Northern Honshū (Tōhoku)
Opened with the support of the Netherlands Embassy in Tokyo, as a symbol of solidarity with Kamaishi's rebuilding efforts, this brightly coloured cafe…
Must-see restaurants in Japan
Hokkaidō
If seeing all that Cyrillic on the street signs around Wakkanai has got you hankering for some pelmeni (dumplings; ¥700) or pirozhki (stuffed buns; ¥300),…
Sendai
In the middle of the entertainment district you'll find this old-school burger joint that's been in business since 1950. The ice-cream sodas are great if…
Fukuoka
Cosy ramen restaurant-pub that's just a few minutes from Hakata's Higashi-guchi. No frills, just thick, Fukuoka-style broth, noodles and draughts, with…
Southern Higashiyama
This place may look like a total dive but the food is reliable and authentic, as the crowds of Kyoto’s Chinese residents will attest. There’s a list of…
Himeji
A reliable restaurant for set meals including local specialities, like anago (conger eel), Fukutei is big enough that you can usually get a table.
Northern Honshū (Tōhoku)
Lamb barbecued on a hotplate shaped like Genghis Khan's headgear, oden (various goodies stewed in a fish-and-vegetable broth) and soba (buckwheat noodles)…
Ōsumi Islands
This simple restaurant serves a ¥520 breakfast set with eggs, toast and coffee and a tasty tobi uo sashimi teishoku (flying fish sashimi set meal; ¥980)…
Osaka
This deceptively big kaiten-sushi restaurant has a prime Dōtombori location. Plates are colour coded by price and staff speak some English too. Non-sushi…
Western Honshū
No puffed-up decor, but you'll catch lots of fresh pufferfish set meals and even a sea breeze at this relaxed corner restaurant on the wharf. An English…
Niseko
Atop the Niseko Adventure Centre (NAC), Jojo's offers typical casual fare, like burgers, filling salads, wraps and nachos. The terrace has a spot-on view…
Kyūshū
Next to JR Aso station, this meeting place and market has a colourful selection of local produce, bentō (boxed meals), baked and packaged goods, snacks,…
Hiroshima
This cosy ivy-covered place across from the Peace Memorial Park serves honest Italian food with good service and boasts a romantic atmosphere in the…
Harajuku & Aoyama
This is Omote-sandō's prime people-watching spot, a Parisian-style cafe with terrace seating. The weekday lunch specials (a croissant sandwich or Niçoise…
Hokkaidō
This popular seafood joint does good-value sushi sets as well as some seafood-themed variations on classic Japanese dishes, and some darned good fried…
Nikkō
Only open for dinner, there's a bit of everything on the menu here, reflecting the culinary whims of the owner: Szechuan-style Chinese dishes, duck breast…
Iwate Prefecture
This yummy Korean noodle place is perfect for a quick bite after getting off your train, before exploring the city sights. There's often a line out the…
Nara
This unexpectedly good (and popular!) burger joint serves juicy patties on toasted buns loaded with your choice of toppings. It also does hot dogs (from …
Northern Honshū (Tōhoku)
This simple, super-friendly noodle joint has been in the family for decades. Its secret soy-based shikkoku (jet black) ramen, for which it's famed, is…
Ginza & Tsukiji
Dine surrounded by greenery at this long-established Western-style restaurant in the middle of Hibiya-kōen. It is famous for its steaks and curry buffets…
Kyoto Station & South Kyoto
Shusai Jōjō is a modern izakaya (Japanese pub-eatery) within walking distance of Kyoto Station. There’s a variety of dishes to choose from in a convivial…
Western Honshū
Despite the Asian-sounding name, this mellow, lamp-lit restaurant focuses on French and Italian dishes, deftly whipped up in the small open kitchen. There…
Western Honshū
A cute cafe for lunch with both meat and meat-free set lunches of greens, croquettes, brown rice, salad and curries. The book- and movie-poster-filled…
Asakusa & Sumida River
Traditionally, monaka are wafers filled with sweet bean jam. At this little stand on Nakamise-dōri, they're filled with ice cream instead – in flavours…
Northern Honshū (Tōhoku)
This buzzing tourist restaurant has a range of plastic dishes on display for point-and-smile ordering. No award-winning dishes here – mostly don sets …
Kansai
This soba restaurant is the top pick along Yumekyō-bashi Castle Rd. Try the nishin-soba (soba with herring), a local speciality. From the castle end of…
Everest Restaurant & Bar Matsumoto
Matsumoto
Friendly Nepali service and tasty cuisine at reasonable prices awaits almost directly across the road from Matsumoto Station. Expect other Asian dishes on…
Northern Higashiyama
A cosy little spot in the north of town past Hyakumamben and Kyoto University, this friendly smoke-free restaurant serves passable Indian lunch and dinner…
Downtown Kyoto
If you’re downtown and you feel like a break from Japanese food, head to this popular Taiwanese place on the 3rd flood of Takashimaya department store for…
Northern Honshū (Tōhoku)
Finding a decent tonkatsu (deep-fried pork cutlet) joint can be a transcendental – or at least rather comforting – Japanese culinary moment. Ichiban is…
Western Honshū
A large, pleasant canal-side restaurant opposite the Ōhara Museum of Art, serving sashimi set meals, seafood and rice dishes, and some desserts. You can…
Kōrakuen & Akihabara
This appealing all-rounder has the day's dining covered with lovely pastries and breads baked on the premises for breakfast through lunch and pizzas…
Niigata Prefecture
Popular with locals, this friendly soba show does a delicious tempura set. From the bus stop, walk north for 200m, turn right in front of the police…
Kyūshū
For takeaway food, try the basement marketplace at Yamakataya department store, where stalls sell everything from baked goods to bentō (boxed meals),…
Iwate Prefecture
Morioka has a handful of subcontinental restaurants. The best is found in a small shopping arcade not far from the train station. Tandoori options feature…
Kanazawa
If you think you've overdone the katsu (crispy fried meat) and gyōza (dumplings), you can come here for Hollywood juice blends, macrobiotic cookies,…
Hokkaidō
The speciality here is Ikeda-gyū – locally raised beef. You can splurge on a steak (paired with Tokachi wine), though there are cheaper options too, like…
Nagano Region
This popular fast-food joint might be too colourful for some, but if you're travelling with kids they'll be sure to love absolutely everything about it:…
Niseko
On the road up to Niseko Village, this popular complex brings together a number of Hokkaidō's signature dairy products under one roof: ice cream, yoghurt,…
Beppu
Across from Beppu Station, Toyotsune serves up such local specialities as toriten (chicken tempura), plus lots of fresh fish. The more appealing main…
