Where to Eat in Asakusa: A Guide to the Best Local Restaurants and Cafes

Asakusa, one of Tokyo’s most historic districts, is not just famous for its temples and traditional streets but also for its incredible food scene. From hearty hamburger steaks and fluffy omurice to indulgent matcha sweets, this guide will introduce you to some of the best restaurants in Asakusa, blending modern flavors with timeless charm.

Asakusa’s giant fluffy curry omurice: Cafe de Raak

Asakusa is home to many long-established cafes that are beloved by locals and international visitors alike. One standout among those is “Cafe de Raak,” which boasts one of the area’s heartiest curry omurice (omelet rice)!

At Cafe de Raak, the “Curry Sauce Omurice” is a must-try dish. Encased in a tender, fluffy omelet, this dish takes a unique twist by replacing the classic ketchup-flavored chicken rice with curry pilaf. The result is a mildly spiced, aromatic filling that delights both children and adults alike. It’s a hearty dish big enough to share between two people!

The dish is highlighted by a rich, fruity, and subtly sweet curry sauce. Because the chef adjusts the sweetness-spiciness ratio of the curry everyday, you can enjoy a unique flavor each visit. Yet it always has a delightfully umami-packed taste that pairs perfectly with the sweetness of the omelet!

Cafe de Raak is a fantastic, cozy cafe in Asakusa for anyone looking to satisfy their omurice and curry craving at the same time!

Legendary Asakusa sushi and anime hot spot: Tsunesushi

It can be difficult to select from Asakusa’s abundance of great sushi restaurants, but “Tsunesushi” has a taste and appeal that has stood the test of time. The restaurant has a history spanning over 90 years and is run by a third-generation sushi master. Needless to say, their excellent sushi has kept customers coming back for more!

The “Tokujō Nigiri” (deluxe nigiri platter), pictured above, is a must-try. It features exquisite traditional Edomae sushi (sushi made using freshly caught seafood from near Tokyo Bay). While some platter ingredients change according to season, you can always count on crowd-favorites like tuna, white-fleshed fish, gunkan-style sushi, and rolled sushi.

Tsunesushi also has a dish perfect for tuna lovers, which is the “Maguro Nigiri (tuna nigiri platter).” The platter features lean tuna, but you can ask the chef to include fatty tuna as well. The key is the use of akazu (red vinegar made with sake lees) in the rice, which adds a special umami that enhances the flavor of the fish.

As a plus for anime fans, Tsunesuhi was used a model for a building featured in Sarazanmai, so you can admire some memorabilia on the walls.

If you’re looking for quality sushi in Asakusa that gives an authentic taste of the historical area, Tsunesushi is the perfect place to go.

Eat like a sumo wrestler, become a sumo wrestler: Asakusa Sumo Club

At “Asakusa Sumo Club,” customers can experience not only a unique dining experience, but a hands-on trial of the traditional Japanese martial art of sumo wrestling! This restaurant offers chanko nabe, a hot pot dish eaten by sumo wrestlers, as well as an engaging sumo wrestling performance and a chance to try wrestling yourself!

The chanko nabe at the restaurant uses a kombu kelp broth. The pot is packed with chicken, chicken meatballs, vegetables, wheat gluten, and fried tofu, which provides the hearty and balanced diet sumo wrestlers need to maintain. There is also a vegan option.

The appeal of the restaurant isn’t simply the meal. Customers are treated to an informative but entertaining explanation of sumo wrestling, get to watch a show, and then even try it out themselves if they so choose!

For both a delicious meal and hands-on cultural experience, “Asakusa Sumo Club” can’t be missed!

Giant shrimp tempura bowls in Asakusa: DAIKOKUYA TEMPURA

“DAIKOKUYA TEMPURA” is an Asakusa mainstay restaurant that has been serving delicious tempura since 1887! The 130-year-old building imparts a great sense of Asakusa’s historical charm, and the humongous “EBI-TENDON” (a shrimp tempura rice bowl) has lines of customers pouring in daily!

Unlike the crisp and oily texture often associated with shrimp tempura, the shrimp tempura at DAIKOKUYA TEMPURA is fried in sesame oil, giving it a lighter, fluffier bite while still delivering a bold, flavorful punch. This is thanks to a generations-old sweet and savory sauce that adds depth to the dish. These shrimp are so big the lid covering the bowl barely conceals them!

At DAIKOKUYA TEMPURA, you can enjoy not just a luxuriously huge shrimp tempura rice bowl, but a dining experience and atmosphere rooted in the history of Asakusa!

Juicy Japanese hamburger steaks with your choice of sauce: Monburan Asakusa

Asakusa has a great amount of restaurants offering delicious hamburger steaks, but “Monburan Asakusa” may just be the best place to start! Their hamburger steaks are made exclusively from Japanese beef and are extra-thick. You can also pick from six different sauces, each themed after different countries. We recommend the cheesy “Dutch-style Hamburger Steak!”

This hamburger steak is coated in a rich sauce that blends béchamel sauce, cheddar and other cheeses. It perfectly complements the simply seasoned Japanese chuck roll beef that boasts a thickness of about 5 cm (2 inches)!

At Monburan Asakusa, you can dine on some of Tokyo’s most popular hamburger steaks with a treasure trove of sauces to choose from!

Famous restaurant with outstanding vegan ramen: Asakusa Nadai Ramen Yoroiya

Founded in 1992, “Asakusa Nadai Ramen Yoroiya” has become a premium destination for ramen fans in Asakusa. Their citrusy broth and delightfully chewy noodles have lines forming all day long. It’s their impeccable vegan ramen, however, that may be drawing in new fans!

