Local Guide
Six take-out gourmet restaurants with all the charm of Otsuka, Tokyo

Otsuka has a nostalgic atmosphere with its streetcars and lively shopping streets where people come and go. The town is dotted with many local restaurants offering everything from rice balls and authentic Chinese dishes to sashimi and fried foods perfect for snacks and drinks, as well as sweets. Here are six recommended restaurants loved by locals and available for takeout.

Fluffy onigiri with an overflowing amount of ingredients

Egg yolk
Egg yolk" for 400 yen (left) and "minced meat" for 450 yen (right). (Right) "Egg yolk" for 400 yen (left) and "Meat Sobororo" for 450 yen (right).

A specialty onigiri store established in 1960 that draws a line out the door even before it opens. They offer a wide variety of 57 different kinds of ingredients, from standard items such as "shaké" (salmon) to oddballs such as "peperoncino" (pepperoncino). We recommend the "egg yolk" and "minced meat". The "egg yolk" is a luxurious item with 0.5 yolk marinated in soy sauce for 4 hours on the top of the rice ball and 2 yolks inside. The yolk is so thick that you can't get enough of it. The "minced beef and pork minced meat" is mixed with plenty of sugar to avoid the smell of meat. Its sweet flavor is popular among foreign tourists.

First-class onigiri made with high-quality rice, salt, and nori seaweed

This popular store is constantly visited by people from morning to night. Reservations for takeout can be made by phone.
This popular store is constantly visited by people from morning to night. Reservations for takeout can be made by phone.

The restaurant has only counter seating, and when you order, a craftsman makes your onigiri right in front of you. The rice is Koshihikari produced in Niigata Prefecture. The rice harvested in the upper part of terraced rice paddies is rich in minerals and has a different luster and flavor. The restaurant sprinkles the cooked rice with Okinawan salt, which has few peculiarities, and wraps it in crispy nori (seaweed). The fluffiness of the rice is important to them. During the season when the rice is new, it is recommended to order it without any garnish so that you can enjoy the taste of the rice.

Local Guide Comment
Up to two ingredients can be added to one rice ball. You can order your own original combination. Incidentally, popular combinations are "shaké & sujiko" and "beef tendon & curry.
Bongo
  • address (e.g. of house) 2-27-5 Kitaotsuka, Toshima-ku, Tokyo MAP
  • Direction 2 minutes walk from JR Otsuka Station
  • Business Hours 9:00-21:00
  • Closed Sunday
  • TEL 03-3910-5617
  • Parking None

Luxurious Chinese rice bowl with two kinds of side dishes

Chinese bowl of rice topped with sweet-and-sour pork and Chinese eight treasures greens
Chinese bowl of rice topped with sweet-and-sour pork and Chinese eight treasures greens" (880 yen). For takeout, it is served in a pack.

A restaurant where you can casually enjoy authentic Chinese food. More than 20 types of takeout dishes such as boxed lunches and one-pot meals are available at the store. Recommended is the "Chinese rice bowl with sweet-and-sour pork and 00," which many men and women of all ages pick up. In addition to the sweet-and-sour pork and carrots in a sweet red bean paste, you can enjoy one of the daily side dishes. By asking a Staff/staff member, you can order your favorite side dish of the day, such as hoi polloi or mapo doufu. They will also respond to requests for spiciness and other seasonings.

Enjoy Chinese food as you like, including set meals and dinner sets.

There are three tables and three booths. In the kitchen in the back, a chef from China shows off his skills.
There are three tables and three booths. In the kitchen in the back, a chef from China shows off his skills.

Open all day from 10:00 a.m. to 11:30 p.m., the restaurant is popular with both solo diners and families. The menu remains the same throughout the day, with set menus such as chinjaolo roast and mapo tofu for those who want to eat well, as well as evening sets that include a drink, snacks, and one dish for those who want to enjoy a drink. It is a great place to use for a variety of occasions. Furthermore, the affordability of the menu, with most items priced at less than 1,000 yen, combined with the at-home atmosphere, makes this a restaurant that you will want to visit again and again.

