SUSHI, COCKTAILS, 5-STAR VIEWS OF TOKYO TOWER – 5 OF THE BEST PLACES TO EAT AND DRINK IN TORANOMON, NEW TOKYO DINING HUB

Tokyo's Toranomon neighbourhood is flourishing, thanks to recent openings including hotel Tokyo Edition Toranomon, from where we explore the area's food options
From Japanese-European fine dining to a pizzeria, cocktail bar and an alley with yakitori and wontons, here are some great places to refuel near Tokyo Tower

Tokyo's Toranomon ("tiger's gate") district is flanked by Roppongi and Akasaka to the west, Azabujuban to the south and Ginza to the east. It is marked by the glittering Tokyo Tower.

As a business-focused district, it is not a neighbourhood most visitors might normally choose to stay in, with livelier areas nearby.

But it is an intriguing area poised for change: 10 years since the Mori Tower - a 247 metre-tall skyscraper - was opened in 2014, the Toranomon Hills complex, a long-time project by the Mori Building company to turn the area into a new business hub, was finally completed in October 2023.

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The area is dominated by four skyscrapers, including Business Tower, Residential Tower, and the new Station Tower, and there are warrens of new restaurants, bars and shops.

The Tokyo Edition Toranomon - the first Edition hotel in Japan - opened in 2020, at the same time as the new Toranomon Hills station on Tokyo Metro's Ginza line. But because of the Covid-19 pandemic, few international tourists were able to check into the hotel for its first two years as Japan remained closed to outsiders.

However, with its borders having reopened in October 2022, and with the yen's value against the US dollar the lowest in decades, Japan is attracting record numbers of tourists; according to JTB Tourism and Research Consulting, 3 million overseas visitors entered Japan in March 2024.

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With that in mind, staying somewhere relatively quiet yet still well connected might not be a bad idea. Below are our first impressions of Tokyo Edition Toranomon, and five nearby restaurants and bars to try on your next visit to the city.

The hotel itself

Hotel lobbies that merge check-in and check-out facilities with food and drink operations are trending, and here is no exception. Upon emerging from the lift, guests are greeted by a lengthy corridor, pumping music, a verdant indoor garden, a sitting area, the lobby bar and a restaurant.

The floor-to-ceiling windows offer an exceptional view of the cityscape, as does the leafy Garden Terrace, a prime spot for pre- or post-dinner drinks.

Upstairs, we found the layout of the floors a little odd. With the lifts located on one side of the building only, we had to navigate three corners and lengthy corridors to get to our room.

It is worth the effort, though, as the south-facing rooms look directly towards Tokyo Tower - a vista that greets you as soon as you enter the room and a sight that does not get old whether seen by day or night.

The room is minimalist, as you would expect of one designed by Japanese architect Kengo Kuma - the luxury is felt in the details, whether that be the faux fur throws or the Le Labo toiletries.

Edition opts for branded Tetra Pak cartons, rather than plastic bottles, of water, although we do think it is time for all hotels to retire all disposables in favour of filtered water in glass bottles.

Where to eat in and around Toranomon Hills

1 The Jade Room

Tokyo Edition's flagship restaurant is not, as you might expect from the name, a Chinese restaurant. Rather, it is a contemporary Japanese-European one, overseen by British celebrity chef Tom Aikens and executed by chef de cuisine Richard McLellan.

The "jade" in the name probably refers to the restaurant's verdant surroundings and plush velvet banquettes upholstered in the colour of the precious stone.

The menu celebrates "mother nature and her seasons", with ingredients sourced from local Japanese suppliers where possible.

As such, the menu changes frequently to adapt to the microseasons, but on our visit the mackerel with nashi pear and anise hyssop (a fragrant, mint and licorice-like herb), and the red cornet with turnip and mizu no mukago (the tender, slimy buds of water lily stems) were great introductions to more esoteric Japanese ingredients.

4-1-1 The Tokyo Edition Toranomon, 31/F, Toranomon, Minato-ku, 105-0001, Tokyo

2 Sushi Comari

Many high-end sushi restaurants in Tokyo are inaccessible to most outsiders - they can be incredibly difficult to book without a connection. Sushi Comari, a 20-minute stroll from the hotel, is one omakase restaurant that can be easily reserved online.

Chef Satoshi Fukushima - from Saitama, north of Tokyo - also works as an intermediary wholesaler at Toyosu fish market, so you can trust in the quality of the fish here.

The 13-course sushi lunch is incredible value at 8,000 yen (US$52), with pieces such as fatty kuromutsu (gnomefish), mantis shrimp and a lightly dry-aged oyster.

2-12-25 Akasaka, 1F, Minato-ku, Tokyo 107-0052

3 PST Higashi Azabu

There are two branches of PST (Pizza Studio Tamaki), but local food-loving friends we trust insist that the Higashi Azabu location (around 20 minutes' walk from the hotel) is the one to visit.

Opened by pizzaiolo Tsubasa Tamaki, who trained at Tokyo pizzerias Savoy and Seirinkan, PST does impeccable renditions of classics like the margherita, as well as seasonal specials combining local ingredients (think sakura shrimp and Hokkaido clams).

Make sure to book ahead, as the space is small - it seats a maximum of 32 customers - meaning walk-ins may get turned away.

1-24-6-105 Higashiazabu, Minato-ku, Tokyo 106-0044

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4 Tokyo Confidential

For a view of Tokyo Tower from another angle, head to this irreverent bar located under 30 minutes' walk from the hotel.

Opened by former Hong Kong residents and drinks specialists Holly Graham and Tom Egerton, Tokyo Confidential "celebrates high contrast and delightful chaos" - it is a high-energy place with unusual cocktails and a bar menu designed by chef Daniel Calvert of Tokyo's Sezanne, which was recently crowned Asia's best restaurant.

The bite-sized coronation chicken monaka is a delightful blend of British and Japanese sensibilities.

For cocktails, Cheung Fun Old Fashioned, combining bourbon, peanut, sesame, soy caramel and bitters, is a stiff homage to Hong Kong.

9/F, The V-City, Azabu-Juban Place, 1-chome, 6-1 Azabujuban, Minato-ku, Tokyo 106-0045

5 Toranomon Yokocho

Yokocho are narrow alleys packed with bars and restaurants that can range from gritty to gourmet. Toranomon Yokocho falls firmly into the latter category, with sleek wooden architecture and comfortable seating.

Inside are 23 outlets representing a range of cuisines, from outposts of famed yakitori restaurant Birdland and fish burger specialist Deli Fu Cious to Plancha Zurriola. There are even wonton noodles available at Akasaka Rikyu.

3/F, Toranomon Hills Business Tower, 1-17-1 Toranomon, Minato-ku, Tokyo 105-6490