Restaurant in Tokyo, Japan
OAD-ranked craft pizza, book ahead.
Three consecutive years on Opinionated About Dining's Casual Japan list — and climbing, from #18 to #16 — makes Pizza Studio Tamaki the most credentialled pizza address in Tokyo right now. Chef Tsubasa Tamaki runs a focused, craft-led room in quiet Higashi-Azabu. Booking is easy for now; go before that changes.
If you have already eaten at Pizza Studio Tamaki once and are wondering whether to return, the answer is yes — and dinner on a weekday is the move. The room is quieter on weeknights, service runs at a more considered pace, and the kitchen has fewer covers to manage. Chef Tsubasa Tamaki's Neapolitan-influenced pizzas have earned three consecutive years on the Opinionated About Dining Casual Japan list (ranked #18 in 2023, #17 in 2024, #16 in 2025), a trajectory that tells you the kitchen is improving, not coasting. For a returning guest, that upward momentum is the reason to go back sooner rather than later.
Pizza Studio Tamaki sits in Higashi-Azabu, a quiet residential pocket of Minato City that sees far less foot traffic than Ebisu or Nakameguro. You are not walking past this place by accident. The visual impression when you arrive is low-key and focused: a small, owner-operated room where the pizza is clearly the point. There is no elaborate décor competing for attention. The setup signals a studio mentality, a place where the craft is treated seriously without the theatrics of a formal dining room.
At a venue this size, with this level of OAD recognition, the service dynamic is worth understanding before you arrive. Owner-operated pizzerias in Tokyo at this tier tend to run on close attention to each table rather than the formal hierarchy of a larger restaurant. That works in your favour as a regular: you are likely to receive more direct interaction with whoever is running the room, and the pacing of the meal reflects the kitchen's rhythm rather than a front-of-house script. The trade-off is that the style is informal, which means it earns its reputation on the quality of the food rather than on service polish. For most guests at this type of venue, that is the right call. If you want white-glove attentiveness, book elsewhere. If you want a focused, craft-led meal where the pizza does the work, this is the format.
Weekend lunch (Saturday and Sunday, 12–2:30 pm) is the only midday option. Dinner runs Monday through Friday 5–10 pm, Saturday 5–9 pm, and Sunday 5–9 pm. For a returning guest, the weekend lunch sitting has a different feel: it is shorter, brighter, and more casual. If your first visit was a weeknight dinner, weekend lunch gives you a meaningfully different experience of the same kitchen. If you are planning a special occasion, the Friday evening window (open until 10 pm) gives you the most time without the compressed Sunday night finish.
Within Tokyo's pizza category, the OAD ranking places Pizza Studio Tamaki at the leading of the serious-craft tier. Pizza Marumo and Pizza Strada operate in a similar register, but neither has matched the consecutive OAD placements Tamaki has accumulated. Seirinkan and Pizzeria e Trattoria da ISA are the other reference points worth knowing in this city, with ISA offering a broader trattoria format if you want more menu range alongside the pizza. 400℃ PIZZA TOKYO is a higher-volume, more accessible option if booking flexibility matters most. For context outside Japan, the Tamaki approach is closer in spirit to Ken's Artisan Pizza in Portland than to the style of 11th Street Pizza in Miami , chef-led, deliberately small, and built around repetition and refinement rather than scale.
The OAD ranking improvement from #18 to #16 over three years is the kind of signal that is easy to overlook and worth paying attention to. In a competitive category, holding and improving a position on a list that is voted on by serious food travellers is harder than it looks. For a returning guest, that means your second or third visit is likely to be stronger than your first. Go back before the room gets harder to access. For the broader Japan picture, Pearl also covers HAJIME in Osaka, Gion Sasaki in Kyoto, akordu in Nara, Goh in Fukuoka, 1000 in Yokohama, and 6 in Okinawa. If you are planning a wider Tokyo itinerary, see our full Tokyo restaurants guide, Tokyo hotels guide, Tokyo bars guide, Tokyo wineries guide, and Tokyo experiences guide.
Specific current dishes are not confirmed in our data, so ordering advice based on the menu cannot be given here. What is confirmed: Chef Tsubasa Tamaki has built three years of OAD Casual Japan recognition on a focused pizza format, so the safest approach is to trust the pizza rather than any supplementary dishes. Ask the chef or staff directly what is leading that day , at a venue this size, that question tends to get a real answer.
Dinner is the stronger call for a returning guest, particularly on a weekday. The kitchen has more time, the room is quieter, and the 5–10 pm window on Friday gives you the longest possible evening. Weekend lunch (12–2:30 pm Saturday or Sunday) is a legitimate option if your schedule demands it, and gives a different, more casual feel than an evening sitting. If this is a special occasion visit, Friday or Saturday dinner is the right frame.
