Light, casual meals are served all day starting from 10am (an hour earlier than most other restaurants in the neighborhood). One of our favorites is the vegetable and chicken platter - an assortment of grilled and steamed seasonal vegetables served with grilled chicken, bread, and a pot of tea (Y1386). There's also a good selection of desserts suitable for a mid-afternoon break.

Ueno 7-1-1, Atre 1F. Open 10am-9pm daily.

If you're stuck in the station and in the mood for traditional French, dinners here start at Y3800. There's also a separate take-out pastry shop.

Ueno 7-1-1, Atre 1F. Open 11am-10:30pm daily.

You'll find regional sake from small brewers around the country, served in convenient one-cup sizes at this popular stand-bar. Tasty snacks are in the Y400-600 range, including yakitori, homemade satsuma-age (fishcakes), and soy-milk gratin. Some outdoor seating. Open to 4:30am Fridays and Saturdays.

Ueno 7-1-1, Atre 1F. Open 11am-11pm (4:30am Fri, Sat) daily.

Thai sukiyaki (although for some reason it's known as Cantonese sukiyaki at Coca branches in Thailand), plus assorted dim sum dishes.

Ueno 7-1-1, Atre 2F. Open 11am-10pm daily.

Oddly compelling udon noodles in curry-flavored broth, served with shrimp tempura, bananas or mochi (rice cakes).

Ueno 7-1-1, Atre 2F. Open 11am-10:30pm (LO) daily.

Nicely prepared seasonal izakaya fare, including a selection of local Kyoto "banzai-ryori." Part of the Bamboo Garden restaurant complex, the dining room is decorated to resemble a bamboo grove. Full-course dinners from Y5000, plus plenty of reasonably priced a la carte items. Lunch is served until 4:30pm.

Ueno Koen 1-52, Bamboo Garden 2F. Open 11am-11:30pm daily.

For the past 10 years the order of business at Kurofunetei has been yoshoku - elegant renditions of hearty Japanese-Western classics. Yoshoku's origins lie in the Meiji era, when Japanese chefs began creating their own versions of Western cuisine, producing now-classic dishes such as omuraisu (a fried-rice omelet - nowadays dressed with a generous dollop of ketchup, courtesy of the post-war inrush of American products). [See FULL REVIEW.]

Ueno 2-13-13, Kikuya Bldg 4F. Open 11:30am-10pm (LO) daily.

The sprawling, mostly Japanese "natural foods" buffet here is Y2800 at dinnertime and Y1600 at lunch, with cheaper prices for kids. They also have an all-you-can-drink plan that includes draft beer, shochu sours and over 100 kinds of plum wine.

Ueno 1-20-11, Suzunoya Bldg 4F. Open 11am-4, 5-10pm (LO) daily.

A tofu and yuba specialty restaurant with branches throughout Japan. Full-course dinners range from Y3,600; lunch from Y1,900. Take-out bento are also available. [Go to branch review]

Ueno 1-20-11, Suzunoya Bldg 5F. Open 11am-3, 5-9pm (LO) daily.

Sukiyaki and shabu-shabu made from Ohmi beef. Shabu-shabu from Y5500, kaiseki from Y12,000.

Ueno 1-20-11, Suzunoya Bldg 6F. Open 11am-10pm daily.

This venerable old tofu specialist (dating back to 1691) stands in a rather nondescript neighborhood about a 15-minute walk from the north end of Ueno Park. Multi-course meals feature tofu in all its variations, starting from around Y2000 for lunch and Y4200 for dinner, with some vegetarian options available.

Negishi 2-15-10. Open 11:30am-8pm (LO). Closed Mondays.

This casual cafe is run by Asahi Beer, on the grounds of their Philippe Starck-designed headquarters. Drinks include coffees, wine, and various Asahi and Asahi-imported beers, including three microbrews from the on-premises Sumidagawa Brewery. There's a fairly random cafe-style food menu - fried and grilled free-range chicken, Mexican pizza, chorizo sausages and keema curry. Dogs are welcome out on the wooden-deck terrace, where food and water are available.

