Dishes, not restaurant lists
What to Eat in Tokyo
6 dishes worth ordering in Tokyo — what each one actually is, what to expect when it lands on the table, how to say it, and roughly what it costs. 1 of them are vegetarian. We rank dishes, not restaurants: a dish is a stable thing you can find in many places, and where it's best changes faster than any list stays honest.
#1
Nigiri sushi · 握り寿司
nee-GHEE-ree · typical price: ¥100–800 per piece
What it is: Hand-pressed vinegared rice topped with a single cut of fish or seafood.
What to expect: At counters the chef seasons each piece — adding your own soy is often unnecessary. Eat it in one bite, fish side down if dipping.
#2
Shoyu ramen · 醤油ラーメン
SHOH-yoo RAH-men · typical price: ¥900–1,400
What it is: Wheat noodles in a soy-sauce-seasoned broth with chashu pork, menma, and negi.
What to expect: Order from a ticket machine at the door, slurp loudly, leave within 20 minutes — ramen shops run on turnover, not lingering.
#3
Tempura · 天ぷら
tem-POO-rah · typical price: ¥1,500–8,000 (lunch sets cheapest)
What it is: Seafood and vegetables in a lacy, barely-there batter, fried in sesame-scented oil.
What to expect: At dedicated tempura counters pieces arrive one at a time, hottest first. Dip in tentsuyu broth or just salt — the chef will say which.
#4
Onigiri · おにぎり
oh-NEE-ghee-ree · typical price: ¥120–300
What it is: A rice ball wrapped in nori with fillings like salted salmon, umeboshi, or tuna-mayo.
What to expect: Convenience-store onigiri are genuinely good and cost pocket change — the plastic wrapper has a numbered opening sequence that keeps the nori crisp.
#5
Monjayaki · もんじゃ焼き
mon-jah-YAH-kee · typical price: ¥1,000–1,800
What it is: Tokyo's runny cousin of okonomiyaki — a savoury batter cooked and eaten straight off the griddle with tiny spatulas.
What to expect: It looks unpromising and tastes far better than it looks. A Tsukishima speciality; staff will cook the first one for you if you ask.
#6 · vegetarian
Wagashi · 和菓子
wah-GAH-shee · typical price: ¥250–600 per piece
What it is: Traditional confections — often sweet red-bean paste in seasonal shapes — made to pair with matcha.
What to expect: More about texture and season than sugar-hit sweetness. Department-store food halls (depachika) sell single pieces from famous makers.