Halal Eateries You Need to Try in Tokyo
Food is always a big part of my trip, but it’s not always easy to access high-quality halal food when you’re travelling, right?
So when I visited Tokyo in 2019, I needed to make sure that I could always access halal food. But is it possible to have halal food and try authentic halal Japanese cuisine in Tokyo?
Thankfully the answer is yes, absolutely!
In Spring 2019, I got to visit Tokyo for almost two weeks. In the last few years Japan is a haven for halal food. The locals have also become more open, friendly and considerate of the needs of Muslim travellers. You can easily find halal restaurants all over the city. You have the options of halal Japanese food, Western food, Middle Eastern food, and much more.
If you’re hoping to visit Tokyo once travel restrictions ease and it’s safer to do so, here are my personal tips and experiences to help you enjoy authentic halal Japanese food during your stay in Tokyo.
Here are the halal eateries you need to try in Tokyo
1. Menya Honolu Ebisu
Area: Shibuya
Category: Halal-certified, Japanese Food
Prayer Room: Yes
Nearby attractions: Harajuku district, Meiji Jingu, Shibuya Crossing
I can’t say you’ve visited Japan if you haven’t tried one of their well-known cuisines, ramen. And one of the ramen places that you want to try is this one! Some say they are the best halal ramen restaurants in Tokyo! There are two floors here; the first is where the kitchen takes place and some bar-seating, and there are more floor-seating on the second floor. Once you come here, place your order using the order machine and pick a seat while waiting for your food to be served.
You can tell that this restaurant is busy during dinner time. Photo by Giannisa Ovie
Ramen with four different toppings and gyoza to complete the meal. Photo by Giannisa Ovie
They have some ramen options with chicken and beef toppings. Their ramen is so tasty with the noodle’s right chewiness and the broth’s thickness and creaminess. To complete your meal, you can order their gyoza or Japanese dumpling. I’m sure they’ll finish in no time. It is such a perfect place and meal as your dinner when you feel like warming up yourself.
2. Sekai Café
Area: Asakusa
Category: Halal-certified, Western Food
Prayer Room: Yes
Nearby attractions: Sensō-ji Temple, Sumida Park
If you plan to visit Sensō-ji Temple, then this is the place that you want to visit to grab some lunch. There are five main meals that they offer on the menu. It is stated that they only use organic products, some menu is vegetarian-friendly, and all of them are halal since the Japan Halal Foundation already certified them.
They have a minimalist interior, and it is super cosy! Photo by Giannisa Ovie
Halal certificate from Japan Halal Foundation at the cashier. Photo by Giannisa Ovie
Simple and vibrant plating. Photo by Giannisa Ovie
The portion size is quite small. So, you can definitely finish everything on your own. Photo by Giannisa Ovie
Their main meal portion is normal. Even you can see that it’s pretty small compared to meal portions in other restaurants. What makes it unique is the pretty plating. Taste-wise, the meals are delicious in a natural and mellow way. They are well-seasoned but not with strong spices or artificial flavouring. You can tell that they use the best ingredients.
3. Cocoichibanya Curry House
Area: Akihabara
Category: Halal-certified, Japanese Food
Prayer Room: No
Nearby attractions: Akihabara district (shopping and entertainment)
There is some Cocoichibanya Curry House all around the city, and they have two logo colours. The yellow one is their standard restaurant, and the other one is green, which the halal-certified restaurants. Make sure you visit their halal restaurant with the green logo, and it is in the Akihabara area. The place is pretty small as it can only take up to ten customers to dine-in, with two staff taking the order and cooking the meal.
The type of Cocoichibanya Curry House that you want to look for! Photo by Giannisa Ovie
The interior of the restaurant. Photo by Giannisa Ovie
You’ll get a warm bed of rice, Japanese curry sauce, and a topping of your choice. Photo by Giannisa Ovie
They have various toppings from chicken, beef, and seafood to veggies for any fellow vegetarian. Photo by Giannisa Ovie
You can select the quantity of rice from the regular, less, or extra portions. You can also choose the spiciness level from the regular to level 10, just if you love to challenge yourself. Check out their menu for some pleasant visualization of the meal through this link.
