Shibuya is not the neighborhood that springs to mind most readily when planning a mellow evening of al fresco dining — and certainly not anywhere in the vicinity of brash pedestrian street Center-gai. And yet why not, when the tranquil terrace at Sumile lies just steps away from all that relentless hustle and bling?
Occupying the penthouse floor of a sparkling-new nine-floor building (opened at the beginning of this year) just past the Tokyu Hands store, Sumile is a rare oasis of calm.
It is almost as discreet as a private members' club. The sign is inscrutable, giving nothing away. And the entrance is set back so far from the main street you'd hardly know it was there.