The best bars and cafés Tōkyo & Area

Golden Gai's bars are numerous and not always accessible to those passing through, but we recommend this one: La Jetée is one of the bars to discover. It's run by Kawai-san, a Francophile Japanese woman with a passion for Nouvelle Vague cinema, and takes its name from Chris Marker's film La Jet ée. It has become a landmark for cinephiles, actors and directors alike. The list of celebrities who have passed through here is long, and includes Quentin Tarantino, Juliette Binoche and Francis Coppola.

It's a cheerful and relaxed bar, where people stand around tables and counters. This facilitates exchanges and we are sure to meet other travellers or Japanese people who come for a drink after work. Ideal for a beginning or an end of evening, the bar is lively 7 days a week. Avoid if you want a quiet conversation. Beer is particularly cheap, as are the other alcohols on the menu. Sports matches are broadcast live at major events. Atmosphere guaranteed!

In this café - be careful not to miss the entrance! - they serve a thoughtful breakfast (toast, salad, juice and yoghurt) and coffee with siphon, and in the afternoon excellent French toast (not the American avatar very common in Japanese cafés). A good place to have an early morning breakfast before a day of sightseeing. According to the owner, the narrow building would have been the apartment of a geisha, at the time when the district was famous for its night life. And here is a bit of nostalgia served with the coffee. We ask for more.