10 of Tokyo's Best Food Finds for the Money

Yoshoku, Japanese-style Western cooking, in a quiet corner of Nishiazabu. The hamburg steak is the house dish at about ¥1,300 for lunch, and the omurice is the other thing regulars order. Nishiazabu is not a cheap postcode, and a properly made hamburg steak at that price in this neighbourhood is the value here. Lunch runs to a 14:00 last order, so it is an early rather than a leisurely stop.

Chuka soba built with French technique, from a chef who spent years cooking French before opening this counter in Ginza. The broth is clear and consommé-like, drawn from duck, chicken and clams, and it is served without the tare most shops rely on for seasoning. Bowls start around ¥1,100. That is the whole cospa argument in one number, because this is a Michelin-starred kitchen charging what a neighbourhood ramen shop charges. Expect to wait, and check the current booking arrangement before you go, as it has changed more than once.

A small spice-curry counter in Takadanobaba working from a short menu. The regular chicken curry runs about ¥630 and the spicier limited version about ¥680, with a roux built on sardines prepared anchovy-style from Ibuki Island, which is where the depth comes from. Under ¥700 for cooking this considered is the strongest value on this list. Bring cash, and go early, because the shop closes when the curry runs out rather than at a fixed time.

Tonkatsu in Jingumae fried in a notably light, fine breading, so the crust stays thin and the pork rather than the fry is what you taste. Order the rosu katsu set. Lunch sits in the ¥1,000 to ¥2,000 band, which is ordinary money for tonkatsu and less than the care here would suggest. It is a small room, so aim to arrive at opening or well after the lunch peak.

Sanuki-style udon in Kamijujo, with the noodles made in house and cut thick, so they carry the firm chew the style is judged on. Order the kamatama, where the noodles meet raw egg and hot broth and there is nothing to hide behind. A bowl comes in under ¥1,000. The shop keeps a compact schedule, so check the day before travelling across town for it.

A creative curry shop in Taishido whose signature is the sanshu-gake, a plate carrying three different curries at once so you can taste the range in a single sitting. The chef cooked previously at Kyuyamutei. The plate sits in the ¥1,000 to ¥2,000 band, which for three preparations is unusually generous. The three change, so ask what is on that day rather than arriving with a fixed idea.

A takeaway sandwich counter in Nishinippori, not a restaurant, and worth the detour anyway. The sandwiches are generously filled and priced under ¥1,000. The catch is the hours. It opens at 7:00 and closes around 13:00, earlier if it sells out, so this is a morning stop built into a day rather than a lunch plan. Buy and eat elsewhere.

A wagashi shop rather than a restaurant, and dorayaki is the reason to make the trip. The red bean pancakes are made in small batches on a quiet Minamiikebukuro street and cost about ¥200 each, which is remarkable for the quality. Plan around the hours rather than the other way round, because the shop trades only Thursday, Friday and Saturday from 11:00 to 18:00 and regularly sells out before closing. It is a counter, so buy and eat elsewhere.

A Setagaya ramen shop whose chicken paitan is the reason to make the trip, a thick creamy broth cooked from chicken and water alone, sometimes finished with white truffle oil. Shoyu and shio bowls sit alongside it, so this is not a one-bowl shop. Expect ¥1,000 to ¥2,000. That the same kitchen has been licensed for a supermarket cup noodle says something about how well known the broth is.

A small Chiyoda room, seven seats at the counter and a couple of tables, built around grilled mackerel. The tare saba meshi is the one to order, a donburi of rice under mackerel glazed in a sweet-savoury tare, and it costs about ¥980. Mackerel is a cheap fish handled here with the attention usually reserved for expensive ones, which is precisely the point. Check whether a meal ticket is bought before joining the line, and whether payment is still cash only.