Restaurants in Nagoya

Nanpu specialises in Okinawan cuisine as well as teppanyaki (iron grill) and kushiyaki (grilled skewer) dishes. One of Nanpu’s more unusual fusion dishes is their “goya pizza” – a grilled pizza with goya, the Okinawan bitter gourd vegetable, as the main ingredient. You can sit at the counter and watch the chef in action, or share a table with friendly locals. Okinawan beer and cocktails are also on the menu.

If you want to eat out in Nagoya ‘bling-bling’ style, then Vabel is the place. It’s a dining bar and nightclub with a stylishly lit and opulently decorated interior. The dining bar serves Italian cuisine – pasta, pizza and risotto - using fresh local seafood and vegetables, and there’s an extensive cocktail and wine list. This is a popular party venue so make sure to call ahead for a reservation.

This restaurant has been in business since 1873 serving another famous Nagoya dish, hitsumabushi - charcoal-grilled eel served on rice in a lacquer box. Horaiken is located in a lovely old traditional mansion with a garden near Atsuta Shrine. You can sit in private tatami rooms to enjoy your meal.

Aikyou is near the central fish market and serves the freshest seasonal ingredients. This top-end restaurant in Nagoya is well known for its wild turtle cuisine, which is served as sashimi and nabe (hotpot). However, most diners opt for the Aigo Nabe – a delicious bouillabaisse of local meat and seafood including Matsuba crab, Ise shrimp, blowfish, Hida beef and cochin (Nagoya) chicken.