Cover Discover the best curry spots in Tokyo, according to Japanese restaurant review website Tabelog (Photo: Instagram / @ura_macha)
Discover the best curry spots in Tokyo, according to Japanese restaurant review website Tabelog (Photo: Instagram / @ura_macha)
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Tatler looks into Japan’s most widely used restaurant review site to uncover its definitive rankings on where to savour the finest curry in Tokyo
As cherry blossoms burst into bloom and April’s public holidays beckon travellers to Japan, the country is once again poised to top the wishlists of springtime explorers. While many will flock for the usual suspects—sushi, ramen, perhaps a Wagyu sando or two—there’s another dish quietly demanding a place on every discerning diner’s itinerary: curry.
Be it Japanese, Indian, or somewhere intriguingly in between, curry in Tokyo is a richly layered affair—hearty, comforting and endlessly varied. Naturally, some of the very best can be found in the capital.
To guide your next spice-laced pilgrimage, Japan’s most trusted restaurant review platform, Tabelog, has released its definitive list of Tokyo's top 100 curry restaurants. We’ve picked out six standouts worth travelling (and maybe queuing) for.
You might also like: These are the 6 best ramen shops in Tokyo, according to Tabelog
No 6: Spice Post
Above Spice Post is known for its beautifully presented and delicious curries (Photo: Instagram / @ura_macha)
Spice Post is known for its beautifully presented and delicious curries (Photo: Instagram / @ura_macha)
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At Spice Post, curry aficionados are in for a treat: dishes arrive as vibrant as they are flavour-packed, each plated with a touch more finesse than you might expect from your average curry house.
The menu spans the spectrum—from a hearty, slow-simmered chicken curry swimming in rich broth to a pork vindaloo brightened by tang and mellowed with coconut. There’s also a dry keema, fragrant with fresh coriander and bold in all the right ways. Plus, diners are invited to help themselves to unlimited steaming-hot refills.
Spice Post
Address: 1-52-2 Tomigaya, Shibuya 151-0063, Tokyo, Japan
No 5: Block House Suiyou Curry
Above Block House Suiyou Curry is one of the most hyped about spots to get your curry fix in Tokyo (Photo: Instagram / @currysun5211)
Block House Suiyou Curry is one of the most hyped about spots to get your curry fix in Tokyo (Photo: Instagram / @currysun5211)
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Tucked inside the trendy surrounds of Shibuya’s Art Gallery Block House, Suiyou Curry is a midweek-only affair that draws Tokyo’s stylish with its creative take on curry. Open exclusively on Wednesdays, this low-key gem serves a trio of rotating curries—think shrimp, chicken, vegetable, bean or salmon—each plated with an artist’s touch and full of bold, comforting flavour.
The house-brewed chai, warming and fragrant, is the perfect companion to the meal. With its lively crowd of in-the-know locals and effortlessly cool setting, Block House Suiyou Curry offers a curry experience as curated as the gallery it calls home.
Block House Suiyou Curry
Address: 3/F, 6-12-9 Black House, Shibuya, Tokyo, Japan
No 4: Tsuki to Kame
Above Tsuki to Kame has quietly emerged as one of Tokyo’s best-kept secrets for Indian curry lovers (Photo: Tabelog / @ごろごろはっちゃん)
Tsuki to Kame has quietly emerged as one of Tokyo’s best-kept secrets for Indian curry lovers (Photo: Tabelog / @ごろごろはっちゃん)
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With only five seats and a menu that leans into quiet invention, Tsuki to Kame has swiftly earned its stripes as one of Tokyo’s most intriguing Indian curry hideaways. This cash-only spot offers an intimate, almost meditative dining experience, where each dish feels carefully considered and confidently original.
Highlights include a signature chicken curry layered with coconut richness, and an unexpected sardine meatball curry—its texture curious, its flavour undeniably moreish. Baby scallops and seasonal vegetables bring a welcome freshness, while the deft use of ginger lifts each plate with subtle warmth. To round things off, a gently spiced soy milk chai offers a soothing, dairy-free finale. For curry aficionados in search of something quietly radical, Tsuki to Kame is a detour worth making.