Azumabashi 1-23-36, Annex Bldg 1F. Open 11:30am-11pm daily.

Run by Asahi Beer and adjacent to their Philippe Starck-designed world headquarters building, this brewpub serves a couple of seasonal microbrews from their Sumidagawa Brewery, plus some unusual Asahi-branded beers. The food menu is typical German-influenced fare - eisbein (Y3500), sausages, roast chicken, cheese fondue and various snacks.

Azumabashi 1-23-36, Annex Bldg 2F. Open 11:30am-2, 5-11pm daily.

This Asahi Beer-run restaurant features several Asahi-imported Belgian beers (Hoegaarden, Leffe, Stella Artois) plus a few microbrews from the on-premises Sumidagawa Brewery. Food includes various sausages and pates, mussels, frites, and other typical Belgian bar fare. Budget around Y3000 for food and a few drinks.

Azumabashi 1-23-36, Annex Bldg 3F. Open 11:30am-2, 4-10:30pm daily.

This rather unpretentious shop may not win any awards for their decor, but they serve up very good Indo-style Japanese curries and credible naans. A curry set with rice or naan (and Japanese curry-shop pickles) will run around Y1100; Y200 extra to super-size your curry portion.

Asakusa 1-35-8. Open 11:30am-2:30, 5-8pm (LO). Closed Wednesdays.

This famous old shop specializes in dojo (a small eel-like fish), with full-course dinners from Y3800. They also offer a half-dozen variations of traditionally prepared whale meat. Seating is on tatami mats in a big central dining area.

Komagata 1-7-12. Open 11am-9pm daily.

Established in 1913, this well-known soba shop serves up noodles in a traditional setting, with cobblestoned floors and some tatami-mat seating, supplemented by big tables that are shared when it gets crowded. The tenzaru (Y1700) includes a tray of noodles and a hefty portion of plump, nicely fried shrimp tempura. When 5pm rolls around the restaurant starts to fill up with long-time local residents, plus the occasional tourist. English-language menus available.

Kaminarimon 2-11-9. Open 11:30am-7:30pm. Closed Thursdays.

The eel here is prepared the old-fashioned way, beginning once you've placed your order, and it's grilled quite thoroughly to complement the rich fattiness of the fish. The eel-liver clear soup (Y50 extra) is delectable - smoky but still delicately flavored. Budget around Y2300 for a basic lunch or dinner. (No lunch on Sundays.) This cozy little shop is piled high with decades worth of bric-a-brac, much of it sumo-themed. There's a small table for six built around a tiny central hearth, plus tight tatami seating for six more. A TV set plays in one corner.

The eel is prepared the old-fashioned way, beginning once you've placed your order, and it's grilled quite thoroughly to complement the rich fattiness of the fish. The eel-liver clear soup (Y50 extra) is delectable - smoky but still delicately flavored. Budget around Y2300 for a basic lunch or dinner. (No lunch on Sundays.) [Show more] [Show less]

Kaminarimon 2-8-4. Open noon-2, 5-8pm daily.

Five of the most popular Japanese curry shops in Tokyo's Kanda area have gotten together to create this casual shop where you can try their curries individually or in various combinations. A set of all five curries is priced at Y2600.

Oshiage 1-1-2, Tokyo Solamachi 1F East Yard 26. Open 10am-9:30pm (LO) daily.

Big fat burgers and mahi-mahi sandwiches from the famous Hawaiian burger chain.

Oshiage 1-1-2, Tokyo Solamachi 1F East Yard 39. Open 10am-10pm daily.

Great espresso and drip coffee from the oddly named Harajuku-based coffee shop Be A Good Neighbor. Wintertime drinks also include hot cocoa, hot lemonade and flavored teas, with pastries to go with.

Oshiage 1-1-2, Tokyo Solamachi 2F East Yard 81. Open 10am-9pm daily.

This gorgeous cafe, created by Tokyo design studio Wonderwall, has an open kitchen where you can watch chocolates being made. Hot chocolates are served in the cafe section, and the take-out counter serves up chocolate pastries to go.

