Nagoya Restaurants 2026: 7 Must-Try Local Eateries
Dive into Nagoya's unique food scene! We've handpicked 7 local restaurants serving up incredible Nagoya Meshi, from izakaya classics to hidden gems.
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Dive into Nagoya's unique food scene! We've handpicked 7 local restaurants serving up incredible Nagoya Meshi, from izakaya classics to hidden gems.
Recommended Nagoya Restaurants in Japan,
My Honest Reviews of 7 Personally Vetted Spots
Text/Photos ©HiBooboo
Nagoya, Japan, is home to a unique food culture
called Nagoya Meshi, where you'll find an incredible array of delicious dishes.
This means there's a fantastic variety of distinctive dishes
and plenty of incredible restaurants to explore.
Today, I'm excited to share my personally vetted list from Nagoya,
featuring authentic reviews of seven must-try restaurants I visited.
1. Garakutabunko Sakae
Operating Hours: 4:30 PM - 11:00 PM
Closed: Mondays
Location: 3-minute walk from Sakae Station, B1F, Showa Building
Our first culinary stop is an izakaya in Sakae,
named Garakutabunko Sakae.
It operates from late afternoon until 11 PM.
The interior is decorated with a charming Showa-era Japanese ambiance,
and the menu features a wide array of Nagoya Meshi specialties.
I ordered a variety of dishes myself, including Miso Oden, Miso Sauce Skewers, Tebasaki,
and Neapolitan Pasta, among others. Overall, the food offered a subtle umami flavor
with a perfect balance of sweet and savory notes, making it absolutely ideal with beer.
Tebasaki, in particular, was incredibly delicious,
with its soy-based sauce and a sprinkle of pepper.
With mega-sized beers and a diverse selection of Nagoya Meshi,
it's an izakaya I highly recommend for a fun culinary experience.
2. Misen Sumiyoshiten
Operating Hours: 5:30 PM - 11:00 PM
Closed: Sundays
Location: 7-minute walk from Sakae Station or Yabacho Station
Note: Cash payments only
Our second culinary gem is Misen Sumiyoshiten.
Misen has several branches throughout Nagoya city,
and it's famously known as the originator of Taiwan Ramen, a key Nagoya Meshi dish.
It's a hugely popular spot among locals,
often with a queue even late into the evening.
The menu features Japanese-style Chinese/Taiwanese dishes,
with Taiwan Ramen being the most famous.
It's quite spicy, even spicier than Shin Ramyun,
but it's not the unpleasant kind of spicy sometimes found in Japanese cuisine.
Instead, it has a delightful umami kick that kept me wanting more.
It was a ramen experience unlike any other,
and with many sweet and spicy dishes that Koreans (and others!) love,
it's definitely worth a visit if you're curious about Nagoya Meshi.
3. Menya Kiyo
Operating Hours: 11:00 AM - 3:00 PM, 5:00 PM - 11:00 PM
Closed: None
Location: 5-minute walk from Yabacho Station or 10-minute walk from Sakae Station
Note: Cash payments only
Our third fantastic restaurant, specializing in clam ramen,
is Menya Kiyo, a spot already popular among Koreans (and for good reason!).
They offer three types of ramen on their menu, and among them,
the 'Hachiku' and 'Madake' varieties are particularly well-known.
As the ramen is clam-broth based,
its broth is characteristically clear and not overly oily.
While the broth is undeniably clean and refreshing, it wasn't quite the 'cooling' clam broth you might typically expect.
Instead, I found it to be a remarkably savory and delicious broth.
I think it's a ramen that most people will enjoy,
without strong preferences.
If you're craving a clean, light ramen in Nagoya,
or if you're not a fan of heavy broths,
you'll likely be very satisfied when you visit.
4. Sushiro
Operating Hours: Mon-Fri 11:00 AM - 11:00 PM (Sat, Sun 10:30 AM~)
Closed: None
Location: 1st floor of Maruei Galleria
Our fourth must-try spot is Sushiro.
It's one of Japan's most famous conveyor belt sushi chains,
beloved by both locals and tourists, and it has a branch
right in Nagoya's Sakae district.
With a wide variety of options including sashimi sushi,
gunkan maki, fried sushi, and even full meal sets, desserts,
and drinks, it's one of those places that truly offers high
satisfaction all in one spot.
When I visited in April,
the salmon belly, fried sushi, and thick eel sushi
were all exceptionally high quality and absolutely delicious.
You'll definitely have fun trying their seasonal specials too!
Again, it's a place that appeals to everyone,
and since you can order exactly what you want,
I highly recommend it if you're craving sushi.
