5 Best Restaurants in Kamakura

Hachinoki Kitakamakura is the place to go for a taste of local Buddhist cuisine, which has been a part of the Kamakura culinary repertoire for centuries. It sits up on the hillside behind the coast, just shy of 10 minutes' driving from the city’s seaside parks.

Guests are greeted by a dining spot that oozes historic charm. Timber-carved pillars and Zen rock gardens decorate the patio. Indoors, it's all simple bamboo-thread mats and calligraphy art on the walls. True to the Buddhist philosophy, everything served here is 100% meat-free – think tofu in soup broth, zingy bean paste with chilli, and plenty more.

Onzoshi Kiyoyasutei is a fine-dining establishment that specialises in some of the world's most sought-after Japanese meat and fish cuts. It's actually a part of the exquisite Kamakura Prince Hotel, which means it has a location right on the side of glistening Shichirigahama Beach with views of the Philippine Sea.

Expect meticulously cooked wagyu steaks and some of the highest-quality seafood and fish on offer. The focus is all on the flavour of the ingredients themselves, which is why additions to dishes are cut down to a few pickled vegetables or just a sprinkle of salt and pepper.  

Ichirin Hanare is your chance to taste true omakase (selected by the chef) cuisine. It’s something like Japan's answer to the haute cuisine of Paris, where all dishes are the preserve of the head chef. The establishment is set between the temples and shrines of upper Kamakura, about a 15-minute walk from the main train station.

Because all menu items are curated by the kitchen depending on the availability of ingredients at any given time, expect things to change quite a bit. Typical dishes include prime wagyu sliced and sizzled, spicy tofu soups, and rice concoctions topped by truffle. It's all very edgy, and there's a selection of unusual Chinese wines to match.

Pleins d'Herbes is the leading French restaurant in the town of Kamakura. It's housed in a seemingly residential building in the quiet streets just to the west of the main temple district, some 30 minutes by foot through lovely Genjiyama Park from the main train station.

Here, patrons get a real taste of Europe. True to the nature of haute cuisine, the menu changes frequently and with the seasons. Common features include foie gras pâté, braised beef cheeks, seafood salads, and mushroom sauces. French wines bring up the drinking side of things in a medley of Bordeaux and Sancerre.

Sometaro is a classic okonomiyaki (savoury pancake) eatery in Kamakura. Wedged into the happening streets that line up around the main train station of the Hase district, it's only a couple of blocks back from Kamakura Yuigahama Beach and the coast.

Head inside and choose your protein from chicken, pork, shrimp, and Asari clams. The chefs will mix that up with a batter of chopped cabbage and eggs, water, and breadcrumbs, before whacking the whole thing on a sizzling hot plate. You can grab cold Japanese beers or non-alcoholic beers to enjoy with your okonomiyaki.