Tokyo Up Late Iconic recipes from the city that never sleeps

Eat the streets after midnight.

As the sun sets, the neon lights of Tokyo flicker to life: hidden restaurants and bars come alive; rounds of beer, highballs, and sake are ordered, and the scent of yakitori and sounds of nightlife fill the air.

Tokyo’s night scene is always fun, boisterous, and lively. This is where locals shake off the day, eating and drinking, and often staying out until the last trains leave the city.

Tokyo Up Late is your food guide through the night: from noisy izakayas, ramen joints, and tempura bars, to gyoza pit-stops, curry restaurants, and the iconic convenience stores that stitch the city together.

Brendan Liew spent time at the three-Michelin-starred Nihonryori Ryugin in Roppongi, Tokyo, and Hong Kong, and studied the art of ramen-making in Japan before delving into kappo and modern kaiseki cuisine. In Melbourne, he has worked at Kappo, Supernormal, Golden Fields, and Bistro Vue, and he has travelled extensively through Japan’s countryside and major cities to explore, learn, and live Japan’s culture and cuisine.