7 Cafes and Restaurants You Must Try In Nara, Japan
Nara is well known for their free roaming wild deers that will literally bow their heads to you. But there are many food gems within the small town that you can look forward to during your visit. Here is a compilation of the 7 cafes and restaurants to pop by in between sightseeing.
Table of Contents:
1. Izasa-Nakatani-hompo Yumekaze-hiroba
Highly recommended by the locals for Nara's speciality sushi, kakinoha sushi. The sushi is wrapped in persimmon leaves to preserve the fresh sashimi and protection against bacterial growth. With eight outlets located in Nara, the outlet near Todaiji Temple is a good spot for a lunch break. Consisting of two levels - the first floor is a merchandise store for takeaways or souvenir shopping, while the second level is a restaurant for customers to dine-in and enjoy the variety of sushi with a view of the Great Buddha Hall of Todaiji Temple. You would also be able to have Nara's famous Miwa somen noodles which are only available for dine-ins.
Read here for the full review.
Address:
16 Kasuganocho
630-8212, Nara, Japan
2. Nakatanidou
You can't miss out on the famous traditional Japanese mochi rice cake when visiting Nara. Once every few hours, the masters will perform live demonstrations of the makings of the mochi using traditional hand-pounding. However, there is no fix schedule on the demonstrations so you would have to count on your lucky stars to watch the action. Made fresh throughout the day, you can expect the mochi dough to be soft and have a very chewy texture. A must try in Nara!
Read here for the full review.
Address:
29 Hashimotocho
630-8217, Nara, Japan
3. Rokumei Coffee
Located 5 mins away from the train station, Rokumei Coffee is a popular coffee shop for a quality caffeine boost before exploring the city. Opened in 2015 by owner-barista, Koji Ida, who is one of the certified judges for the Japan Barista Championship since 2014 and the winner of Japan Coffee Roasting Championship in 2018. Rokumei Coffee Co offers brunch sets from 11am to 2pm, which is inclusive of a choice of pastry and a coffee.
Address:
31 Nishimikadocho
630-8225, Nara, Japan
4. Kamakura Nara Sanjo-dori
A few shops down from Nakatanidou, this store specialises in warabimochi. With 47 stores established in Japan, warabimochi-lovers can't pass up the chance to have a go at this. Known for having a soft, smooth, and an almost-melt-in-your-mouth texture, the handmade warabimochi are served in huge pieces and the mouthfeel is unlike any other. They also offer seasonal drinks with warabimochi topping, such as the sweet potato milk with cream.
Read here for the full review.
Address:
25 Hashimotocho
630-8217, Nara, Japan
5. Menya Noroma
Opened in December 2012, Menya Noroma is an old-fashioned ramen shop, known for their rich and flavourful chicken broth. Carefully prepared using only fresh chicken from Japan, the broth is slowly simmered over 8 hours to extract the full flavours and collagen from the produce. The char siu is also said to be very tender and juicy, given that it is slowly stewed over a low fire before being soaked in Noroma's secret sauce overnight.
Address:
3 Chome-1531 Minamikyobatecho
630-8141, Nara, Japan
6. Mentouan
Famed for serving chewy udon noodles in a giant sweet beancurd puff bag. Whilst they do not have an English menu available, there are pictures on the menu to help with ordering. Popular sets include the original dashi broth or the curry udon - both of which are simple and comforting.
Address:
30-1 Hashimotocho
630-8217, Nara, Japan
7. Maguro Koya
It is not a complete Japan trip without some sushi and fresh sashimi. Run by an elderly couple duo, this hole-in-the-wall restaurant serves fresh sashimi at an affordable price. From lean cuts to fatty cuts, you can be sure to fill up on your chutoro or otoro cravings here. Apart from sashimi dons and sets, they are also popular for their side dishes, such as the kaarage teisyoku (deep fried battered tuna).
Address:
6 Hanashibacho
630-8266, Nara, Japan
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