For a food-focused celebration, yes. The OAD recognition gives it credibility as a destination meal rather than a casual stop. The format is intimate and owner-operated, which suits occasions where you want attentive, personal service rather than a large formal room. If you want a more elaborate multi-course evening with matched drinks service, venues like L'Effervescence or RyuGin offer that structure. Tamaki is for occasions where the food itself is the statement.
Yes. A small owner-operated room at this price tier in Tokyo is typically well-suited to solo guests , counter seating (if available) makes a solo visit comfortable, and the focused menu format does not require a group to share across dishes. The Higashi-Azabu location is quieter than central neighbourhoods, which suits a solo meal without the noise pressure of busier areas.
No confirmed seat count is in our data, but venues of this type in Tokyo are typically small , under 20 covers is common at the OAD Casual tier. Groups larger than four should contact the venue directly before assuming availability. For larger group dinners in Tokyo, a restaurant with a private room option would be a more reliable choice.
Smart casual is the right call. The OAD recognition places this above a walk-in slice shop, but the Higashi-Azabu location and owner-operated format mean it is not a formal dining room. In Tokyo's dining culture, being slightly overdressed is rarely wrong, but a jacket is not expected here.
No confirmed information on dietary accommodations is in our data. Contact the venue directly before booking if restrictions are a factor , at a small pizza-focused kitchen, the menu range is inherently limited, and substitutions may not always be possible.
For pizza specifically: Pizza Marumo, Pizza Strada, Seirinkan, Pizzeria e Trattoria da ISA, and 400℃ PIZZA TOKYO are all worth considering depending on your priorities. For a broader high-end Tokyo dinner in a different format, Harutaka (sushi) or Crony (innovative French) operate at a higher price point but a different experience entirely. See our full Tokyo restaurants guide for a wider view.
| Venue | Cuisine | Price | Awards | Booking Difficulty | Value |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pizza Studio Tamaki | Pizzeria | Opinionated About Dining Casual in Japan Ranked #16 (2025); Pearl Recommended Restaurant (2025); Opinionated About Dining Casual in Japan Ranked #17 (2024); Opinionated About Dining Casual in Japan Ranked #18 (2023) | Easy | — | |
| Harutaka | Sushi | ¥¥¥¥ | Michelin 3 Star, World's 50 Best | Unknown | — |
| L'Effervescence | French | ¥¥¥¥ | Michelin 3 Star, World's 50 Best | Unknown | — |
| RyuGin | Kaiseki, Japanese | ¥¥¥¥ | Michelin 3 Star, World's 50 Best | Unknown | — |
| HOMMAGE | Innovtive French, French | ¥¥¥¥ | Michelin 2 Star, World's 50 Best | Unknown | — |
| Crony | Innovative, French | ¥¥¥¥ | Michelin 2 Star, World's 50 Best | Unknown | — |
A quick look at how Pizza Studio Tamaki measures up.
No dietary information is listed in the venue record. Given that this is a focused craft pizzeria run by chef Tsubasa Tamaki, the menu is likely tight and not easily modified. check the venue's official channels before visiting if you have specific requirements — don't assume flexibility at a venue operating at this level of precision.
Within Tokyo's serious-craft pizza tier, Pizza Marumo and Pizza Strada are the closest comparators by format and recognition. If you are choosing between them, Pizza Studio Tamaki's consistent OAD climb from #18 to #16 over three years is a concrete differentiator. For a completely different register — multi-course Italian rather than pizza-forward — L'Effervescence or HOMMAGE occupy separate territory.
The venue data doesn't specify a dress code, and nothing in the OAD Casual Japan ranking category implies formal attire. A neat, relaxed outfit fits the owner-operated pizzeria format. Overdressing is unlikely to cause problems, but a suit would be out of place.
No group policy is documented, but a focused owner-operated pizzeria at this address in Higashiazabu is unlikely to have significant capacity. Groups of four or more should contact the venue before attempting to book — showing up as a large party without a reservation is a poor strategy at a restaurant with this level of demand.
Dinner is the stronger option if your schedule allows. Weekend lunch (Saturday and Sunday, 12–2:30 pm) is the only midday slot, which makes it convenient but also means it fills fast. Weekday dinner (5–10 pm, Monday through Friday) gives you more time and is the format the restaurant was built around.
Yes, with the right expectations. A Pearl Recommended, OAD Top 20 Casual Japan pizzeria with a chef-owner at the helm is a strong choice for a meaningful dinner — just not a formal tasting-menu occasion. If you want ceremony and multi-course structure, RyuGin or L'Effervescence fit that brief better. Pizza Studio Tamaki delivers on craft and intent, not tableside production.
Yes. Owner-operated, counter-style pizzerias in Tokyo are well-suited to solo diners, and the focused format here works in your favour when eating alone. Weekday dinner is the practical call — less competition for seats than weekend lunch, and the 5–10 pm window gives you flexibility on arrival time.
Keep this venue in your Pearl passport, rate it after you visit, and track it alongside every other place you collect.
