5 restaurants you have to check out in Shimokitazawa, Tokyo

Tokyo has a lot of identities. But that tends to happen when you’re in a community that is inching closer to 40,000,000 people in the Greater Tokyo Area. But even in a city this unfathomably big, there are still some incredible neighborhoods to check out.

Shimokitazawa is an interesting cross between old school Tokyo and the modern vibe many areas of the city are cultivating. It is one of the best entertainment districts around, which means it’s also a great place to find a lot of bites to eat.

Magic Spice Shimokitazawa

A Sapporo staple, Magic Spice has been challenging their guest’s palates and pain tolerance for years. Their outpost in Tokyo has certainly kept that tradition up, providing good eats with no shortage of heat.

Magic Spice Shimokitazawa serves some of the best soup curry you’re going to find. And it has seven different spiciness levels to choose from. The hottest of them are only for the most seasoned hot food eating professionals.

Asuka

Sitting down to eat in Tokyo should be a life affirming experience, particularly in a neighborhood like Shimokitazawa. Asuka has long stood out as an amazing place to dine across this massive city for very good reasons.

The food is bright and refreshing in the best possible way. The tastes are typify what one would expect from a Tokyo restaurant while elevating it and making the flavors their own. Honestly, it’s just a great place to get a legit bite to eat.

Eight Burger’s Tokyo

Most people assume that going to Tokyo means lots of great sushi, and that is certainly true. But the beauty of Shimokitazawa, and the city as a whole, is that there are almost endless places that know how to cook a nice slab of meat or an intense burger.

Eight Burger’s Tokyo is certainly one such place. It has a distinct 1950s diner vibe to complement an incredible menu filled with delicious burgers. If getting a great burger isn’t enough of a reason to stop by, the booze is good and relatively cheap.

Pizzeria Da Oggi

It doesn’t matter where you’re traveling in the world or what the local food is like, sometimes you just want a great slice of pizza. And in Tokyo, right on the edge of Shimokitazawa, you’ll find that slice at Pizzeria Da Oggi.

Every pizza is made with top ingredients and time-tested traditions, then cooked in a wood fired oven. Their regular menu contains all the Italian classics one would expect plus there’s a seasonal menu that’s always worth checking out.

Crispy Chicken n’ Tomato

To many people in the West, Crispy Chicken n’ Tomato is an odd and unfamiliar name. But it is a popular South Korean restaurant chain with outposts in other countries. Oddly enough, their Tokyo location in Shimokitazawa is definitely worth checking out.

As you might have guessed, this place serves fried chicken but in a large variety of sauces and flavors. That includes being drenched in a tomato sauce and covered in cheese. At the very least, this restaurant delivers on what the name promises.