The 10 Best Must-go Local gourmet in the ancient city, Kanazawa!

Seafood in the Hokuriku region must come first for the local gourmet in Kanazawa. Jizake, which is locally brewed, and delicious fresh seafood… No doubt seafood represents the Kanazawa gourmet, but there are hidden gems such as Oden pot, curry as such. Let’s walk through various superb gourmet not to miss in Kanazawa.

Founded 50 years ago, unchanged taste of Oden dashi soup cannot be missed at “Kuroyuri”.

Located in “Ajiwai-kan” of “Kanazawa Hyakubangai Anto”, where directly connected to Kanazawa station, “Kuroyuri” marks itself with a white shop curtain standing out on its stylish black and white appearance. It is suitable for the various sizes of groups from a solo diner to a big group, with counter seats, table seats for 4 people, and Japanese style floor seating for a group.

Kanazawa is one of the areas where people have Oden pot the most often in Japan. You can have Kuruma-bu (baked wheat gluten cut in ring shaped slices), which is a special ingredient in Kanazawa, for 150 yen, and also Jibu-ni (duck meat stew), which is Kanazawa’s local dish. Worth visiting to taste the unchanged Oden pot for 50 years since its establishment.

More than Conveyor belt Sushi! Enjoy fresh seafood from Kanazawa at “Kanazawa Maimon Sushi Honten”.

10 minutes drive or 30 minutes walk from Kanazawa station will take you to this must-go restaurant in Kanazawa. “Kanazawa Maimon Sushi Honten” is a unique restaurant with a thatched roof along the Hokuriku Expressway.

This restaurant is popular not only among the local but among the tourists for its great value for the price. You can enjoy rich selections of seafood from Kanazawa, such as a blackthroat seaperch, red-spotted grouper, Japanese glass shrimp, a greasyback prawn, in a conveyor belt style. The price starts from 120 yen per a plate. You can order by a plate, a piece, 5-pieces set, 3-pieces set, as such. Enjoy the treasures from the Sea of Japan.

Enjoy fresh seafoods from Kanazawa at “Kawabata Sengyoten” with a fish market atmosphere.

“Kawabata Sengyoten” is a Japanese style pub marked with a huge blue signboard. Counter seats and table seats with beer cases used as a chair create a fish-market like atmosphere, which is lively.

Dishes such as sashimi, grilled fish of Kanazawa specialty seafood are popular, which goes well with drinking. Jizake, locally brewed sake, like “Kikuhime”, “Tengumai” will do the best on those fresh dishes. You may be surprised with the self-service system on ordering, but it helps the restaurant to lower the prices. Highly recommended.

Enjoy a big portion and budget-friendly Gourmet in Kanazawa at ” Grill Otsuka”

“Grill Otsuka” is a western food restaurant with a long history marked with a green signboard. One of the popular dishes of this restaurant is “Hanton Rice”, which makes customers line up outside to have it. “Hanton Rice” is an omelette with rice coming with 2 fried shrimps and 2 fried tuna, covered with ketchup and tartar sauce. Best for those who love the sour-tasted.

It is served from 3 different sizes, “small, regular or large”. Its “regular” is quite a big portion, so you may start from a small size. Worth visiting here during your trip to Kanazawa!

Too Popular To Reserve “Itaru Honten” in Kanazawa!

“Itaru Honten” is a Japanese style pub with a compact entrance with a white shop curtain and a lantern, located at the back of the Kanazawa City Hall. It has both counter and table seats, which makes you enjoy your meal in a relaxing atmosphere.

Must-have menu is ” Nihonkai Osashimi Oke-mori (sashimi from the Sea of Japan put in a wooden bowl)”. You can enjoy fresh thick-sliced fishes on season, which is the very dish condensing the tastes of Hokuriku region. This restaurant offers a variety of seafood dishes such as the salt-grilled, mixed fried vegetables and seafoods, tempura, which amuse you with many ways to taste seafood from Hokuriku region. It is very popular and needs a reservation in advance. Also you can try lining up. “Itaru Hotenten” is one of the Must-go in Kanazawa.

