Aola

Located along Amanuma Hachiman-dori Street, a short walk from the north exit of Ogikubo Station, Ryori to Wine AOLA serves thoughtful, handcrafted dishes suited to anything from a relaxed lunch to an evening over glasses of wine. A standout midday option is the blue cheese fried oyster sandwich, layered with carrot râpées and a sweet potato and gorgonzola potato salad. The rich, briny savor of crisp fried oysters combines with pungent cheese and tangy vegetables, creating a deeply textured and filling bite. For those looking for a complete meal, the weekday-only lunch teishoku set features a rotating daily main dish alongside minestrone soup and 3 small vegetable sides.

Seasonal Small Plates and Flexible Mains

Come dinnertime, the menu shifts to an inventive selection of appetizers designed to accompany a glass of wine. A good way to start is the seasonal vegetable platter of 4 appetizers paired with a 3-wine tasting flight to sample the day's pours. Clever single dishes keep drinks flowing, such as crisp fried spring rolls filled with savory lamb and salty feta cheese. Mains like the lemon-butter pasta with shrimp, sansho berries, and mushrooms, or the grilled pork, can often be ordered in half sizes, making it easy to sample multiple dishes even when dining solo.

Analog Vinyl Grooves Through Dessert

House-made sweets provide a fitting conclusion. The gorgonzola cheesecake pairs as naturally with wine as it does with coffee, while the Basque cheesecake offers a moist, rich texture suited to an after-dinner drink. Warm music spins from vinyl records in a dining room appointed with counter and table seating, and pet dogs are welcome inside. It is an easygoing spot to savor wine and seasonal cooking at your own tempo.