Local Guide Comment
There are also take-out stores in "Atrevi Otsuka" and "Sun Mall Otsuka Shopping Street" at the south exit of Otsuka Station. Both are near the station and have excellent Direction, so you can stop by before returning to your lodging or other destination.
Tamasenro
  • address (e.g. of house) Maison Otsuka 1F, 2-6-3 Kitaotsuka, Toshima-ku, Tokyo MAP
  • Direction 2 minutes walk from JR Otsuka Station
  • Business Hours 10:00-23:30*Sunday ~ 22:00 (L.O. 22:00)
  • Closed No holidays
  • TEL 050-5462-1082
  • Parking None

Hot takoyaki served with our original secret ponzu sauce

Secret recipe of green onion ponzu sauce
Secret recipe of green onion ponzu sauce" served hot, 550 yen.

This takoyaki specialty restaurant is located in "Tokyo Otsuka Goodwill Street" where 10 restaurants are gathered in a renovated old private house. The takoyaki are made with dough filled with yam yam and bonito broth and baked over high heat, giving them a fluffy, melt-in-your-mouth texture that has made them a favorite among many fans. We especially recommend the "Secret Negi-Ponzu (green onion ponzu sauce). It is covered with homemade ponzu, which is aged for more than a year with kombu (kelp), and a generous amount of green onion. The refreshing taste is accented by the moderate spiciness of the green onion, making it a takoyaki for adults. If you are dining in the restaurant, why not order it with a beer or highball?

Check out the rare varieties of takoyaki and teppan-yaki!

In addition to counter seating on the first floor, private rooms are available on the second floor (call before visiting for private rooms).
In addition to counter seating on the first floor, private rooms are available on the second floor (call before visiting for private rooms).

The staff/staff members can be seen grilling takoyaki from outside the restaurant, and many people are said to be lured to stop by the delicious aroma of the baking process. In addition to the counter seating on the first floor, the cozy restaurant has a private room on the second floor that can seat about five people.

About 10 kinds of takoyaki are available, including the standard "sauce," "soy sauce," and "serious curry," which is served with homemade curry, making it a great place to share with family and friends. Furthermore, if you eat in, you can also enjoy foil-grilled meat and teppan-yaki.

Local Guide Comment
They are perfect for takeout, of course, but also for use as a second location. The counter seating is close to the kitchen, making it easy to chat with Staff/staff members.
Meisho Takoyaki Kamikiya
  • address (e.g. of house) 2-28-7 Kitaotsuka, Toshima-ku, Tokyo MAP
  • Direction 2 minutes walk from JR Otsuka Station
  • Business hours 11:30-23:00
  • Closed No holidays
  • TEL 03-3949-9368
  • Parking None

Japanese-style pancakes with an addictive sweet and savory taste

Japanese-style pancakes (6 pieces): 220 yen. (At room temperature, they last until the day after the day of purchase.
Japanese-style pancakes (6 pieces): 220 yen. (At room temperature, they last until the day after the day of purchase.

This long-established Japanese confectionery was founded in 1937 as a store specializing in monaka. The sweets are handmade with carefully selected ingredients and without synthetic preservatives so that customers can enjoy them with peace of mind. The "Japanese-style pancake," which is baked in the store every day, is a popular item that contains only six pieces of dorayaki crust. The egg-rich batter is made with equal parts flour and eggs, and soy sauce and sake are added as secret ingredients to give the pancakes a savory flavor. The dough is not too sweet, so it can be arranged with jam or ice cream on top.

Freshly made dorayaki filled with sweet bean paste are also excellent!

Japanese-style pancakes are made in the storefront every morning from 10:00 am. They are baked until around 2 p.m. on weekdays and 3 to 4 p.m. on Saturdays, Sundays, and holidays (baking ends when all the seeds are gone).
Japanese-style pancakes are made in the storefront every morning from 10:00 am. They are baked until around 2 p.m. on weekdays and 3 to 4 p.m. on Saturdays, Sundays, and holidays (baking ends when all the seeds are gone).

Of course, we also sell "dorayaki," which are available in a variety of sweeteners such as Ogura-an, Koshi-an, and Shiro-an. One of the most popular is the "An Butter Dorayaki" filled with calpis butter and Ogura-an. For those who eat it on the spot, the dorayaki is served with the red bean paste sandwiched between freshly baked crusts.

The "Sennari Monaka," which gives the store its name, is a gourd-shaped monaka that comes in five flavors: ogura, sesame, plum, white, and koshi-an. The cute colorful shades and the good luck charm that brings good fortune when eaten make it an ideal gift or souvenir.

