Sapporo
Sapporo takes its ramen very seriously and Saimi is oft-voted the best ramen shop in the city (and sometimes the country) – and it's not overrated. You…
Must-see restaurants in Hokkaidō
Hokkaidō
Inside Hakodate Morning Market, Kikuyo Shokudo got its start in the 1950s as a counter joint to feed market workers and is now one of the top reasons to…
Hokkaidō
Chidori does real robata-yaki, charcoal grilling in a pit built into the table. The speciality of the house is hokke chanchan-yaki (ホッケチャンチャン焼; ¥1000) –…
Niseko
Musu offers great food, sweet service, and a lovely airy dining experience, plus easily the best cocktail menu in Niseko, with treats like the Yuzu…
Otaru
Housed in a converted warehouse that was built in 1892, just back from the canal, this legendary Otaru ice-cream parlour scoops up some seriously 'special…
Hokkaidō
Not only does the owner Haru-san make the noodles here by hand, he made the wooden soba bar himself too. Stop by for a scrumptious handmade noodle meal at…
Hokkaidō
Poronno, inside the Ainu kotan, has the most interesting menu of the restaurants in town specialising in Ainu cuisine. You can try yukku ruibe (frozen,…
Niseko
Down the road from the Annupuri slopes, Loft Club glitters with fairy lights and the warm, glowing promise of a filling meal washed down with beer and…
Niseko
This authentic family-run pizzeria headed by the affable Cezar does thin-crust, wood-fired pizzas with a mouth-watering variety of toppings (plus pastas…
Sapporo
This famous alleyway in the Susukino entertainment district is crammed with ramen shops, including branches of several venerable Hokkaidō shops. It's been…
Niseko
Niseko's most famous noodle shop is also famously hard to find, though its secluded location (accessed via a wooden boardwalk) is a big part of the appeal…
Hokkaidō
OK, the food here isn't dramatically different from what a Japanese diner would serve, but you can get a donburi (rice bowl) topped with Hokkaidō venison…
Sapporo
This is something special: sushi for breakfast out at the fish market. It takes an effort to get here, but the sushi is excellent and you can wander…
Hokkaidō
This rambling collection of tiny restaurants runs the length of an alley between 4-jō-dōri and 5-jō-dōri, about a 10-minute walk north of the train…
Sapporo
These are the crab guys! The frigid seas surrounding Hokkaidō are bountiful and yield some of the tastiest crustaceans around. Try the kani-suki (¥4600…
Hokkaidō
Hakodate's iconic burger shop has been voted best in the nation several times – despite its cultivated dive image. The house special is the Chinese…
Hokkaidō
The city's oldest ramen shop (opened in 1947) serves delicious al dente noodles in a shōyu (soy sauce) seasoned assari (light) broth – classic Asahikawa…
Sapporo
This is where Sapporoites take friends visiting from out of town for the local speciality, jingisukan (all-you-can-eat lamb dish). There's nothing fancy…
Hokkaidō
This is a fun place to gather in the evening: a collection of 25 food vendors in an old-style marketplace, with outdoor seats (when it's not freezing)…
Sapporo
This Sapporo institution serves sandwiches of the genteel sort (crusts-off, lightly stuffed), with dozens of fillings. Two to try: the king-crab sandwich…
Hokkaidō
Guitars, motorcycles, CDs and 1960s folk all grace this cafe that's all about the sea urchin. If you've been craving sea urchin curry, sea urchin pasta,…
Otaru
Come here for excellent sushi sets and kaisen-don (bowls of rice topped with sashimi) featuring Hokkaidō specialities such as sake (salmon), ikura (salmon…
Hokkaidō
Testing the adage that everything is better with cheese, Karin adds local Furano cheese to its ramen. Whether that sounds amazing or awful, you know you…
Sapporo
A grown-up twist on the classic ice-cream parlour, Milk Mura serves mugs of soft-serve ice cream accompanied by three tiny chalices of your choice of…
Sapporo
This soup curry shop near the Moiwa-yama Ropeway comes highly recommended by Sapporo locals. Most popular: the chicken curry (チキンカレー; chikin karē) with a …
Hokkaidō
Festooned with a flower garden outside and romantic and cosy inside, Boyotei is a treat just five minutes' walk from the station. Hamburger-steaks,…
Niseko
A newcomer to the Niseko scene, Ginger offers American-meets-Izakaya cuisine, with Japanese takes on burgers, steaks, salads, and so on. The orange-and…
Niseko
This is Niseko's original hang-out spot in Hirafu East Village, a standby with season regulars and long-time expats for its sandwiches, omelettes and…
Hokkaidō
Run by the island's fishing collective (and closed the moment the sea urchin season ends), Atoi serves generously portioned kaisen-don (raw seafood over…
Sapporo
At the northeast corner of the market, Keiran has fresh rice bowls, tasty grilled fish, and plenty of English. You can marvel at the hundreds of happy…
Hokkaidō
Since 1949 this popular Tokachi dairy has been serving great ice cream from its small cafe. It makes dozens of flavours – from black sesame to edamame to…
Hokkaidō
Choose your crab and have it served, or go for the menu, either way it's delicious seafood in a building that's four decades old. Note that the hours can…
Hokkaidō
Super tasty skewers here, primarily pork, though it does have chicken. The tsukune (chicken sausage) is divine.
Sapporo
This popular joint gets so busy the air is thick with the smoke of grilling lamb. Most popular: the 90-minute all-you-can-eat, all-you-can-drink deal for …
Sapporo
Sapporo's original fish market is now mostly a tourist spot (since the wholesale market moved to a big modern facility outside the city centre). There are…
Noboribetsu Onsen
Noboribetsu's landmark ramen shop serves up fiery red 'jigokudani' noodles that would make the local oni (devils) proud. Entry level is a totally…
Hokkaidō
A surprisingly tasty cafe for a ferry terminal, Tsuki serves up coffee, cakes and curries to waiting passengers. Service is so-so, and nonsmokers may have…
Hokkaidō
This cute restaurant – the name means 'stage coach' – inside the old wooden Yambetsu train station serves up tasty ramen and is naturally a hit with…
Hokkaidō
Traditionalists should put aside all preconceptions when visiting this brewery-restaurant. The yakiniku (grilled meat) served here is pretty good…
Hokkaidō
One of Furano's signature dishes is omu-karē (オムかれー), rice topped with an omelette surrounded by a moat of Japanese-style curry. Yamadori ups the ante…