4. Kebab Ye
Area: Shinjuku
Category: Muslim-owned
Prayer Room: No
Nearby attractions: Shinjuku district, Shinjuku Gyoen park
A small kebab restaurant in the middle of Shinjuku is sandwiched between some crowded Japanese restaurants all around it. They serve Turkish cuisine like kebab, sandwich, and don (the Japanese word for rice bowl) with different meat options such as chicken, beef, and lamb. You can order for take-away, and they also have some space inside the restaurants for 4-5 people to dine in.
You can make an order from this window if you want to take away your meal. Photo by Giannisa Ovie
Their dishes are so flavorful! You can taste the spices and the freshness of the meat. Not to mention their generous portion that will keep you full for long.
5. Deniz
Area: Roppongi
Category: Muslim-owned
Prayer Room: Not sure, didn’t ask
Nearby attractions: Roppongi district, National Art Center, Mori Art Museum
Not only do they have a kebab stall, but they also have some seated space on the first and second floors of the restaurant. Initially, this restaurant was not on my must-have list. I came here unexpectedly since there’s something that I had to buy around this area. Based on a quick Google research, and I made the right decision! Even there’s a group of Japanese white-collar workers, which means the restaurant is good that the locals approved.
Appetizer and main meal. They provide free water too! Photo by Giannisa Ovie
They are very generous with the portion. So make sure you don’t order more than you can finish. Photo by ーるぜろ/ Foursquare
After I ordered some food, I got a bowl of soup as an appetizer, and it’s so tasty! Not sure what it is made of, but it probably has carrot and potato in it. The main meals were delicious, and they have so many rice options with different meat from chicken, beef, to lamb. You can tell from the picture that they have a big portion. So, you might want to share your meal with your travel mate!
6. Gyukatsu Motomura
Area: Shinjuku & Shibuya
Category: Pork-free & No halal certificate, Japanese Food
Prayer Room: No
Nearby attractions:
(Shinjuku) Shinjuku district, Shinjuku Gyoen park
(Shibuya) Harajuku district, Meiji Jingu, Shibuya Crossing
As written in the restaurant’s name, they sell ‘gyukatsu’ or bread-crumb breaded beef cutlet and then deep-fried while still maintain medium-rare on the inside. The beef cutlet comes in a set meal with cabbage, potato salad, pickles, barley rice, miso soup, and grated yam (additional). The set meal is available in 3 options of portion, 100gr, 130gr, and 260gr.
You know how tasty Japanese white rice is and when it’s combined with barley, the taste goes to another level, so good! Plus, barley is a super grain that has so many benefits. If you don’t fancy medium-rare meat, you can cook the beef cutlet further using a mini stone grill that they provide for each customer. They also have the instruction card on the table, so you won’t be left confused. No matter the doneness you choose, the beef cutlet will remain juicy, and sure it will be gone soon from your plate before you even realize it!
7. Red Rock
Area: Harajuku
Category: Pork-free & No Halal Certificate, Western Food
Prayer Room: No
Nearby attractions: Shibuya’s Center district, Takeshita-dori, Omotesando
This restaurant is another beef-only heaven that can be an option. Their best-seller menu is the Roast Beef Bowl. A bowl of white rice, topped with sliced beef and raw egg yolk, finished with a yoghurt sauce drizzle.
The ordering machine in front of the restaurant. Photo by Giannisa Ovie
You can get the balance of meat and veggie all on one plate. Photo by Giannisa Ovie
Now, can you tell how gorgeous that is? Photo by Giannisa Ovie
Also, you can request how well-cooked you’d like your meat, or else they will give you rare as a standard choice. This is the type of meal that relies on the freshness of the ingredients. That’s why they don’t put so much seasoning on the meat, so you can fully enjoy the tender meat. If you need to add some kick, you can ask for Tabasco sauce from the staff.
There you go, all the halal eateries I recommend you try in Tokyo! Whether you’re looking for halal Japanese food or halal Western food, I’ve got you covered!
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