Japanese food is incredible, and often heralded as some of the world's best cuisine. From sushi and ramen to tempura and soba, people plan entire vacations around the foodie side of the country, and rightfully so.

In saying that, if you've exceeded your fill of homegrown eats, you'll still find plenty of options to satisfy your taste buds. Enter Schmatz, a chain of restaurants that offer up hearty Japanese inspired German cuisine in a relaxed setting. The Schmatz chain was created in Tokyo by two young Germans who wanted to share their country's comfort food with the rest of the world. Comfort food really is the best way to describe it - this is stick to your ribs type dining. Sausage platters, schnitzel parmigiana, currywurst served with thick-cut french fries, and German-style fried chicken are just some of the offerings available to choose from.

It wouldn't feel like a real German restaurant without beer, and there are numerous varieties of those, too. Interestingly, the brews served here are all original, created with a Japanese brewery based on German recipes and in accordance with Germany’s beer purity law. The beer purity law regulates the ingredients that can be used in German beer, meaning that whatever you try here will be authentic. Schmatz also offers suggestions about the kind of beer you should pair with the food you order. For instance, their Haffenstoff porter beer is said to go well with the sausage platter, and the Wunderbier's perfect foodie match is the fried chicken with homemade tartar sauce.
 

Getting there

The Nakameguro branch of Schmatz is located only a minute on foot from Nakameguro Station, served by the Tokyo Metro Hibiya Line and the Tokyu Toyoko Line. Since Schmatz is part of a chain, you're able to find other locations across the city including popular spots like Ginza, Ikebukuro, Shibuya and Shinjuku. A complete list of Schmatz locations can be found on their website.