12 best restaurants near Shibuya Scramble Crossing

Whilst Shibuya offers countless burger joints, Whoopi Gold Burger differentiates itself from the rest with celebrity-themed burgers, just like its pun-tastic name. The namesake Whoopi Gold Burger(¥1,100) comes with lettuce, tomato, onion and a charcoal-grilled patty with special sauce, sandwiched between a toasted sesame bun. You can add on avocado to make it a Helena Bonham-burger (¥1,320), or opt for the Sarah Jessica-burger (¥1,560) which comes with a double patty and cheese.

All burgers are served with a side of french fries or mashed potatoes – or swap that for a healthy salad with an extra  ¥110. Whilst the menu offers nine burger variations, plus a few seasonal specials, you can further customise your order with additional toppings such as jalapenos (¥110), coriander (¥200), smoked mozzarella (¥220), fried egg (¥130) and more.

The tiny shop seats up to 11 people at the counter, where you’ll get to watch the chef create your burger. There’s also a terrace open all year round, which can accommodate up to six people.

Jidoriya Tsukada prides itself on serving a wide array of chicken dishes using premium poultry sourced from free-range farms in Miyazaki and Kagoshima prefectures. You can’t go wrong with the charcoal-grilled chicken (¥1,400), deep-fried chicken wings (¥480) or oyakodon (¥860), but the crowd-pleasing chicken shabu shabu sukiyaki  (¥1,080) and the hearty chicken samgyetang soup (¥1,080) are worth a try too, especially on a cold winter’s day. 

Can’t decide what to order from the two dozen dishes on the menu? Opt for the course meal (from ¥3,500) to sample nine of the restaurant’s most popular dishes including chawanmushi egg custard, charcoal-grilled chicken, seasonal chicken dishes and more.

Shoto Cafe is just a 10-minute walk from Shibuya Station, right across Bunkamura. Many people flock here to have a taste of the fluffy chiffon cake (from ¥650), which you can customise with a variety of toppings including chocolate sauce, maple syrup, whipped cream, fruit jam, vanilla ice cream, red bean paste and much more. Its cream roll (from ¥600) is also popular, and it comes in three sizes ranging from a small 4cm x 10cm cake to a large 10cm x 10cm which can feed two to three people.

Don’t overlook the sandwiches in favour of the Instagram-worthy desserts. They are satisfying and affordable. Meat lovers can try the roast beef sandwich (from ¥790) on rye or white bread, or the hearty cuban sandwich (from ¥790) stuffed with generous amounts of ham and cheese. You can order them for takeaway or eat in the cosy cafe that seats around a dozen.

Just as its name suggests, Maguro To Shari (which translates as ‘tuna and rice’) serves only tuna sashimi rice bowls. It’s run by sushi restaurant Hakkoku in Ginza, which is owned by chef Hiroyuki Sato. Sushi fiends will know Sato's name from his time at the Michelin-starred Sushi Tokami.

There are five different sizes of tuna bowls, ranging from small to extra large, each filled with premium koshiibuki rice seasoned with the restaurant’s original red vinegar, cucumber and generous slices of lean and fatty maguro tuna. The smallest bowl goes for ¥1,200, while the largest goes for ¥3,000. You can upgrade your meal with 200g (¥200) or 300g (¥300) of rice, or even order additional toppings like egg yolk (¥100), natto (¥100), avocado (¥150), salmon roe (¥650) and more.

This restaurant’s vindaloo is so good, the curry earned the venue a Michelin Bib Gourmand award. Pork Vindaloo Taberu Fukudaitoryo only offers one thing on the menu. Just sit down and the chef will whip you up a plate of delicious curry – no tricky decisions required. It comes with a bed of rice and chopped salad, topped with a pork vindaloo roux, and a hard boiled egg on the side for ¥1,000. Hungry? A larger portion of curry costs an additional ¥200, but if you only want extra rice or salad, you can get those for free.

There are nine different condiments on the side to dress up your dish, including pickled veggies, fish sauce vinegar, daikon lemongrass paste and yoghurt sauce, giving every bite a different experience. This restaurant is eat-in only, but if you’re keen to re-create the magic at home, you can always purchase packages of the vindaloo roux (¥650), which also comes in pork motsu (intestines), lamb and veggie flavours.

This Udagawacho hotspot uses a rich, delicious gyokai tonkotsu broth made from simmering chicken, pork and seafood. The rich light-brown soup is packed with flavour and pairs well with the straight and firm noodles. The basic ramen starts at just ¥850, but for ¥1,150 you’ll get a bowl with all the trimmings including lightly seared chashu pork, menma bamboo shoots, a flavoured egg and green onions.

