Kagari Ramen, Ginza

“This is the original location right in Ginza, but they also have outlets in Shinjuku, Roppongi and Osaka. Although it’s very traditional and sits on a tiny street that’s easy to miss, it’s well-known in the ramen world, so there’s always a line, especially as there are only eight seats. The shop specialises in a broth emulsified with chicken fat called tori paitan, which is creamy and sticky, but not too cloying.”

Sharikimon Chawanbu

“Sharikimon Chawanbu is casual, but is so popular that you need to reserve about a month ahead. It’s very popular among the foodie crowd, who fill the 12 seats quickly at lunchtime. A range of cuts of pork is used for the tonkatsu, the deep fried cutlet has a good fat-to-meat ratio, and the chef makes his own tonkatsu sauce. My tip is to get the curry – request it in advance, so the rice can be cooked to time with your reservation.”

1/F, Shima Building, 3-22 Arakicho, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo

Pain des Philosophes

“Here’s my favourite bakery in Tokyo. It’s tiny but popular, meaning there’s always a queue out of the door. You can smell the butter and pistachios being baked from the end of the street – which feels very Parisian. They do the best classic croissants, but you can’t go wrong with their fantastic pain au chocolat (generous on the Valrhona chocolate) or crusty, artisanal baguettes. There’s also a small terrace where you can grab a seat – if you’re lucky.”

Iwasa Sushi, Toyosu Market

“If you’re after the freshest sushi, it’s hard to beat Toyosu Market: now Tokyo’s main fish market after the closure of the famous Tsukiji. There are lots of options, but I like Iwasa Sushi, which has served the likes of Jeff Bezos and chef Tetsuya Wakuda. The omakase deluxe is excellent and served quickly – the speed at which chef works is remarkable. Naturally, everything is very fresh and high quality. I especially like his maki rolls, particularly toro maki, served at the end, as well as shiro ebi (baby white shrimp) nigiri in season and uni (sea urchin) gunkan.”