Introducing the best restaurants in Kichijoji for eating on the go! Perfect for cherry blossom viewing and picnics at Inokashira Park

*Business hours and offerings may be subject to change.
*Prices include tax.
*Please refrain from eating while walking, eat in designated areas, throw away garbage in the trash, please follow the rules and enjoy.

Kichijoji Food Walking Gourmet Map

The bustling north exit area with its famous shopping street

The north exit area is home to many unique shopping streets, including Kichijoji Sunroad Shopping Street, Kichijoji Daiya Shopping Arcade, Harmonica Yokocho (or Hamonica Yokocho), Penny Lane, and Nakamichi-dori. We've picked out some long-loved and famous stores, such as Kichijoji Sato, known for its long lines, and Tsukada Suisan, a long-established fish cake store located two doors down.

[Menchikatsu] Kichijoji Sato, a famous meat deli in Kichijoji that sells 3,000 pieces a day

One of the most famous restaurants in the area, with long lines, is "Kichijoji Sato" in Kichijoji Daiya Shopping Arcade. Sato Foods was founded as a butcher shop in Akabane, Kita Ward, Tokyo in 1948 (Showa 23), and the second-generation president opened the restaurant in its current location in 1974 (Showa 49).

The specialty is the "Original Round Minced Cutlet" (300 yen), which sells 3,000 pieces a day. When the shop first opened, the cutlets were standard oval-shaped, but they have been selling like hotcakes every day since then, so they decided to fry them in a round shape to shorten the time it took to form them. At first, they had trouble getting the meat to cook all the way through, but after repeated improvements, they finally perfected the ideal minced cutlet. They were able to condense the flavor and juices into a round shape, and they were confident that it was a satisfying product.

They only use domestic beef which is rich in sweetness, and the onions they receive from contracted farmers are chopped into large crisp pieces and blended together. The patties are wrapped in coarse raw breadcrumbs and fried in their specialty in-house made lard to give them a crunchy texture and a fragrant flavor. They're rich and juicy, but not heavy, and so delicious you'll be able to finish them all in no time.

There's always a long line no matter when you go, but the turnover is quicker in the morning when they have a lot of freshly fried food in stock, so it's a good idea to go there that time. Also, on Saturdays, Sundays, and holidays, they sell the "Sato x LIBERTÉ Collaboration Original Round Menchikatsu Burger," which uses buns from the popular local bakery cafe "Liberte Patisserie Boulangerie," for 650 yen. Another plus is that if you buy five or more "Original Round Menchikatsu," you get a special deal of 280 yen each. Buying in bulk and sharing with others is a great way to make the most of this store.

Kichijoji Satou

[Fried fish cake] "Tsukada Suisan" - the delicious and original seafood cutlet

Tsukada Suisan, founded in 1945, is a famous fish cake store that represents Tokyo and has a store in Kichijoji and will open a store in Azabudai Hills in 2024. It is located in Kichijoji Daiyagai, next to Ozasa, which is famous for its "Yokan," and just like Kichijoji Sato, which is further down the street, Tsukada Suisan is crowded with customers every day.

Their Satsumaage and Oden items are guaranteed to be delicious, having won the Minister of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries Award twice. There are about 40 standard fish cake items on display in the store, priced from 65 yen each. If you add in seasonal fish cake items and other Oden items, the number of items is even larger, and during the busy end-of-year season, they sell a total of 10,000 items on some days. In 2014, the third-generation owner of this long-established store developed a new product called "Kichijoji Age" (from 240 yen).

This is an original cutlet made by adding shrimp, scallops, etc. to minced fish, breading it, and frying it. This is a creative side dish that is different from fish cakes or Hanpen fries, with freshly made crispy batter and chewy minced fish, combined with the texture and flavor of the ingredients to create a new sensation of deliciousness. Due to its taste and uniqueness, it has been certified as a super premium Musashino souvenir (*).

There are five varieties of "Kichijoji Age" in total, including four standard varieties and one seasonal variety. If you want to try them all, we recommend the "Kichijoji Age 5 Variety Tasting Set" (1,380 yen), which comes with a coupon for one free item next time. The shop also opens as "Tachi-nomi Oden-ya Tsukada" from 7pm, so if you like alcohol, be sure to come in the evening.

