If you want Japanese food, you’ve probably heard of a dish called tonkatsu – a breaded and fried pork chop. The crispy outer layer is created by coating the pork chop in panko breadcrumbs and, combined with the juicy pork inside, provides a satisfying textural experience. You will usually have the option to choose between hire and the Red cut: a leaner and fatter cut, respectively. Tonkatsu sometimes served over a bowl of rice (then called katsudon) or as part of a curry dish (katsukaree).
Ton means pig and katsu is short for katsuretsu, the Japanese translation of the English word cutlet. The dish originated in Tokyo during the Meiji Period around 1900, and was inspired by European-style breaded and deep-fried meat cutlets. today you will see tonkatsu it is served pretty much everywhere in Tokyo as it is extremely popular. If you want to know where to go for the best tonkatsukeep reading!
1. Corn
is one of the most popular tonkatsu restaurants in Japan and currently has seven locations in Tokyo (and several abroad as well, proving its popularity), including Chiyoda, Shibuya, Shinjuku, and Ikebukuro. The restaurant was established in 1965 and continues to provide high quality dishes. tonkatsu, selecting for their dishes the best quality pork. Your takeout items such as bento boxes and katsusando (tonkatsu sandwiches), are also very popular. Expect prices starting at 2,000 yen for a meal.
Website: Maize
2. Tonkatsu Marugo
Introduced in the Michelin Guide in 2016, this restaurant is one of the best places to eat tonkatsu in Japan. Reviewers describe the food served at Marugo as “on another level,” which explains the long lines outside the restaurant at lunch and dinner times. The store is in Akihabara and has a rather unassuming exterior despite its excellent reputation. Prices range from 1,000 to 2,000 yen per meal.
Website: Tonkatsu Marugo
3. Butagumi Dinner
this high end tonkatsu The restaurant is located in the prestigious Nishi Azabu area, near Roppongi station. The restaurant has an elegant and traditional dining room and distinguishes between standard and premium dishes, although there is nothing “standard” about the quality of any of their dishes. The chops come from only the highest quality pork and are fried in an original blend of sesame oil and cottonseed. Prices start at 1500 yen for a “standard” dinner.
Website: Butagumi Dinner
4.Agezuki
In Kagurazaka, in the center of Tokyo, you will find a tonkatsu run by the same chef for over three decades and has truly perfected the art of tonkatsu. The restaurant uses an award-winning Japanese breed of pig that only a few restaurants use. Agezuki (sometimes spelled Ageduki) has become an incredibly popular lunch and dinner spot, as evidenced by the long lines outside the restaurant. Arrive early to skip the lines if you can, and experience the dedication and attention to detail at this tonkatsu boss. The prices are average, between 1000 and 2000 yen.
Website: Agezuki
5. Yabaton
Located in the Ginzace restaurant, it serves a regional style of tonkatsu Coming from Aichi Prefecture. The dish consists of the typical tonkatsu as we know it, which is then covered in a rich miso-based sauce. The most popular dish at this restaurant is ‘teppan tonkatsu’, the restaurant’s famous miso. tonkatsu served on an iron griddle. It is quite an experience to have your tonkatsu Served while still sizzling on the teppanyaki plate, the sauce gives off a delicious miso-scented steam. Prices average around 1,500 yen, so we recommend trying this specialty.
Website: Yabatón
6. Niigata Katsudon Tarekatsu
Niigata Katsudon Tarekatsu is another restaurant that specializes in a non-standard way of serving tonkatsu. This affordable restaurant with prices around 1000 yen serves tarekatsuwhich is a tonkatsu dipped in a sweet and salty soy sauce. The chops are served on a bed of rice to make a satisfying meal. The dish is a specialty of Niigata Prefecture, but you don’t have to drive all the way to enjoy this delectable dish: you can find the restaurant in Suidobashi near the station.
Website: Niigata Katsudon Tarekatsu
7. Tonkatsu Marushichi
Located in Monzen-Nakacho, Tonkatsu Marushichi is an intimate restaurant with just 8 counters, so be sure to make a reservation before heading here! The restaurant’s specialty is yakikatsudona bulky katsudon plate with a grilled egg roll sandwiched between rice and tonkatsuand served with an extra sweet and sour sauce, a very satisfying version of the tonkatsu recipe. Expect prices around 2000 yen.
Website: Tonkatsu Marushichi
Narikura can proudly say that they were ranked #1 tonkatsu restaurant on Tabelog (Japan’s most influential restaurant review site) for many years. The store is located in the Minami Asagaya district, a little east of Shinjuku. Critics rave about the perfect plumpness and tenderness of the meat. Customers choose a plate with two or three dishes from the menu. A popular option is the “special Red‘, considered by his fans as the best tonkatsu in Japan. The two-course course costs 5,000 yen, while the three-course course costs 6,200 yen.
Website: Tonkatsu Narikura
9. Ponta Honke
Located in Ueno, Ponta Honke is one of Tokyo’s many Michelin-recognized restaurants with a Bib Gourmand award. Expect counter-style meals and fantastic quality. tonkatsu in a historic restaurant founded in 1905. Ponta Honke fried his tonkatsu in the lard from the pork loin, giving the dish an even more distinctive pork flavor. With prices around 3500 yen, it’s a great place to try.
Website: Ponta Honke
10. Worn
Tonta is in Takadanobaba, a hotspot for students. With prices hovering around 1,500 yen, this restaurant has over a thousand reviews attesting to the melt-in-your-mouth quality. hire tonkatsu served here. As often it is voted as one of the best tonkatsu restaurants in Tokyo, Tonta draws long lines of customers. The restaurant is intimate and simple, allowing diners to fully enjoy the juiciness of the chop. Be sure to check opening hours as this restaurant is only open a few hours a day and only certain days of the week.
*Please note that they are temporarily closed.
Website: Silly
If reading the above has made you want tonkatsu, You’re not alone! we could go looking tonkatsu at least once a week, and with so many great options, we have our work katsu for us
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