere of Naples, the owner created this restaurant to be authentic and unpretentious. Pizzas start as low as ¥1,400.
Tim Ho Wan
Claiming to be the “world’s most inexpensive Michelin restaurant,” Tim Ho Wan is a chain restaurant that specializes in Hong Kong-style dim sum. The two restaurant owners, who were both accomplished chefs, started Tim Ho Wan in Hong Kong in 2009 to deliver affordable, authentic Hong Kong cuisine. It proved an instant success. Tim Ho Wan has since opened several locations globally, including three in Tokyo: Hibiya, Shinjuku and within Tokyo Dome City.
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Saigon Restaurant
Selected for the Michelin guide in 2016 and 2017, Saigon Restaurant is an unassuming Vietnamese restaurant in Ikebukuro. Along with classic dishes like pho, Saigon Restaurant is famous for its AmiAmi fried spring roll, which has a light, crispy exterior bursting with a flavorful, piping hot filling.
