Not Only Gyoza! The 10 Must-go Local Gourmet Restaurants in Utsunomiya!

Utsunomiya in Tochigi prefecture is famous as the town of Gyoza. There are about 30 Gyoza specialized restaurants in Utsunomiya city, where Gyoza-lovers visit every day. Each restaurant offers a variety of style of Gyoza, different ingredients, cooking, eating, which you can enjoy comparing. Utsunomiya is definitely famous for Gyoza, but there are hidden outstanding gourmet here! Let’s walk through the must-have local gourmet in Utsunomiya, including Gyoza, Utsunomiya-gyu beef with rich flavor, and budget-friendly dishes. Do not miss it!

This is the Place for Utsunomiya Gyoza! Utsunomiya Minmin

This is the place to enjoy Gyoza, the regular gourmet of Utsunomiya, Tochigi prefecture! “Utsunomiya Minmin” was established in 1958 and has expanded across the city. It offers Yaki-gyoza (grilled), Sui-gyoza (boiled), and Age-gyoza (deep-fried)! Among them, the must-have dish is crispy Yaki-gyoza.

Freshly-grilled Gyoza wraps the Umami flavor of juicy meat and vegetables in it, which spreads into your mouth. It goes perfectly with cooked rice and beer. You cannot stop eating it. Its reasonable price is appealing too. Definitely recommended.

Best Sui-Gyoza in Utsunomiya! Gyoza Masashi

The best cooking way of Gyoza is grilling on a hot iron plate, isn’t it? But you cannot ignore this! Sui-gyoza is delicious too! To enjoy Sui-gyoza in Utsunomiya, visit “Gyoza Masashi” first. It is a very famous restaurant that often has a line up, with 50-year history since the establishment.

It offers Sui-gyoza with a thin skin and a full of vegetables! Chewy but goes smoothly on swallowing! Try dipping into the blend of soy sauce, vinegar and chilli oil in a bowl. Do not miss this Sui-gyoza when you visit Utsunomiya!

Strawberry Sandwich with Tochi Otome, the Local Specialty in Tochigi prefecture! Pallette

“Pallet” is the hidden restaurant with the south French-style, using local ingredients from Tochigi. One of the most popular dish here is strawberry sandwich with a full of “Tochi Otome” produced in Tochigi.

A plenty of strawberries and full cream are put between bread, which is quite a volume! You do feel the whole strawberry. You can enjoy the perfect match of a big strawberry and delicately sweet full cream. Especially female customers get addicted to it! When you feel like something sweet in Utsunomiya, this is the one for you. Highly recommended!

Enjoy the Original Kabuto-Age! Restaurant with a Long History in Utsunomiya, Miyoshiya

“Miyoshiya” is the restaurant specialized in Japanese fried chicken with a long history in Utsunomiya, opened in 1963. The signature dish here is Kabuto-age, which is the deep-fried the half of a chicken.

You can taste the Umami of the chicken clearly because it is seasoned simply with salt and pepper. The combination of crisp batter and juicy chicken cannot be missed! It is just perfect to bite it with beer! Definitely recommended as one of the specialties in Utsunomiya as well as Gyoza.

Enjoy the Amazing Cream Anmitsu with a History. Miyoshi

How about something sweet for your quick break in Utsunomiya? “Miyoshi” is the sweets cafe, which has been loved by the local people in Utsunomiya since the establishment in 1951. It offers a variety of outstanding sweets dishes popular in Utsunomiya.

One of the must-have sweets here is cream Anmitsu. The sweetness of chewy and soft rice-flour dumplings and red beans paste gets absorbed into your body. It must satisfy you, especially sweets-lovers. The nostalgic taste will comfort you both mentally and physically. Cannot be missed among the local gourmet. Try and enjoy it!

Popular Juicy Pork Loin Cutlet Slowly Deep-fried in the Low Temperature! Tonkatsu Hiyama

“Tonkatsu Hiyama” is the popular pork cutlet restaurant with a long history, which has gained reputations saying it is the best in Tochigi. This is the one for those who are into juicy pork loin cutlet with rich fat.

You can enjoy the Mochibuta pork loin slowly cooked with a low temperature oil, which is served with the perfectly-balanced rare in light pink at the center. The batter is thin enough to taste the genuine taste of meat. Moreover, having the cutlet with unrefined salt makes the taste even deeper and richer than with sauce. It offers a course meal starting with appetizer to finish with a dessert and coffee. Do not miss this superb dish.

Handmade Bagel with Flour Produced in Tochigi prefecture! Bagel Mashumo

Handmade bagels offered at “Bagel Mashumo” is perfect for breakfast, snacks and a light meal. The bagels are made with carefully selected flour produced in Tochigi prefecture.

It has more than 25 different kinds of bagels available daily-basis. You will be amazed with the colorful line-up at the shop including sea lettuce, cream cheese, black sesame and so on. You get addicted to the moist and chewy texture for sure! Definitely recommended for a quick snack while your sightseeing in Utsunomiya! Worth visiting!

Superb Original Sauce! Budget-Friendly B-class Gourmet in Utsunomiya, Ishidaya

One of the B-class (budget-friendly) gourmet representing Japan is Yakisoba noodles with thick and deep sauce flavor! You can enjoy it in Utsunomiya! “Ishidaya” is a very famous Yakisoba noodle restaurant with a long history in Utsunomiya. It has been loved with the local people seeking for the nostalgice taste and it is always filled with a lively atmosphere.

The authentic Yakisoba noodles with vegetables and ham goes greatly with the original handmade sauce, which is just outstanding. You must be satisfied with the simple and fine Yakisoba noodles in a retro-style space.

Seafood and Pork Style Tsukemen. Ramen is the Best! Muraokaya

Utsunomiya has a variety of outstanding Ramen and Tsukemen noodles restaurants, as well as Gyoza. “Muraokaya” is the very popular restaurant specialized in Chuka soba noodles and Tsukemen noodles, which is so famous that it often has a line up.

The homemade extra-thick noodles has firm and chewy texture! It goes perfectly with the thick soup with seafood and pork flavor! You must enjoy the toppings of half-boiled seasoned egg and roast pork! Roast pork is finely cooked with “Waton Mochibuta” bred in Tochigi prefecture, which represents the master’s passions! This is the place to enjoy Ramen in Utsunomiya!

Enjoy Utsunomiya-gyu Beef and Local Rice. Must-have Gourmet! Otsuka

“Utsunomiya-gyu” is beef bred in nature of Utsunomiya, which has rich flavor. “Otsuka” is the charcoal-grilled BBQ restaurant serving Utsunomiya-gyu and Tochigi Wagyu. This restaurant is run by a beef wholesale, which makes it possible to serve the best quality of beef for reasonable prices.

Not to mention, Yakiniku, Japanese BBQ, needs a cooked rice! The great thing is that you can have the local rice directly delivered from the local farmer. It does realize the idea of local production for local consumption. You cannot deny the perfect match of Yakiniku with deep and concentrated Umami taste of seasoned beef, and shiny cooked rice! Outstanding beef must make your trip more special than ever. Do not miss it!

Not Only Gyoza! Explore and Eat up the Amazing Gourmet of Utsunomiya!

Has anything caught your eyes? Utsunomiya is filled with attractive selection of the local gourmet, not only Gyoza but also strawberry sandwich with Tochiotome, Kabuto-age, BBQ of Utsunomiya-gyu beef and so on! You can surely enjoy sightseeing the local famous spots, but do not forget entertaining your appetite with gorgeous meals! Explore and enjoy the amazing gourmet when you visit Utsunomiya for sightseeing.