The vegan ramen at Yoroiya is notable for toppings that complement the vegetable-based broth. Thick fried tofu, bamboo shoots, carrots, and sweet potatoes are delectable on their own, but also add a distinct sweetness to the soup.

If you’re in search of delicious vegan ramen in the Tokyo area, Asakusa Nadai Ramen Yoroiya should be at the top of your list!

Tokyo’s oldest rice ball shop is Michelin-featured: ONIGIRI ASAKUSA YADOROKU

Recognized in the Bib Gourmand section of the Michelin Guide Tokyo, ONIGIRI ASAKUSA YADOROKU holds the distinction of being the city’s oldest onigiri shop. A must-visit in Asakusa, it boasts a menu that combines classic fillings with creative, modern twists, all served with their signature perfectly soft rice.

Visiting during lunchtime is a great choice, as you can enjoy a set meal featuring two or three onigiri paired with a side of miso soup. This allows you to sample and compare several of the shop’s diverse fillings. Plus, an English menu with photos of the ingredients.

You can enjoy these Michelin-recognized onigiri being made right in front of you. They’re known for their delightfully soft rice, thanks to the restaurant changing the type they use every year to match weather conditions.

For a taste of traditional rice balls in Asakusa that have garnered international acclaim, ONIGIRI ASAKUSA YADOROKU is a fine start!

Delicious sweets and matcha latte: Yanagi Chaya Asakusa Shin Nakamise-dōri

Located nearby the famous Kaminarimon, “Yanagi Chaya Asakusa Shin Nakamise-dōri” provides a refreshing thirst-quencher for Asakusa travelers in the form of their delicious “Brown Sugar Tapioca Matcha Latte”!

While a matcha latte-flavored bubble tea is delicious in its own right, the one at this restaurant uses tapioca pearls cooked in Japanese brown sugar. This provides the perfect blend of Japanese brown sugar’s sweetness with the pleasant bitterness of matcha. Be sure to stir the drink properly. It’s available for take-out as well.

Yanagi Chaya Asakusa Shin Nakamise-dōri offers a full menu of delicious Japanese sweets, and their refreshing matcha latte is perfect for washing them down!

Can’t-miss Japanese wagyū beef curry: Restaurant Omiya Asakusa

For over 40 years, “Restaurant Omiya Asakusa” has specialized in yōshoku (Western-inspired Japanese cuisine). The restaurant offers a number of top-notch yoshoku dishes that will have you hooked, but their “Japanese Beef Curry” is a standout delicacy! It’s made using premium Kuroge (Japanese Black) wagyu with a melt-in-your mouth texture.

The “Japanese Beef Curry” features large chunks of wagyu sirloin. The key is that the beef is cooked apart from the mildly-spiced curry roux in a sauté of garlic and ginger in herb-infused oil. This preserves the fine taste of the wagyu while also allowing you to appreciate the curry’s flavor in each spoonful.

Japanese curry and wagyu have both become international hits, and at Restaurant Omiya Asakusa, you can savor them together in one exquisite dish!

Make your own Japanese plastic omurice: Food Sample Making Café

Almost as popular as the real deal, Japan’s “fake” plastic food samples often displayed at storefronts are hugely popular with international tourists. These highly realistic samples are not just admirable in quality, but also can help those who don’t speak Japanese decide on their desired meal more easily!

At Food Sample Making Café, customers can make their own replica dishes of food like omurice, spaghetti with meat sauce, crepes, and jelly parfaits. It’s a hands-on experience to make a memorable souvenir, and then eat the real version of what you made at the end of your experience! Staff will help guide you through it.

Pick out individual ingredients to customize your food sample. In the case of omurice, you can even write a “ketchup” message on it!

After you’re done, your omurice sample is “cooked” in an oven. When it finishes, you’ll be presented with your food sample souvenir, and an edible version of it as well!

At Food Sample Making Café in Asakusa, customers can enjoy not just an omurice meal, but delicious-looking keepsake from their visit to Japan!

Dig into halal-friendly wagyu tempura: Tempura Asakusa SAKURA!

“Tempura Asakusa SAKURA” delivers a dish many outside of Japan may not be too familiar with: wagyu tempura! At this restaurant, you can enjoy wagyu tempura rice bowls in a variety of ways. As a bonus, it’s completely halal-certified.

The wagyu sirloin tempura is served with vegetable tempura and can be enjoyed on its own or as part of a customized rice bowl. For a traditional twist, finish it as ochazuke (a Japanese dish of dashi poured over rice). Either way, the crispy coating and tender, marbled wagyu are sure to impress!

With a delicious, halal-friendly, and gluten-free menu, Tempura Asakusa SAKURA offers a welcoming opportunity to try the exquisite dish that is wagyu tempura!

Asakusa’s hidden yakiniku gem: Hontosaya

Tokyo has so many delicious yakiniku (grilled meat cuisine) restaurants that it can be hard to choose where to start, but a hidden gem tucked away in an Asakusa alleyway may be one of the best choices! “Hontosaya” is well-known for their top quality beef available at budget friendly prices. One dish in particular that stands out is their “Special Bone-in Karubi,” (Japan’s version of Korean kalbi or galbi).

The trick to the deliciously grilled meat at Hontosaya is that it’s cooked on shichirin, Japanese clay charcoal grills, which help retain heat. Before the Special Bone-in Karubi is fully cooked, cut the bone from the meat with scissors. Then pair this beautifully marbled and juicy cut of meat with the restaurant’s special sweet and savory dipping sauce for the ultimate satisfaction!

Some of Tokyo’s best restaurants are waiting for you to discover in a back alley, and Hontosaya in Asakusa is definitely one of them!

Asakusa isn’t just a hub of history and culture—it’s a paradise for food lovers. Be sure to explore these local gems on your next visit and savor the true taste of Asakusa!