Tokyo Diner is a Japanese restaurant on the edge of Chinatown and is one of the best loved restaurants in London. It’s often described as “iconic” (but what isn’t, these days!). It was established in 1992, which in restaurant terms means it’s positively ancient.
Tokyo Diner is sometimes described as quirky, for 2 reasons. One: it’s probably the only restaurant in London that doesn’t take tips. Two: it’s probably the only restaurant in London with its own webcam.
Oh, and the food is pretty nice, and – by London standards – pretty reasonably priced, too.
The Tokyo Diner menu
The menu at Tokyo Diner has a nice range of dishes for lovers of Japanese cuisine. The emphasis is on simple Japanese home cooking. There’s a selection of donburis, noodle soups and bento boxes, as well as sushi, sashimi, and Japanese curries, and numerous side dishes. And if you’re hungry, you can request extra rice (free of charge!).
They’ve got you covered for drinks too. Japanese tea is free; in fact, you get a steaming mug of tea as soon as you sit down – a lovely gesture. Tap water is free too. Then there are soft drinks, beer, wine and sake.
The Tokyo Diner experience
Tokyo Diner doesn’t take reservations, and is often pretty busy (sometimes you have to queue outside), but service is brisk and efficient, and the food comes to the table quickly. They don’t hassle you, though, so you’re left to eat in peace.
As far as the décor goes, the mood at Tokyo Diner is blonde minimalism: warm wood tables and chairs, plus cute trinkets high up on wooden shelves, and the golden glow of paper and wood lampshades.
It’s a small space, with tables rather close together. There are 3 floors, and the stairs are a bit steep, so not great for anybody with mobility issues (a bit of a downside there).
The menu is written in English and also partly in Japanese, and has extensive (two pages!) allergy information.
On my last visit, I had my usual: the tamago don with a side dish of aubergine agebitashi. It’s a beautiful marriage of flavour. Perfectly satisfying portion size, and it came down to under £15, too, thanks to the free tea and no tips – not bad for central London!
(Side note: I didn’t take many pictures of the restaurant, because it was really hard to avoid including people in the photo, and I don’t like taking pictures of people without their consent. I don’t know if anybody cares… but I do!)
Tokyo Diner: practical information
Address: 2 Newport Place WC2H 7JP
Tokyo Diner on Google Maps: https://maps.app.goo.gl/tHytdSziy1VFihay6
Website: https://www.tokyodiner.com/
Nearest public transport: Leicester Square (Northern Line, Piccadilly line), Piccadilly Circus (Piccadilly line, Bakerloo Line)
How far is Tokyo Diner from Leicester Square tube station? About 2 minutes’ walk.
Eat in? Yes
Outside seating? No
Toilets? Yes, on the first floor. The stairs are a bit steep.
Note: please check the website for current opening hours. At the time of writing, they are closed Mondays, open in the evenings Tuesdays to Thursdays, and have longer opening hours on Fridays to Sundays.
And also:
Why doesn’t Tokyo Diner take tips? In short: it’s not part of Japanese culture.
Why the webcam? Ah, the webcam! Well, you can read about the reason for it here.
Where to go from there?
How about staying in Japanese mode and visiting Japan House in Kensington High Street? Or you could move on to the culinary delights of Taiwan and grab some street food at Ho-Ja? Alternatively, you could grab some sweet starchy goodness at Buns from Home. There are two branches nearby, one on Piccadilly and one in Covent Garden. I recommend the one in Covent Garden, because then you can also go and visit Stanfords, the best travel bookshop in London.
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