Ikebukuro Sunshine City
Maison Kayser - Bakery: Ikebukuro
[Open 11am-9pm (LO) daily.]
This French bakery prepares excellent pastries and breads to take out. Alternatively you can relax with a pastry and cup of coffee or tea in the cafe area, or out on the terrace when the weather permits. The bakery is open from 8am.
Vinos Yamazaki - Liquor shop: Ikebukuro
[Open 10am-10pm daily.]
A well-stocked wine shop with a decent cheese selection. There's a pretty good selection of wines by the glass at the tiny, five-seat bar area.
Namja Gyoza Stadium - Gyoza: Ikebukuro
[Open 10am-10pm daily.]
Around a dozen famous gyoza shops from around the country are gathered here in this unusual dumpling-centered theme park inside the very noisy Namja Town game center. (Weekdays tend to be quieter.) Portions are small so you can try several...
Ikebukuro
Katsu - Sushi: Ikebukuro
[Open 11am-10pm (LO) daily.]
Run by the well-known (and always crowded) Midori-sushi chain, this conveyor-belt sushi shop is perhaps even more popular than the parent chain, with very long lines at mealtimes, especially on weekends. The selection is budget-priced and includes...
Vivo - Beer bar: Ikebukuro
[Open 6pm-12:30am (LO; Fri, Sat -2am) daily.]
The amply punctuated Vivo! Beer + Dining Bar serves interesting beers and foods from around the world. There are some twenty beers on tap, including local brews like Yona Yona real ale on draft and Baird Beers from Numazu; there are also plenty of...
Moyan Curry - Curry: Ikebukuro
[Open 11:30am-2:30, 6-10:30pm (LO) daily.]
Moyan offers a huge variety of tasty Japanese-style curries and ethnic-style side dishes, along with inexpensive wines and cocktails.
Takadanobaba
Garlic Chips - Bar: Takadanobaba
[Open 4pm-midnight (LO; Fri, Sat -2am LO). Closed Sundays.]
Late-night cocktails, jazz, light meals, and garlic chips in a relaxed neighborhood bar. Some outdoor seating.
Cotton Club - Bar: Takadanobaba
[Open 11:30am-4am (LO) daily.]
Late-night cocktails and snacks, with jazz in the background. Terrace seating is available on the first and second-floor cafe areas.
10 Degree Cafe - Cafe: Takadanobaba
[Open 11am-midnight daily.]
A steady stream of students and local residents flip open their laptops and settle in for an afternoon of work or study at this well-populated three-story cafe. There's free wifi, with some window seats overlooking the Kanda River. Food is typical...
Vivo Daily Stand - Wine bar: Takadanobaba
[Open 5pm-2am daily.]
The draw at this chain of casual neighborhood wine bars is simple - decent-quality wines and snacks at a reasonable price. Generally a glass of wine and a small snack - such as pork rillettes or foie gras mousse - will come to less than Y1000.
Waseda
Edogawabashi
Leckermaul - German: Edogawabashi
[Open 11:30am-2, 5:30-10:30pm (LO) daily.]
Flammkuchen - the Alsatian and southern German answer to pizza - is served here in versions both savory (black forest ham, zucchini-anchovy) and sweet (apple-cinnamon, banana-rum), along with wine by the glass or bottle. Although it's made without...
High Five Salad - Deli salads: Edogawabashi
[Open 11am-10pm (Sat, Sun -9pm) daily.]
"Step out of your comfort zone" reads the sign in front of the shop. Yes, it's another salad bar with a slogan and an accompanying manifesto. The salads are pretty good though, some focusing on gourmet ingredients (prosciutto and mimolette; smoked...