Pizzaman

Housed in a vine-covered, barrack-like concrete tube decorated with aluminium furniture, toy soldiers and shiny air vents, Pizzaman serves tasty Italian grub in austere surroundings. ‘70s rock dominates the soundtrack, while the pizza oven fulfils the same role in the airy but extremely bare-bones open kitchen – it sure isn’t surprising to hear that Pizzaman is run by the folks behind Nakameguro’s steampunk spectacular, Seirinkan. Although it might not look as awesome as its big brother, Oimachi’s pie factory also turns out top-quality fare, with their orthodox margheritas and marinaras (¥1,050 at lunch) among the best of the bunch. That’s not to say that the heavily topped specials aren’t worth sampling: our mushroom and ham choice (¥1,250 at lunch) was clearly above average, featuring a light and crispy crust and a heap of domestic fungi that tasted great but unfortunately contributed to a slightly watery finish. This sure isn’t the place if you’re trying to impress a date, but the low prices and quality offerings can’t be faulted. First-timers will want to head over at lunchtime, when the pizzas come with a salad and choice of drink. Note that the entire restaurant is non-smoking and closes as soon as the day’s stock runs out.