24-05-2025
Tokyo's top bites — in a suburban mall food court
Whether you're cycling, canoeing, strolling, golfing or simply resting your eyes on the unaccustomed sight of open space and an actual horizon, Futako-Tamagawa has long been one of Tokyo's best escape hatches. Now there's an extra reason to direct your feet to that sunny side of the city.
Or, actually, four reasons in one. The Tamagawa Takashimaya department store is marking a major refurbishment, and its focal point is a new food court that brings together some of the most dynamic independent restaurateurs in town.
Here, under one spacious, stylish, well-curated roof, you will find South Asian curries; coffee, pastries and Southeast Asian noodles; smash burgers and craft beer; and the latest outpost of the city's most popular purveyor of New York-style pizza.
Launched on April 29, the enigmatically named Food Court P. — the 'P.' is short for 'Public,' meaning it's open to everyone, and yes, the dot is an essential part of Takashimaya's branding — is far from being a generic food court.
For a start, the proprietors of all four restaurants are kindred spirits, and most of them have already collaborated in pop-ups and tap takeovers. Now they are working side by side not as competitors but as colleagues, as witnessed by their communal posts on social media under the umbrella persona of P. Friends .
Mini Massif has the whole day covered, from morning coffee and pastries to lunchtime noodles and then charcuterie with a range of natural wines. |
ANNA PETEK
Morning, noon or night, they have all options covered. Mini Massif , an outpost of Ikejiri-Ohashi's eclectic Massif , is the first in the day to open, serving its excellent Overview coffee from 9 a.m., along with home-baked pastries and cookies. Later on, the focus is more on punchy noodle dishes, inspired by Malaysian-born head chef Jck Sng Tan. And by evening, it serves charcuterie and a selection of natural wines.
The other three outlets open at 11 a.m. Well before the lunch rush starts, subtle aromas of spice and chai start wafting from Adicurry next door. As the name suggests, this is the first offshoot of chef Kanchan Adhikari's Adi , a brilliant little modern Nepalese dining haven in Nakameguro. Each day there is a choice of two curries, served on a wide platter with rice, dal, condiments and achar pickles, all topped with a crisp papadam.
In the afternoon until 5 p.m., Adicurry offers a teatime chai and samosa set. As at Adhikari's Chiya-ba tearoom in Nakameguro, the chai is neither too aromatic nor overly sweetened. It's highly refreshing in its iced iteration, but those seeking stronger beverages can try the Nepal Ice lager or Timur gin and tonic.
Or you can just move a few paces away to the Mikkeller Burger stand. Apart from 10 taps of the Danish indie brewery's eclectic and (mostly) high-alcohol craft beer, it also stocks cans and limited-edition bottles. And now that its Kanda branch is sadly closed, this is where you have to come for a fix of Mikkeller's signature beef smash burgers, cooked to order in front of your eyes.
As the summer heat builds, the beer-and-burgers combination is likely to make this one of the busiest corners of the hall — especially as it stays open each night until 11 p.m. (the other three outlets close an hour earlier or whenever they've sold out).
Pizza Slice P., the fourth Tokyo branch of this steadily expanding chain, offers eight varieties of its New York-style pizza, including its ever-popular pepperoni slice. |
ANNA PETEK
And then there is Pizza Slice P. , bringing the same tried-and-true formula that has made its sister branches in Daikanyama, Harajuku, Nihonbashi and Shizuoka such a success. Here you have seven varieties to choose from, with toppings ranging from plain cheese and mushroom to the standout homemade meatball, plus a special of the day. As sides, there are buffalo wings, chicken nuggets, fries and more, with Budweiser or a slew of cocktails to wash them all down.
Unlike the other three restaurants, which occupy an island in the center of the room, the Pizza Slice counter has been placed in the far corner, closest to the main section of tables. The location is no doubt intentional, as pizza is always likely to attract the most attention and the longest lines.
Everything at P. has been carefully thought out, from the easy-access layout and warm color scheme to the mix of seating areas. Perhaps the best feature is its most obvious: the sense of space, with its glass frontage and windows opening wide onto the street. However you treat it — as a sidewalk cafe, a fast-food stopover, a weekend brunch spot or a late-night beer bar — the neofood court has arrived.
Tamagawa Takashimaya S.C, West Bldg. 1F, Tamagawa 3-17-1, Setagaya Ward, Tokyo; 03-3709-2222; open 9 a.m.-11 p.m. (hours and menus vary for each individual outlet); nearest station Futako-Tamagawa; no smoking; cashless/major cards accepted; English menus; English spoken
