[Nihonbashi Lunch] 8 Recommended Gourmet Spots That Even Refined Businessmen Can’t Resist

The “Nihonbashi area,” Tokyo’s oldest business district, is home to many affordable yet delicious lunch spots that have captivated the stomachs of hard-working professionals.

With various types of restaurants serving seafood, tonkatsu, Western cuisine, and more, it is an area that food enthusiasts will surely enjoy.

However, among them, there are only a handful of places that are truly “delicious, affordable, and stylish.”

In this article, we will introduce seven restaurants in the Nihonbashi area where you can enjoy lunch that is “truly delicious, affordable, and stylish.”

Whether you’re enjoying a blissful moment alone or exploring Nihonbashi’s gourmet spots with a loved one, we hope you have a wonderful time.

※The prices listed are as of the time of writing.

Nihonbashi Kaisendon Tsujihan Nihonbashi Main Store

“Tsujihan” is a restaurant offering incredibly popular “kaisendon” (seafood rice bowls) in Nihonbashi. Long lines form every day.

The menu at Tsujihan consists only of the “Luxury Bowl,” with prices varying depending on the grade, such as Matsutake, Take, and Ume.

For first-time visitors, the basic “Ume” is recommended. The kaisendon, piled high with seafood, makes a big visual impact.

You can get a refill of rice once, so after finishing the kaisendon, you can top the rice with sashimi from a separate plate and enjoy it as ochazuke (rice in tea).

It’s a two-in-one delicious experience and a highly cost-effective lunch. Personally, this is my number one recommendation for a lunch in Nihonbashi.

Nihonbashi Tonkatsu Ichi HAJIME

“Nihonbashi Tonkatsu Ichi HAJIME” is a restaurant where you can enjoy hearty tonkatsu at a reasonable price. It’s a new place that opened in May 2022.

The recommended dish here is the “Grilled Katsu Don” (fried pork cutlet rice bowl).

This unique katsu don is different from others because it is not bound with egg, but instead, the egg is placed under the cutlet, keeping the katsu’s crispy texture intact.

For those who want to enjoy both katsu don and tonkatsu set meals, this dish is a great choice.

It’s also delicious when eaten with one of the three salts provided on the table.

When you sprinkle salt on the katsu, the sweetness of the cutlet spreads throughout your mouth, making it perfect for a change in flavor.

It’s quite filling, but you’ll enjoy it all the way through without getting bored.

Rito Kitchen Nihonbashi Store

“Remote Island Kitchen Nihonbashi Store” is located in front of Mitsukoshi Station.

It is a place where you can try local specialties from remote islands, and their pickled donburi with sashimi is a must-try.

The flavorful pickled donburi goes well with rice and is also a great choice for a snack with sake.

My personal recommendation is the “Amimachō Cold Shimame Pickled Donburi” (1,000 yen). “Shimame” refers to squid caught in winter from Amimachō in Shimane Prefecture.

It’s marinated in a special liver soy sauce!

The cafe-style interior is stylish and perfect for women, and the smaller portion size is also a plus.

Most menu items are around ¥1,500, which is relatively inexpensive considering the location.

You can also purchase local specialties as souvenirs, so after lunch, consider enjoying some shopping.

As of April 2023, the restaurant is temporarily not serving meals. Please be aware of this.

Nihonbashi Tendon Kaneko Hannosuke Main Store

“Nihonbashi Tendon Kaneko Hanosuke Main Store” is a tempura specialty shop that uses a secret sauce to prepare their tendon (tempura rice bowl).

You can enjoy Edomae tempura at a reasonable price.

During lunchtime, this popular restaurant always has a long line starting around 11:00, so be prepared for a wait and allow plenty of time. Alternatively, you could visit around 15:00, when the line tends to settle, and you can get in more quickly.

The Edomae Tendon (980 yen) is filling and recommended for those who want a hearty meal.

It consists of a tempura rice bowl with miso soup. The rice comes in a normal portion of 300g, and the tempura includes anago (conger eel), shrimp, seaweed, shishito peppers, and kakiage (tempura fritters). For just ¥980, this is an incredibly satisfying meal!

Although it’s highly satisfying, the portion is large, so for smaller eaters, it’s best to go on an empty stomach.

Nihonbashi Tamai Main Store

“Nihonbashi Tamai Main Store” is a restaurant specializing in “anago don” (conger eel rice bowls), located in a house built in Showa 28 (1953).

The focus here is on “anago” rather than eel. The difference in taste is that “eel is rich,” while “anago is lighter.”

The recommended dish is the “Box Meal.” There are small, medium, and large sizes, so you can order based on your appetite.

Additionally, with the medium box, you can choose to have both “simmered” and “grilled” toppings, making it a great option for those who want to try both.

If you have to choose between the two, I recommend going with “simpered” first.

Anago don is something you can rarely find elsewhere, so be sure to try it when you’re in Nihonbashi.

Shokudo (dining room) Piccolo

“Shokudo Piccolo” is an Italian restaurant in Nihonbashi that offers relatively affordable meals.

It has a retro coffee shop appearance, giving off a stylish atmosphere from the outside. Inside, it exudes a nostalgic, old-fashioned coffee shop vibe, making you feel a sense of familiarity.

The recommended dish for lunch is the “Salmon Sauté.”

It’s a great option for those who want a good meal under 1,000 yen, offering excellent cost-performance.

While simple, the salmon has a strong, slightly salty flavor, making it highly satisfying.

Also, the shop’s original merchandise is cute, making it another recommendation.

Restaurant Nihonbashi Katsura

“Restaurant Nihonbashi Katsura” is a traditional Western-style restaurant.

Both the exterior and interior of the shop have a retro feel, creating a calming atmosphere.

The daily menu ranges from A to D. All dishes are recommended, but the D option is more expensive, so personally, I would suggest choosing from A, B, or C.

Additionally, the restaurant’s signature dish, fried shrimp, is also highly recommended.

If you’re craving traditional Western-style food in Nihonbashi, it’s definitely worth a visit.

Mie Terrace

Mie Terrace is an antenna shop for Mie Prefecture. It is divided into a sales space, a restaurant space, and an event space.

The restaurant offers Italian course meals made with ingredients from Mie Prefecture, including the famous Matsusaka beef.

Additionally, this shop offers Japanese sake that pairs wonderfully with Italian food. Why not relax and enjoy a course meal while sipping sake from Mie Prefecture?

Summary

The above highlights some recommended lunch spots in Nihonbashi. Have you found your desired restaurant?

All of them are truly excellent restaurants, so be sure to enjoy them to the fullest.