Neon lights, soaring towers, more Michelin stars than Paris – and hefty restaurant bills. But it doesn't have to be that way. As the Michelin guide to Tokyo is published this week – the only Asian city deemed worthy of Michelin's scrutiny – here's our guide to the city's top 10 budget restaurants. And you can bet the food is still top drawer.

1. Kanda Yabu Soba, Marunouchi

For a dollop of serenity in a sea of anonymous office buildings, head to Yabu Soba. You pass through carved wooden gates and a bamboo garden before entering a traditional wooden building filled with antiques and woodblock prints. Slip off your shoes and sit on tatami mats at the best seats in the back of the restaurant. A celebration of all things soba, prices start at Y630 (£2.77) for a bowl of signature Seiro Soba (buckwheat noodles in cold tsuyu sauce).

· Kanda Yabu Soba, 2-10 Awajicho, Chiyoda-ku; +81 3 3251 0287

2. Kitchen Shunju, Shinjuku

Some of the best value food in Tokyo can be found lurking unexpectedly on the top floor of a department store. Kitchen Shunju, a sleek and stylish restaurant in Lumine Est, above Shinjuku station, is no exception. Dim lights, chic ceramics and a glass window showing chefs at work, create an atmospheric backdrop to an extensive menu of creative Japanese cuisine: from organic vegetable salad (Y1,050 (£4.60)) and oyster tofu in an iron pot (Y1,050) to duck and four types of organic eggplant (Y2,100 (£9.20)).

· Kitchen Shunju, Lumine Est 8F, 3-38-1 Shinjuku; +81 3 5369 0377

3. Maisen, Jingumae

Set in the airy confines of a former bathhouse, Maisen has acquired cult status among Tokyoites. It specialises in tonkatsu – deep-fried breaded pork cutlets — and the queues that regularly form outside the restaurant are testimony to both the quality and value for money. Savour Maisen's tender tonkatsu and its famous sweet sauce with set lunch meals starting at Y756 (£3.30) and dinner sets from Y1,260 (£5.50).

· Maisen, 4-8-5 Jingumae; +81 3 3470 0071

4. Issonoya, Tsukiji Fish Market

Bypass the frenetic bustle of Tokyo's famous fish market and head straight to a local sushi restaurant. Little more than a long, thin room with a counter, Issonoya's basic decor is eclipsed by its culinary offerings: long, green leaves serve as plates for piles of fresh sushi, from salmon and tuna to melt-in-the-mouth eel and other delicious but less easily identifiable maritime creatures. A delectable sushi spread of around 10 pieces – perfect as breakfast for two - starts at Y2,410 (£10.60).

· Issonoya, Tsukiji Fish Market; +81 3 3542 1954

5. Combine, Naka-Meguro

For a fashionable food fix that won't break the bank, head to Combine, an artsy riverside café and bar in the bohemian Naka-Meguro area. Design books cover an entire wall and a scruffy Shoreditch-style cool ambiance prevails. By day, it's a bustling café for media types and by night DJs spin tunes for local hipsters. Culinary offerings range from fried green onion tofu and fried whitebait to shrimp and avocado with wasabi. Everything costs under Y1,000 (£4.40).

· Combine, 1-10-23-103 Naka-Meguro, Meguro-ku; +81 3 3740 3939

6. Sometaro, Asakusa

Step back in time in the atmospheric Asakusa neighbourhood with a meal at the local okonomiyaki ("cook what you like, the way you like") restaurant Sometaro. Shoes are removed at the door of the quaint wooden building and food is served on low tables fitted with in-built plates. Staff can helpfully guide first-timers through cooking okonomiyaki batter mixes, with favourites including "furusatoten", a tasty fusion of Japanese vegetables ranging from rape blossom and flowering fern to seasoned bamboo shoots, costing only Y588 (£2.60).

· Sometaro 2-2-2, Nishi-Asakusa, Taito-ku; +81 3 3844 9502

7. Ten-Ichi Deux, Ginza

The slick restaurant chain Ten-Ichi may famously serve the best tempura in town but for the same food at a snip of the price, head to its smaller sister outlet Ten-Ichi Deux in Ginza. Its clean, sleek design provides a calming respite from the heaving stores that surround it. Tuck into light tempura lunches from Y1,417 (£6.20) while the good value Beer Dinner Set – including shrimp tempura, green salad, appetizer and beer – costs Y2,520 (£11).

· Ten-Ichi Deux, Ginza 4-1, Nishi Ginza Depato Store, 1F; +81 3 3566 4188

8. Agaru Sagaru Nishi Iru Higashi Iru (North, South, West, East), Harajuku

A discretely curved ochre wall marks the entrance to this hidden gem. Dimly lit with a sleek cave-like interior, grab a seat along the bar to watch the chefs conjure up a modern take on traditional Japanese cuisine. There is only one option: a Y4,000 (£17.60) set meal of nine delicate courses of meat, vegetable and fish dishes presented on beautiful ceramics with seasonal leaves. Although pricier than the other restaurants on this list, it represents fantastic value for money.

· Agaru Sagaru Nishi Iru Higashi Iru, Takeyama Bld 3-25-8, Jingumae, Shibuya-ku; +81 3 3403 6968

9. Crayon House, Aoyama

Head to the basement restaurant of the popular children's bookshop Crayon House, on one of the backstreets off fashionable Omotesando, for a delectable organic feast. From miso soup and grilled fish to an array of seasonal Japanese salads, washed down with green tea, the eat-as-much-as-you-can lunch buffet at Y1,260 (£5.50) provides a wholesome health food fix that is as tasty as it is good value.

· Crayon House, 3-8-15 Kita-Aoyama, Minato-ku; +81 3 3406 6409

10. Dagashi, Ebisu

In keeping with the fashion for all things retro, Dagashi in hip Ebisu is a culinary trip down memory lane. Styled as a traditional corner shop with dark wooden walls and glass jars, Dagashi offers meals, snacks and sweets designed to remind fashionable Tokyoites of their childhood food experiences. Macaroni cheese (Y380 (£1.70)), grilled sardines (Y450 (£2)) and chicken noodles with egg (Y500 (£2.20)) are among a range of comfort dishes on offer. Don't forget to fill your pockets with piles of nostalgic "dagashi" (candy) on the way out.

· Dagashi, Nishi 1-13-7, Ebisu; +81 3 5458 5150