5 great restaurants in Tokyo with terrace seating
- Published on : 02/10/2025
- by : Joshua
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@JoelFazhari on Pixabay, Pixabay content license
Eating a good meal out on the terrace of some of Tokyo's best restaurants is one of the best ways to spend time when the weather is nice. Take a look at some of our favorite restaurants in the Japanese capital that offer outdoor terrace seating!
As one of the world’s premier food cities, Tokyo’s winding streets are filled to the brim with great restaurants. For many of these establishments, there is no need to choose between style and substance, as they offer both to the highest degree. A category that often excels at this in Tokyo are eateries that offer outdoor terrace seating, providing high quality food with a refined, open-air atmosphere.
During late summer and early fall especially, a meal enjoyed outdoors with the backdrop of Tokyo’s charming, pedestrian dominated streets is a quintessential metropolitan Japan experience. Here are some of our favorite restaurants in Tokyo that offer outdoor terrace seating, providing both great food and ambiance.
Le Coquillage
〒162-0825 Tokyo, Shinjuku City, Kagurazaka, 2 Chome−12−10
11:30 A.M.- P.M./6 P.M.-10 P.M. daily
Kagurazaka is a taste of France within central Tokyo. After World War II the French Institute of Japan was established in this neighborhood, leading to a prolific French community. That influence is strong today, with dozens of French restaurants and bakeries laced throughout the area.
One of the most beloved is Le Coquillage (French for “the shellfish”), located at the end of a rather unassuming alleyway nearby the main street. The outside terrace consists of a few tables beneath the awning that also offer a view of the restaurant’s charming interior. The more hidden location of the restaurant means the street in front is seldom overwhelmed by passersby.
Le Coquillage offers casual yet classic French dishes. During the day there are a number of different lunch courses to choose from, starting with an appetizer, main dish, then dessert and drink.
Chocolate terrine at Le Coquillage
@Japan Experience
Salad at Le Coquillage
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Coq au Vin at Le Coquillage
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Terrace seating at Le Coquillage
@Japan Experience
Other courses will offer more options. The restaurant’s famous calling card is their terrine chocolat, silky and dense with rich cocoa flavor that is just the right amount of sweet. Dinner can be ordered a la carte or with similar courses that feature more options. There are also over 100 wines available both by the glass and by the bottle.
CENSU
2 Chome-12-9 Jingumae, Shibuya, Tokyo 150-0001
11:30 A.M-2 P.M./6 P.M.-11 P.M.
Closed on Sundays
Censu (stylized as CENSU) is the inception of Chef Shun Sato, who opened the original shop in Hong Kong back in July 2021. Two years later, CENSU’s vision of contemporary, internationally influenced Japanese cuisine would make its way to Tokyo with their location in Omotesando, nearby the Japan National Stadium.
The restaurant consists of two floors, with counter seating on the first floor and then a series of tables on the second floor with an outdoor terrace extending outside.
The decor of the terrace features largely wooden construction with great views of the stadium in the distance.
CENSU’s menu is eclectic, with fun plays on Japanese classics. Sashimi cuts are accompanied with unique sauces and yaki-onigiri are infused with cheese, reminiscent of risotto. A staple of the menu are the seafood-stuffed tempura squash blossoms paired with a rich port wine and mushroom sauce.
Be sure to try their specialty sake, brewed specifically for the restaurant in Misato, Akita Prefecture. For a fun souvenir to bring back home, ask to purchase their exclusive incense! Just as much as it is a restaurant, CENSU is a brand and concept that boasts tasteful marketing.
Hamachi sashimi at Censu
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Caramel corn at Censu
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Wagyu sukiyaki at Censu
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CICADA
5 Chome-7-28 Minamiaoyama, Minato City, Tokyo 107-0062
11:30 A.M.-4 P.M./5:30 P.M.-10:30 P.M. daily
Specializing in mediterranean cuisine and located in the elegant Minami-Aoyama neighborhood, CICADA is as much a feast for the eyes as it is the stomach. Lauded as one of the most aesthetically beautiful restaurants in Tokyo, the outdoor seating is illuminated with glowing lights at night, centered around a shallow pool with tile flooring, reminiscent of a mediterranean bathhouse. There is a section of the seating on an isolated “island” in the middle of the pool. The terrace is heated in winter and air conditioned during summer.
CICADA features a large array of dishes, great for sharing with a group. Cold and hot appetizers and hearty savory meat dishes are the backbone of the menu. Another staple is the tagine, slow-cooked stews prepared in a specific clay pot of the same name. They are served with lentils and are sure to warm and fill your belly with their array of aromatics and flavors. The wine list is also extensive, featuring offerings from old-world producers like France and Italy, with unique bottles from Mediterranean countries like Morocco, Lebanon, Egypt, and Greece. CICADA is under Tysons & Co, the parent company that also owns T.Y. Harbor.
T.Y. Harbor
2 Chome-1-3 Higashishinagawa, Shinagawa City, Tokyo 140-0002
11:30 A.M.-10 P.M. daily
As its name suggests, T.Y. Harbor is located right on the shore of Tokyo Bay on Tennozu Isle. The outdoor seating area sits right above the water and features architecture reminiscent of classic New England waterfront shops and homes. In this vein, the food featured at T.Y. Harbor is classic Americana. On a sunny day, seeing boats pass by on the water is charming sight
100% beef burgers and indulgent chicken sandwiches are served with sides of french fries and onion rings piled high. Staples like chicken wings and barbecue spare ribs are customer favorites and the restaurant offers an extensive selection of in-house brewed craft beer. A hearty meal with views of the waters of the bay is a great way to spend a weekend brunch!
Marcy Land Omotesando
〒107-0061 Tokyo, Minato City, Kita-Aoyama, 3 Chome−5−44
Hours vary by day—check the official Instagram for more information
Among the glitz and glamour of the Omotesando shopping district is one of the most unique restaurants in the city. Operating out of a trailer in the backstreets of the area is Marcy Land Omotesando, operated by the man of the same name.
Around the trailer that Marcy cooks out of, high chairs and tables are set upon artificial grass, illuminated with paper lanterns and accentuated with a dartboard and festival games. There’s even cotton candy for children!
Just as eccentric as the decor and layout is the menu. It’s difficult to categorize Marcy Land as one kind of restaurant, but the ramen offerings are likely the most famous and popular. There is a more typical shio ramen option with the usual accoutrements, like pork belly chashu, menma bamboo shoots, and green onions.
However, the most well-known ramen at Marcy Land is the uni ramen, with both a broth made from sea urchin and sea urchin as a topping. It is rich, sweet, and briny while still being satiating and savory as ramen should be.
Uni ramen at Marcy Land Omotesando
@Japan Experience
Marcy Land Omotesando
@Japan Experience