*This product is a hall of fame product in the Musashino Premium, the souvenir brand certification system run by the Musashino City Tourism Organization.

Tsukada Suisan

[Soft serve ice cream] Reasonably priced homemade deli and sweets for takeout at Carnival

There are many shops that sell imported food and miscellaneous goods, but it is rare to find a shop that offers a wide variety of homemade deli and sweets at reasonable prices. Carnival Kichijoji Store, which opened in 1995, has realized such a business model that could be called a miracle. It is located behind Uniqlo along Kichijoji Street, where department stores are lined up. It is on Nishiichijo Street (between Nakamichi Street and Showa Street).

There are 15 types of specialty deli on display, with single items starting at 280 yen. Popular items are the "Delica 4" (650 yen), which allows you to choose 4 types of food, and the bento-style "Crab Bento" (680 yen). The "Special Lunch Box" (650 yen) which feature a lineup of ethnic dishes, and "Burrito" (from 420 yen) are also popular. The store is operated by the same company that also operates restaurants in Ebisu and Shirokane, so the quality of the food is guaranteed.

And don't miss the sweets. Particularly recommended is the soft serve ice cream that combines homemade desserts and comes with unlimited toppings. There are "Tiramisu & Soft Serve" and "Pumpkin Pudding & Soft Serve" (430 yen each), and you can have as many toppings as you like for an additional 100 yen.

The variety is rich, ranging from the familiar cocoa sand cookies to colorful chocolates. This service is unique to this store, which handles a wide variety of imported sweets from overseas.

Carnival Kichijoji is a shop that offers a wide variety of delicious foods from Japan and abroad, including homemade donuts, making it an exciting place to visit, like a festival.

Carnival Kichijoji

[Lemon Pie] "Lemon Drop" weaves the history of the town and bittersweet memories into the present

Kichijoji is packed with famous sweet shops, but one of the city's most famous sweets is "Lemon Pie." This is a specialty of the cake house "Lemon Drop" created by Iori Noguchi, who is also known as the "legendary man who created Kichijoji," and who has promoted Kichijoji as a city of culture and jazz.

The store opened in 1980 and sadly closed in 2023. However, some of the sweets continue to be served at affiliated restaurants such as "Funky" and "Sometime," and the same flavor is still being offered at "Lemon Drop," which opened in 2021 in collaboration with "Hanabusa Gallery" on Nakamichi-dori.

The store has a variety of cakes on display, including "Strawberry Torte" (750 yen), "Fresh Cream Puffs" (550 yen), "Cheesecake" (600 yen), and "Chocolate Torte" (650 yen), but the must-try is the "Lemon Pie" (640 yen).

It has a delicate layered structure with, from the top, lemon peel and jelly, meringue and whipped cream, cream cheese, chocolate sponge, and pie crust. The taste is sweet and sour, slightly bitter, and fragrant, and the texture is fluffy, creamy, and crunchy, all complementing each other, creating an exquisite balance of deliciousness.

Another item not to be missed is new "Lemon Sand" (330 yen,) the limited edition by Lemon Drop. A fragrant cookie with a cute weave is sandwiched with butter cream and lemon peel, creating a sweet and sour taste. The paper bag that it comes in also features the logo of "Kin no Saru", a Japanese restaurant affiliated with "Park View" that used to be located in front of the park, adding a fun touch to Kichijoji fans.

While cakes are delicate, "Lemon Sand" have a relatively long shelf life and can be eaten with one hand, making them the perfect casual snack. Of course, they are also recommended as a souvenir from Kichijoji.

Lemon Drop Hanabusa Gallery store

The park entrance area where city and nature are in perfect harmony

Inokashira Park is about a 5-minute walk from Kichijoji Station. The cozy atmosphere created by the perfect blend of city and nature is one of the driving forces behind Kichijoji's popularity, and is a worldview not found in any other town. Let us introduce some unique shops that are unique to this area.

[Bread] Take-out, meals, and resting. The highly versatile "Epee"

Kichijoji is a battleground of bread, but if you're looking for something convenient, Boulangerie Bistro EPEE is excellent. It was opened in 2013 by a Tokyo-based group that operates stylish Japanese, Western and Chinese restaurants nationwide. It can be enjoyed for a variety of occasions, from takeout bread to a cafe, a meal or a drink.

