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Kanazawa is a big city with lots of foodie options, so where might you want to dine during your trip? Here’s where I went, and a few other options from my list that I didn’t quite have time to make it to – but you might.
I always start these foodie pieces by saying that I don’t seek out the hot new restaurants or Michelin-starred places on my trips. I generally look for places close to my hotel, that are a great price, with good food and that are friendly for tourists – so, that’s what you’ll find in my personal recommendations.
However, don’t fret if you are more of a foodie, as I’ve also included places I would visit if I had more time, more money, or a greater propensity for queuing or travelling across a city to try the best dishes.
Aburaya
To find this tiny restaurant, you climb down some stairs leading to what looks like a slightly run-down shopping mall, meaning you might not be expecting much, but the one dish they specialise in they do so well, it ended up on my list of the eight most memorable meals I’ve eaten in Japan (so far).
I’m also not alone in my praise, as it has a 4.9-star rating on Google with almost 800 reviews!
Aburaya is named after the one dish on its menu – aburayasoba – a brothless noodle dish. You’ll find all the usual items that top a bowl of ramen, like seaweed, bamboo shoots and slices of chashu pork (they can serve it without the pork), but, instead of being surrounded by broth, they are placed on top of the noodles. At the bottom of the bowl is a spicy oil, into which you mix all the toppings before you eat.
It was absolutely delicious – and the spice was very welcome for this lover of more fiery dishes, after many days of enjoying delicately flavoured Japanese cuisine.
Aburaya is located near the Hotel Forza in Kanazawa. It’s open between 11:30 am and 2:30 pm, and 5:30 pm and 9:00 pm. The days of opening vary by month. Check their Instagram for the month’s calendar. The dates marked in red are the closed days.
A bowl of noodles topped with everything costs 900 yen, at the time of writing, and you order from the machine on the wall. Don’t worry, the staff will help you if you get stuck. Word is getting around, and there are only ten seats, so you might need to queue here now – I think I was very lucky when I went in May 2024, word hadn’t got out yet.
Related Read: I stayed at Hotel Forza on my trip, but, if you’re still deciding on a hotel see our guide on Where to Stay in Kanazawa.
Mori Mori Sushi Omicho
Omicho Market in Kanazawa is famous for its fresh fish. It was the first place I visited from my Kanazawa Top 10 when I arrived in the city – my original plan was to try gold-leaf-covered sushi at one of the stalls inside the market. But, while wandering the backstreets, I got distracted by the excellent value Chef’s Choice Platter at Mori Mori instead.
All of the fish below cost just 2080 yen – they also offer individual dishes via the sushi train inside.
The name of Mori Mori is written in Japanese on Google Maps, but you’ll find it on the corner of Shimo Oomichu Street. It’s marked as this もりもり寿し 近江町市場ふれあい館店, but if that’s a bit baffling, Kadocho udon restaurant is a good marker to type in.
The restaurant is open 10:00 am to 5:30 pm six days a week. It’s closed on Tuesday. They also have a second branch in Kanazawa Station.
To be fair, if you’re looking for fresh sushi, you’re unlikely to go wrong with any of the restaurants in Omicho market.
If you prefer something a bit quicker or cheaper, you can also buy take-out sushi rolls inside the market – I had these for lunch another day. There are also tables where you can stand inside and eat if you don’t want to take the food back to your hotel.
Musubi
Another place in Omicho to grab a quick lunch – they sell onigiri, but also croquettes, one of my favourite things – and the Noto Beef ones come in a heart shape.
It was super fresh and crispy – plus, it’s very cute. They also do a curry croquette and a Noto Oysters one that I really wish I’d tried.
The croquette cost just a few hundred yen (guess who didn’t make a note of the price!). The stall is open from 11:00 am to 7:00 pm. Google says it’s only open on weekends, but its website appears to indicate that they are open during the week as well. They also have a store in Kanazawa Station.
Ramen Taiga
I planned to eat at this restaurant close to Kanazawa Station after visiting the cute Yasue Hachimangu shrine on the Sunday evening of my trip.
I arrived just as it opened, only to find a long queue already, and it was raining – so that was the end of that plan! Had I realised that it’s listed in the Top 5 local Favourite Restaurants by Kanazawa Tourism, I’d have got there a bit earlier (find the full list of those local favourites here)!
Ramen Taiga sell miso ramen – but I was particularly interested in their black squid ink ramen, which looks like something Ursula from The Little Mermaid would have for dinner. They also sell ramen topped with Noto Pork, and side dishes of rice topped with pork. Bowls cost from 1280 yen.
