Tokyo Diner

Many students & new arrivals in town must have had their first London Japanese nosh at Tokyo Diner. Low budget, a little eccentric, cosy & cramped, this eye-catching three-floored corner site on the fringes of Chinatown has been going strong since 1992. Far sleeker, far trendier enterprises have come & gone in the interim, but Tokyo Diner’s fans remain steadfastly loyal to the homely donburi rice dishes, soup noodles, katsu curry & bento box set meals. Set lunches of ever-popular salmon teriyaki, chicken katsu & soba noodles represent good value at around a tenner, & there’s £1 off during the post-3pm lull. The menu is a little pedestrian, but the restaurant’s user-friendliness, transparency – ‘tips not accepted’ – & opening hours (noon to midnight, 365 days a year) keep the crowds coming.