Tokyo is a city I’ve always dreamed about cooking in. And last week, I finished a pop-up there cooking a six-course South-Asian menu in collaboration with ADI. It was a dinner I had been planning for a couple of years. Japan’s reputation for pursuing excellence in food and its presentation obviously precedes the country, so it goes without saying that it is a chef’s dream to spend time there and consequently be inspired. Let’s just say, I was in heaven. I extended my trip by as much as I responsibly could, and after the prep and pop-up was over, I was… eating. A lot. If I had 48 hours in Tokyo, this is what I’d do all over again (and happily… so let me know if you need company).
Author’s note: While you will obviously manage without reservations as there is zero shortage of food or hidden gems on every corner, if you are set on a couple of restaurants, it would really benefit you to book a table for two. Plug these into your itinerary while giving yourself plenty of flexibility to be spontaneous, too. Restaurants in Japan book up, and there were a couple I couldn’t make it to because I didn’t plan as far ahead as I should have. Now, let’s get started.
Friday
5:10 pm – Land at Tokyo Narita
Land, freshen up at your hotel or accommodations, and go straight to PST Roppongi for pizza.
8:00 pm – Dinner at PST Roppongi
Make sure you have a reservation. If you’re unaware, the pizza scene in Japan is absolutely next level, and it is the perfect meal to have after a long flight. PST’s pizza is notable for its “salty” dough, where the dough gets sprinkled with Okinawan salt prior to being tossed in a hotter-than-normal pizza oven, giving the crust a salty char. It was unreal. I ordered the Marinara pizza as I’m a bit of a purist, and I wanted to really taste the sauce and crust. This was my favorite pizza spot next to Savoy (which you also need a reservation for).
Saturday
5:00 am – Probably the time you’re waking up, because jet lag
You should know, most coffee shops and stores themselves don’t open until about 10 or 11 am, so for the first handful of days, I ended up making an espresso in my hotel room and working New York hours during my 5 am jet laggy wake-ups. Honestly, working at dawn in Tokyo with a whole day of joy ahead of you? I could think of worse things!
8:00 am – Sashimi for breakfast?
In the morning, head to Tsukiji Outer Market, a large wholesale fish market. If you’re planning a trip to Tokyo or have been previously, you’ll know that it’s an extremely popular site to walk through, alongside visiting the Toyosu Tuna auction early in the morning. When I say tuna auction in the morning, I mean literally 5:30 am, but you have to arrive closer to 3 am to secure a good spot. Because I had already been to the Tsukiji fish market on my last trip, I chose to skip it this time—but if it’s your first visit to Japan, it’s worth checking out.
10:05 am – You need caffeine at this point, or else
Afterwards, check out Bongen Coffee, one of my favorite cafés in Tokyo that’s tucked away on a quiet street near the craziness of Ginza. You will definitely encounter a line, at least I did every time I went, but it’s worth it for some of the smoothest coffee I’ve ever had. You can choose between your classic lattes, americanos, and espressos, or opt for specialty drinks like an Iced Matcha Espresso Coffee Latte or a Rich Latte (which contains a 2-3 times the espresso as a regular latte). Some might say both would be necessary for your jet lag… I ordered a simple latte and it was divine.
10:56 am – Bakery bite
For an early morning bakery bite to accompany your coffee, walk just a handful of minutes away to Pain Maison, famous for its Shio Pan (salt bread). This was a standout bakery bite without question: fresh-out-the-oven warm, melts in your mouth, and chewy with an irresistible, satisfying saltiness in every bite. It was crispy and golden on the outside, pillowy and buttery on the inside. Ugh, I miss it. I also bought a sweet potato bread, which was essentially the shio pan, but less salty and stuffed with warm, smashed sweet potatoes. I couldn’t stop eating these; it was a problem (or a solution?).
11:10 am – Stroll around Ginza
Because the area is quite crowded and busy, I didn’t spend too much time in Ginza itself, but enjoyed walking around the stores and taking a lap around the beautiful indoor mall called Ginza Six (I admittedly picked up several pairs of socks from Tabio—nothing quite like good Japanese socks). You’ll notice no shortage of vintage and second hand shops in Tokyo, one of my favorites being Komehyo right on the main shopping strip of Ginza.
12:00 pm – Head to the teamLab Planets museum
After shopping, head to teamLab Planets, an immersive museum where you literally take a journey through the elements (like, you will be rolling up your jeans and walking knee deep into water). I highly recommend this exhibit. It was unlike any museum I’d ever been to, and the usage of digital art was fascinating.
