Hakodate, Hokkaido, is amongst the most popular tourist spots in Japan. Various local cuisine satisfy the hunger of locals and tourists alike, such as seafood, curry rice and ramen. Here are 12 restaurants that you definitely have to visit to savour the best local cuisines from Hakodate.
1. Indulge yourself at the Donburi Yokocho Market
Located just a minute walk away from the Japan Railway Hakodate station, Hakodate Asaichi (Hakodate Morning Market) is the best place to spend your mornings in. It is famous for the Donburi Yokocho market located at the entrance of the Hakodate Asaichi. There, you can enjoy numerous types of seafood in Donburi style (Donburi is a type of Japanese rice bowl dish with ingredients served on rice).
One of the best shops to visit is Ebisu Sushi Shokudo where over 50 varieties of seafood Donburi are available. The shop opened in 1992 and their great recipes have been delighting both locals and tourists for a long period of time. A recommended choice is the “Jusshunen Kinen Don” which was created to commemorate the 10th anniversary of Donburi Yokocho Market. The bowl is filled with two huge shrimps, king crabs, red caviar, herring roe, scallops and egg roll. You can add soy sauce and wasabi according to your preference and this unbelievably extravagant Donburi only costs 1,500 JPY (14 USD)! Other choices include salmon dishes such as the Shake Ikura Don, as well as seafood salad, and this is a fantastic shop to enjoy unique Hakodate seafood.
恵比寿屋食堂 Ebisu Sushi Shokudo
Address: 9-16 Wakamatsucho Hakodate
Access info: 1-minute walk from Hakodate Station
Opening hours: 6 am - 6 pm
Fixed holiday: No holiday
Contact: +81 138-23-1602
2. Cheap and delicious ramen from Hakodate: the ramen heaven
Different regions in Japan have unique local ramen and Hakodate is known for the salt-based ramen. Seiryuken is a store that specialises in Hakodate Ramen. It is located conveniently just 5 minutes from JR Hakodate station by foot.
A wide variety of ramen are available at Seiryuken but it is recommended for starters to choose the “Shio Ramen”. The clear salt flavoured soup is filled with chewy and soft home-made ramen. This seemingly simple recipe has an addictive taste and is topped with delicious char siu (roasted pork).
星龍軒 Seiryuken
Address: Hakodate Wakamatsucho 7-3
Access info: 5-minute walk from JR Hakodate Station
Opening hours: 12 pm - 5 pm
Fixed holiday: Sunday - Monday
Contact: +81 138-22-0022
3. Kamome - Luxurious seafood ramen
Kamome (meaning seagull) is a ramen store that opened in 1971 and is located right opposite the Hakodate Asaichi (Hakodate Morning Market) - one of the must-visit destinations during a Hakodate trip.
There are three types of soup available in Kamome, including salt, soy sauce and miso. The most popular menu there is the Kamome Ramen - an extravagant seafood ramen. The chicken and pork broth-based soup is miso flavoured. What makes it attractive is the high-quality seafood included such as crabs, sea urchin, squid, scallops and shrimps. This is arguably the most gorgeous seafood ramen you can enjoy in Hakodate!
かもめ Kamome
Address: Hakodate, Wakamatsucho, 8-8 , Hoterunyuote 1F
Access info: 3-minute walk from JR Hakodate station
Opening hours: 6 am - 3:30 pm (Winter season 6:30 am - 3 pm)
Fixed holiday: No fixed holiday
Contact: +81 138-22-1727
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4. Hakodate’s best local burger - Lucky Pierrot
Lucky Pierrot is a burger shop originated in Hakodate and was ranked number 1 by The Nikkei newspaper (Japan Economic Newspaper) as the “best local burger shop”.
Over 10 branches are located just within Hakodate city and their burger is loved by locals and tourists alike. The most popular menu there is the Chinese Chicken Burger. Salty-sweet sauce coats the juicy chicken and mayonnaise sandwiched between two thick slices of bread. There are also Hakodate-esque menu such as the Squid Burger and Scallop Burger and this is the ideal walk-and-eat food when exploring Hakodate. Furthermore, each Lucky Pierrot store has a different theme and you can enjoy a different experience.
ラッキーピエロ Lucky Pierrot
Address: 17-12 Wakamatsucho Hakodate
Access info: 3-minute walk from Hakodate station
Opening hours*: 10 am - 12:30 am (Monday-Friday & Sunday); 10 am - 1:30 am (Saturday)
Fixed holiday: No holiday
Contact: +81 138-26-8801
5. Fantastic food from…a convenience store!?
Hasegawa Store is a local convenience store with various branches around Hakodate. Apart from selling the usual items, Hasegawa Store is known for the Yakitori Bento - one of Hakodate’s famous dishes.
Roasted meat is coated with fantastic sauce with 4 selections such as salt-based sauce and the Hasegawa Store original sauce. For those who are familiar with Japanese cuisine, the Yakitori Bento in Hasegawa Store actually serves pork (tori refers to chicken) so you will have to order specifically if you want the chicken Yakitori Bento. Great local food can sometimes be enjoyed at the most unexpected places.
ハセガワストア Hasegawa Store
Address: Hakodate centrist 2-chome, No. 14 No. 16
Access info: 1.5 km (0.9 mile) away from Goryokaku
Opening hours: Always open
Fixed holiday: No holidays
Contact: +81 138-54-5731
6. The curry rice store with history
Restaurant Yukikawatei is the flagship store of Gotoken, a renowned restaurant from Hakodate. It was opened in 1879 and the recipe there has been satisfying customers for over 100 years.
There are various international cuisine such as pasta and sandwiches available in Gotoken Restaurant Yukikawatei. It is recommended that you order their Curry Rice whose unique taste has influences from England, France and India.