Representing the Local Gourmet! This is the Kanazawa Curry at “Turban Curry Honten”.

“Turban Curry Honten” stands out with its yellow roof written its name in Japanese. Established in 1971, the curry served at this restaurant with a long history is made with black stock come with a pork loin cutlet and shredded cabbage, which is the very authentic style of Kanazawa Curry.

Curry served on stainless steel plate is made with 20 kinds of spices, which has light taste. “L set (price: 880 yen)” comes with a sausage and Japanese style meatloaf along with a pork loin cutlet. It sounds too much but its light curry makes a perfect balance. Don’t miss this generous portion gourmet in Kanazawa!

White Gyoza in Kanazawa! Taste the Best Gyoza at “Dai-nana Gyoza no Mise”.

“Dai-nana Gyoza no Mise” is very popular in Kanazawa. It uses a building renovated from hospital, which creates a unique appearance unlike a normal restaurant. Please note that entrances are separated for counter seats and private rooms with charge.

The ever-popular menu of this restaurant is cylinder-shaped “white gyoza (Japanese dumpling)”. This popular white gyoza is wrapped with a thick skin, which brings chewy texture with juicy stuffings. The white gyoza served here has lighter taste than other styles. Why don’t you compare several types of white gyoza in Kanazawa?

Kanazawa speciality with Gluten cakes, “FUMUROYA CAFE Hyakubangai”

“FUMUROYA CAFE Hyakubangai” is a restaurant with beige-themed stylish and simple appearance, located on the 1st floor of “Kanazawa Hyakubangai Kutsurogi-kan” directly connected to the ticket gate of Kanazawa station. It has both counter and table seats, where you can enjoy desserts and meals viewing people coming and going outside the cafe.

Since the main shop deals with Kaga Nama-fu (fresh gluten cakes), this cafe uses various types of gluten cakes for the dishes like “Fu Anmitsu”, “Nama-fu Zenzai”, or “Nama-fu Manju and tea”. It is worth visiting this cafe with a perfect access from Kanazawa station, the gate of Kanazawa, during your trip in Kanazawa.

Classy cafe in the Ishikawa Prefectural Museum of Art, “Le Musee de H Kanazawa”

“Ishikawa Prefectural Museum of Art” is located in the area where includes sightseeing spots such as 21st Century Museum of Contemporary Art Kanazawa, Kenroku-en. “Le Musee de H KANAZAWA” is situated in the museum. The cafe with glass sides creates classy and open atmosphere.

Some cakes limited in Kanazawa are served such as a Kanazawa-produced strawberry mousse called “YUZEN” and “KANAZAWA” made with Kagatobi, jizake, locally brewed in Kanazawa. Worth dropping by if you happen to visit nearby.

Famous Japanese Confectionary Shop in Kanazawa, “Amanatto Kawamura”!

“Amanatto Kawamura” is a Japanese confectionary shop with black lattice doors matching perfectly with “Nishi Chaya-gai district”, one of the three major chaya-gai (tea house district) in Kanazawa. The signboard of the shop is quite modest and simple, so be careful not to miss the shop.

The signature menu “Amanatto (sugared red beans)” is the most popular. There are various types of amanatto available. In summer, you can have shaved ice with amanatto and monaka (a wafer cake) with icecream and amanatto. Those seasonal menus also amuse the frequent customers. All items on the menu are available only in this shop. Highly recommended for a souvenir on the visit to Nishi Chaya-gai District.

Eat up the best gourmet in Kanazawa!

Here is the whole list of must-have local gourmet during your trip in Kanagawa, Ishikawa. Has any of them caught your eye? Recently, Kanazawa has been gathering attentions as a sightseeing site because of good access from Tokyo by bullet train. Enjoying the local gourmet in Kanazawa can be your next choice!