Hachijojima

The clue to the cuisine is in the name – this restaurant on the west side of Ikebukuro specialises in food from Hachijojima, the former penal colony that's actually part of the Tokyo metropolitan area. Expect a large range of distinctive ingredients from the remote Izu island, including ashitaba (a large, leafy plant endemic to Hachijojima), jelly ear fungus and tobiuo (flying fish), plus the noxious muroaji no kusaya – fermented horse mackerel, which is even offered as an unorthodox pizza topping here. Sample sashimi made with fish caught off the Hachijojima coast, then wash it down with locally produced shochu liquor or a mineral-rich Ashitaba-hai cocktail: the perfect tipple for the health-conscious boozer.

Featured in: Tokyo’s top 24-hour restaurants