Elio Locanda Italiana

The story

Crafted with passion, served with love

Where Calabria Meets Tokyo

Part of the Elio Group, which has been active in Tokyo since 1996, Elio Locanda Italiana occupies the ground floor of a quiet building in Kojimachi, Chiyoda — one of the city's more composed, business-minded neighbourhoods. The setting is deliberately unhurried: casual enough for a weekday lunch, refined enough for a private dinner that leaves a lasting impression.

Rooted in Southern Italy, Sourced in Japan

The kitchen draws its identity from Calabria, the rugged southern Italian region the team calls home. That foundation — bold, honest, ingredient-driven — shapes everything on the plate. What makes Elio Locanda's Italian cuisine distinctive in Tokyo is the deliberate collaboration with Japanese fishermen, farmers, and producers. The restaurant works closely with local suppliers to bring in what is freshest and most seasonal each day, which is why the daily specials menu is genuinely different every time.

As the restaurant puts it: "The day's recommended dishes are born from the most in-season ingredients at their respective origins, combined with the skilled technique of our chefs." Tradition and innovation are blended, but neither overwhelms the other.

Lunch, Dinner, and the Space Between

At lunch, the room offers a calm remove from busy schedules. Three set menus — Pranzo Amore, Pranzo Affari, and Pranzo Maestro — accommodate different appetites and occasions, with a Chef's Surprise option for those who prefer to leave it entirely in the kitchen's hands. A private room seating six to ten guests is available on request, making the space well suited to client lunches and small gatherings.

Dinner scales up in ambition. Four tasting courses, from the Fundi Dinner through to the Imperial Dinner with chef's table service, allow guests to calibrate the experience to the occasion. À la carte is also available throughout.

Recognition That Travels

Gambero Rosso — Italy's most authoritative food and wine guide — awarded Elio Locanda Italiana 2 Forks in 2024, a mark of distinction that carries particular weight for an Italian restaurant operating outside Italy. It speaks to the consistency and authenticity that the team has maintained across decades in Tokyo.

For anyone seeking genuine Italian cuisine in the capital — grounded in the south, sharpened by Japan's exceptional produce — Elio Locanda Italiana makes a compelling and well-credentialed case.