Nagoya has a cuisine that other Japanese cities talk about. Known as Nagoya meshi, it is bold, savory and a little sweet, built around dark red miso, rich sauces and generous portions. Visitors who come only for the castle often leave talking about the food. This guide explains the dishes worth trying, how to order them and how to fit them into a trip, whether you eat alone, with a group or on a guided tasting.
Miso katsu
The signature dish is a deep-fried pork cutlet covered in a thick, dark sauce made from the local hatcho miso, which is aged for years and has a deep, slightly bitter flavor. It usually comes with shredded cabbage, rice and miso soup. You will find it in dedicated restaurants and department store food halls, and the best lunch sets offer excellent value. If you like a sweeter sauce, ask for it on the side and dip. Try the version with a prawn or a bowl of rice topped with a cutlet, called katsudon, in the local style.
Hitsumabushi
Nagoya's grilled eel is famous, and the way it is served is a ritual. A bowl of rice topped with chopped, charcoal-grilled eel arrives in a wooden tub, and you divide it into four portions. Eat the first as it comes, the second with condiments such as spring onion, nori and wasabi, the third as a soup by pouring over dashi or tea, and the fourth in whichever way you liked best. The eel is crisp outside and soft within. Popular restaurants have queues at lunch, so go early or ask your hotel to reserve, and note that some famous branches are near Atsuta Shrine, which makes a pleasant outing.
Tebasaki, kishimen and other favorites
Tebasaki are crisp fried chicken wings with a peppery or sweet sauce and sesame, best eaten in a bar with a cold beer. Kishimen are flat, silky wheat noodles served in a light broth, often topped with fried tofu or fish cake. Miso nikomi udon is a thick noodle served bubbling in a clay pot of dark miso broth, which suits colder days. Ankake spaghetti, a spicy sauced pasta, is a local curiosity. For breakfast, the city is famous for its cafe morning service, in which a coffee comes with a thick slice of toast, a boiled egg and sometimes more, at a modest price. Try the red bean toast, called ogura toast, for a sweet local combination.
Where to eat
Station towers have food floors with many specialties under one roof, which is the easiest way to sample several dishes without searching. Sakae has the most restaurants and bars, from tebasaki izakaya to katsu specialists, and Osu is the place to graze on street food, snacks and sweets between shops. Fushimi has quieter, more local places. For a classic hotel dinner, a French restaurant with a good wine list can be a treat. Many small places do not take English reservations, so use your hotel for popular spots and keep a flexible plan.
Drinking
Nagoya has a good sake tradition, with breweries in Aichi and nearby Gifu, and local beer is easy to find in bars and beer gardens in warm months. A night of sake tasting and izakaya hopping is a fun way to meet the local scene, and a guided tour can take you to places that are hard to find on your own. Remember that last trains run around midnight, so plan your return.
Sweets and snacks
Nagoya has a sweet tooth. Ogura toast, with sweet red bean paste and butter, shows up at cafes and bakeries, and the city is known for sweet shaved ice and small cakes eaten after a meal. Rice crackers, sweet bean pastries and cream-filled treats are easy to find in Osu and in the station food halls, and they travel well if you want gifts. Many visitors also like a stop at a traditional sweet shop for green tea and a seasonal wagashi, which is a quiet way to rest between sights.
Make it easy
If you have only a day, a guided food tour in Osu or Sakae is the fastest way to taste the highlights and learn what to order for the rest of the trip. Ask about allergies in advance, because Japanese cooking uses fish and soy in many places, and carry small cash for stalls. Pace yourself, because portions are generous, and share dishes when you can. With a plan like this you can eat well for several days without repeating yourself.