After enjoying a delicious meal at Gotoken Restaurant Yukikawatei, you can access the free museum where there are numerous historical artefacts such as cutleries made from bamboo.
五島軒レストラン雪河亭 Gotoken Restaurant Yukikawatei
Address: 4-5 Suehirocho, Hakodate
Access info: 5-minute walk from Jujigai Station
Opening hours: 11:30 am - 8:30 pm, 11:30 am - 8 pm (Nov - Mar)
Fixed holiday: Monday (※ 1 to February only)
Contact: +81 138-23-1106
7. Hakodate Uni Murakami: the Michelin approved sea urchin
The Hakodate Asaichi (Hakodate Morning Market) is one of the locations you will definitely visit, and located at the entrance is Hakodate Uni Murakami, an extremely famous store that was listed in the Michelin Guide: Hokkaido.
Uni refers to sea urchin in Japanese and at Hakodate Uni Murakami, you can savour the highest quality sea urchin taken from the local seas. There are various ways to enjoy the food there, such as sea urchin egg rolls and gratins, but the best menu there is the Nama Uni Donburi, an exclusive dish where raw sea urchin is served Donburi style.
函館うにむらかみ Hakodate Uni Murakami
Address: 22-1 Otemachi, Hakodate
Access info: 5-minute walk from JR Hakodate Station
Opening hours: 5 pm - 10 pm
Fixed holiday: every Wednesday
Contact: +81 138-26-8821
8. The soft cream from Yunokawa Onsen
Yunokawa Onsen is one of the most famous onsens in Hakodate and is located conveniently near Hakodate airport. Located in the vicinity of Yunokawa Onsen is Coffee Room Kikuchi, a coffee shop with various sweets such as parfaits.
Coffee Room Kikuchi is best known for their soft creams which come in different flavours such as mocha, milk, vanilla and mixed.
コーヒールームきくち Coffee Room Kikuchi
Address: 3-13-19 Yunokawacho Hakodate
Access info: 5-minute walk from Yukawa hot spring Station of Hakodate Municipal Line
Opening hours: 9 am - 10 pm
Fixed holiday: No holidays
Contact: +81 138-59-3495
9. 5 coloured seafood donburi from Kaisen Ajidokoro Suzuya Shokudo
Kaisen Ajidokoro Suzuya Shokudo is a restaurant located in Hakodate Asaichi (Hakodate Morning Market) and is one of the great places to enjoy seafood Donburi.
The restaurant was opened in 1993 and is most famous for the Kaisen Goshiki Don, which literally means five-coloured seafood Donburi. You will be able to select your 5 favourite seafood from selections including shrimp, crab, salmon, scallops and more. Create your original recipe and indulge in fantastic seafood Donburi!
海鮮味処すずや食堂 Kaisen Ajidokoro Suzuya Shokudo
Address: 10-4 Wakamatsucho, Hakodate
Access info: 3-minute walk from JR Hakodate Station
Opening hours: 6 am - 2 pm
Fixed holiday: No holidays
Contact: +81 138-26-9695
10. The one-coin luxury at Asaichi Shokudo Nibankan
Asaichi Shokudo Nibankan is another store where you can enjoy fantastic seafood in Hakodate. It is also located at Hakodate Asaichi (Hakodate Morning Market).
What makes Asaichi Shokudo Nibankan attractive is the luxury accompanied by the cheap cost; you can enjoy the seafood Donburi at this restaurant at a cost of one coin - 500 JPY (4.8 USD)! Different choices such as salmon, scallops and even red caviar are available, making this one of the best budget seafood restaurants around.
朝市食堂二番館 Asaichi Shokudo Nibankan
Address: Hakodate, Wakamatsu-cho 9-19
Access info: 200 meters (656 feet) from JR Hakodate Station
Opening hours: 6:30 am - 2 pm
Fixed holiday: No holidays
Contact: +81 138-22-5330
11. Unique ramen from Sakurai Ramenten Sakuraiya
Hakodate is most famous for the Shio Ramen (salt-based ramen) but Sakurai Ramenten Sakuraiya is a ramen store that offers you a different choice.
Sakurai Ramenten Sakuraiya is most famous for their Hiden Kuro Shoyu, a ramen served in black soup made from home-made soy sauce. Despite the appearance, it has a mild and fragrant soy-sauce taste and is a great choice for those who have already tried various Hakodate Ramen before.
櫻井ラーメン店櫻井家 Sakurai Ramenten Sakuraiya
Address: 5-14 Suehirocho Hakodate
Access info: 68 meters (223 feet) from Jujigai Station of Hakodate Municipal Line
Opening hours: 11:30 am - 2:30 pm / 5 pm - 8 pm
Fixed holiday: No fixed holiday
Contact: +81 138-22-8988
12. Pork cutlet curry from Ganso Koike
Hakodate is famous for seafood, but having them for breakfast, lunch and dinner might get a little boring. For those who want to try something different, Ganso Koike is the perfect restaurant for you.
Ganso Koike is a curry shop that is most famous for their Katsu Curry (pork cutlet curry). Deep fried pork cutlet is soft and crispy and creates a fantastic harmony with the spicy curry. The restaurant is best visited during lunch hours as it closes at 3:30 pm.
元祖小いけ Ganso Koike
Address: 22-4 Horaicho, Hakodate
Access info: 1-minute walk from JR Hakodate Station
Opening hours: 11 am - 3:30 pm
Fixed holiday: Jan 1 -3
Contact: +81 138-23-2034
Travel around and enjoy the food
Unlike other regions in Japan where you might have to travel specifically to enjoy a certain meal, the shops in Hakodate are generally located near popular tourist destinations. Convenient, accessible and delicious; make sure you include these stores in your travel plan!