Located just steps from Ikebukuro Station, Hotel Metropolitan Tokyo Ikebukuro is known for its excellent accessibility and refined atmosphere.
This time, we visited Cross Dine, the hotel’s all-day dining restaurant on the first floor, to experience their popular lunch buffet.
The buffet features an impressive variety of Japanese, Western, and Chinese dishes, along with an extensive dessert selection. It’s a highly satisfying experience and a must-know spot for anyone who loves all-you-can-eat dining in Tokyo.
Spacious Interior and Lunch Buffet Overview
Cross Dine offers a spacious, open dining area with a calm and comfortable ambiance, making it easy to relax and enjoy your meal.
Lunch buffet hours vary by day:
Weekdays offer a more relaxed dining pace
Weekends and holidays are served in two time slots
Prices range from ¥4,500 to ¥5,000 per adult (tax and service charge included). Considering the quality and variety, it offers excellent value for a hotel buffet.
Signature Dish: Cross Dine’s Roast Beef
One of Cross Dine’s highlights is its signature roast beef.
Slow-cooked at 64°C, the beef is incredibly tender and juicy, with rich flavor that deepens as you chew.
Paired with horseradish or wasabi, you can enjoy different flavor combinations—and it’s so delicious you’ll want to go back for seconds (or thirds).。
Wide Selection from Appetizers to Japanese Cuisine
The appetizer section features a diverse lineup, including:
Fugu skin aspic
Sichuan-style “mouthwatering chicken”
Octopus and citrus ceviche
Japanese dishes are equally impressive, with items such as:
Crab and spinach ohitashi
Wheat gluten with vinegared miso
Soba noodles
Small rice bowls
Standout dishes include Tokyo vegetables with lamb shabu-shabu and the traditional Negima hot pot, a dish passed down since the Edo period.
The clear dashi broth and natural umami of the ingredients make these must-try items.
Authentic Western and Chinese Dishes
The Western food section showcases hotel-quality dishes such as:
Pizza baked in a stone oven
Beef stroganoff
Seafood gratin
In the Chinese section, you’ll find:
Jade dumplings
Fried noodles with four kinds of sauce
White mapo tofu
Each dish is remarkably authentic—hard to believe they’re part of an all-you-can-eat buffet.
Time Service Highlights and Curry Selection
A special time service dish features crispy rice topped with shark fin and mixed vegetables in a rich sauce.
The contrast between the fragrant rice and the thick, savory sauce makes it feel like a premium, limited-time offering.
There are also two curry options:
Metropolitan Curry, rich and deeply flavorful
White Curry, with a gentle start and a spicy kick that builds afterward
Both are well worth trying.
An Impressive Dessert Selection
Dessert lovers won’t be disappointed. The buffet includes:
Verrines
Panna cotta
Basque cheesecake
Pudding
Ice cream
Everything is well-balanced and satisfying.
The pistachio panna cotta and tiramisu verrine, in particular, stood out for their perfect balance of sweetness and aroma.
Final Thoughts
With its unbeatable location near Ikebukuro Station, Cross Dine is a highly polished lunch buffet that lets you enjoy Japanese, Western, and Chinese cuisine all in one place.
Considering the variety, quality, atmosphere, and value for money, it’s easy to see why so many guests return again and again.
If you’re looking for a high-quality all-you-can-eat lunch in Ikebukuro, this is definitely a restaurant worth visiting.
This experience is also featured in my video!
I’d be thrilled if you could join me on my channel, “Aya’s Food Adventures,” and enjoy these delicious discoveries together.
👉 https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCoNxyUqJMXnIxIiKBl5fVTQ
Comments