Recommended bowl: Solid late-night spot

Hiroto Nakamura opened Zund-Bar in the foothills of Mt. Afuri in rural Atsugi, Kanagawa Prefecture, in late 2001. The remote location was selected so that the shop could cook with the fresh water coming from a natural mountain spring. Following the cult success of Zund-Bar, Nakamura-san went on to open a Tokyo satellite named AFURI, which was met with strong success and spawned an additional 10+ outposts in Tokyo and overseas. The bowls at AFURI consist of a clear soup made from chicken, pork, and gyokai, which is served with some fresh yuzu skin. Ramen, tsukemen, spicy options, even vegan dishes— AFURI has something for everyone. Most importantly, the shops are located in premium areas of central Tokyo, where good ramen shops are scarce. And they are all open late. The slick interiors, quality bowls and easy access make this one a favorite for first-time visitors to Tokyo.