The Salon at Cellar Door Aoyama
Address: Passage Aoyama 2F 2-27-18 Minami-Aoyama Minato-ku, Tokyo, Japan
Website: cellardooraoyamathesalon.jp
Wines by the Glass: 20+
Bottles on the List: 1,200+
Wine Director: Carl Robinson; Kakeru Kawauchi (sommelier)
In Tokyo, dining is not just the destination, it’s part of the journey. In fact, some of the best experiences are within train stations and shopping malls, places you pass along the way. And even in a city that might be more celebrated for sake and whisky highballs, wine counts many fans.
The Salon at Cellar Door Aoyama sits on the second floor of a shopping mall in Tokyo’s Minato City, a high-end business district. A by-the-glass list is complemented by access to the attached “Boutique,” a sleek wineshop with over 1,200 rotating selections reflecting a special emphasis on organic, biodynamic and sustainable wines. The mostly French inventory features heavy hitters like Château Latour and Pétrus, alongside a dynamic mix of bottlings from Italy, Spain, the U.S. and Lebanon. Diners can purchase any bottle at retail price and enjoy it on site at no extra cost (in handblown Zalto glassware).
The 25-seat wine bar regularly hosts classes and dinners pairing wines with French-inspired dishes from locally sourced ingredients, including housemade pâté, slow-cooked Wagyu beef bourguignon and a daily market fish.
La Nuit Blanche
Address: 7-2-8 Ginza, Chuo Ward, Tokyo Tokken Building B101, Japan
Website: la-nuit-blanche.therestaurant.jp
Wines by the Glass: 10+
Bottles on the List: 500
Wine Director: Toshinaga Haba
The Japanese word omakase means “I’ll leave it up to you.” And while it generally refers to a meal in which the chef curates a menu, La Nuit Blanche applies the concept to wine.
At his sleek, 18-seat, speakeasy-style wine bar, sommelier Toshinaga Haba has assembled a cellar of mostly French wines that tell a story of terroir. Like an omakase dinner, his 500-bottle selection is not presented on a traditional list; you are expected to engage in conversation, learn from the expert and try new things. But don’t fret; a by-the-glass list guarantees at least one Burgundy and Champagne, which rarely cost above 2,000 yen ($13), at all times.
Haba selects wines on his personal taste, and likewise the food menu is based on what he enjoys eating. Italian food made with Japanese ingredients paired with French wine? Why not! As with all omakase, when the passion from behind the bar is palpable, the rest falls into place.
No. 501
Address: Seizan-Gaien Bld, 1F, 2 Chome-5-4 Jingumae, Shibuya, Tokyo 150-0001, Japan
Website: no501.bottletokyo.com
Wines by the Glass: 10+
Bottles on the List: 1,000
Wine Director: Shingo Oto
Located in Shibuya, the commercial epicenter of Tokyo, at first glance the industrial concrete entrance of No. 501 looks more like a storage facility than a chic wine bar. But step past a sign that reads “kakuuchi,” the Japanese word for a hybrid bar–liquor store, and you’ll find a web of playful, multicolored wine-storage racks resembling a life-size game of Tetris.
Through a sliding door, the unassuming 12-seat bar gives the feel of a breakroom at an elite wineshop where all the best bottles are open. Next door, at No. 500, the partnering retail shop has upward of 1,000 curated bottles with an emphasis on natural, biodynamic and sustainable, and lesser-known wines, including many from Japan. In fact, the bar regularly pours owner Shingo Oto’s own limited-edition wine from vines he planted in Hiroshima when he opened No. 501.
If none of the (rotating) wines by the glass appeal, guests can purchase any bottle from the shop and enjoy it on-site for a small corkage fee. A tasty menu of snacks includes a Hiroshima-style omelet and blood sausage, with suggested wine pairings.
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