Lamb Skewers, Cold Beer and a Nordic Twist

Tama City is throwing a party—and it starts with an Icelandic pub crawl.

Tama Machi Bar 2025, a self-guided food and drink crawl, returns this year with a surprising twist: every stop along the route is serving a dish inspired by Icelandic cuisine. That means grilled lamb, buttery cod, creamy potatoes and more, all paired with drinks and served across dozens of participating bars and restaurants.

It’s the kind of unexpected crossover you never knew you needed—an Icelandic pub crawl in Tama City, built on years of cultural exchange and brought to life through food.

What Is Tama Machi Bar?

Tama Machi Bar is a mashup of “town” (machi) and “bar”—a ticket-based pub crawl that lets you explore local restaurants, izakayas, and cafés at your own pace. You grab a map, buy a few tickets, and wander between venues, exchanging each ticket for a set menu of one drink and one small dish.

The twist this year? Icelandic flavors, woven into each menu by chefs who took part in a special cooking class ahead of the event. The result is a food crawl that’s as much about curiosity and creativity as it is about snacks and sake.

Why Iceland?

Tama City has had friendly ties with Iceland since it served as the country’s official host town during the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games. To build on that relationship, this year’s event is all about Icelandic ingredients and recipes—lamb, salmon, cod, potatoes—reinterpreted through a local lens.

Each participating restaurant was guided by instructors with experience in Icelandic cooking and ingredients. They were free to add their own spin, which means no two stops are the same. Some might serve a lamb skewer in dill sauce. Others, a creamy cod gratin with local vegetables.

How the Icelandic Pub Crawl Works

1. Buy a Ticket Set (¥4,500 for 3)

Available at booths in Tama Center and Seiseki-Sakuragaoka areas. Each ticket gets you one food-and-drink combo.

Bonus: There’ll be Iceland-themed info booths and exhibitions at each ticket counter.

2. Follow the Map

A printed map and online guide will help you find participating bars and restaurants. Over 30 venues are taking part.

3. Eat, Drink, Repeat

Swap your tickets for dishes at any participating venue. Some places let you use all three tickets at once, but it’s more fun to crawl.

4. Collect Stamps

During “Iceland Week,” you can collect stamps as you go. Complete the route and win small prizes. Details TBA on the event site.

What You’ll Eat: Icelandic Dishes with a Twist

Here’s what makes this pub crawl stand out:

• Icelandic lamb is rare in Japan, making up only 1–2% of lamb imports. It’s lean, mild and raised naturally without antibiotics.
• Icelandic cod and salmon grow slowly in cool, stable waters, giving them firm texture and rich flavor.
• Potatoes and sides play a big role, inspired by classic Nordic comfort food—often mashed, roasted or layered in creamy sauces.

Some dishes stay true to Icelandic tradition. Others fuse it with Japanese flavors—think miso-cured salmon or lamb served with shiso and horseradish.

Tama Machi Bar isn’t about racing through 10 bars in a night. It’s about strolling, chatting, and discovering dishes you won’t find anywhere else. The Icelandic theme adds novelty, but the real charm is local: shop owners waving hello, new restaurants trying something bold, and a chance to see a part of Tokyo that’s usually off most people’s radar.

You don’t have to love lamb or know anything about Iceland to enjoy it. Just bring an appetite and a willingness to try something new.

Need-to-Know Info

• Dates: June 15–19
• Areas: Tama Center and Seiseki-Sakuragaoka (full list of participating stores here)
• Tickets: ¥4,500 for 3 sets (1 food + 1 drink per ticket)
• Where to Buy: Onsite booths in both areas
• Official Info: tama-machibar.com

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Check out some of our other places to grab a bite or drink:

11 Biophilic Cafes in Chiba for a Nature-Filled Escape from Tokyo

Best Rooftop Bars in Tokyo – 2025 Ultimate Guide