Just a heads-up, the wait can be surprisingly long during
peak meal times, so it's best to visit outside those hours if you can.
5. Katsudon Daiki Osu Branch
Operating Hours: 11:00 AM - 2:30 PM, 5:30 PM - 8:30 PM (No break on weekends)
Closed: Wednesdays
Location: 5-minute walk from Kamimaezu Station, located within Osu Shopping Street
Our fifth must-try spot is Katsudon Daiki Osu Branch.
This is where I went to try katsudon made with Miso Katsu,
one of Nagoya's signature dishes. It's not a place that's
widely known among tourists.
However, the quality of the Miso Katsu and rice was excellent.
The tonkatsu was incredibly thick yet tender, and it paired beautifully
with the miso sauce. The real highlight, though,
was the rice and the egg covering it.
The rice grains were perfectly fluffy, and the egg was so soft, and with
the savory miso sauce, it was simply delicious.
Since the katsudon was generous, looked great, and tasted excellent,
if you're ever craving Miso Katsu while exploring Osu Shopping Street,
it's definitely worth a visit.
6. Yabaton Airport Branch
Operating Hours: 10:00 AM - 9:20 PM
Closed: None
Location: Chubu Centrair International Airport Terminal 1, 4th floor
Our sixth and final must-try spot is Yabaton Airport Branch.
This is the first place that comes to mind when you think of Nagoya Miso Katsu,
and with a branch at the airport, it's perfect for a delicious final meal before you depart.
Since it's such a renowned restaurant, I also chose it
for my last meal at the airport.
I ordered one serving of their Teppan Tonkatsu and another menu item
that features two rows of tonkatsu.
The thickness of the tonkatsu and the quality of the frying...
I felt it wasn't much different from a regular restaurant.
Also, I didn't think the seasoning was that strong,
but depending on individual taste, it might feel quite salty.
Honestly, I think the taste is just average.
(Though it does feel a bit pricier.)
However, the staff were friendly,
and since it's one of Nagoya's most famous restaurants,
I think it's worth visiting at least once.
7. Ekikama Kishimen
Operating Hours: 07:00 ~ 22:00
Closed: None
Location: Inside Nagoya Station
The seventh and final must-try restaurant is Ekikama Kishimen,
located inside Nagoya Station.
It's a restaurant specializing in Kishimen,
which is also one of Nagoya's regional specialties.
Similar to Udon, you can choose between cold and hot options,
and try it with various toppings.
(You can think of it as Udon with different noodles.)
We ordered both a hot and a cold one
to try them out,
and the cold version definitely had a more satisfying bouncy texture,
making it far more delicious.
Personally, adding an onsen egg topping to the cold Kishimen
made it even more delicious.
Ekikama Kishimen isn't anything extraordinary;
it's a very decent restaurant.
However, since you can try Kishimen,
one of Nagoya's regional specialties, right in Nagoya Station,
it might be a good idea to grab a quick meal before catching your train.
Today, I shared my review of seven must-try eateries I visited during my trip to Nagoya.
There were some places that weren't famous but truly delicious,
and others that were famous but just average.
I've left reviews exactly as I felt about the places I visited,
so please use them as a reference.
Besides these, Nagoya has countless other fantastic eateries,
so I hope you refer to this and enjoy a delicious meal!
At Garakutabunko Sakae, you can enjoy a variety of Nagoya meshi, including miso oden, miso-sauce skewers, and tebasaki (chicken wings). The tebasaki, in particular, with its soy-based sauce and pepper topping, comes highly recommended. Business hours are from 4:30 PM to 11:00 PM, and the izakaya is closed on Mondays.
Yes, Misen Sumiyoshi branch only accepts cash payments. Their Taiwan Ramen is spicier than Shin Ramyun but has a rich umami flavor, making it very popular. It's so well-known among locals that there's often a wait even late in the evening.
At Menya Kiyo, the 'Hachiku' and 'Madake' ramen dishes are famous. The broth, based on clam stock, is characterized by being clear and low in oil, offering a clean yet deeply savory flavor.
As of April, salmon belly, fried sushi, and thick unagi (eel) sushi were mentioned as having high quality and delicious taste. There can be long waits during peak dining hours, so it's advisable to visit during off-peak times to avoid crowds.
The thickness of the tonkatsu and the quality of the frying at Yabaton Airport Branch are generally average. Depending on individual taste, some might find the seasoning a bit salty. While the taste is decent, it's one of Nagoya's most famous Miso Katsu restaurants, so it's worth visiting at least once.
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