Tokyo
Tokyo wine bars are among the most serious in the world. Japanese sommeliers train obsessively and the import market for European natural and classical wine is one of the most discerning. A serious Tokyo wine bar will pour bottles you cannot find in Paris.
Aoyama · $$$$
A Japanese sommelier with thirty years of experience runs this small bar. The list is mostly French and Italian classics. Reserve.
Ebisu · $$$
Natural wine bar with a focus on biodynamic producers. The list is short, the food is precise, and the bartenders are quiet. Reserve.
Roppongi · $$
Standing wine bar with a 200 bottle list. Cheap by Tokyo standards. The crowd is mid thirties professional. Open daily.
Marunouchi · $$$
French natural wine focus with Japanese sommelier expertise. The list rotates weekly. Sit at the bar.
Ebisu · $$$$
Bar built around the Coravin system, allowing the rotation of premium wines by the glass without opening bottles. Excellent for tasting flights.
$$$
Italian focused wine and aperitivo bar. The Negroni programme is also serious. Best for a wine plus aperitivo evening. Open daily.
in Tokyo ›
in Tokyo ›
in Tokyo ›
in Tokyo ›
in Tokyo ›
Prices are mid to high — expect 1,500 to 3,000 yen by the glass at a serious bar. The format is sit at the bar, talk to the bartender, drink what they recommend.
A Japanese sommelier with thirty years of experience runs this small bar. The list is mostly French and Italian classics. Reserve.
Natural wine bar with a focus on biodynamic producers. The list is short, the food is precise, and the bartenders are quiet. Reserve.