Category: Bento
Portillo: Otemachi

This casual after-work Spanish bar offers a tempting selection of paellas and tapas dishes, along with reasonably priced Spanish wines and sherries. The rustic interior, built around a well-stocked bar, contributes to the cozy ambience, as do the big chalkboard menus filled with daily specials. There’s also an outdoor terrace…
Ganko Takasegawa Nijoen: Kyoto

This sprawling building was once the private mansion of one of Kyoto’s leading merchants, and its beautiful garden setting makes it a popular spot for parties and banquets. Lunch is especially recommended, as prices are more reasonable and you can see the garden better. Lunchtime prix-fixe menus start at around…
Trench: Ebisu

Trench offers an intriguing menu of signature cocktails and “twisted classics,” and they also stock a huge assortment of liquor and liqueurs if you want to branch out on your own. The interior space is tiny, with seats for only thirteen customers, but the two-story ceilings, street-facing windows, and impressive…
Daedoko: Marunouchi
Island Plate Lunch: Tsukiji- bento.com listing
Le Bar a Vin 52: Ebisu
Inaseya: Kyoto

Chicken sukiyaki is the specialty of the house here, and they use only the very best heirloom-breed birds – slightly chewy and very flavorful – in all their dishes. Sit in the main dining room overlooking the beautiful traditional garden and settle in for a banquet-style prix-fixe menu (starting at…
Obica Mozzarella Bar: Nishi-Shinjuku- bento.com listing

In spite of the Shinjuku business-district address, this branch of the Rome-based eatery has the feel of a friendly (but sophisticated) neighborhood Italian spot, where you can pop in for a charcuterie board and a glass of wine, a simple pizza, or a full-course spread. Cheese connoisseurs can indulge in…
Tanaka’s Roti: Kagurazaka- bento.com listing
Genka: Kanda
New opening – Frijoles: Yaesu

Decent fast-casual burritos, burrito bowls, burrito salads and tacos, all made from premium organic ingredients, are ready to take out at this mini-branch of the Tokyo chain. Side dishes include quesadillas, taquitos, nachos and chicken lime soup. Burrito dishes come in grilled chicken, carnitas (braised pork) and steak variations, with…
Qwang: Nishi-Azabu

Adventurous cocktails are the draw at this stylish basement bar in Nishi-Azabu, accompanied by a decent menu of Thai-inspired snacks. Mellow sixties-era jazz plays on the sound system, the lighting is subdued, and the atmosphere is very laid back – the perfect setting for a late evening drink or two.…
San Marco – bento.com listing

This popular Kansai curry shop serves classic “European-style” curry, with a roux made from a blend of Indian spices simmered in a European-style fond de veau. Their signature beef curry comes in a thick, richly flavored roux, with tender chunks of beef, gooey mozzarella cheese and good amount of heat.…
Isshin: Kyoto
Swrl: Shibuya

A menu full of exotic, sometimes savory wine-based cocktails is a fresh concept, and Swrl carries it off with panache. So many intriguing options: “Brooklyn”, combining peanut butter and celery over a Chardonnay base; “Barcelona”, an alluring mix of tomato, elderflower and rose wine; “San Diego”, flavored with ginger, kombucha…
Warayakiya Ryouma Tower: Hamamatsucho

Tosa cuisine from Shikoku is the specialty at this comfortable, stylishly appointed izakaya. Salt-baked bonito (katsuo), heirloom-breed chicken, premium-grade pork and other local ingredients are grilled over extremely hot straw fires. It’s a technique known as warayaki, where the meat or fish is cooked quickly while the aromatic smoke fire…
Gin Khao: Tameike

California-style Thai cuisine is the intriguing specialty at Gin Khao, and we found it a nice change of pace from the Bangkok street-stall fare that’s more usual for Tokyo. In addition to tom yum kung and curries, they offer entertaining cross-cultural dishes like Thai-style sriracha-glazed Buffalo chicken wings and spring…