8 Best Local Restaurants in Nagasaki

Izumiya is Nagasaki’s most famous unagi restaurant, where talented shokunin chefs grill fresh eels over charcoal under tender. Located in Shininchi Chinatown, Izumiya has been grilling this Japanese seafood delicacy for over 160 years. Unagi eels are available year-round, but they’re especially popular throughout summer.

The nearest tram stop to Izumiya is the Shiambashi Station, served by tram numbers 1 and 4. There’s usually no wait for a table, but expect a crowded atmosphere on Friday and Saturday at lunch and dinner. If you fancy shopping before dining, the Hama Cross 411 shopping mall and Hamaya department store are just a short walk away.

Menya Always is a quaint and cosy ramen restaurant that’s particularly busy with the locals during lunch. This traditional diner serves tasty ramen noodles in delicious meat-based broths, with flavourful toppings such as coriander, ajitama eggs and pork cashu. If you only have time for one visit, we recommend the restaurant’s signature dish – the sublime lemon tonkotsu ramen.

Menya Always has a reputation for serving large portions, and you can expect a great value meal with a side such as gyoza dumplings. Queues are common at lunch time, making it best to visit between 4 pm and 6 pm if you want to avoid the crowds.

The Abu Plaza Nagasaki is a large and modern retail complex with 5 floors and a dedicated restaurant arcade where you’ll find a range of Japanese cuisines as well as Indian, Chinese and western fare. Thanks to its delicious champon noodles, Kojoko is one of the plaza’s most popular restaurants. You’ll also find a bakery corner and spots for an afternoon tea.

The Amu Plaza Nagasaki can be crowded at any time, and it can be difficult to find seating in the restaurant arcade around lunch and dinner time, though there are plenty of takeaway options available. The building is conveniently located directly behind Nagasaki Station.

With just a couple of tables and a few chairs by the bar, Unryutei may be on the smaller side of Nagasaki’s restaurants, but its gyoza dumplings are debatably the best in the city. In fact, this charming diner’s menu solely features these garlic- and pork-loaded treats, which are especially popular with on-the-go locals.

Unryutei is located opposite the Shiambashi tram stop and stays open every day except Sunday until midnight. If you want to work up an appetite before your visit, we recommend strolling along Temple Street in the nearby Teramachi district, where you’ll see a hillside row of 17^th-century Zen temple complexes.

Shooken Honten is a quaint and traditional pastry shop that sells a range of sweet treats, cakes, chocolates, and beverages such as green tea. When you walk through the unassuming storefront, you’ll be greeted with tea and cake samples before your order is taken. We highly recommended trying the castella cake, one of the café's signature menu items.

Shooken Honten is conveniently located just a stone’s throw from the Civic Hall tram stop, served by tram numbers 2, 3, 4 and 5. You’ll find nearby public parks that make for a relaxing stroll on the banks of the Nakashima River.

At Sumibi Yakitori Torimasa Ebisucho, you can watch talented chefs prepare delicious yakitori and tempura dishes right in front of you. At this casual diner, skewered meats include beef, chicken, pork and duck. You can also order seafood delicacies and a range of vegetarian treats.

Sumibi Yakitori Torimasa Ebisucho is located opposite the canal just 500 metres from Nagasaki Station. If travelling to the restaurant from within Nagasaki, you can ride the Nagasaki Electric Tramway Line 3 to Sakuramachi Station. You can expect crowds between 6 pm and 9 pm, but the restaurant’s doors stay open until midnight.

Located in the Nagasaki Dejima Wharf shopping mall, Kaisen Ichiba serves a wide variety of seafood dishes and Japanese staples, which you can enjoy while taking in views of the port from the airy dining room or deck. Popular menu items include shrimps, raw tuna and octopus, and the ikura (cured salmon) bowl is well worth a try.

Kaisen Ichiba is a popular local hotspot at lunch, though long queues are rare between 2 pm and 5 pm. It takes about 15 minutes to walk to this restaurant from Nagasaki Station, which is about 1 km away.

Established in 1925, Tsuruchan is considered to be the home of the least understood and highly enduring Nagasaki staple, toruko – or Turkish rice. This dish combines pork tonkatsu with rice, spaghetti and curry sauce. While it’s popular throughout Nagasaki, toruko has yet to catch on in most parts of Japan, making Tsuruchan a must-visit destination foodies that enjoy rare finds.

Drop by Tsuruchan around noon to see this restaurant busy with hungry locals. If you’d rather avoid the crowds, you might prefer to visit at around 3 pm. The Shiambashi tram stop is just over 100 metres away.