Beer like this is virtually a meal in itself, especially when you have such a variety of flavors. But with alcohol levels of well over 5 percent in these brews, some solid fuel is definitely a good idea. There is a good range of ...

It's a self-service cafeteria. You pick up what you want from the bakery section or the deli canteen, and you bus your own tray back when you've finished. This not only keeps the overheads (and prices) down, it exemplifies the whole Muji philosophy. The ...

This enthusiasm for things Scottish also extends to the dinner menu at Helmsdale, though many of its dishes hail from south of the border. The starters include kippers, smoked salmon and warm Scotch eggs of far greater delicacy than you would find in the ...

Cafe 104.5, though, is a very different type of operation -- and not just because it's a lot less starchy and a lot more affordable than the others in the group. The dinner menu is built around small dishes, many inspired by Spanish tapas, ...

Long before tachinomi standing-only bars became a citywide phenomenon, Maru led the way. Such was demand that it soon opened a dining room upstairs, with a couple of dozen seats and a charcoal grill in the center. Apart from the emphasis on wine, it ...

It's a boutique bar that dispenses not wine or draft beer but shots of premium fruit vinegar.

In the evening, the mosquitoes and other bugs make the outdoor tables less enjoyable. But for lunch or a leisurely afternoon tea (as we extolled in this column), it would be hard to find a finer or more stylish spot than this.

Our latest favorite watering hole in the city is Pivoya, a small pub that specializes exclusively in beer from the Czech Republic. It's in a quiet, out-of-the-way locale but definitely worth tracking down.

Beer Cafe Hopman is introducing a whole range of craft beers to the Shonan area.

There are five compelling reasons for making your way to this casual, unprepossessing, glass-fronted hangout on the Hiroo side of Roppongi. You will find them being dispensed from the gleaming taps that adorn the small bar just inside the front door.

There are dainty meat pies; BLT toasted sandwiches; salade nicoise and a pasta of the day -- spaghetti puttanesca was the offering when we dropped in.

The food menu covers an enterprising range, from contemporary continental salads -- ratatouille and couscous; zucchini and pecorino; a beautiful mix of beet, red onion and feta cheese -- to American deli staples, such as meat loaf or Reuben sandwiches, and homegrown Japanese favorites ...