Local Guide Comment
There is a bench right in front of the griddle on which the dorayaki crusts are baked, and you can sit there and enjoy them. If you eat in front of the restaurant, you can get barley tea as a service.
Senjo Monaka
  • address (e.g. of house) 3-54-4 Minami-Otsuka, Toshima-ku, Tokyo MAP
  • Direction 1 min. walk from JR Otsuka Station
  • Hours of Operation 10:00-18:00
  • Closed No holidays
  • TEL 03-3982-6000
  • Parking None

Assorted Sashimi" filled with fresh seafood shipped directly from Toyosu

Assorted Sashimi
Assorted Sashimi" 2,000 yen. It includes seasonal fish and shellfish.

This kappo restaurant offers fresh seafood shipped directly from Toyosu every morning. A wide variety of take-out delicacies, such as conger eel stew and egg omelet, are loved by locals. The most popular dish is the "assorted sashimi. The freshness of the sashimi can be felt through the flavor and firmness of the meat. If you call, you can also place a layaway order.

Enjoy seasonal seafood at lunch set menus and dinner courses

The cozy interior is perfect for a small group for a quiet drink.
The cozy interior is perfect for a small group for a quiet drink.

There are two tables and counter seating next to the area where prepared foods are sold. Enjoy the owner's signature fish dishes in the relaxed atmosphere of the restaurant. For lunch, the restaurant offers five different set menus that change daily, with fish as the main dish.
Each set meal comes with two slices of sashimi for about 1,200 yen. Also, except Wednesdays, dinner is served by reservation only. A course meal (5,000 yen) using a variety of seasonal ingredients is available for a luxurious experience.

Local Guide Comment
Daikon "tsuma" (daikon radish) served with sashimi in set menus and course meals is served in a half-moon shape instead of in strips. The half-moon shape allows you to enjoy the flavor and crispy texture of the daikon. The owner's pride can be felt in even the smallest details.
Senya
  • address (e.g. of house) 3-49-8 Minami-otsuka, Toshima-ku, Tokyo MAP
  • Direction 3 minutes walk from JR Otsuka Station
  • Business Hours Side dish sales 11:00 - 20:00
    Lunch 11:30-14:00 (Monday and Friday only. Close when sold out)
    Dinner 17:00-21:00 (except Wednesday)
  • Closed Sunday, Holidays
  • TEL 03-5954-0250
  • Parking None
  • Memo No meat dishes served

Reasonably priced "Bite-sized fillet cutlet" is tender and juicy!

The
The "Bite-sized Filet Cutlet" is 150 yen per piece, perfect for when you are hungry, and the "Filet Cutlet" is 450 yen for a single piece of deep-fried meat.

A butcher store that has been in business since 1928. It also sells prepared foods such as ham and deep-fried foods, and its "bite-sized filet cutlet" is especially popular because it can be eaten easily and in a snap. Beef from Tochigi Prefecture is seasoned with salt and pepper and deep-fried in homemade oil made from lard. Because it is made with high quality ingredients, it is excellent even if eaten without any sauce. The flavor and juiciness of the meat is irresistible. The "Ichibu Hire Katsu", "Beef Cutlet", "Croquette", and other fried dishes are deep-fried to order, so they are freshly prepared and hot.

A lineup of side dishes unique to a butcher store

The interior of the restaurant has a homey atmosphere. The owner's paper cutouts are displayed in the back space.
The interior of the restaurant has a homey atmosphere. The owner's paper cutouts are displayed in the back space.

The restaurant has been family-run since its establishment and is currently run by the third generation couple. Driven by the "delicious" feedback from customers, they have been serving fresh meat and prepared foods for many years. The retro Showa-era interior is decorated with beautiful paper cutouts that the owner made as a hobby.

In the meat showcase, prepared foods such as "grilled pork" and "spring rolls" are available. In addition, rare and unusual parts of meat such as pig's feet and pig's ears are available, and since the meat is cut fresh according to the customer's needs, the restaurant is popular among both locals and foreigners living in the neighborhood.

Local Guide Comment
The beef cutlet is free of odor, and the umami of the meat can be enjoyed to the fullest. Since it is freshly fried, be careful not to burn yourself when eating it.
Meat Hayashi
  • Address 3-55-1 Minami-Otsuka, Toshima-ku, Tokyo MAP
  • Direction 2 minutes walk from JR Otsuka Station
  • Business hours 10:00-18:30
  • Regular holiday Sunday, Monday, Holidays
  • TEL 03-3971-0324
  • Parking None
  • Memo Payment by cash only

MAP

Hoshino Resorts facilities nearby
Return to article top
The information in this article is current as of the date of the update. Please check before visiting as they are subject to change.