In a city of millions, eating out can be a difficult choice. It can be too tempting to go to that familiar chain restaurant or or a local izakaya. But in Tokyo diners are spoiled for choice, with every type of cuisine and price range catered for.
In a side street behind Roppongi Hills not far from the Grand Hyatt hotel and the Chinese embassy is a tiny eatery named August Beer Club. A place with the word ‘beer’ in the title is clearly making a statement; you may expect a rowdy pub or a cheesy bar, but you will be surprised to discover a small, classy European-influenced restaurant that serves great pizza and even better drinks.
From the menu we chose the handmade seasonal mushroom pizza (¥1,200). The dough was rustic and the toppings delicious; the extra attention to detail showed clearly. We also ordered a marinara pizza (¥950) with anchovies, garlic and fresh cherry tomatoes. To complement these we went with a couple of glasses of chardonnay. The chilled white wine went perfectly with the light Italian food.
But of course we had to try the restaurant’s namesake beverage as well. The craft brew is created using a traditional German recipe, and comes in several varieties. A regular size glass is reasonably priced at just ¥500. The drink menu isn’t limited to beer and wine; cocktails, Italian coffee, and soft drinks show that a wide range of customers frequent this restaurant—not just beer enthusiasts.
For dessert we had an apple and cinnamon tart with caramel sauce, which rounded the meal off perfectly. A short walk to the numerous bars, clubs and cinemas in Roppongi, August Beer Club is a great way to start the evening before heading into town, and is a welcome and unusual change to the typical high street restaurant.
Open daily (11:00-23:30)
3-2-21 Nishi Azabu, Minato-ku
Tel: 03-6804-1655
www.augustbeerclub.jp
