July 22, 2025
Shop stories: Explore Tokyo Deli in Elsternwick Village
Sae Cho, owner of Tokyo Deli in Elsternwick Village.
Situated in the bustling Elsternwick Village precinct is Tokyo Deli – a long-standing, family-run eatery that brings the comforting flavours of Japanese home cooking to the local community.
For more than 35 years, this humble establishment has been a fixture of the area, beginning its journey as a Japanese grocery store before evolving into the much-loved dining spot it is today.
Owner Sae Cho has been at the helm of Tokyo Deli for the past 15 years, continuing the legacy passed down from his father, who took over the business three decades ago. Under Mr Cho’s stewardship, Tokyo Deli has transformed in response to changing customer tastes and a growing appreciation for Japanese cuisine across Melbourne.
While the business has changed significantly since its early days, one thing has remained constant – its commitment to authentic, handmade food crafted with care. Tokyo Deli now serves up a variety of traditional Japanese dishes, many of which are made from scratch in-store, using time-honoured recipes that make diners feel as if they’re eating a homemade meal straight from a Japanese kitchen.
Homemade Japanese food in the heart of Elsternwick Village
Those seeking an authentic Japanese dining experience will find it at Tokyo Deli – and it will feel like eating at home as the store’s focus is on creating wholesome, home-cooked meals. The store also offers a lot of their meals as takeaway options.
Popular menu items include teriyaki salmon don – grilled salmon coated in their homemade teriyaki sauce, served on a bed of rice and topped with Japanese mayonnaise and seasonal greens. Sushi and bento options are also popular.
The chicken udon noodles are ideal for those seeking a deep umami flavour, while the katsu don is perfect for those who love a crumbed and crispy chicken.
The osouzai menu – known as ready-to-eat side dishes – is also unique to Tokyo Deli and features a rotating selection of dishes that change with the seasons. Examples of dishes on this menu include chicken and tofu meatballs with a sweet miso sauce, kinpira gobo (Japanese stir fried root vegetables), Korean sweet potato noodle salad, and Japanese potato salad.
Of course, no visit to Tokyo Deli is complete without trying their signature ramen. The ramen is based on their own in-house recipe of a rich soup base with house-made noodles, served with a meat (such as pork or chicken), marinated soft-boiled egg, kikurage mushrooms, and seasonal greens.
“This is our own recipe and it’s all made in store. The noodles and the soup base are homemade – nothing is prepared outside or at a factory. We make it all from scratch,” Mr Cho said.
“During the winter and the cold months, the ramen and the hot noodles are very popular. I really recommend having the ramen in the store rather than takeout – it’s much better.”
The restaurant is also licensed to sell sake and alcoholic drinks that can be enjoyed alongside the meals, adding an extra touch of authenticity to the dining experience.
Japanese groceries to complete the food experience
While the store has scaled back its grocery offering in recent years, customers can still find many authentic Japanese food products in store.
Items include Japanese tea, drinks, ice cream, sauces, curry bases, snacks and more. They also offer a range of ready-made options like gyoza, panko prawns, ramen noodles and croquettes that are easy to cook at home.
Sashimi-grade fish is available to purchase in store which people can take home to prepare their own meals.
They also sell a range of sake.
The evolution of Tokyo Deli
Tokyo Deli began its journey in Elsternwick Village more than 40 years ago, before Mr Cho’s father bought the business about 35 years ago. Mr Cho then took the reins about 15 years ago, and is proud to have kept the business in the family for so long.
When it first opened, Tokyo Deli operated purely as a Japanese grocery store, selling traditional items and fresh produce to a small but loyal community of Japanese expatriates living in nearby suburbs. However, as Japanese food began gaining popularity among a broader Australian audience, the business gradually began to adapt.
“We are unique because of how we started and how we’ve evolved over time. I don’t have a strong viewpoint of business and how it should be – it’s been more about responding to the market or what the customer wants at the time, and what’s suitable for us to do,” Mr Cho said.
Over the years, Tokyo Deli introduced a small range of in-house meals and snacks, which were initially available for takeaway. Eventually, the store transformed into a dine-in restaurant, where customers could sit down and enjoy traditional Japanese meals, all handmade on site.
“People in Elsternwick tend to enjoy Japanese cuisine,” Mr Cho said.
“About 35 to 40 years ago, a lot of Japanese businesspeople moved to the Caulfield and Brighton areas, so that’s why we had a grocery store [to cater to them]. They would come to get the authentic Japanese food they couldn’t find elsewhere.
“And then the Japanese population grew in Melbourne and Japanese food became more popular and more local people came to our store.”
As Japanese food became more accessible in major supermarkets, Tokyo Deli shifted its focus from groceries to hospitality, cementing its reputation as a go-to destination for delicious, traditional Japanese meals.
“The society has evolved as we have evolved as a store,” Mr Cho said.
“It’s great to see Japanese food and culture being embraced so much now. And Melbourne is very widely open to different cultures and food, and they enjoy it,” he said.
“Japanese food is not exotic food any more, it’s now even on school lunch menus and it has become a national food next to the meat pie. Sushi rolls are a next choice for lunch. It’s very good; I’m happy to see that.”
With its roots firmly planted in tradition and its eyes on the future, Tokyo Deli continues to serve up the soul of Japanese home cooking – right in the heart of Elsternwick Village.
