1. Ivy Place Tokyo

Best Pancake in Tokyo Daikanyama

Ivy Place is located in Daikanyama, one of Tokyo’s most stylish neighborhoods. The trendy streets lined with trees and pet-friendly cafes actually reminded me of both Seongsu and Hannam-dong in Seoul. Daikanyama was definitely an ideal neighbourhood to visit for a walkable, quiet part of Tokyo.

Ivy Place is inside Daikanyama T-Site, an iconic landmark in the neighborhood and home to the famous Tsutaya Bookstore. The restaurant is especially famous for its sprawling tree-covered terrace, giving it a secret-garden feel in the middle of the city. Inside, the design leans into natural materials like wood and stone with large windows that blur the line between indoor and outdoor space.

I made an online reservation in advance, which I highly recommend as walk-ins often have long waiting times, especially on weekends.

Ivy Place Menu

Although Ivy Place is most famous for its breakfast and brunch menu, but they’re only served from 8am to 10:45am. After this time pancakes are no longer offered as a main dish and can only be ordered from the dessert menu. The lunch & dinner menu focuses more on savory items such as pasta, pizza and larger main dishes.

Classic Buttermilk Pancake

The pancake at Ivy Place isn’t the meringue-souffle style, but a more traditional pancake with a classic fluff. It has a pleasant baking powder aroma and a natural sweetness from the batter.

Both my mom and I thought the butter was an ice cream at first😅 It actually tasted like hardened whipped butter: soft and dense at the same time, melting slowly into the warm pancake. You can choose between honey or maple syrup and I opted for syrup, which added a pleasant sweetness to the pancake’s subtle flavor. Next time I’d definitely visit earlier to try the breakfast pancake that comes with a salad and scrambled eggs.

Split Pea Hummus

The split pea hummus leaned more savory than creamy, with the crunchy garbanzo adding texture. The slightly grainy + earthy consistency paired well with the soft pita bread. It also balanced out the sweetness of the pancake nicely, making it a great option if you want something light to share.

2. Kirimugiya Jinroku

Kirimugiya Jinroku is near Shinjuku but is slightly away from the most crowded zones. I visited on a Sunday around 5:30 p.m. and was able to walk in without waiting.

Kirimugiya Jinroku Menu

Kirimugiya Jinroku’s menu focuses on handmade udon noodles and dashi-based broths. They have both hot and and cold(bukkake) udon alongside a variety of tempura, toppings and side dishes. They also had a Korean menu, a tourist-friendly detail despite the quiet local vibe of the restaurant.

Bukkake Udon

I ordered the cold bukkake udon topped with an onsen egg, fried oden, and fried dried sweet potato. The bukkake style is probably the best way to appreciate the chewy texture of their fresh noodles. While warm broth tends to soften the noodles, bukkake is served with a cold soy-sauce based broth that preserves the springy texture of the handmade noodles.

Warm Udon

My mom ordered the warm udon with natto on the side. The warm version had a deeper, more comforting broth that brings out different qualities from the bukkake style. It’s more savory and soothing, perfect for colder weather or anyone craving a warm bowl of noodles.

3. Ryogoku Dashi Monjayaki Monji

Ryogoku Dashi Monjayaki Monji is located on the 5th floor of Shinjuku Palette mall, near Shinjuku Station’s West Exit. This area was one of the busiest parts of Shinjuku, especially when we were there around dinner time, with crowds of office workers heading home.

What is Monjayaki?

Monjayaki is a pan-fried dish similar to okonomiyaki but with a much looser, almost porridge-like batter. It’s cooked directly on a hot griddle at your table and eaten by scraping small portions with a metal spatula. While the appearance can be off-putting at first, the flavor is super addictive and savory.

Monji Menu

Monji’s monjayaki is broadly divided into 3 styles: seafood, chanko, and western. The seafood version includes options like pollock roe, clam, and kani miso, while chanko-style features richer ingredients like chicken intestine and pork. The western-style options feature more experimental/fusion flavors like carbonara or bolognese.

Kanimiso Monjayaki

I ordered the Kanimiso Monjayaki made with crab innards, and also added some extra cheese. The rich seafood flavor of crab miso added a deeper umami to the batter and made our monjayaki extra creamy. The staff cooked everything for us (+ even made the manjayaki into a rabbit🐰),and the live teppan performance made the dining experience so much more lively and enjoyable. FYI not all monjayaki stores offer full cooking service, so I highly recommend checking in advance especially if you’re trying it for the first time.

4. Ibuki Udon Tokyo Midtown

Ibuki Udon Tokyo Midtown on the B1 floor of Tokyo Midtown Galleria, a stylish shopping mall in Roppongi. This is a district known for its mix of international offices, art museums, and upscale shopping. I went to Ibuki Udon before noon on Tuesday and the restaurant was already filled with office workers.

Tsukemen vs Tsuke Udon

Tsukemen typically refers to ramen served with noodles and a separate dipping broth. Tsuke udon follows the same concept but uses udon noodles instead, which is far less common and worth trying if you want something different.

Many tsukemen shops rely on pork-based (tonkotsu) broths, and Ibuki Udon stands out because it uses a deep anchovy-based dipping sauce. Their menu includes Sanuki-style udon served in hot or cold broth and tsukemen-style dipping udon.

Tsuke Udon

The dipping sauce was bold and concentrated with a pronounced anchovy flavor. But despite the deep savor and umami. the sauce wasn’t overly salty or fishy which kept the dish well balanced. This style of udon felt distinctly Japanese and unlike any udon found elsewhere, making it a true must-eat in Tokyo.

5. Mugi to Olive

For my last meal in Tokyo, I went to Mugi to Olive in the food court at Haneda Airport Terminal 2. One thing to note is that dining options were extremely limited and expensive after immigration with only one small food court and no convenience store.

Mugi to Olive started from its main store in Ginza, a ramen spot known for a lighter, clam-based broths. The Haneda Airport branch serves their signature ramen with options including: Clam Ramen (soy sauce or salt), Clam & Chicken Soy Sauce Ramen, and Chicken Ramen.

Clam Ramen

I went for the Salt Clam Ramen, which was served with a refreshing, clear seafood broth. I also added a flavored egg topping, which had a perfectly runny yolk that enriched the broth and added a rich, silky texture to my ramen.