Ceppo

At Daniel's Wine Club, we introduce restaurants that we have found, with all our heart, to be genuinely good. Delicious food and an appealing wine list matter, of course, but what we value even more are the connections that form with the people there, and a shared feeling with those who create the food.

This time, we would like to introduce you to Ceppo in Jimbocho.

A quiet back street, one turn away from the bustle of the second-hand bookshop district. Follow the glow of the sign and you come upon a small restaurant tucked away at the end of it: Ceppo, where Chef Naka has stood at the charcoal grill for years. From the moment you open the door, the warmth of the wood and the smiles of Megumi and Momoka welcome you in, and the tension of the day quietly melts away.

A Story by the Fire, Told by a Name

Ceppo: a tree stump, and the log you feed to the hearth

In Italian, "ceppo" means a tree stump, and also a log for the hearth. It is used, too, for words that reach back to the roots: a family line, a founding ancestor.

People gathering by the fire and sharing something warm. The name seemed to hold that very scene, and when I first learned its meaning, I could not help feeling glad. Once you are actually seated in the restaurant, the name feels exactly right. The crackle of the charcoal, the texture of the wood throughout the room, the comfortable distance between people. Everything seemed to lead towards time spent around a fire.

Careful, Warm Handiwork, Seen Across the Counter

Chef Naka

Ceppo has been in this alley since 2014. Its promise is "whole cuts of meat grilled over charcoal, and wines chosen with care". The vegetables are grown organically, without pesticides, in the Abukuma Highlands.

And above all, the meat Chef Naka grills is simply delicious. Over charcoal, everything is left to the human hand: the heat, where the meat is placed, the moment it is turned. He reads the meat of the day and the fire of the day, and finds the one point where they meet. He makes it look effortless, but watching from across the counter, I thought it must be extraordinarily precise work.

His wife Megumi described him to me as "careful, sincere, a craftsman at heart, and a warm person". It felt as though she had gently put into words the very atmosphere I had been sensing across the counter.

With a Glass of Wine, Start With This Plate

House-Made Appetizer Platter

The meal begins with the appetizer platter. Even as I listened to the careful explanation, the glistening appetizers in front of me were already delivering that first thrill of a meal, the kind that starts with the eyes. Let me introduce a few of them, going clockwise.

First, the pairing of peach with house-cured ham. Follow it with the peppers beside it, sharpened with balsamic vinegar, and your palate feels wonderfully fresh. The rice croquette is a pleasure for its crisp coating. And the house-made pâté de campagne and liver pâté carry a deep, slowly unfolding savour that, once again, calls for wine.

The character of each bite gave way to the next, and I enjoyed them all while holding back the urge to decide too quickly which to try next.To go with this platter, we chose a Romanian white.
In fact, the Romanian wines that Daniel's Wine Club brings to Japan can be enjoyed right here at Ceppo in Jimbocho.

We had the Tradițional Fetească Regală 2024.
Jidvei, one of Romania's most renowned houses, makes this medium-dry white from 100% Fetească Regală, the country's signature native variety. Fresh aromas of acacia blossom and green apple, a gentle texture and well-judged acidity. It kept pace with each changing plate of appetizers, gently tracing the outlines of the food.

On to What I Had Been Waiting For: Chef Naka's Grilled Meat

Charcoal-Grilled Summer Venison Loin

What you must try at Ceppo is the whole cut of meat grilled over charcoal. Cooked slowly and carefully over the coals, the venison has a firm, satisfying bite, and from within it the savour of the lean meat comes surging forward. Lean and clean, yet juicy at the same time: an astonishingly refined plate. Chef Naka's grilled meat is truly delicious. He is something of a magician. That is a point I would happily repeat any number of times. (The lean meat is beautiful. Do look at the cross-section.)

The pairing here was Romanian too: the Rosturi Red 2023.
In Dealu Mare, one of Romania's great wine regions, De Matei layers Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon over the native Fetească Neagră. Aromas of ripe black cherry and spice, and tannins as soft as velvet, settle beautifully over the savour of lean meat wrapped in the fragrance of charcoal.
The meat and the wine lifted each other, hand in hand, and my glass emptied faster than I intended.

A Carefully Chosen List That Wine Lovers Will Adore

Meeting Romanian Wine in a Jimbocho Back Street

Another of Ceppo's charms is its wine list. Bottles from around the world, each chosen with care to suit the food. Familiar classics alongside a few less common finds. Even the time spent wondering "which shall it be tonight" becomes part of the pleasure.

And for a long while now, that list has included the Romanian wines of Daniel's Wine Club. Whether you have been wanting to try them, or you are someone who explores wines wherever you go, we think you will find a fresh encounter here. Do ask the team which bottle is open on the day.

The People Who Fill the Room With Light and Warmth

The Hospitality of Megumi and Momoka

What made our time at Ceppo so comfortable was Megumi and Momoka.

The way they explained the food and the wine, their attention to each glass, a passing remark here and there. Each of these sent gentle ripples of pleasure and reassurance through me. Above all, watching the two of them smile, I found myself wanting to strike up a conversation. It is deeply calming.

Chef Naka's cooking, and the warmth of Megumi and Momoka. It was a lovely evening that reminded me that happiness at the table is born when the warmth of people is laid over the deliciousness on the plate.

Access and Reservations

Ceppo is a 5-minute walk from Exit A5 of Jimbocho Station (about 9 minutes on foot from Suidobashi and Ochanomizu Stations as well).
It sits in an alley one street back from the main road.

• Address: 1-18-5 Kanda Jimbocho, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo 101-0051
• Telephone: 03-5577-4016
• Hours: Lunch, Tuesday to Friday 11:30 to 14:30 / Saturday 12:00 to 14:30. Dinner, Tuesday to Saturday 17:30 to 22:00 (last orders: food 21:00, drinks 21:30)
• Closed: Sundays (Mondays open by reservation)
• Seats: 20
• Budget: ￥6,000～￥7,999
• The latest menu and news are also posted on the official Instagram (@ceppo_jimbocho). Be warned: the photos of meat over the coals are enough to make your stomach rumble just by looking at them.

Note: opening hours and closing days may change. Please check the official Instagram or other sources for the latest information before your visit.

In Closing

Ceppo, quietly set in a Jimbocho back street. Its name is the Italian word for the log you feed to the hearth. A log keeps the fire alive by burning quietly itself, and in doing so it warms the people around it. Chef Naka, facing his ingredients and grilling them with care, and the smiles of Megumi and Momoka, softly lighting the space around that fire. I think the name of this restaurant is a portrait of the very people who work here.

What makes something delicious, or a place comfortable, is probably not something you can see. And yet the care put into a plate, and the thoughtfulness poured into a glass, reach us all the same, and light a small flame inside us. That our Romanian wines have a place beside that fire makes us truly happy.

When you next find yourself in Jimbocho, do open the door to that alley. Mention that you came from Daniel's Wine Club, and we are sure a lovely time awaits you.

Written by: Nami Saito, Daniel's Wine Club