Michelin Guide 2025: Tokyo’s Specialty Categories & Hidden Gems

✨ Updated for 2026 Michelin Guide Tokyo

Tokyo’s culinary diversity extends far beyond its famous sushi, ramen, and tempura. The 2026 Michelin Guide recognizes exceptional restaurants in specialty categories that showcase the city’s remarkable range—from Buddhist vegetarian cuisine and crab specialists to Austrian fine dining and Southeast Asian fusion. These establishments represent culinary traditions and innovations that might be represented by just one or two restaurants, yet each offers dining experiences worthy of Michelin recognition.

The 2026 edition has evolved to reflect Tokyo’s dynamic restaurant scene. Contemporary Cuisine and Indian restaurants, which were featured in this collection in 2025, have now expanded into their own dedicated guides due to increased recognition (4 establishments each). Meanwhile, this year’s specialty collection welcomes new categories: Austrian cuisine makes its Michelin debut with Ewig earning one star, Thai cuisine enters with Khao’s one-star recognition, and Southeast Asian cuisine joins the Bib Gourmand ranks with Night Market. Pork-focused cuisine, previously categorized under yakitori and izakaya, now stands as its own specialty with Torishige maintaining Bib Gourmand status.

Below is a complete guide to Tokyo’s Michelin-recognized specialty cuisine restaurants for 2026, organized by category and recognition level.

Category	Restaurant	Recognition	Years Consecutive
One-Star Establishments
Buddhist Vegetarian	Daigo	⭐ + 🌿 Green Star	2+ years
Crab Cuisine	Ubuka	⭐	2+ years
Creative Cuisine	Yama	⭐	2+ years
Austrian Cuisine	🆕 Ewig	⭐	NEW 2026
Thai Cuisine	🆕 Khao	⭐	NEW 2026
Bib Gourmand
Portuguese Cuisine	Christiano’s	Bib Gourmand	3 years
Onigiri	Yaduroku	Bib Gourmand	7 years
Sri Lankan Cuisine	Hopper	Bib Gourmand	3 years
Pork Cuisine	Torishige	Bib Gourmand	3 years
Southeast Asian	🆕 Night Market	Bib Gourmand	NEW 2026
Total: 10 establishments (5 One-Star, 5 Bib Gourmand)

Buddhist Vegetarian Cuisine

Daigo （One-Star, Minato-ku）

Overview

Overview: Daigo continues its stellar performance with consecutive one-star recognition since 2025, while also earning the Michelin Green Star. The Michelin Green Star is a special distinction awarded to restaurants committed to environmental protection and sustainable food practices. This recognition evaluates not only culinary excellence but also dedication to ecological stewardship and sustainable business practices.
Originally located within Seishoji Temple grounds, Daigo specializes in shojin ryori (Buddhist vegetarian cuisine), though not strictly vegan as it uses bonito in its dashi. Fourth-generation owner Yusuke Nomura continues the tradition of hospitality-focused shojin cuisine in a sukiya-style setting that provides a tranquil respite from Tokyo’s urban intensity.

Restaurant Details

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Crustacean Cuisine

Ubuka (One-Star, Shinjuku-ku）

Overview

Overview: Born from the chef’s profound love for crustaceans, Ubuka maintaining its one-star status for consecutive years since 2025, offers an omakase course centered around crab and shrimp prepared through both Japanese and Western techniques. Signature dishes include crab terrine inspired by French cuisine and tempura shrimp injected with Américaine sauce, culminating in a clay pot rice with crab and vegetables. The restaurant’s popularity stems from its generous portions and singular focus on showcasing the depth and versatility of crustacean cuisine.

Restaurant Details

Creative/Dessert

Yama (One-Star, Minato-ku）

Overview

Overview: Yama continues its one-star recognition for consecutive years since 2025, showcasing innovative culinary approaches.Yama made history as the world’s first dessert restaurant to earn a Michelin star, prompting the Michelin Guide to create an entirely new “Dessert Restaurant” category. This groundbreaking establishment creates entirely original experiences that transcend traditional dessert boundaries. Chef Yama personally visits farms across Japan to source exceptional fruits, transforming citrus, mango, peach, figs, and chestnuts into courses that incorporate vegetables for textural contrast and temperature variations. Each dish combines aroma, texture, and temperature changes to create a narrative journey through Japan’s seasonal bounty.

Restaurant Details

Thai Cuisine

🆕 NEW Khao (One-Star, Minato-ku）

Overview

Overview: Khao earns one-star recognition in the inaugural year for Thai cuisine in the Michelin Guide Tokyo. The husband-and-wife team both lived in Bangkok, and their experiences inform every dish on the menu. The pomelo and seafood salad reflects royal court cuisine, while the rice noodle pad Thai represents street food culture. Curries are made with freshly squeezed coconut milk, and regional dishes are recreated using house-made fermented and aged condiments. The cuisine overflows with deep exploration and passion for Thai culinary traditions. Relocated from Nagoya to Tokyo’s Kanda-Jimbocho.

