STORIARE, an Italian restaurant in Tokyo's Otemachi and Kanda area, began serving a new autumn course in October 2026. On October 5, 2026, the restaurant also marked its first anniversary.
What STORIARE aims for is not a faithful reproduction of Italian cuisine. Instead, it expresses the food culture familiar to people who grew up in Japan, such as dashi, koji and fermentation, along with ingredients from across Japan, using Italian cooking techniques.
The autumn course takes a cup of dashi, drawn from kombu and katsuobushi (dried bonito), as its entrance. From there, each plate is built around ingredients that evoke autumn in Japan: cutlassfish, Aichi Prefecture's "恵鴨" duck, Yamagata Prefecture's black wagyu "Mogami beef (最上牛)" and sweet potatoes from Makinohara in Shizuoka Prefecture.
The dishes carry the thoughts of the producers and the palate of people who grew up in Japan. At its first anniversary, STORIARE offers a renewed expression of "Italian cuisine made by Japanese people."
The Course Begins with Dashi Brewed Right in Front of Guests
House-made dashi: Hidaka kombu from Hokkaido × soda bonito (宗田鰹) from Kochi Prefecture
Meals at STORIARE begin with a cup of dashi.
The dashi is made in-house from carefully selected kombu and katsuobushi, and is dripped right in front of the guest. As hot water is poured slowly, the aroma rises, and the umami drawn from the kombu and katsuobushi spreads quietly on the palate.
Although it is an Italian course, the first thing served is dashi, which lies at the root of Japanese food culture. From this one cup, dashi, koji, fermentation and ingredients from across Japan come together with Italian cuisine.
Cutlassfish Cartoccio, with Salt Koji Bringing Out the Umami of the Seafood
The autumn fish dish is cutlassfish cartoccio.
Cutlassfish is combined with hiratake mushrooms, clams and dried tomatoes, then wrapped and baked with house-made salt koji and garlic oil.
"Cartoccio" is an Italian cooking method in which ingredients are wrapped in paper and cooked, sealing the aroma and umami inside. When the package is opened at the table, the scents of seafood, mushrooms and garlic rise at once.
The umami from the clams and cutlassfish and the concentrated flavor of the dried tomatoes are layered with the fermented umami of the house-made salt koji. The dish is completed not only by its taste but also by the aroma at the moment the package is opened.
Aichi Prefecture's "恵鴨" Duck in an Autumn Ragù Pasta
The pasta uses "恵鴨" duck raised in Aichi Prefecture.
The duck is slowly simmered to draw its umami into the entire sauce, made into a ragù and combined with pasta. Ragù is a cooking method long loved in Italy, and the dish explores how to express the flavor of duck raised in Japan through it.
It is an autumn dish in which guests can enjoy the duck's strong umami and the depth of the sauce.
Yamagata Prefecture's Black Wagyu "Mogami Beef (最上牛)," a STORIARE Favorite
The main meat dish uses Yamagata Prefecture's black wagyu "Mogami beef (最上牛)," which has already been well received at STORIARE.
The course moves from the ragù, where the duck's umami is enjoyed as a sauce, to a meat dish that lets the wagyu itself take center stage.
Seafood, duck, wagyu. Over the course of the meal, guests can notice the differences in the flavors of each ingredient, which cannot be grouped under the single word "umami."
Memories of Roasted Sweet Potatoes, Turned into an Autumn Dolce
To close the course, there is a catalana made with sweet potatoes grown by producer Tomita-san in Makinohara, Shizuoka Prefecture.
The natural sweetness of sweet potatoes grown with care from the soil preparation stage is highlighted, and the surface is caramelized until fragrant. The tartness of apple compote is layered on top.
The inspiration is the memory of roasted sweet potatoes eaten in childhood. A somewhat nostalgic taste of Japanese autumn has been reimagined as an Italian dolce.
First Anniversary and a Deeper Take on "Italian Cuisine Made by Japanese People"
STORIARE marked its first anniversary on October 5, 2026, one year after opening on October 5, 2025.
Based on classic Italian cuisine, it combines Japanese dashi, fermentation culture and ingredients from across Japan. It also brings the background of the producers and the land that grow those ingredients into each plate.
The idea at the heart of this approach, which STORIARE has valued since opening, is "One Plate, Heart Full of Stories." Built on this idea, the restaurant will continue to pursue "Italian cuisine that only Japanese people can create."
Autumn Dinner Full Course
STORIARE Autumn Dinner Full Course (10 dishes): ¥18,500 (tax included, plus a separate 10% service charge)
- Dashi | "The Origin of STORIARE"
- Water buffalo ricotta | fully ripe figs
- Fresh fish from Sukumo Bay, Kochi Prefecture | lotus root, autumn eggplant
- Ris de veau (veal sweetbread) | ribollita
- House-made pumpkin gnocchi | Gorgonzola
- Cutlassfish cartoccio | clams, hiratake mushrooms, dried tomatoes
- Yamagata Prefecture black wagyu | grill
- STORIARE seasonal finishing dish
- Sweet potato catalana
- A small delight
Wine Pairing: A Glass for Each Dish
Pairing wines are available to go with the dishes, with each glass chosen to match the aroma and texture of its plate. Each glass shows a slightly different character, giving the flow of the course more depth. Bottled wines are also available, ranging from easy-drinking to full-bodied styles, including fruity whites, aromatic sparkling wines and deep reds.
Special Touches for Anniversaries and Celebrations
STORIARE offers special touches that give shape to feelings for someone dear. A bouquet can also be prepared on request. For anniversaries and other celebrations, guests are welcome to consult the restaurant.
Bringing the Producers' Stories to Each Plate
What the restaurant wants to deliver is not simply food. It is the producers' thoughts that come through the dishes, the scenery of the land, the changing seasons and the connections between people. Guests can enjoy these stories beyond the door hidden behind the bookshelf.
STORIARE, a New Kind of Italian Created by Japanese People
STORIARE serves Italian cuisine that only Japanese people can express, based on classic Italian cooking and combined with Japan's culture of umami, such as dashi and fermentation. With the concept "One Plate, Heart Full of Stories," it continues to deliver the emotion that lies beyond "delicious."
Restaurant Information
- Restaurant name: STORIARE
- Opening date: October 5, 2025
- Address: Otemachi Modern Building 1F, 1-21-2 Kanda-Nishikicho, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo 101-0054
- Official website: https://www.storiare.com/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/storiare.tokyo
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/storiare_tokyo/
- TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@storiare
Access
- About 5 minutes on foot from Otemachi Station (Tokyo Metro Marunouchi, Tozai, Chiyoda and Hanzomon Lines; Toei Mita Line)
- About 6 minutes on foot from Shin-Ochanomizu Station (Tokyo Metro Chiyoda Line)
- About 7 minutes on foot from Takebashi Station (Tokyo Metro Tozai Line)
- About 7 minutes on foot from Awajicho Station (Tokyo Metro Marunouchi Line) or Ogawamachi Station (Toei Shinjuku Line)
- About 9 minutes on foot from JR Kanda Station