Tsuki to Kame
Address: 3 Chome-7-3 Shinohashi, Koto City, Tokyo 135-0007, Japan
No 3: Spicy Curry Roka
Above Spicy Curry Roka serves the third-best curry in Tokyo, according to Tabelog (Photo: Instagram / @currysun5211)
Spicy Curry Roka serves the third-best curry in Tokyo, according to Tabelog (Photo: Instagram / @currysun5211)
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Spice fiends, take note: Spicy Curry Roka, near Okubo Station in Shinjuku, has earned a loyal following for good reason. Fusing influences from India, Iran and even Taiwan, this bold little curry house turns out plates that are as complex as they are fiery.
Expect an eclectic mix of meats—often several in one dish—alongside satisfying vegetarian options, all served with a punch of heat that doesn’t shy away. The name Spicy Curry Roka isn’t just for show; one bite in, and you’ll understand exactly what you’ve signed up for. A heady, high-voltage stop on Tokyo’s ever-evolving curry map.
Spicy Curry Roka
Address: 1/F, Schmine Building 1-24-7 Hyakunincho, Shinjuku, Tokyo, Japan
No 2: Kalpasi
Above According to Tabelog, Kalpasi claims the runner-up spot for Tokyo’s finest curry (Photo: Instagram / @kalpasi_shimokitazawa)
According to Tabelog, Kalpasi claims the runner-up spot for Tokyo’s finest curry (Photo: Instagram / @kalpasi_shimokitazawa)
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Located in Shimokitazawa, Kalpasi offers a curry experience that begins like a ramen shop—with diners purchasing meal tickets from a vending machine—yet delivers far more than your average fast-casual fare. Each day, two or three curries are on rotation, served with jasmine rice and thoughtful condiments such as pickled red onion and coconut sambal. There’s always a meat-free option, alongside chicken or pork, all crafted with clear attention to spice and balance.
Be sure to save room for dessert: the house-made gelato comes in flavours you won’t find elsewhere—cardamom, chocolate with Sichuan pepper, or even blue cheese with roasted cumin. Surprising, bold and unforgettable.
Kalpasi
Address: 1/F, Southwave Shimokitazawa, 2-12-2 Kitazawa, Setagaya, Tokyo, Japan
No 1: Tomato
Above According to Tabelog, Tomato takes top honours as Tokyo’s highest-ranked curry spot (Photo: Instagram / @japanfood2019)
According to Tabelog, Tomato takes top honours as Tokyo’s highest-ranked curry spot (Photo: Instagram / @japanfood2019)
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Since opening in 1982, Tomato—with only 15 seats and a fiercely loyal following—has become something of a pilgrimage site for Tokyo’s curry devotees. Its signature: a brooding, deep brown sauce with the heady allure of spice and slow alchemy, simmered over 140 hours with fond de veau, aromatics and no fewer than 36 spices. The result borders on medicinal—in the most delicious, restorative sense.
The cult favourite? A lavish Wagyu beef java curry, starring tender black Wagyu, that is rich, velvety and unmistakably indulgent. With a queue that rarely lets up, Tomato has more than earned its reputation as one of Tokyo’s great curry institutions.
Tomato
Address: 5-20-7 Ogikubo, Suginami-ku, Tokyo, Japan
Salomé Grouard was Digital Editor and Front & Female Content Lead at Tatler Hong Kong. Primarily focused on managing Tatler Hong Kong’s digital platform and content, she also covers gender equality, the music scene and sports through interviews with industry leaders, experts and trendsetters.
Interview highlights include renowned conservationist Dr Jane Goodall, Korean actor Park Seo Jun, singer Jorja Smith, Chinese TV host Yue-Sai Kan, YouTuber Kimono Mom, Japanese rapper Awich, and Brazilian jiu-jitsu fighter Mikey Musumeci.
She has also produced stories on revolutionising sexual wellness in Asia, activism within the surfing community, Asian trans musicians reclaiming their narratives through music and looked at the toxicity of gym culture through the lens of the plus-size community. She also covers music festivals, such as Hong Kong’s Clockenflap and Bali’s Suara.
