Best things to do in Aoyama, Tokyo - From Picturesque Brunch Spots to Lively After-Dark Music Venues

Looking for a brunch spot to savour a delicious meal with a fine glass of wine? Head to W Aoyama The Cellar & Grill. It's a basement bar and restaurant that offers all the perks typically associated with a high price tag but without the hefty cost. With a range of seafood dishes, grilled meats, and Italian foods like pasta, W Aoyama The Cellar & Grill offers a well-endowed wine menu featuring both Old World and New World wines. What’s unique yet also captivating is that the dishes here are seasonal. If you find yourself here with a group of friends or just by yourself, order up a portion of the seafood platter. Other delectable offerings include grilled carrots and the delicious grilled flounder with zesty lemon and herbs.

Are you the kind of person who can never get enough of tea? The kind of person for whom tea is a welcoming drink in times of turbulence but also happiness? Well, Aoyama has got the perfect tea house for you! About 10 minutes from Oakwood Residence Aoyama, Tokyo, home to well-furnished apartments in Aoyama, is the Sakurai Japanese Tea Experience. With 14 years of self-mastery, Shinya Sakurai knows how to do a good cuppa! Once you walk into this little café space and sit down right opposite him, you’ll begin to appreciate the delightful details of tea preparation. Shinya believes that tea is medicine, so he’s crafted his little snug store to reflect this belief. His dedication to tea is such that he travels around the country looking for the best tea leaves. Here, you’ll find an array of tea for sale, and adjacent to the store is a comfy seating area where you can sample tea.  

The area just off Aoyama-dori is quite swanky with a bunch of fine-looking restaurants. Out Restaurant, with its minimalist concept, seeks to set itself apart. The interior is minimal, with atmospheric lighting giving way to a laid-back and romantic environment. At first glance, you might think that the menu is quite limited – and it could depend on how you choose to look at it – but it’s all part of its charm. Here, you’ll be served just one type of food and one type of wine coupled with Led Zeppelin music.

More tea, anyone? Yes, please! Aoyama really loves its tea, and here’s another tea café for you to check out: Aoyama Flower Market Tea House! Sitting in a corner in the somewhat bustling Aoyama-dori, this tea house is found inside the famous Aoyama Flower Market. Step inside and you’ll find yourself surrounded by plants and flowers. Order a cup of herbal tea off the menu, and the snacks menu has a fine selection of French toast, parfaits, and sandwiches as well. This little café is quite popular among both locals and tourists, so you might have to brace yourself and wait your turn to order.

This bar and music spot closed up during the pandemic, but now they’re back in business! In keeping with its name, this bar sits in the Aoyama Tunnel. It no longer has that shabby, worn-down look you may remember from before the pandemic. The wall art is now quite different, and the seating is new. Even the sound system has had an upgrade to ensure the music is audible to even the farthest corner of the bar.

In 2022, Aoyama Hachi was voted the best by Time Out Tokyo 2022 Love Local Awards, and if you visit, you’ll see why. This is quite a spacious club with four floors, each featuring a different colour scheme. In addition to the music that makes you want to take to the dance floor, the club also offers a stunning panorama of Roppongi-dori, which is quite magical in the evening.