We are in the heart of the elegant 1st arrondissement, a few steps from the splendid Opera Garnier, where there is a very pleasant and unexpected surprise: Japantown!
The neighborhood is not really called that, but it is a nickname that is becoming more and more popular to designate the area between Rue Sainte-Anne, Rue Saint Augustin e Rue de Petits Champs. Here you will find an exceptional concentration of typical Japanese restaurants, bakeries and cafes: the right place to taste a nice plate of Windows steaming, one of the most succulent specialties of Japanese cuisine, artfully prepared and as good as in Tokyo. Lovers of Japan and Japanese cuisine: you really can't miss them.
Getting here is a bit like finding yourself magically in the heart of Tokyo, among typical restaurants with windows all fogged up by the heat, with very few seats; you eat close to each other, without too many frills, and the atmosphere is enveloping and suggestive, even if often chaotic. Between very small tables and steaming cups of green tea, the service is very fast and the absolutely impeccable cuisine, designed not for tourists but for the many expat Japanese living in the city. In the area there are also numerous outlets where you can find all the classic ingredients of Japanese cuisine, including edamame, natto and gyoza.
The restaurants and delicatessens you find here serve food 100% Japanese, and finding the best is quite simple, even by eye: they are full of customers Japanese, and there is often a lot of queuing to get in. I tell you: I love Japanese cuisine, and since I left Tokyo I miss ramen a lot, but since I found the Parisian Little Tokyo i eat here once a week. I had the opportunity to try almost all the restaurants in the area: here are some of the best, excellent, and con very reasonable prices.
A little advice that applies to everyone: since it is not possible to book, to avoid the queues at the entrance, do not arrive after 20 pm! Bon appétit :-)
Kunitoraya
Kunitoraya is a real one must of the rue Saint-Anne. The house specialty is the udon, a real treat to say the least. Udon is similar to ramen, but thicker, served hot in soup and with tasty additions of tempura (taste the fabulous fried shrimp), duck or tofu. Dishes on average at € 12.
Address: 39, Rue Sainte-Anne, 75001 - Paris
Juji-ya
If you're in a hurry, Juji-ya is the place for you: no queues here. It is a great diner to take a take away bento box, or to sit in the dining area to eat directly on the spot. The other dishes of the house are also excellent, such as the Windows, soba and dishes based on tofu and seaweed. In the back of Juji-ya you will also find a fabulous emporium with typical Japanese ingredients. Dishes from € 9 and up.
Address: 48, rue Sainte-Anne 75001 - Paris
Nakitate
Narikate is truly one of the best Japanese restaurants I've ever eaten at. The ramen, here, are identical to those of Tokyo Asakusa. A real specialty, especially those in broth of miso. To try! Ramen from € 11 upwards.
Address: 31, rue des Petits-Champs 75001 - Paris
Kintaro
Queuing is guaranteed to enter Kintaro, but it's worth the wait: the food is so good here! There choice it is very broad, and the menu features rice and curry dishes, soba, shrimp tempura and grilled fish. The atmosphere is particularly lively and convivial, with delicious food, friendly waiters and Asahi beer flowing in rivers. Dishes from € 10 upwards.
Address: 24, rue Saint Augustin 75001 - Paris
