Why Michelin 2025 Focuses on New and Promoted Spots like Yakiniku and Sushi
The proof of a shop that is riding a wave of momentum.
The “Michelin Guide Tokyo 2025” was announced on October 17, 2024, at the Westin Hotel Tokyo.
The total number of listings is 507 (64 new). The breakdown is as follows: 227 Selected Restaurants (41 new), 110 Bib Gourmand (13 new), 132 one-star restaurants (10 new, 3 promotions), 26 two-star restaurants (1 promotion), 12 three-star restaurants (1 promotion), and 12 Michelin Green Stars (1 new).
Tokyo now has 170 Michelin-starred restaurants, continuing to be the city with the most starred establishments in the world, since the “Michelin Guide Tokyo 2008” was released when the guide first arrived in Japan in 2007.
Tokyo is said to have over 100,000 restaurants, and the restaurant scene is volatile, which is reflected in the Michelin Guide. While demotions or non-listings are not announced, new inclusions and promotions are highlighted. In Tokyo, one of the world’s largest food cities, restaurants that are newly featured or have received higher ratings in the Michelin Guide can be considered to be riding a wave of momentum.
Among the new and promoted restaurants, I would like to introduce some noteworthy places, along with their estimated dinner price per person (restaurant names are in line with the “Michelin Guide Tokyo 2025”).
Yakiniku (Grilled Meat) and Handmade Pasta Restaurants! Inspectors’ Favorite Selected Restaurants
Selected Restaurants are those that do not receive stars or fall under the Bib Gourmand category, but are highly recommended by Michelin Guide inspectors. This year’s new additions include 41 restaurants.
“Chez Inno” (dinner price range ¥30,000～) is a well-known grand maison, while “L’odorante Par Minoru Nakijin” (¥30,000～) offers authentic French cuisine. “Geoffrey” (¥20,000～), led by Tsubasa Jin’nai, who honed his skills at famous French restaurants, and “Kibun” (¥20,000～), led by Hugo Pierre-Gallix, who trained at “Kikunoi Honten,” offer a fresh approach to dining.
Kei Kobayashi, who became the first Asian chef to earn three Michelin stars in France, runs “Kei Collection Paris” (¥20,000～) at Toranomon Hills Station Tower and “ESPRIT C. KEI GINZA” (¥20,000～) at the Toraya Ginza Building. Both places focus on à la carte menus. “Le Pristine Tokyo” (¥30,000～) at Hotel Toranomon Hills is a buzzworthy restaurant produced by three-star chef Sergio Herman.
Other notable Italian restaurants include “Deps Brianza” (¥20,000～), where the owner-chef Yoshiyuki Okuno works in the kitchen, and “The Orchestra” (¥20,000～), which specializes in handmade pasta and dishes grilled over embers.
“YAKITORI Burns” (¥10,000～) incorporates French flavors, while “Shirokane Shin” (¥15,000～), which combines short courses with à la carte options, and “Chinese Cuisine Hanaoka-bo (Sengakuji)” (¥15,000～), known for its elaborate assorted appetizers, are also gaining attention. “Sukiyaki Asai” (¥20,000～), where you can enjoy Sakaeya’s Omi beef in sukiyaki, and “Sushi Yamato” (¥30,000～), led by Yamato Yasui, who trained at the renowned “Nihonbashi Kakigara Cho Sugita’s Reservation” are also notable new spots.
Standing Sushi and Fried Foods Also Featured in the Bib Gourmand
In the “Bib Gourmand” category, which offers satisfaction beyond its price, 13 new establishments have been added. These include five French restaurants, two sushi spots, one Italian restaurant, one Japanese restaurant, one tonkatsu eatery, and three ramen shops.
“Nougat” (from ¥10,000) allows guests to share a variety of French regional dishes ordered à la carte, complemented by an extensive wine selection. “Standing Sushi Sakekawa” (from ¥8,000) offers a convenient setup where you can order sushi piece by piece. “Audace” (from ¥10,000) gathers guests around a large table for an enjoyable Italian dining experience. “Wokotote” (from ¥10,000) features a flexible approach with short courses available, while “Fry House” (from ¥8,000) serves freshly fried dishes one by one in a course format.
The drama of new entries and promotions also unfolds at the coveted Michelin-starred restaurants.
There are 13 new and promoted one-star restaurants, broken down as follows: five French restaurants, three Japanese restaurants, one Italian restaurant, one yakitori spot, one sushi restaurant, one contemporary restaurant, and one creative restaurant. The creative category is a newly established category, with the dessert restaurant Yama (¥20,000 and up) fitting into this category.
“The Ritz-Carlton Tokyo’s ‘Élitage by Kei Kobayashi’” (¥30,000 and up) is produced by Kei Kobayashi, with Teruki Murashima as the chef. Unusually for a Japanese hotel restaurant, it also offers game meat, showing respect for French culture.
Keita Kitamura’s “Apothéose” (¥40,000 and up), which earned a Michelin star in Paris, offers light French cuisine that brings out the natural flavors of ingredients. “Sucre” (¥40,000 and up), produced by three-star French chef Mauro Colagreco, with Yuhei Miyamoto as head chef, provides an opportunity to experience unique flavors. “Saucé” (¥20,000 and up) by Kazuma Gunji features sauces that make you want to dip them with bread, as the name suggests, meaning to wipe with sauce in French.
While French cuisine is on the rise, there are also well-regarded Japanese restaurants that have earned one-star status. “Kappo Muroi” (¥50,000 and up), which moved from Ginza to Nogizaka, is known for its neban (slow-cooked dishes), and it offers an extensive selection of Champagne and Burgundy wines. “Tōzan Muku” (¥20,000 and up), led by Takaki Mishima, who transitioned from a career in machinery manufacturing to the culinary world, offers creative dishes such as “Tuna Toro Taku Ohagi” and “Soft-shelled turtle ramen.”
The restaurant that was promoted to two stars is “Tempura Motoyoshi” (from ¥30,000). Its molecular tempura using liquid nitrogen has been highly regarded.
And the new addition to three stars is SEZANE(from ¥60,000) at the Four Seasons Hotel Marunouchi Tokyo. It is the first hotel restaurant in Tokyo to achieve three stars. Given that hotel restaurants in Tokyo have typically faced strict evaluations, this is a remarkable achievement. Daniel Calvert, the hotel’s executive chef, is known for his creative and consistent dishes. After he took office in 2020, the restaurant rapidly climbed from one star in the 2022 edition to two stars in the 2023 edition and finally reached the pinnacle this year. It was also named number one in Asia’s 50 Best Restaurants, making it one of the world’s leading restaurants. The “Shanghai Crab and White Truffle Course” (¥101,200), which beautifully combines luxury ingredients like Shanghai crab and white truffle, is just one example of their innovative cuisine.
There are more than 500 restaurants listed in the “Michelin Guide Tokyo 2025”. If you are wondering where to visit, we recommend that you select a restaurant that is new or has been promoted to the top of the list.
Text and Photographs： Dong Long
Born in Taiwan in 1976. Winner of TV Tokyo's "TV Champion" in 2002 and 2007. He loves cooking, sweets, and alcohol, with a focus on fine dining and hotel gourmet cuisine. He writes easy-to-understand articles with his unique perspective on everything from inflammatory incidents to gastronomy and trends, and from the state of food to issues facing restaurants. He is also a judge, lecturer, producer, and consultant.