Oshiage 1-1-2, Tokyo Solamachi 4F East Yard 9. Open 9am-10pm daily.

If you're in the mood for Indian food at Skytree, this is the place. The Solamachi Set, with vegetable and shrimp curries, salad, kebab, nan and yogurt, is Y1580.

Oshiage 1-1-2, Tokyo Solamachi 6F East Yard. Open 11am-10pm (LO) daily.

Excellent Nagoya-style grilled unagi eel is served here, grilled over the finest binchotan charcoal and served with their own special low-salt tamari sauce. Hitsumabushi (a traditional Nagoya serving style) menus are Y3,150-9,700; regular eel donburi starts at Y2,380.

Oshiage 1-1-2, Tokyo Solamachi 6F East Yard. Open 11am-10pm (LO) daily.

Good charcoal-grilled beef tongue from this Sendai-based chain. You'll also find beef-tongue curries, stews, sausages and other yoshoku-style dishes, along with regional sake from Miyagi Prefecture.

Oshiage 1-1-2, Tokyo Solamachi 6F East Yard. Open 11am-10:30pm (LO) daily.

Reliable, inexpensive conveyor-belt sushi.

Oshiage 1-1-2, Tokyo Solamachi 6F East Yard. Open 11am-11pm daily.

This very popular shop is known for their tsukemen, served with a thick, richly flavored dipping sauce made with pork, seafood and vegetables. Prepare to wait on line during busy times.

Oshiage 1-1-2, Tokyo Solamachi 6F East Yard 17. Open 10:30am-11pm daily.

Tokyo-style grilled eel from a Komagata-based shop. Unagi donburi starts at Y4050 for lunch or dinner.

Oshiage 1-1-2, Tokyo Solamachi 7F East Yard. Open 11am-10pm (LO) daily.

Five beers from different parts of the world are served on tap here, supplemented by 150 more by the bottle. The tap selection includes beer from Pike Brewing Company in Seattle, a craft beer that's otherwise not available in Tokyo, as well as selections from the UK, Germany, Belgium and Czech. The "world food" menu also features dishes from those five countries. Five beers from different parts of the world are served on tap here, supplemented by 150 more by the bottle. The tap selection includes beer from Pike Brewing Company in Seattle, a craft beer that's otherwise not available in Tokyo, as well as selections from the UK, Germany, Belgium and Czech. The "world food" menu also features dishes from those five countries.

Budget around Y3500 for food and drink; you can also shop at the adjacent retail counter for beers to go. Reservations can be made on weekdays only. [Show more] [Show less]

Oshiage 1-1-2, Tokyo Solamachi 7F East Yard 2. Open 11am-10pm (LO) daily.

In addition to their flagship beer, this popular Asahi-run pub pours a rotating roster of draft beers like Leffe, Bass Pale Ale and Hoegaarden; they also serve several varieties of Leffe by the bottle. There's an inexpensive menu of pub food to accompany your drinks.

Oshiage 1-1-2, Tokyo Solamachi 30F East Yard. Open 11am-11pm daily.

A tourist-friendly outlet of the popular upscale French wine-bar chain. Prix-fixe lunches are priced Y2,800-Y9,800, dinners Y6,500-Y11,000.

Oshiage 1-1-2, Tokyo Solamachi 30F East Yard 2. Open 11am-3, 5-9:30pm (LO) daily.

Tofu-based kaiseki cuisine, accompanied by a close-up view of Tokyo Skytree. A lunchtime bento is Y2835, and kaiseki service is Y5250-12600.

Oshiage 1-1-2, Tokyo Solamachi 31F East Yard. Open 10am-10pm (LO) daily.

The chef here is a veteran of a hotel restaurant in Kerala, in southern India, and the chef's menu (Y3500) includes three Indian curries along with European-style appetizers and three desserts. Wine starts at Y2000/bottle or Y450/glass, and there's also cider, Calvados, grappa and other unexpected drink choices. The set lunch is Y950. [See FULL REVIEW.]

Sumida-ku, Bunka 1-6-10. Open 11:45am-2, 2-4, 6-10pm. Closed Mon, 3rd Tue.