Restaurant Details

Portuguese Cuisine

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Cristiano’s （Bib Gourmand, Shibuya-ku）

Overview

Overview: Candlelit atmosphere perfect for enjoying authentic Portuguese cuisine and wines. Specializes in house-made bacalhau (salt cod), Portuguese sausages, and fresh vegetable dishes. Their menu includes octopus tempura, charcoal-grilled sardines, and risotto-style rice dishes that showcase Portugal’s diverse culinary traditions through generous à la carte portions designed for sharing.

Restaurant Details

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Pork Cuisine

Torishige （Bib Gourmand, Shibuya-ku）

Overview

Despite the name suggesting chicken, this legendary establishment founded in 1949 specializes in premium offal yakitori. When yakitori originally meant grilled pork organs, Torishige pioneered the craft and remains Tokyo’s most respected motsuyaki specialist. The third-generation owner maintains traditional techniques while innovating with wagyu sirloin additions. Purchasing approximately 25 whole pigs daily enables their extensive rare cuts menu, including the prized “upper tongue” – requiring two pigs for a single skewer.

Restaurant Details

Sri Lankan Cuisine

HOPPERS （（Bib Gourmand, Chuo-ku）

Overview

Overview: Modern Sri Lankan restaurant themed around “celebration-day Sri Lankan cuisine.” Lunch features rice & curry sets representing comfort food, while dinner showcases “New Sri Lankan cuisine” through tasting menus with wine pairings. Their signature course includes 5-item appetizer platter, fish and meat courses, traditional rice & curry with 9 side dishes, and dessert.

Restaurant Details

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Onigiri（Rice Balls）

Onigiri Asakusa Yadoroku (Bib Gourmand, Taito-ku）

Overview

Overview: Tokyo’s oldest onigiri specialty shop and the first rice ball restaurant ever featured in the Michelin Guide. Third-generation master Miura speaks English and maintains traditional methods using carefully selected rice cooked in traditional pots, premium Edo-mae nori, and ingredients sourced from across Japan. Basic sets include 2-3 onigiri with miso soup, complemented by an extensive sake selection.

Restaurant Details

Southeast Asian Cuisine

🆕 NEW Night Market（Bib Gourmand, Shibuya-ku）

Overview

Overview: Night Market achieves Bib Gourmand recognition in the inaugural year for Southeast Asian cuisine in the Michelin Guide Tokyo. The owner-chef draws inspiration from travels throughout Southeast Asia, combining herbs, spices, and French culinary techniques to create highly original dishes. The restaurant’s name reflects the desire for guests to enjoy the experience like visiting a night market—selecting dishes based on mood, pairing them with drinks, and spending time freely. Both prix fixe courses and à la carte options are available.

Restaurant Details

Budget Considerations:

• Ultra-budget: Onigiri Yadoroku, SANTOSHAM (¥1,000-¥2,000)
• Great value: Kacchal Bacha, Ponta Honke (¥2,000-¥4,000)
• Fine dining: Jō, Ubuka, Daigo (¥15,000-¥45,000)
• Ultra-premium: Oniku Hanaryū, Yama (¥30,000-¥40,000)

Timing Tips:

• Lunch advantages: Ponta Honke, Grill Grand, Mejiro Shunkōtei offer significant savings
• Weekend options: Cristiano’s weekend lunch, Yama’s extended weekend hours
• No reservations: Onigiri Yadoroku (arrive early), SANTOSHAM lunch
• Advance booking essential: Yama (lottery system), Oniku Hanaryū, Jō

Reservation Requirements:

• Months ahead: Yama (lottery system), Oniku Hanaryū
• Weeks recommended: Jō, Ubuka, Daigo
• Day-of possible: SANTOSHAM lunch, most Bib Gourmand establishments
• Phone only: Cristiano’s, Kacchal Bacha, traditional establishments
• No reservations: Onigiri Yadoroku

These specialty categories demonstrate Tokyo’s incredible culinary breadth, where century-old techniques coexist with revolutionary concepts, and where every cuisine imaginable finds its place in the world’s most dynamic food scene. From the humble onigiri to groundbreaking dessert courses, each represents a unique facet of Tokyo’s ever-evolving gastronomic landscape.

Note: All prices listed are as of May 2025 and may be slightly higher when you visit. This completes our comprehensive coverage of Tokyo’s 2025 Michelin Guide across 26 detailed articles, providing the definitive resource for Michelin-recognized dining until the 2026 edition releases in November.