To give your ramen an extra kick, we recommend adding a bit of yuzu or kuro shichimi seasoning powder to the bowl. Spicy ramen (¥950) as well as tsukemen – ramen you dip in a separate broth (¥900) – are also on the menu. For the ultimate meal, pair your noodles with one of the many Japanese craft beers on tap, like the ever-popular Shiga Kogen. Be sure to save room for the tamago kake gohan (rice topped with a raw egg), which is free for everyone who orders a bowl of ramen.

This hidden gem of a restaurant looks like it’s stuck in the ’70s, from its location in a forgotten back-alley building and old-school interior to its surprisingly low prices. It specialises in cutlets – meat and vegetables breaded with panko and deep-fried.

The popular set meal, which comes with a chicken cutlet, ham cutlet and croquette plus rice, miso soup and shredded cabbage, is only ¥700 – it’s arguably the best-value meal in central Shibuya. Otherwise, you can pick and mix from 11 deep-fried options including chicken, pork, squid, horse mackerel and aubergine. A set meal of two cutlets is ¥700, three is ¥850 and four is ¥1,050. It’s good honest food at feel-good prices – you just have to look hard for it (tip: enter the narrow alley next to Shot coffee bar).

At this unassuming Shibuya Stream restaurant, a branch of the original in Ebisu founded 40 years ago, you can expect homely dishes at an affordable price. Classic Japanese fare such as salt-grilled mackerel, pork and aubergine stir-fry, and deep-fried chicken karaage are served as set meals, accompanied by rice (cooked in a claypot, no less), miso soup, pickles and a side dish. Prices hover around ¥1,000, and the best part is, the restaurant is open till late at 11pm.

Visiting a standing sushi bar is a must while you’re in Tokyo and Uogashi Nihon-Ichi is one of the best around. You’ll find this chain eatery in a few areas around Tokyo, including its newly reopened outlet in Shibuya Dogenzaka. The best part about visiting this joint is watching the sushi chefs up close as they whip up your order at lightning speed. There’s an English menu – or you can just point to the seafood you recognise at the counter. Apart from Dogenzaka, there are branches all over town, including in Kyobashi, Akihabara, Kojimachi, Kichijoji, Asakusabashi and Akasaka.

This hidden gem on the streets of Shibuya specialises in laksa, a spicy Southeast Asian noodle soup made with a rich shrimp-and-coconut broth. The small size laksa costs as little as ¥550, but if you want something a little lighter, the shan yu mazesoba-style noodles (from ¥935) marinated in shrimp oil are the way to go. 

All the dishes can be customised, so if you can’t handle the heat, just ask for a lower spice level. Those who like spicy food can upgrade to ‘super hot’ for an additional ¥100. Plus, you can give your laksa a twist with toppings like cheese (¥110), egg (¥110), spinach (¥110), sausage (¥165) and lemon (¥55).

Come here for lunch to get the set meal, which includes a bowl of laksa and a side of Singaporean chicken over rice (from ¥385). The mild flavours of the chicken and rice pair well with the laksa, counterbalancing the spice from the soup.

Enjoy Hakata-style yakitori at Jomon, located above Murugi curry restaurant in Shibuya. The restaurant offers nine kinds of grilled chicken skewers including thigh, neck, tsukune meatballs, heart and gizzard, all at ¥150 to ¥250 a serving. If you prefer something a bit more luxurious, choose the Spanish Iberico pork (¥250) or black beef shoulder (from ¥500). The popular veggie meat rolls are also worth a try, especially the generous roll of lettuce wrapped in thick pork belly (¥250).

Whilst meat skewers are the star at this restaurant, don’t miss out on unique dishes such as the Hakata green onion and beni shoga (red pickled ginger) egg omelette (¥680) and the deep-fried Japanese mountain yam with tartar sauce (¥580). There’s also Hakata’s famed motsunabe offal hotpot (¥1,400 per person) available in white miso, spicy and curry flavours.

Hidden among the cool restaurants of Shibuya Parco’s Chaos Kitchen, this izakaya-style restaurant serves only vegan dishes. The main dish is the mock karaage made with soy meat instead of chicken, which comes in five different flavours including grated radish, Chinese black vinegar, Sichuan style hot and spicy, sweet and sour, and teriyaki mayonnaise. The outer coating of the tapioca flour gives the chicken an extra crunch while the inside is tender and juicy.

The gyoza is also a popular item, filled with minced veggies and soy meat. You can order each separately but we recommend the teishoku (set meal) which comes with a bowl of rice, soup, and pickled mustard greens for about ¥1,000.