Yoshinoya > Restaurant > Under 500 Yen

Almost exactly the same as Matsuya in price and menu except they don’t give you a Miso Soup and they take your order manually instead of through a coin operated vending machine. If there is a Yoshinoya there is always a Matsuya nearby - so find it and savour the extra Miso.






***/5

Matsuya > Restaurant > Under 500 Yen

Tokyo it is reassuring to know that wherever you are in you are never further than walking distance from a two course hot meal for 350 yen. It’s not fancy but then that’s not the point when you’re flat broke in the most expensive city on earth. For your money you get a decent serving of boiled rice with scratchings of fried pork, a miso soup and hot tea. The pork might look a little dubious and certainly the ratio of meat to fat is extremely variable (check your horoscope in advance) but it will fill you up and warm your stomach for the lowest cost in Tokyo.

Note – There are other things on the menu – vegetable curry, beef and salad – all similarly basic and cheap but if you are really counting the 1 yen coins then pork is your future.




***/5

Turn Table Sushi > Restaurant > 1500 Yen

Sushi connoisseurs will tell you its not “real” sushi but they don’t know anything – its 120 yen a plate! Fill your boots and stuff your face with Tuna, Salmon snapper jack and all manner of raw fish of until you are blue in the face. Watch it being made in front of your eyes by a crack squad of ultra fast and dexterous sushi chefs helping yourself to whatever takes you’re fancy from the rotating counter in front of you. Don’t worry, unless you are some sort of food eating professional we guarantee you it won’t come to more than 1500. One cautionary note, if the place is near empty then steer clear as there is no telling how long those fish eggs have been going around and around… There are loads of these places scattered around Tokyo so keep an eye out.

*****/5

Coco Curry House > Restaurant > Everywhere > Curries between 500 and 880 yen

Don’t change a winning team so the old adage goes. Coco Curry House are staunch followers of this mantra. They’ve got one flavour and it’s a good one; it's brown and it's called curry. Have it with bread crumbed chicken, pork, prawn, horse, sausage, mutton, cheese. In fact anything, but thou WILL have it with ‘Curry’.


***/5

The Hub > English Pub > Across Tokyo > Pint 680 yen > 10am - late

A vast chain of English themed Pubs that are situated across the breadth of the city. The Hub is an institution. When in Rome go to Mcdonald’s. Mock at will, but when you live in Tokyo at some point you will almost certainly yearn to speak to someone who has heard of Eastenders. The Hub represents your best chance of finding that person. If you’re homesick you can get (a very small) fish and chips and settle down to watch The Premiership shown live throughout Sunday night and Monday morning.

Special note - whilst you will find an assortment of beers served by the pint (including Guiness), if you want to get drunk then the Long Island Ice T is lethal (6 shots in a pint glass with a splash of coke) and most cost efficient during one of their many generous happy hours.



***/5