1:30 pm – Lunch at Vegan Uzu Ramen
After walking through the museum, you can grab lunch at Vegan UZU Ramen right on the premises. Don’t let the vegan part deter you; it’s absolutely delicious, flavorful, and provides the necessary nourishment after spending time in… all of the elements. The ramen offered here is of the creamy miso variety, made with broth extracted using Rausu kombu (kelp) and domestically sourced shiitake mushrooms. The base uses a blend of several varieties of miso, enriched with white sesame paste, and the noodles are made with Hokkaido wheat and whole grain flour from Aya Town, Miyazaki Prefecture. It’s an elite bowl of ramen, and probably the best I’ve ever had. Worthwhile vegetarian food, while available in Tokyo, I found to be a little less accessible, so I loved finding cool plant-based spots that hit the spot. Finish it off with a popsicle or ice cream, right next door.
5 pm – Omakase sushi dinner at Sushi Masashi
For dinner, I’d recommend an omakase sushi dinner at Sushi Masashi, or for a vegan option, Daigo, which offers shojin ryori (Buddhist vegetarian food). Both boast a Michelin star.
Sunday
10 am – Coffee, of course
Start your day in Aoyama at Koffee Mameya, a specialty coffee shop with one of the best selections of coffee beans I have ever seen. The standing counter fits 5-6 people max, so you can stand there and sip your coffee or take it to go if you please. I ordered exactly what the kind barista behind the counter told me to based on my preference for medium-dark roast coffee. I would definitely pick up a bag or two of beans for a lucky person back home.
11 am – Farmer’s market
After, walk just under 15 minutes to the Aoyama Farmer’s Market, open from 10am – 4pm, right in front of the UN University Campus. I was obsessed with this market: perfect produce, coffee bags, artisanal peanut butter, pastries, and more.
11:45 am – Nezu Museum
Nearby, the Nezu Museum makes a great stop after you’re caffeinated. The gardens in the museum are beautiful, and the selection of Japanese and East Asian art is worth taking a look at. For lunch, stop at Menchirashi for udon, and walk up Ometasando to Harajuku, and get LOST! Visit the Meiji Jingu Shrine, one of my favorite cultural sights in Tokyo.
1 pm – 7/11 IS IMPERATIVE
At this point I’d say it’s important for you to get the 7/11 experience. If you haven’t heard, perhaps you might be living under a rock, but it’s good you have me to tell you that 7/11 is a high-key work of art in Japan. Fresh food, fruit, smoothies, and more await you and give you a jump scare, because… isn’t this supposed to be 7/11? If you need a snack or a light bite, it’s most definitely worth a trip. While the egg salad sandwich has a cult following, the onigiri was what I picked up the most frequently. Just know, the options are endless.
1:45 pm – Stop by Don Quijote
You should go here just for the overstimulating experience, and to buy your friends some Japanese skin care (the rice masks are my favorite). There’s not an inch in sight that isn’t completely covered with product, and this convenience store has everything under the sun, from beauty products and haircare, to every Kit Kat flavor you can think of.
2 pm – Walk to Daikanyama
One of my favorite little areas was Daikanyama, where you can visit Daikanyama T-Site. Inside you’ll find shops, a specialty grocery store called Food&Company (I visited this 3 times, the potato chips were too good), and the mother of all bookstores: Tsutaya Books.
4:15 pm – Chai time
I spent a lot of time in Meguro—a more residential and less touristy area—because of my pop-up location, and I loved spending time in the little streets, checking out the various restaurants and shops that lined them. On your way to dinner, shop at Coverchord, grab a homemade cola and a jacket at Visvim, and head to Chiya-ba, where you will have the best chai in a relaxed, serene setting (my order: a chai latte with soy milk).
5 pm – Dinner at ADI
Directly across the street you’ll find dinner at ADI Tokyo (make a reservation), a seven-seat restaurant serving a Nepalese-inspired omakase menu. Chef Kanchan changes the menu every single day, based on what he finds at the market, an ode to the ingrained respect shown to ingredients, prevalent within the food and restaurant scene of Japan. As someone who is typically a type-A planner, it was magical to give myself permission to not have a set-in-stone, psychotic itinerary for this trip. There’s so much to see that it is factually impossible for you to do everything you want to anyway. The culture and food at spots like ADI left me in awe. I’m already plotting my next trip back…
in your life?
