Kanazawa

The area around Kanazawa is known for its own regional cuisine, called Kaga-ryori, a sophisticated style of cooking built around local seafood, sansai (wild greens), and heirloom vegetables.

Kaga-ryori dishes can be found at ordinary izakaya in Kanazawa as well as at upscale specialty restaurants. Food is often served on the brightly colored Kutani-yaki pottery of the region.

The area also produces some excellent craft sake from long-established breweries. Tedorigawa, Tengumai, Sougen and Kikuhime are some names to look for.

See the guide here for local restaurant and cafe picks from Kanazawa editor Rachel Krampfner and Bento.com editor Robb Satterwhite.

Kanazawa

See area restaurant map

Kanazawa

Sen - Izakaya: Kanazawa

[ Open 11am-2:30, 5pm-midnight (LO) daily. ]

Good food, flashy decor and very reasonable prices draw in the crowds at this popular station-area izakaya, located around the corner from the Nikko Hotel. There's a good selection of local sake...

[ Open 11am-2:30, 5pm-midnight (LO) daily. ]

Daigo - Izakaya: Kanazawa

[ Open 3-11pm (LO). Closed Sundays. ]

If you love sake, Daigo should be your first stop in Kanazawa. Hundreds of bottles are stocked in the wall of refrigerators behind the counter, including limited-edition and seasonal selections from...

[ Open 3-11pm (LO). Closed Sundays. ]

Ohmicho Shokudo - Japanese: Kanazawa

[ Open 10:30am-2:30, 5-9:30pm (LO) daily. ]

When you're strolling through Kanazawa's famous Ohmicho Market, eyeing the long-legged crabs and shiny fish hooked that morning from the Sea of Japan, you will no doubt want a taste of Kanazawa's...

[ Open 10:30am-2:30, 5-9:30pm (LO) daily. ]

Ohmicho Market - Attraction: Kanazawa

[ ]

This open-air market in central Kanazawa is popular with both local household shoppers and restaurant professionals. Dozens of stalls sell excellent crab and other seafood from the nearby Sea of...

[ ]

Chayu - Cafe: Kanazawa

[ Open 10am-sunset (from 1pm in winter). Closed Thursdays. ]

If you're a sucker for interesting ice cream flavors, you will want to stop into this Higashi Chaya sweet shop for a lick. Miso, soy sauce, black sesame, kabocha pumpkin, yuzu, tofu - they’re all...

[ Open 10am-sunset (from 1pm in winter). Closed Thursdays. ]

Curiente - Japanese: Kanazawa

[ Open 11:30am-2, 6-8:30pm (LO). Closed Mondays. ]

As we consumed the amazingly beautiful food served in this Higashi-Chaya restaurant, we imagined our spoon as a wrecking ball. Digging into our second course, served in a highball glass, first we...

[ Open 11:30am-2, 6-8:30pm (LO). Closed Mondays. ]

Miyoshian - Japanese regional: Kanazawa

[ Open 9am-9pm daily. ]

This teahouse overlooking a carp-filled pond in the middle of Kenrokuen Garden is a gorgeous spot in which to lunch on local Kaga cuisine. Prix-fixe lunches are priced Y1575-3150, and they're built...

[ Open 9am-9pm daily. ]

Ippudo - Ramen: Kanazawa

[ Open 11am-3am (Fri, Sat -4am) daily. ]

There is the risk of falling into a pork-induced coma after lapping up a bowl of Ippudo's rich tonkatsu ramen, but the addictively tasty Kyushu-style noodle soup is well worth the crash. Ippudo may...

[ Open 11am-3am (Fri, Sat -4am) daily. ]

Iwashigumi - Izakaya: Kanazawa

[ Open 5-10:30pm (LO). Closed Sundays. ]

An often scowled-at and underappreciated fish in North America, the sardine is celebrated in dozens of dishes at Iwashi-Gumi, which means "gang of sardines." Try them pureed and deep-fried into...

[ Open 5-10:30pm (LO). Closed Sundays. ]

Machrihanish - Bar: Kanazawa

[ Open 6:30pm-2am (LO). Closed Sundays. ]

The friendly, English-speaking owner of this specialty bar has visited every distillery in Scotland, and he stocks an impressive selection of single-malt whiskeys here. The food menu includes simple...

[ Open 6:30pm-2am (LO). Closed Sundays. ]

Dai-nana Gyoza - Gyoza: Kanazawa

[ Open 11am-2am. Closed Wednesdays. ]

"No frills" would be an understated description of Kanazawa's most popular and gushed-over gyoza joint. But where it lacks in decor it makes up for in gyoza which, besides a couple of soups, rice and...

[ Open 11am-2am. Closed Wednesdays. ]

See area restaurant map

The area around Kanazawa is known for its own regional cuisine, called Kaga-ryori, a sophisticated style of cooking built around local seafood, sansai (wild greens), and heirloom vegetables.

Kaga-ryori dishes can be found at ordinary izakaya in Kanazawa as well as at upscale specialty restaurants. Food is often served on the brightly colored Kutani-yaki pottery of the region.

The area also produces some excellent craft sake from long-established breweries. Tedorigawa, Tengumai, Sougen and Kikuhime are some names to look for.

See the guide here for local restaurant and cafe picks from Kanazawa editor Rachel Krampfner and Bento.com editor Robb Satterwhite.

Kanazawa

The area around Kanazawa is known for its own regional cuisine, called Kaga-ryori, a sophisticated style of cooking built around local seafood, sansai (wild greens), and heirloom vegetables.

Kaga-ryori dishes can be found at ordinary izakaya in Kanazawa as well as at upscale specialty restaurants. Food is often served on the brightly colored Kutani-yaki pottery of the region.

The area also produces some excellent craft sake from long-established breweries. Tedorigawa, Tengumai, Sougen and Kikuhime are some names to look for.

See the guide here for local restaurant and cafe picks from Kanazawa editor Rachel Krampfner and Bento.com editor Robb Satterwhite.

See area restaurant map

On this page

Kanazawa