Home to foreign embassies, parks with lush greenery, and cultural and religious institutions, Meguro is a residential community sandwiched between Shibuya and Ebisu. This district is famous for its annual Meguro Kumin Matsuri (“Meguro Sun Festival”), which is divided into four festivities: Meguro no Sanma Matsuri (“Pacific Saury Festival”), the Furusato Bussannten (“Regional Specialties Exhibit”), the Omatsuri Hiroba (“festival plaza”) and the Kodomo Hiroba (“children’s plaza”).
The most popular among the four festivities is the Meguro Sanma Matsuri, wherein people line up at the Meguro River as tons of fresh saury fish are charcoal-grilled and shared. Also sought after by foodies is the display of various delicacies during the regional specialties exhibit.
Meguro is also a prominent spot for hanami. People flock to the Meguro River, which is lined with about 800 sakura cherry blossom trees. During cherry blossom season, people congregate by the riverside to enjoy a hanami flower-viewing party.
Aside from these fun fetes, Meguro is also a host to great foodie spots. Not sure where to eat in Meguro? We’ve got you covered with the best of the food scene in the area, including a cozy cafe, themed restaurant, local yakitori joint, and Michelin-starred restaurants in Meguro.
Where to Eat in Meguro
Here are some fantastic places to stop by for a bite to eat in Meguro!
- Sushi Rinda
- Kappo Suzuki
- Tenmasa
- Zauo Fishing Restaurant
- Curry Station Niagara
- Ryo
- Kushiwakamaru
- Chum Apartments
1. Sushi Rinda
Sushi lovers unite at Sushi Rinda, where tourists can feel free to engage with the English-speaking itamae (Japanese chef), Yuta Kono. The sushi-ya serves far more than the usual cuts of tuna and salmon, and the menu includes rare treats such as cutlass fish, giant clams, and abalone. Each guest is treated to a front-row show of the chef’s sushi mastery, as he prepares each perfect morsel. As the chef speaks English, you can feel free to ask any questions about the meal, and find out the story behind the menu.
2. Kappo Suzuki
Another sushi restaurant in Meguro, Kappo Suzuki is a Michelin-starred establishment, which has held on to its Michelin star since 2008. Chef Suzuki is modest and friendly, and masterfully prepares Japanese cuisine, occasionally with artistic uses of Western ingredients. The omakase menu is sure to contain only ingredients that are at their prime, which that the chef has carefully selected. Each dish is served in stunning dishes, which highlight the beauty of Chef Suzuki’s skillful food presentation. He is also adept with fugu (pufferfish) and suppon (soft-shelled turtle), for the more adventurous.
3. Tenmasa
Another Michelin-starred restaurant in Meguro, Tenmasa serves top-of-the-line tempura and kaiseki-style omakase. Each dish on the menu is prepared using local ingredients and cooked Kanto-style in 100% sesame oil with a blend of Taihaiku Sesame Oil and fragrant, roasted Daiko Sesame Oil. The omakase includes soup, sashimi, and tempura, and the house-made goma-dofu (sesame tofu) is a perfect way to finish off the meal.
4. Zauo Fishing Restaurant
For those who want to take part in the food preparation, Zauo Fishing Restaurant is a must-visit restaurant in Meguro! Guests can catch their own fish (which is encouraged, as the price will be lower!), and request it to be prepared in a certain style: sashimi, sushi, grilled, boiled, or tempura-style. It’s great for groups and families. If you like fishing, head on over to Zauo Fishing Restaurant, grab a pole and a net, and try your luck!
5. Curry Station Niagara
All aboard! At this next restaurant in Meguro, Japanese curry lovers can feast their favorite treat at a vintage train-themed restaurant: Curry Station Niagara. Not only is the interior of the restaurant designed to look like the inside of a train, with precise attention to detail and train memorabilia everywhere, but your curry also arrives on the back of a model train, on a miniature train that passes right by your table! There are a variety of curries to choose from such as the “Niagara Curry,” their classic curry; “Super Express Curry,” which is the spicy version; and “Shinkansen Curry” for kids, which comes in a bullet train-shaped bowl.
6. Ryo
Ryo is another specialty restaurant in Meguro, which serves unagi (freshwater eel), and was included in the Michelin Guides for 2017 and 2018. Chef Ryo Murata’s unagi dishes are perfectly grilled and seasoned, served over rice; the product of 13 years of training at the historic unagi restaurant, Tsukiji Miyagawa Honten. But the atmosphere of Ryo is quite casual, and it does feel a bit like you’re dining at someone’s house, rather than enjoying unagi at a sit-down restaurant.
7. Kushiwakamaru
For a taste of delicious yakitori, head over to Kushiwakamaru, the neighborhood favorite which serves smoky, bite-size morsels of meat on skewers. Make sure to try the tsukune chicken meatballs and chizu-pi, a pork-wrapped green pepper stuffed with cheesy goodness. After you’ve eaten your fill of skewers, top off your stomach with some ochazuke, tea-infused rice porridge.
8. Chum Apartments
Midway through the day, you’ll want a cup of tea or coffee to perk yourself back up. Stop by Chum Apartments, a cozy little cafe tucked in the residential area of Meguro. It’s a casual, but stylish place with a bohemian ambiance, where you can spend an hour or so sipping coffee or tea and reading a book, or chatting with friends. They also offer teishoku set meals like their grilled fish set, and soup curry if you’re feeling peckish.
Michelin star-studded Meguro is the perfect food destination, but you don’t have to shell out a lot of cash for good eats. Meguro is also home to a variety of other restaurants and cafes in addition to local festivals and events (and the street food that accompanies such festivities). No longer stuck for where to eat in Meguro, you can check out any of these places during your Tokyo trip and come away with a happy belly.
To discover more restaurants, cafes, and bars in the Meguro area, check out Where to Eat in Nakameguro!
