Pepe

"Pepe" sits tucked into Shinjuku Golden Gai and has long been known as a rare find in this bar-dense alley — a spot that actually serves proper Japanese home cooking. According to older sources, the bar was opened in 2003 by the mama of the neighboring "BAR Maki," and the name comes from her cat. The cook known as "Micchan" was said to work flexibly with guests' requests, going beyond the written menu with a warm, unhurried manner. While most of Golden Gai's 300-odd bars are places to drink first and eat second, Pepe has stood apart as somewhere you can genuinely eat well. It suits the solo diner who wants to linger over hand-crafted dishes and a quiet drink. That said, no recent SNS posts or individual review-site entries could be confirmed, so please check current operating status before visiting.