Ramen Taiga is open six days a week, closed on Monday. Lunch is served between 11:00 am and 2:30 pm, and dinner is available between 5:30 pm and 9:00 pm.
If you also find a large queue, the similarly well-rated Ramen Tatsu is across the road – it opens a little later, which is why I didn’t just go there instead during my visit. Ramen Mikoshi was also on my list – it’s near Aburaya.
Kayuan
Let’s move away from restaurants near the Hotel Forza for a bit! Family-run Kayuan is famous for its seets but it’s also one of the places in Nagamachi where you can try the traditional samurai dish Kaga Jibuni.
This is a hot pot-style dish of duck (or chicken) with vegetables served in a slightly sweet broth thickened with flour. If it’s too early for lunch when you reach Kayuan, another place to try the dish is Gyohan in the far east of the area.
Image ©Kanazawa City
Kayuan is open 10 am to 5 pm, five days a week. It’s closed on Tuesday and Wednesday, and on the odd day here and there. Check their Instagram for the exact opening days for the month you visit.
Owl’s Hoot
This izakaya was recommended by members of my Facebook group who said that they are extremely friendly and serve good, inexpensive food. It’s also located by Hotel Forza (seriously, this place is surrounded by good restaurants).
The specialty of Owl’s Hoot is their Keema Curry, which comes with rice for 1000 yen, or without it for 850 yen. They also serve less spicy dishes, such as Fried Chicken, Sausages, and Potato Salad, to accompany your drinks if you’re not a curry fan.
The bar also has a large selection of Japanese whiskeys if that’s on your list to try. They are open six days a week (closed on Sunday) between noon and 11:00 pm.
If you are a curry fan, Kanazawa Curry Lab was also on my ‘to-visit list’. Here you get to customise your own bowl of Kanazawa curry with a choice of three sauces, up to 10 different levels of spice and 20 different toppings.
Grill Otsuka
This is one of the restaurants recommended for those wanting to try the Kanazawa specialty, Hanton Rice – it claims to be the one that invented it as a dish they would serve to staff after service.
It’s a dish of omelette served around rice (like omurice), but it’s also topped with fried fish and a mix of tomato sauce and tartar sauce.
Image @Kanazawa City
There are several stories about how the dish originated, but according to Kanazawa tourism, the dish was developed after a chef went to Hungary. He tried a dish of fried carp seasoned with paprika served over egg and pasta. When he returned, he adjusted the recipe to suit Japanese tastes and available ingredients, creating an omelette over rice topped with fried prawns and served with ketchup and tartar sauce.
You can now also find Hanton rice in Kanazawa, topped with white fish – or, if you’re not a fish fan, try it with other toppings like chicken.
Grill Otsuka is located in Kaguramachi, a neighbourhood near the Samurai District of Nagamachi. It is open from 11:00 am to 2:45 pm, then 5:00 pm to 7.50 pm, six days a week. It’s closed on Wednesday. Expect to pay around 1250 yen for a small portion of Hanton Rice, but a small portion is likely to be enough. It’s pretty filling.
Zeniya
If you’re looking for something a little bit more gourmet than the suggestions above, you might want to start here. This reservation-only kaiseki restaurant, which holds two Michelin stars, is headed by second-generation chef Shinichiro Takagi.
The unique thing about this restaurant is that there is no set menu; Takagi san tailors the meals to the guests on the day. His cuisine is based on Ishoku Dogen, an ancient approach to health in Japan, which holds that diet and well-being are intrinsically linked. He chooses his dishes according to what he thinks will most benefit the guest’s well-being on the day, sometimes even after meeting them.
Course meals start at 27,000 yen per person. As there is no menu, you choose the price of your meal when you book. Reservations are essential. No walk-ins are accepted.
One thing I did notice when checking availability is that it appears you cannot make a reservation for one – you can only be added to the waitlist. Children must be 13 or over to dine here. Some of the dining areas require sitting on the floor. If you can’t manage this, please let them know when you reserve your seat.
Zeniya is located by the Sai River in the Katamachi area. It is open for dinner from 5:30 pm with seatings at 5:30 pm, 6:00 pm or 6.30 pm. They are closed on Sunday.
So there’s my list of places to eat in Kanazawa. I’ll add to it next time I visit, as I’m likely to return at some point – not least as I still need to try that squid ink ramen.
Who Writes This Blog?
My name is Helen Foster, and I’m a journalist and author. My travel articles have appeared in publications including The Australian, Escape, RAC Horizons, Jetstar Magazine, Sainsbury’s Magazine, and more.
I’ve traveled to Japan eight times before – solo and with my partner and visited over 25 towns and cities. My last visit was November 2024 so, everything here is pretty up to date.