Il LUPONE

* Cuisine: Italian
* Where: Naka Meguro
* Tel: 03 5722 6789
* Website: click the pic
* Menu: Italian
* Cost: around 6,000 per head (inc beer)
* Ohishi: Calzone, Capricciosa
* Rating: ----

Great pizza places abound in Tokyo so to be exceptional takes something special. Il Lupone's homely ambience, efficient service and authentic fare is that something so it's no great surpise to find that depsite the not-so-convenient location, it's a three month wait for a reservation. The menu is varied but compact and ordering is a pleasure. There's antipasti, pastas and meat dishes on offer but the wood-burning brick oven and the "vera pizza" certification mean that pizza is the star here. They're a decent size (unless you ask for a same topping but less base version - same price) and excellently prepared. We had three.

* Alternatives: Pizza Savoy (Naka-Meguro), Il Pizzaiolo (Sangenjaya)