The Best 10 Places to Eat in Ueno, Tokyo

Having “Ueno zoo”, “Ameya Yokocho” and “Akihabara Electric Town” around, Ueno is one of the most popular sightseeing districts in Tokyo. Ueno is also known as “Shitamachi (the traditional downtown districts for shopping, entertainment and residence)”. Shitamachi is famous for offering inexpensive but delicious food, which you should give it a try! In this article, we will introduce the best 10 restaurants and stores you must try in Ueno.

1. Ecute Ueno

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“Ecute Ueno” is a shopping mall inside Ueno station. There are kiosks, bookstores, restaurants and Bento (lunch box) stores, so you can find souvenirs and food that you can enjoy right away!

You should check out some food relating to giant panda because Ueno is famous for giant pandas in Ueno zoo! “Boul’mish” offers panda shaped macaroon and “Colombin” offers panda shaped Swiss roll and cake. There are many other panda-related kinds of food such as bread, doughnuts and ”Ohban Yaki (Japanese muffin with bean jam inside)”. If you want to get some panda-related food, you should definitely visit “Ecute Ueno”!

2. Niku No Ohyama

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This restaurant is specialized in deep fried meat dishes as it’s run by a meat wholesaler. You can enjoy meat dishes either seated(restaurant) or standing(standing bar), so choose one which is suitable for you.

The most popular dish is ”Yamitsuki Menti(mince croquettes)” made of succulent meat and diced onions. It’s quite big but only costs 120 yen! It’s delicious by itself but also it also goes great with alcoholic drinks! Apart from ”Yamitsuki Menti”, there are a variety of dishes such as normal croquettes and deep-fried sausage available at affordable prices. Let’s enjoy freshly deep fried meat dishes!

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3. Kamadoya Ueno

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“Kamadoya” is close to the station but has a very relaxed atmosphere. In this restaurant, you can enjoy authentic Japanese dishes such as “Sashimi (sliced raw fish)” and “Takikomi Gohan (Japanese mixed rice)”.

The speciality of this restaurant is ”Takikomi Gohan” which is served in an earthenware pot. It’s delicious and full of “Dashi (stock made from fish and kelp)” flavor. Most dishes are big enough to share, so we recommend that you bring a few friends rather than going by yourself.

4. Daitoryo

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“Daitoryo” is an izakaya (a casual Japanese bar where you can enjoy a variety of food and drinks) and famous for both tourists and locals. We highly recommend “Uma No Motsunikomi (horsemeat innards stew)” which has been loved since the izakaya opened. Basic grilled dishes such as “Yakiton (grilled pork on skewers)” and “Motsu Yaki (grilled innards)” are also very tasty!

There is a branch of the restaurant also in Ueno and both of them are always very busy! Enjoy classic Japanese izakaya dishes in a very friendly atmosphere!

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5. Ueno Yabu Soba

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“Ueno Yabu Soba” is a famous soba restaurant with a long history. It’s been keeping the taste of the tradition since 1892.

You may worry this restaurant might be expensive by the look of the exterior. However, don’t worry! This restaurant is actually not too expensive. You can enjoy soba starting from 750 yen. For example, there are “Seiro (plain soba)” for 750 yen, “Kaki Nandan (oyster soba)” for 1700 yen and “Curry Seiro (curry soba)” for 1000 yen. If you want to try authentic soba in Ueno, head to this long-established restaurant!

 
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6. Delhi Ueno Store

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“Delhi Ueno Store” is an Indian and Pakistani restaurant in Ueno. It’s a small restaurant with only 17 seats. However, this restaurant is very popular that there is often a line outside.

Unlike typical Japanese curry which is not very spicy and thick in texture, this restaurant serves traditional Indian and Pakistani curry made with the perfect blend of spices.

The most popular dish is “Kashmir Curry” with chicken and onions. “Korma Curry” is also the popular dish that has an amazing combination of spices and caramelized onions. If you feel like trying something new apart from Japanese cuisine, this restaurant is for you!

7. Yoshoku Sakurai

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“Yoshoku Sakurai” is the Yoshoku (good-old western-style) restaurant which is on the Bib Gourmand list of the Michelin Guide. This restaurant is very popular because you can try high-quality good-old Yoshoku dishes at affordable prices.

Among a variety of menus, the most popular menu is “Omuraisu (stir-fried rice wrapped in an omelette)” for 1300 yen. For “Omuraisu”, you can have either ketchup or demi-glace as a sauce. We also recommend “Hayashi Rice (hashed beef with rice)” and spaghetti. Yoshoku plays an important part in Japanese cuisine as it’s the Interpretation of Western cuisine by the Japanese. We highly recommend that you try Yoshoku at least once while you are in Japan!

8. Kurogi

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“Kurogi” is a Kaiseki (a traditional Japanese full-course meal) restaurant on a narrow street. This restaurant is very famous that it’s quite difficult to make a reservation. This is because the restaurant was given stars by the Michelin Guide in 2011 and 2012 and the chef-owner often appears on TV.

You can enjoy the taste of the season as dishes of a course change every day. It might be difficult to make a reservation. However, we promise it will be worth it!

9. Mihashi Ueno Main Store

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“Mihashi Ueno Main Store” is a cafe serving traditional Japanese confectionary. The speciality of this cafe is “Anmitsu” which is a kind of Japanese confectionary made of agar jelly, red bean jam, cooked red peas and fruits. It’s made from carefully chosen ingredients such as beans from Hokkaido and raw sugar from Okinawa.

You should definitely try “Cream Anmitsu” which has soft-serve ice cream on a bowl of Anmitsu. It has a perfect combination of sweetness from red bean jam and ice cream. Let’s have a little break with traditional Japanese confectionaries!

10. Usagiya

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“Usagiya” a traditional Japanese confectionary store specialized in “Dorayaki (bean‐jam pancake)”. You can have Dorayaki fresh out of a bakery in the store for 200 yen. The pancake part of Dorayaki has a perfect combination of sweetness from bean-jam and honey. It’s very moist and soft as a whole.

Apart from Dorayaki, there are some other Japanese confectionaries available such as “Manju (bun with a bean‐jam filling)” and “Monaka (bean‐jam‐filled wafers)”. Unfortunately, the confectionaries are not suitable for souvenirs as they don’t last long. However, we highly recommend that you try this Dorayaki if you are visiting Ueno!

Let’s Enjoy Delicious Food In Ueno!

As you can see, Ueno is not only famous for sightseeing spots but also for having delicious food. If you are visiting Ueno, make sure to be hungry and don’t miss out on trying a variety of food!