Piacere at Shangri-La Tokyo: Seasonal Elegance Served with a View
Italian Dining with the Most Exceptional Japanese Touch
There are dinners you plan for convenience, and then there are the ones you plan your day around. The kind that begins with a view, slows time somewhere between the second and third course, and leaves you checking the last spoonful like it’s a closing scene.
Piacere, perched high above Tokyo Station inside Shangri-La Tokyo, falls squarely in the second category.
Shangri-La Tokyo, An Urban Sanctuary Above the Tracks
Opened in 2009 as Shangri-La Group’s first property in Japan, Shangri-La Tokyo occupies the top floors of the Marunouchi Trust Tower Main, right beside Tokyo Station. The hotel is renowned for its Asian hospitality with refined comfort, allowing for views over the Imperial Palace, Tokyo Skytree, and, on clear days, Mount Fuji.
With 200 rooms and suites, each of them among the most spacious in the city, and interiors designed by Hirsch Bedner Associates and André Fu, the hotel brings together the best of international polish with distinct Japanese touches. Signature facilities include Chi, The Spa at Shangri-La, two outstanding restaurants, and the Horizon Club, which offers personalized services and one of the best panoramic breakfast settings in town. Its central location and its art-filled interiors make it a solid standout as a quietly luxurious retreat in Tokyo.
First Impressions at Piacere
Dinner at Piacere begins before the first bite. Just stepping into the restaurant from the 28th-floor elevator shifts your pace. Soft light, high ceilings, and stunning views create a warm and inviting atmosphere.
The dining room tables glow under oversized pendant lamps in brushed gold and amber glass. The layout plays with elevation, with some tables sitting in cozy spaces by the windows, while others are framed by light-catching lattice screens that give a subtle sense of privacy without blocking the view.
From the seat by the window, Tokyo unrolls in layers: the green canopy of the Imperial Palace gardens, the tracks of Tokyo Station, and the sharp silhouette of Marunouchi’s office towers. As night settles in, lights flicker on across the skyline. Inside, candles take over the ambient glow, and reflections start dancing on the black lacquer surfaces. It feels like a transition stage built for an unforgettable evening.
Italian Sophistication Meets Japanese Terroir
The philosophy behind Piacere is clear from the outset. Its name, Italian for “pleasure,” is a gesture to its European culinary roots that sets the tone for a dining style that’s confident, deliberate, and designed for grown-ups.
The kitchen draws its identity from a marriage of Italian technique and Japanese seasonality. The ingredients are largely domestic, sourced from regions across Japan based on the best of the season, selected personally by the chef on site visits. A fusion of Italian food, expressed in Japan’s four-season language.
It should be noted that Piacere is also a space with a clear boundary: children under six are not admitted. It’s a place meant for uninterrupted meals, where timing, atmosphere, and conversation are part of the structure, just like wine and lighting.
A Seat with a Skyline – The Dining Space
Designed by André Fu and his team at AFSO, Piacere channels the spirit of an authentic Italian trattoria, reimagined for a 21st-century Tokyo skyline. A sleek and layered interpretation of la dolce vita, articulated through clean architectural lines and a bold material palette.
The dining area spans 280 square meters, framed by high floor-to-ceiling windows that cast natural light across a rich combination of textures: warm hues reminiscent of the Mediterranean Sea, olive greens, Venetian glass chandeliers, with bronze, and dark chocolate tones anchoring the space, resulting in a decidedly refined atmosphere.
Bespoke furnishings define each table arrangement; some gathered in semicircular banquettes around round white tablecloths, others tucked into elevated nooks by the windows. Pendant lamps, tailored for the space, add rhythm to the ceiling without overwhelming it. And as dusk settles and the city lights come on, the mood deepens for an intimate ambiance.
The LUNA Course – An Immersive Culinary Experience
Pre-course amuse-bouches
The experience begins with a pair of amuse-bouches that set the tone for what’s to come.
The first is a chilled pumpkin soup, served in a small porcelain cup. Delicate in appearance, but bold in flavor, it was one of the standouts of the evening. Smooth and naturally sweet, the pumpkin is balanced with the cool umami of clam jelly, which gives the dish a surprising depth.
*This content was originally published on Japan Web Magazine (https://jw-webmagazine.com/piacere-at-shangri-la-tokyo/) on July 11, 2025 and is republished here for our newsletter readers.