As soon as you enter the store, you'll see a huge selection of breads lined up. They have a wide selection of breads, including hard breads, bread with savory dishes, and sweet breads, with 40 to 60 varieties in the lineup depending on the time of day. The widest selection is available between 11am and 1pm, so if you have time, try to come during this time.

If you're unsure of what to choose because there are so many varieties, be sure to ask the staff for advice. They will not only tell you the best-selling breads, but also give you recommendations based on your tastes. From the selection, we asked them to select three popular items that can be enjoyed like sweets.

The "Brioche Patissiere" is a combination of a soft, castella-like dough and rich, creamy custard cream. The "Plain Scone" is a blissful taste with a fluffy, buttery dough that spreads softly in your mouth. The "Raspberry and Cream Cheese Brioche" has a light, rich, sweet and sour filling that goes well with the brioche. The cute shape makes it a great gift.

And from the savory bread selection, we picked up the "Bacon Epi" (350 yen). This is a crispy on the outside and chewy on the inside dough, matched with juicy bacon. If you want to enjoy lunch or a picnic in the park, this shop is the perfect choice, with easy access from the station and a wide variety of menu items.

Boulangerie Bistro EPEE

[Taiwanese street food] The crunchy mochi dough and secret spicy meat filling make you go crazy with "Taiwan Roryu Koshomochi"

Kichijoji is home to a collection of specialty restaurants serving Japanese, Western, Chinese and ethnic cuisines, including restaurants from Africa, the Silk Road, South America and Northern Europe. The town is known for its rare dishes, but one unique takeout specialty restaurant that has been gaining attention in recent years is Taiwan Roryu Koshomochi Kichijoji. It opened in 2022. It is located on the corner where Kichijoji Street and Inokashira Street intersect, and is marked by a striking exterior with a poster that reads "Caution: Explosive Soup."

The only dish on offer is the Taiwanese street food "Hojiobing" (430 yen). It looks like a baked xiaolongbao but in the size of a steamed bun, but once you try it, you'll be surprised at deliciousness you have never experienced. The dough is two-layered, and it's baked in a custom-made oven for pepper buns at about 300℃, giving it a crunchy texture. The scorched bottom adds a fragrant flavor. The dough inside is chewy and stuffed with juicy chunks of pork and crisp green onions.

The key to the flavor is the meat seasoned with secret spices sent directly from Taiwan that only the owner, Mr. Liu, knows about. The lingering aftertaste is literally peppery and has a hot taste that is addictive.

The recipe is direct transmission from the local "Roryu Koshomochi," and they use secret spices that the founder mixed himself to recreate the authentic taste. In front of the store are photos of the Japanese opening team when they trained in Taiwan.

There are four types of Taiwanese tea available, including the "White Peach Oolong Tea" (250 yen), which has a fruity sweetness and a refreshing taste that goes perfectly with the pepper buns. Taiwanese beer is also available, so you can enjoy a quick drink. They also have souvenir boxes, so they are recommended as a souvenir from Kichijoji. There is a line almost all day on Saturdays, Sundays, and holidays, but on weekdays, it is relatively quiet after 5pm, so if you want to buy something without waiting, try to go at this time.

Taiwan Roryu Koshomochi Kichijoji

Gourmet food around Inokashira Park, which supports a variety of activities

Inokashira Park is one of the major reasons for the overwhelming popularity of Kichijoji. It is a power spot where Benzaiten, the water-related goddess of wealth and fortune, is enshrined, and is dotted with a variety of facilities, including boats, the zoo (Natural Culture Park), the Ghibli Museum, an outdoor stage, and a sports field. And of course, there are many gourmet restaurants both inside and outside the park. We will introduce some of the many gourmet spots that are great for both dining in and taking out.

[Shumai] "Iseya" is a long-established bar run by a meat wholesaler that offers good value for money

Iseya was founded in Kichijoji in 1928 (Showa 3). Currently, there are three locations in operation: the main store on Kichijoji Street, the north exit store along the main street in front of the station, and the park store located just before the stairs at the park entrance. The park store we are introducing this time opened in 1960 (Showa 35), and after a temporary closure it was renovated and reopened in 2013 (Heisei 25).

