Burgers and pizza, some of America’s most iconic foods, are being reimagined by Japanese chefs. From wagyu to utilizing Japanese flour, Japanese interpretations of burgers and pizza still resemble the original inspirations but are uniquely different. Recently, several chefs and restaurants have been bringing that Japanese style to America, some to much acclaim. We spoke to a few to learn the details.
Tokyo-style Neapolitan pizza
For pizza connoisseurs, Tokyo is now a premier destination for pizza. One of the pioneers of this Japanese pizza wave is Pizza Studio Tamaki. Helmed by Chef Tsubasa Tamaki, PST recently opened a New York City location in May 2026. “Opening a restaurant in New York has been a dream of mine for a long time,” says Chef Tamaki. “Pizza culture in New York is so beloved, and I’ve always wanted to have the opportunity to share my style of pizza here. I also felt there was space to introduce something that doesn’t really exist in the U.S. yet.”
The pizza at PST is visually similar to Neapolitan, but technique-wise, it offers several important differences. First, the dough, fermented for 30 hours, uses a blend of Japanese, American, and Canadian flours, and is cooked in an oven with a signature Japanese twist — “salt punch.” This technique involves tossing Okinawan salt inside the oven during the cooking process, giving the finished pizza a saltier flavor profile than traditional Neapolitan. The addition of Japanese cedar shavings to the fire also imparts a smoky flavor to the crust. At the New York location of PST, Chef Tamaki sources his flour from Japan but works with local New York state for seasonal produce. “I think people were excited to experience something that felt familiar but also different,” says Chef Tamaki. “Many people in New York are interested in Japanese food and culture, and with so many Americans traveling to Japan, I hope it creates even more curiosity.”
Burgers, Japanese style
In Japanese cuisine, the more traditional burger is the hambāgu, a Yoshoku (Western cuisine) dish that Americans might mistake for Salisbury steak or meatloaf. The cheeseburger, however, is different, and in Japan, can sometimes be found adorned with localized aspects like teriyaki (McDonald’s Japan features a Teriyaki McBurger), Kewpie mayo, and wagyu. Chef Mitsunobu Nagae at l’abeille à côté in New York City actually features his take on McDonald’s Japan on the menu. “This burger is inspired by my childhood memories of McDonald’s in Japan,” explains Chef Nagae. “And I wanted to recreate a more delicious, upscale version by using premium cuts of meat and developing the sauce from scratch. The sauce is made by grating aromatic vegetables such as onions, carrots, and celery along with apples to add a natural sweetness, resulting in a deeper, more flavorful profile.”
At Toga, a binchotan-centric izakaya in Houston, the Japanese inspiration can be found in the intriguing blend of Akaushi wagyu (farmed in Texas) and beef heart in the burger patty. The mixture of the gamey heart adds an extra layer of beefiness to the wagyu patty. But the Japanese inspiration is beyond just ingredients. “The Toga burger resulted from numerous years of eating and cooking different hamburgers,” explains Chef de Cuisine Ben Jumonville. “It’s essentially a distillation of all the elements we as chefs believe make a perfect burger. Taking a component from here and tweaking an element from there — it’s been a work in progress over our careers. We believe this work-in-progress mentality reflects not only the meaning of “Toga” in Japanese but also focuses on the ever-evolving nature of casual dining.”
