10 Best Local Cuisine Restaurants You Must Try in Kawagoe!

Kawagoe, a very popular tourist attraction of Saitama prefecture, has many local cuisines. Also called “Koedo [little Edo]”. There are many restaurants that serve wonderful local food. In a word, Kawagoe is a foodie’s city people can enjoy to their heart’s content. Its wide variety includes from a pricey eel dish to B-class (casual) cuisines and sweet stuff. Now, you must be curious about what they have. Here are the 10 Best Local Cuisine Restaurants You Must Try in Kawagoe. Head there to enjoy Kawagoe food!

“Makotoya”

The very best local food of Kawagoe is “Futomen Yakisoba [stir-fried thick noodles]”, which must be the king of B-class (casual) cuisines. “Makotoya” is an eatery well known for its delicious futomen yakisoba. Located about 8-minute walk from Honkawagoe Station.

Futomen Yakisoba of this place tastes nostalgic with a nice texture of noodles. Its mild taste would make you happy and the fried egg on top will touch your heart. Other than that, they have a wide selection of dishes. You would not be bored.

“Ichinoya Kawagoe Honten”

You must try “Unagi [eel]” when you travel to Kawagoe! There are many popular Unagi restaurants that serve an excellent grilled eel dish. Unagi is Kawagoe’s staple local food now. Besides, the townscape of Kawagoe, Koedo [little Edo], adds some spice to the dish. If you want to try one of the best grilled eel, visit “Ichinoya”.

This is the place for Kawagoe’s grilled eels. Very famous long standing Unagi restaurant of Kawagoe. Their grilled eel tastes authentic. You should try once. Worth to visit while sightseeing in Kawagoe.

“Suisentei”

Kawagoe has many famous local sweets, too. Among many places, Suisentei is highly recommended. They serve soft-serve ice cream and other sweet stuff, but the very best speicalty of this place is a sweet potato confection, “Imotaro”.

This Imotaro is a triangle-shaped grilled sweet potato with a dense inside. Very popular local sweet you cannot find anywhere else. They produce Imotaro carefully focusing on the sweetness and natural taste. Delicious with mild sweetness. Stop by this place when you visit Kawagoe.

“Juwari Soba Mikaasa”

Another food you should try in Kawagoe is soba noodles. Now it is not too much to say soba noodles became Kawagoe’s local specialty. There are many soba noodles restaurant in this area.

One of the most popular places among tourists is “Juwari Soba Mikaasa”, that serves soba noodles made from full buckwheat flour. It tastes so excellent that it may be difficult to find authentic one like what they serve, even in other areas. This place is very small, so it gets full with customers quickly. Head there early!

“Kawagoe Bakery Rakuraku”

“Kawagoe Bakery Rakuraku” is a popular bread bakery shop located along a street branched from the famous tourist street, “Kurazukuri no Narabu Tōri [street with warehouse style buildings]”. At this beloved baker shop, excellent miso flavored bread is on offer.

They also offer other types of bread products that are all handmade with carefully selected ingredients such as additive free domestic wheat flour. Among their many simple tasty breads, Misopan (miso flavored bread) is especially popular. You should try because it is incredibly tasty. This place is so popular that there is a line. Give it a try when you visit Kawagoe!

“Tricycle Cafe”

“Tricycle Cafe” is a cafe restaurant that has an impressive exterior. Its striking appearance stands out among the retro looking houses of Kawagoe, attracting people’s attention. Their menu is full of dishes cooked with local ingredients, such as risotto with whole grain rice produced in Kawagoe, and baked cheesecake with local Semba tofu.

On top of that, a variety of Umeshu (plum wines) is on offer. It would be fun to find your favorite one! Their interiors are chic and stylish. Perfect place to have a wonderful meal with someone you care about.

“Kintaro Kawagoe-ten”

“Kintaro” is a teppanyaki [griddle] restaurant located 5-minute walk from Kawagoe Station. Their popular specialty is monja-yaki (griddle fried batter with various ingredients). They offer various types of monja from a normal one to an arranged one. Their hideaway looking house would tickle your heart.

They also serve okonomi-yaki (griddle fried savory pancakes with various ingredients), too. You would be surprised at their whole cake shaped okonomi-yaki. Book in advance though. Nice for birthday celebration. Try their great food!

“Ganja”

Ramen noodles are recognized as one of the Japanese soul food. There are various types of ramen noodles all over Japan. Of course, a lot of ramen restaurants are competing in Kawagoe too. Among many, “Ganja” is a very popular place loved by the locals. It is said that Tsukemen (dipping style ramen) booming started from this place.

Their specialty is, of course, Tsukemen, which tastes incredibly good. People highly admire its seafood flavored soup that noodles catch well. Many repeaters visit. You should join them when you travel to Kawagoe.

“Koedo Kurari Hashu-tei”

“Koedo Kurari Hashu-tei” is a popular restaurant that serves delicious local cuisines, such as Kawagoe’s brand pork, Sangenton, and local tofu. Located really close to Honkawagoe Station. It takes only 3 minutes by walk. Their specialties are dishes cooked with sakekasu (lees of Japanese sake) produced by the local “Koedo Kagamiyama Shuzo (sake brewery)”. One of the best is “Sakana no tokusei kasuzuke yaki [special grilled sakekasu marinated fish]”. Give it a try!

Inside the house is really nice and comfortable. Ideal place if you want to enjoy your meal at a relaxing place. Visit Kawagoe’s excellent restaurant, “Koedo Kurari Hashu-tei”.

“Koedo Ohana”

“Koedo Ohana” is an egg specialty restaurant that serves delicious oyakodon (cooked chicken and egg over rice), which is extremely popular with an excellent reputation. Their oyakodon is very big with soft creamy half cooked eggs. Focusing on quality ingredients, eggs they use are purchased from a farmer who takes good care and uses best selected feed.

They also take time and effort to make important dashi broth for oyakodon, using seven kinds of seafood. There are other delicious egg dishes that include their another specialty, tamagoyaki (Japanese rolled omelet).

Enjoy Kawagoe’s delicious local food!

How was this article? Koedo, Kawagoe has many amazing local food. Choices are limitless with various B-class (casual) cuisines, sweets, breads and pastries, sweet potato products, grilled eels, futomen yakisoba, etc. Perfect to eat around and best place for a foodie to travel. Enjoy Kawagoe’s local food as well as its tourist attractions!