The main store and the park store are famous for their yakitori, which is cooked right in front of the store while releasing a delicious aroma, but another specialty is their shumai. The former is 100 yen per stick, and the latter is 390 yen for three pieces, so the reason for their popularity is that they are both reasonably priced and extremely delicious.

The reason they can offer such value and high quality at the same time is because they also operate a meat wholesale business. What's particularly noteworthy about their shumai is that they are surprisingly jumbo in size. At first glance, they look like Chinese chive buns. A typical shumai is around 30g, but this shop's is around 55g, almost twice as large.

As the specialty of the restaurant is meat, there is more minced meat than onion, so it is very juicy. The taste is slightly sweet, and the jumbo size makes it punchy but not heavy, making it easy to eat. They also serve it with mustard paste and soy sauce, so you can enjoy it while using it to your liking.

Iseya Park Store

[Hot Dog] "König" - a combination of authentic German sausage and German bread

König Kichijoji is a long-loved hot dog restaurant on Nanaibashi-dori Street heading towards Inokashira Park from the station. The main store was founded in 1963 (Showa 38) as a butcher shop in Koganei, and opened as Metzgerei (a German meat processing store) in 1986 (Showa 61). The Kichijoji store opened in 1995, and moved a few meters to the park side in 2017 to its current location.

In 2008, the store won the international overall championship at the world's most prestigious meat processing competition held in Germany, and has won over 100 gold medals at local judging committees. Not only is it delicious and recognized by the Germans, but the bread used for the sandwich is also German-style. There are several types of each, so it's fun to try different combinations.

We ordered the punchy "Chunky Meat Garlic" made with extra-coarsely ground meat and "Laugen bread (pretzel dough)", the "Chorizo Cheese" and "German Roll (white bread)" containing chili peppers produced in Musashino City and cheese, and certified as a super premium souvenir of Musashino City (mentioned above), and the most popular "Spinach Cheese" and "Laugen bread" containing spinach produced in Koganei and cheese (950 yen each + standard 50 yen topping).

All of the sausages have a superb contrast between the crispy skin and the juicy meat inside. The "Chunky Meat Garlic" has a richer meaty texture, the "Chorizo Cheese" has a delicious balance of spicy and cheese, and the "Spinach Cheese" has a wonderful harmony of gentle sweetness and cheese. The "Laugen bread" is chewy and the "German Roll" is fluffy, both of which are delicious. In both name and reality, these are the top-notch hot dogs.

König Kichijoji store

[Galette] Enjoy soothing French home cooking in a greenhouse that blends into the forest at "Usagikan"

There are several restaurants in Inokashira Park, and the next one we will introduce is "Café du lièvre Usagikan." This open cafeteria was opened in 2006 by Kimiko Yoshida, a doll maker and painter, and was modeled after a greenhouse in the forest.

The specialty is galette, which originated in Brittany, France. It is a home-cooked dish of ingredients wrapped in a 100% buckwheat dough and baked until crispy, and the restaurant offers three kinds. From there, I ordered the classic "Prosciutto, Egg, and Cheese Galette with Mini Salad Set" (1,200 yen).

The flavor of the savory galette is enhanced by the richness of the prosciutto and cheese. The soft-boiled egg adds a mild flavor, the arugula adds a refreshing touch, and the pink peppercorns add a light spice. The portions are generous and satisfying in both taste and quantity. Other popular items include crepes (from 600 yen) and seasonal herbal teas (several varieties available, all 700 yen), making this a useful cafe as well.

Another plus point is that, as it is a sister store of the popular curry shop "Montana" on Nakamichi-dori, it offers three types of curry (starting from 1,150 yen). Of these, "Montana Dry Curry" can be enjoyed as takeout (starting from 850 yen), and crepes can also be enjoyed as takeout.

The store's fantastical world is accentuated by the artworks of Kimiko Yoshida, which are displayed throughout the store. There is a permanent space in the basement where you can enjoy the artworks at your leisure, and postcards and other items are available for purchase. In addition, the store's location within the park and the view of the greenery from inside the store combine to create a sense of the extraordinary. Before you know it, you'll be soothed as you spend a special time here.

Cafe du lièvre Usagi kan

Kichijoji is a place you'll want to visit again and again, with colorful nature, cultural facilities, activities, and shops all within walking distance of the station. If you come here, you'll surely understand why it's so popular. Be sure to use this map to find great gourmet spots while walking around the city!

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