It’s a neighborhood built for wandering—secondhand shops, coffee brewed with care, and wine bars tucked under railway arches.
Walk & Explore
Meguro River. Wandering along the Meguro River is slow-going in the best way—lined with cherry trees, small galleries, coffee stands, and boutiques that appear when you’re not looking for them. The charm’s in the pacing: a quiet bookshop here, a wine bar there, and the sound of water just below your steps.
Nakameguro Kōkashita. Under the tracks in Nakameguro is a stretch of redeveloped railway arches filled with restaurants, bars, cafes, and small shops. It’s a compact, lively zone that runs alongside the river, popular for casual dining and drinks. A ton of great options, just wander around and see what looks good.
Museums & Art Spaces
Sato Sakura Museum. Dedicated to showcasing contemporary paintings, with a special emphasis on artworks that depict the beauty of cherry blossoms.
Meguro Museum of Art. Three floors of clean lines and rotating exhibits that lean local but thoughtful. No café, no gift shop, just art and light.
The Museum of Contemporary Sculpture is a quiet hillside detour—free to enter, easy to miss. Scattered sculptures inside and out, many you can touch. It’s not a destination, but if you’re nearby and need a pause, it’s worth checking out.
Coffee & Cafes
Neel Nakameguro. Scandi-Japanese, loyal fans, go for katsu sando & crepes
Oimo. Warm, bright, specialty sweet potato desserts and seasonal plates in a cozy, pet-friendly space.
Riverside Club. Spacious, low-lit hangout with good food, rotating art, and music.
Onibus Coffee. A minimalist shop by the tracks, roasting beans in-house, exceptional single-origin brews
Café Façon. Parisian-inspired café, diverse blends and single-origin coffees.
Sidewalk Stand. Cozy café known for house-roasted coffee, relaxed vibe.
Amazing Coffee. Vibrant café, instagrammable drinks and a lively, music-themed ambiance.
Good Sound Coffee. Innovative café featuring a 360° 3D sound system.
Mametora. Coffee roaster
Shopping
Plenty of secondhand shops and lifestyle stores—names don’t matter. You find them by walking, not Googling. Mostly midrange shops where the cuts are relaxed, the colors soft, and nothing shouts, labels skew local, small-batch, or Japan-editions of bigger brands.
Cow Books. Specializing in out-of-print titles on 1960s–70s social movements and counterculture, curated selection of rare books, vintage magazines, original goods.
Tsutaya. Underneath the railway tracks, four interconnected spaces: 'lifestyle and gifts', 'ideas and inspiration', 'events' and a café/lounge fit for laidback browsing.
Green Scape. Bonsai, kokedama, plants
Sweets
I’m donut?
Premarché Gelateria
Criollo
Drinks
Schmatz. Japanese inspired German cuisine, all original beer from Japanese brewery based on German recipes.
Baird Beer Taproom. Wide selection, named one of the top ten craft breweries in Japan by Nikkei 2015.
Cabin. Jazz bar, warm light, soft clink of glass, and the low thrum of good taste. The cocktails are precise, the whisky deep, and the mood.
Epulor. Cafe-bar hybrid, quiet coffee shop by day, by night, natural wines and analog records fill the room.
Canteen. Natural wine, seasonal plates, warm wood, hidden upstairs.
Faramarz (Rokusho). Tequila meant to be sipped, house specialty the Clase Azul collection, discerning list of top-shelf labels, intimate lounge setting, with walls lined with art.
Where to Eat
Yakitori Tsukada. Refined, approachable, specializing in Miyazaki Jitokko chicken, grilled over charcoal and paired with wine. Interior is warm and modern, with counter seating and private rooms.
Ugatsu. The kind of sushi spot that doesn’t advertise. Just a few counter seats, seasonal fish handled with quiet precision.
Sushi Onikai. Discreet, signless, situated above a 100-year-old house. With just ten counter seats, it offers an intimate omakase experience blending traditional Edomae techniques with playful twists. The wine list, curated by sommelier Yoshihiro Nagase, complements the seasonal offerings.
Queen Sheba. If you’re craving Ethiopian food, get it here, injera bread and slow-cooked stews in a room full of warmth, color, and zebra hides. It’s unpretentious, soulful, and quietly legendary.
Bistro Inocchi. French bistro on a side street. Chef Inokuchi, trained in Paris and Tokyo, serves seasonal dishes with a focus on vegetables and game. The space is warm and unpretentious, with a short but thoughtful wine list
Beauty
Komeisen. A clean, modern sento with a rooftop open-air bath, carbonated tub, and sauna. Tattoo-friendly and welcoming to foreigners.
Riverside Custom Nails. Opened in 2021, Riverside Custom Nails is a team of English-speaking Japanese nail designers in the heart of Naka-Meguro.
Nearby Yutenji
Junkadelic. A favorite on cheat days when we used to live in Meguro, but not a place to go out of your way. Tex Mex in Yutenji—Día de los Muertos decor, and mismatched furniture. Generous burritos, pitchers of margaritas, it’s fun and loud.
Paper Pool. Film photography rental darkroom, plus stylish gallery, well-stocked café-bar offers beer, wine and simple cocktails.
M'ｓGRILL&BAR. If you find yourself out here in Yutenji and looking for a place to eat, there is a nice little place, the proprietor is warm and hospitable, and dishes are grilled to order.
Sushi Taichi. Run by a husband-and-wife team, the sushi spot is has been Bib Gourmand since 2018, and still feels like a neighborhood secret. The rice is milled by the chef’s family, and everything feels thoughtful, not showy.