Kobe Kitano, Nishinomiya

index of restaurants, bars and retailers

Kitano

Freundlieb - Cafe: Kitano

[ Open 10am-6:30pm (LO). Closed Wednesdays. ]

Certainly one of grandest cafe settings in town, Freundlieb occupies the former Kobe Union Church, a Kitano sightseeing landmark. The menu includes sandwiches and salads as well as fresh pastries...

[ Open 10am-6:30pm (LO). Closed Wednesdays. ]

Patrie - French: Kitano

[ Open 11am-2, 5-8:30pm (LO) daily. ]

With excellent food and a comfortable, casual atmosphere, Patrie also delivers good value for money - full-course dinners are around Y6000, and their lunchtime buffet is Y2300.

[ Open 11am-2, 5-8:30pm (LO) daily. ]

Bistrot Cafe de Paris - French: Kitano

[ Open 10am-11pm (LO) daily. ]

This lively cafe is perched in an ideal people-watching location midway up the Kitanozaka hill, with a popular outdoor sidewalk terrace that takes full advantage of the view. The menu includes...

[ Open 10am-11pm (LO) daily. ]

Balalaika - Russian: Kitano

[ Open noon-2:30, 5-8:30pm (LO). Closed Tuesdays. ]

Yet another reminder of Kobe's historical past, Balalaika has been here since the 1950s, although they've modernized since then. The menu covers all the Russian favorites - cabbage rolls and...

[ Open noon-2:30, 5-8:30pm (LO). Closed Tuesdays. ]

Jamaicana - Caribbean: Kitano

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

Jamaican stews, jerk pork, and other spicy fare prepared by the native Jamaican owner-chef here. Dinner averages around Y2500.

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

Gran Micaela y Dago - Chilean: Kitano

[ Open 5:30pm-midnight. Closed Tuesdays. ]

Chilean cuisine is another unexpected find in Kitano. The food is reasonably priced and the atmosphere is friendly, with frequent live musical performances.

[ Open 5:30pm-midnight. Closed Tuesdays. ]

Kobe Grocers - Retail: Kitano

[ Open 10am-7:30pm daily. ]

This small corner store looks like it's been transported from small-town America circa 1950. The shelves are jam-packed with American and European brands seldom seen in Japanese grocery stores.

[ Open 10am-7:30pm daily. ]

Kobe Halal Food - Retail: Kitano

[ Open 11am-8pm daily. ]

This Halal grocery store is a good place to find Indian and south Asian spices as well as various prepared foods.

[ Open 11am-8pm daily. ]

Totenkaku - Chinese: Kitano

[ Open 11:30am-2, 5-9pm daily. ]

Peking-style cuisine, with an emphasis on Peking duck, is the specialty at this rather grandiose Kitano landmark. The "mini-lunch" is Y4000, with full-course dinner menus running Y6000-15,000.

[ Open 11:30am-2, 5-9pm daily. ]

Nishinomiya

Beer Cafe Barley - Belgian rest/beer bar: Nishinomiya

[ Open 1pm-midnight. Closed Tuesdays. ]

This cozy and pleasant beer specialist has seven seats at the bar and a few tables. In addition to four hand-pumped ales they offer more than 100 bottled beers, including a wide selection of Belgian...

[ Open 1pm-midnight. Closed Tuesdays. ]

Katsukura - Tonkatsu: Nishinomiya

[ Open 11am-11pm daily. ]

One of the best of the tonkatsu chains, Kyoto-based Katsukura offers nice side dishes like yuba (tofu-skin) croquettes and excellent Kyoto-style pickles. And they're open all afternoon if you need a...

[ Open 11am-11pm daily. ]

Kushiya Monogatari - Kushiage: Nishinomiya

[ Open 11am-11pm daily. ]

This popular shop lets you cook your own kushiage skewers in a deep-fryer right at your table. It's all you can eat, including various side dishes and a big variety of skewered tidbits. Y2625 per...

[ Open 11am-11pm daily. ]

To The Herbs - Italian: Nishinomiya

[ Open 11am-11pm daily. ]

Tasty, sometimes unusual pizzas and well-constructed pastas at this budget Italian cafe chain.

[ Open 11am-11pm daily. ]

Other areas

Hakutsuru Sake Brewery Museum - Attraction: Nada

[ Open 9:30am-4:30pm (enter by 4pm). Closed Mondays. ]

This brewery museum is one of the most interesting of the many sake attractions in Kobe's compact brewery district. It's actually been put together inside an old sake kura, so unlike a modern museum...

[ Open 9:30am-4:30pm (enter by 4pm). Closed Mondays. ]

Kikumasume Sake Brewery Museum - Attraction: Nada

[ Open 9:30am-4:30pm (enter by 4pm) daily. ]

This relatively compact museum provides a nice overview of the traditional sake-brewing process, as well as sake-drinking culture. It's only five minutes away on foot from the larger Hakutsuru...

[ Open 9:30am-4:30pm (enter by 4pm) daily. ]

Sawanotsuru Sake Museum - Attraction: Nada

[ Open 10am-4pm. Closed Wednesdays. ]

This large sake museum is built on the site of an old brewery run by Sawanotsuru, who have been making sake in this area for more than three centuries. Full-size recreations of traditional...

[ Open 10am-4pm. Closed Wednesdays. ]

Poko no Mori - Bird cafe: Nada

[ Open 1-8pm. Closed Mondays, Tuesdays. ]

The resident flock at this charming small-bird cafe includes canaries, finches, Java sparrows, lovebirds, cockatiels and various parakeets - some three dozen in all. The food menu includes both...

[ Open 1-8pm. Closed Mondays, Tuesdays. ]

In Tha Door Brewing - Brewpub: Rokko Island

[ Open 11am-9pm. Closed Tuesdays. ]

The attractive setting and the excellent background music, mostly classic R&B and funk, are the biggest draws at this cozy brewpub located on Rokko Island. Regular beers are priced at Y730 and Y1120...

[ Open 11am-9pm. Closed Tuesdays. ]

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