A Delicious Adventure in Nagoya's Gourmet Scene

Serving up their specialty since 1873 at Atsuta Shrine, Atsuta Horaiken have carefully crafted this unique local dish. The fragrant unagi (eel) is grilled on high-grade charcoal made with ubame oak before being placed on a bed of rice, served in a traditional wooden container called a ‘hitsu’. With a little seaweed dashi and some wasabi, the dish of hitsumabushi is complete. Other eel dishes include Umaki - an omelet-wrapped eel and kimoyaki - eel’s liver.

A classic noodle made with flour, salt and water, udon are known for their thick, chewy texture. Stewed in a thick miso-based broth, the noodles absorb the rich flavors and create a hearty, warming dish. The dish requires the deep flavor of red miso and is mixed with dashi (stock) to make the broth, with firmer noodles used to withstand the cooking process. The result is a chewy, delicious meal perfect for the cold days of winter. Yamamotoya Sohonke has five restaurants to choose from in Nagoya, with the original store located in the Sakae area.

Founded in 1947, Yabaton has taken decades to perfect their deliciously crisp local specialty of miso katsu. The tonkatsu of Nagoya, miso katsu uses Hatcho Miso rather than tonkatsu suace to drizzle over the deep-fried pork cutlet. Served with rice and shredded cabbage, it’s a delicious meal with a local twist. Using pork from southern Kyushu and a special Aka Miso that has been fermented for over a year, Yabaton is a fantastic place to try Miso Katsu.

Nagoya-style fried chicken is a local favourite, especially after a night out drinking. The wings are dipped in a sweet-savoury sauce and known in Japanese as ‘Nagoya-no-tebasaki’, which means Nagoya’s chicken wings. Furaibo is believe to be the home of this dish, after a chef received an order if chicken wings meant for broth in place of whole chicken for their signature dish. Improvising and using the wings instead, the chef used his classic sauce and reduced the price, with the dish becoming a best-seller. Today there are multiple Furaibo restaurants around Japan and even in America, but the original is in Sakae.

The only breakfast worth trying in Nagoya, Ogura Toast is the ideal treat to start the day with a coffee. Taking a thick slice of Japanese toast topped with butter and red bean paste called Ogura, it’s not too heavy and can be served with a boiled egg for a protein boost or whipped cream for the sweet side. While this is served in many cafes and hotels, it is available at the classic coffee joint Komeda’s Coffee. A traditional chain serving breakfast sets, they have adapted to the local speciality and are a reliable spot for a relaxed breakfast. There are a handful of spots around Nagoya Station, all opening early for the breakfast rush - something not found with many of Japan’s breakfast-themed restaurants.

Blending Japanese and Taiwanese flavours, Misen serves up another local classic: the spicy Taiwanese Ramen. Serving since 1960, Misen now has multiple branches, offering Chinese and Taiwanese cuisine with a local twist. This simple, affordable restaurant isn’t a high-end spot, but the food is truly delicious and a refreshing change from Japanese flavours. The most popular dish is the ramen - noodles in a spicy chicken broth topped with leeks and pork mince. Choose from sides such as their spicy fried chicken, vegetable stir-fry and crisp gyoza. While there are now many Misen restaurants to choose from, including one in Nagoya Station, the original is in Imaike.

An acquired taste, Ankake Spaghetti is one of the more unusual fusion dishes of the region and is often found in coffee shops and diners. The dish is far removed from its Italian origins and is actually closer to Chinese food in terms of flavour. The thick spaghetti is served with a pepper-heavy spicy and sweet sauce. It can be topped with a few different options inlcuding ‘Milanese’ which is small sausages or Mira-kan which is peppers and other seasonal vegetables, as well as a cheese option. While a few spots claim to have invented this dish, Spaghetti House Yosoi is one of the most popular claimants, dating the dish back to the 60’s.