restaurant review

An oasis for pizza lovers opens in Tokyo's Azabujuban

24 Comments
By Chris Betros

The hottest new pizza restaurant in Tokyo is Pizza Strada in Azabujuban. Since it opened in late September, the restaurant has been full most nights.

Pizzaiolo Tsubasa Tamaki, 32, from Okinawa, describes Pizza Strada (Italian for street) as an intimate oasis where people can meet and chat over a good pizza. Japan soccer coach Alberto Zaccheroni was seen dining there recently.

The best place to sit is at the counter where you can chat with Tamaki as he creates his crisp pizzas and pops them into the oven. On a busy day, starting at lunch and ending at dinner, Tamaki says he makes more than 150 pizzas.

The pizza menu – all costing 1,450 yen – includes Margherita, Marinara, Olives, Pepperoni and the chef’s namesake Tamaki (smoked mozzarella, pecorino, cherry tomatoes and basil).

If you’re not big on pizzas, Strada offers a delectable array of cold appetizers, starting from 350 yen, including capponata (cooked vegetable salad), marinated octopus, sardines and swordfish, as well as hot appetizers such as meatballs, mushrooms, anchovy broccoli, mussels and clams in white wine, and homemade sausage. Besides soups and salads, highly recommended are the fried dishes – risotto balls, calamari and gnocchi.

To finish off your meal, you can choose from the tiramisu, panna cotta, chocolate cake, cheesecake, among others.

Pizza Strada also provides a take-out service.

The restaurant is open weekdays for lunch from 12 noon until 2:30 p.m. (last order 2 p.m.) and for dinner from 5:30 until 11 p.m. (last order at 10:30). On holidays and weekends, it is open from 12 noon until 10:30 p.m.

It has counter seating for 19, 14 at tables, 8 standing up and terrace seating for 16.

The address is NS Azabujuban Bldg 1 Fl, Azabujuban 3-6-2, Minato-ku. For reservations, call 03-6435-1944.

© Japan Today

©2024 GPlusMedia Inc.


24 Comments
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Ooh! Manly totty and pizza - now there's a tasty combo worth ordering!

1 ( +2 / -1 )

These pizza's are absolutely AMAZING! I believe he also had a place in Okinawa which also had brick oven and they were soooooo good.

0 ( +1 / -1 )

This is all well and good and great news for the minoroty of foreigners that live in the Tokyo area. Japan is a large place with many inetersting places to eat and drink but coming to this site you may think that there is no life outside of Tokyo.

-2 ( +6 / -7 )

steve, I think so too, all that matters in this country is Tokyo.

The pizza looks delicious and he looks really genki and the oven looks really good. Please open loads of restaurants outside of Tokyo.

1 ( +3 / -2 )

Is it smoke free? I don't share the Japanese passion for smoking.

-3 ( +2 / -5 )

you may think that there is no life outside of Tokyo.

Go find a place you like, write a review and submit it.

6 ( +6 / -1 )

japanese pizzas are sometimes better than the real thing (despite having to fly in "mozzarella di bufala"). especially when you make variations such as substituting basil with shiso. but the best pizza i once had was a mochi-based pizza, with cheese and miso, simply fantastic!

-2 ( +1 / -3 )

Sorry, but it makes sense that most of the stories focus on Tokyo. I mean, by far the largest population in Japan, it's the capital, largest population of foreigners, too.... largest number of restaraunts (I believe in the world, actually)... center of economic activity...

I'm also assuming Japan Today is based out of Tokyo, which means the large majority of their writers probably also live here.

Anyway, the pizza looks good but I don't see anything obvious differentiating it from every other pizza place in Japan - outside of Devils Craft in Kanda, only place in Japan I know of that sells Chicago style.

0 ( +2 / -1 )

Hopefully he didn't bring the arrogant service attitude of Savoy with him...just the delicious food.

1 ( +2 / -1 )

Since nobody here has said it....I'll say it.....Where's your local CPK? California Pizza Kitchen I think, makes decent pizzas. The Jamaican Jerk Chicken is particularly good.

Not saying it isn't possible to top CPK. Just here in Tokyo where everything is quite expensive it's nice to have delicious affordable pizza.

Best Pizza in the World.

Marri's Pizza in California - EPIC...nobody can beat them.

0 ( +1 / -1 )

pizzas have become so popular in america which explains why most americans think it's genuine american food, and that's their only standard of a really good pizza, an american one. they are good, but i love more those made in naples and in japan

0 ( +1 / -1 )

Takahiro,

I'm sorry, but no one in America thinks that pizza is American food. In fact, most Americans don't even have a concept of "American food" except whatever food people from other countries introduced. Do many Americans have a preference for "American style" pizza? Of course.

Just like many Japanese have a preference for "Japanese style" Chinese food, or even pizza, or "yoshoku" - which many Japanese for some reason seem to think is "uniquely" Japanese just because they added mayonaise or demiglace or ketchup or something to some traditional western food.

1 ( +3 / -2 )

HumanTarget: my assertion is based on some americans inviting me in america for a really good american treat: pizza. and in agreement with you on "most Americans don't even have a concept of "American food", this is why they call what they eat american food. no deeper meaning intended with my assertions.

-2 ( +0 / -2 )

That man candy alone makes it worth a visit.

1 ( +2 / -1 )

More Junk food for the spotty Yoof culture. Must admit it is one step up the ladder from Gobo :)

-1 ( +1 / -2 )

Takahiro,

Sorry, I was quick to judge. But, I'm sure you understand that many Americans get sore about Japanese assumptions about "American food" and American eating habits. I hate having to answer the question "Do you love hamburger?" every time I meet a new Japanese person, and I hate dealing with their incredulity when I tell them I don't really eat hamburgers very often.

1 ( +1 / -0 )

Tokyo definitely needs another Pizza shop doesn't it. How original - Baaaaah!

1 ( +2 / -1 )

Like I said last week "Tokyo, Tokyo, Tokyo!!!". Branch out JT because it is getting rather boring to read only abotu Tokyo.

"largest population of foreigners" - that true? The link I read says "Tokyo" but I am assuming they mean Kanto as they list Tokyo first, Osaka, Aichi but no mention of Saitama. Regardless, less on Tokyo more on Osaka, Fukuoka, Nagoya Sapporo...

Certainly doesn't have the most per capita!

0 ( +1 / -1 )

Nakameguro has several pizzerias along the main drag with handmade authentic oven-baked pizzas, very cheap and delicious, but better get in line early as even on weekdays they fill up within minutes. (Sorry, Tokyo again !)

2 ( +2 / -0 )

I'm also assuming Japan Today is based out of Tokyo

No, I think it's based in Tokyo.

1 ( +2 / -1 )

Is it the cracker-like Japanese/Neapolitan pizza, or the chewier NY style?

1 ( +1 / -0 )

You can't go wrong with brick oven pizza. Yum!

1 ( +1 / -0 )

Okinawan pizza!!?? What next? And is there anyone else who senses a dollop of chutzpah reading about Japanese whipping up the perfect Italian pizza?? I imagine they're OK, but not authentic.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

Pizza I loved it till I had the crap they sell here in Japan! Paper thin crust?? The price is just too expensive! So, I am not Italian but I am quite sure that corn, seaweed, nori etc..would make the original inventors of the pizza back in ITALIA role over in their graves. IMHO. Sorry Takahiro, nothing personal.

-1 ( +0 / -1 )

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