L'EAU

The story

L'EAU Tokyo | French Restaurant in Minamiaoyama, Gault&Millau 15

L'EAU is a French restaurant on the basement floor of 2-14-14 Minamiaoyama, Minato-ku, Tokyo, and holds a Gault&Millau score of 15 for 2026. The name is the French word for water.

The chef behind the stove

Takamitsu Shimizu was born in Tokyo in 1977 and first studied graphic design. His father ran a French restaurant, and that pulled him toward cooking. He worked in several Italian restaurants for Mikasa Kaikan in Ginza, then spent 15 years as head chef at his father's Restaurant Sevian in Higashi-Nagasaki. L'EAU opened in November 2018.

Seasonal, domestic, low-waste

The kitchen builds its French cooking around Japanese ingredients chosen by season. Cutting food waste and keeping food miles short are stated priorities. The restaurant also appears in the Michelin Guide as Recommended for 2026.

Menus and the room

Lunch comes as about seven courses at ¥9,350 or about ten at ¥19,800, and dinner runs to about ten courses at ¥19,800. A 10% service charge is added. Each menu is prepared as omakase, so guests are asked to state allergies and dislikes when booking. The dining room has 16 table seats, and the dress code is relaxed but not too casual.