10 Most Popular Food & Dining Areas in Nagoya

Opened in 2018 in front of Nagoya Castle, Kinshachi Yokocho is a major foodie street. It's divided into two areas, the Yoshinao Zone and the Muneharu Zone, where you can feast on a variety of Nagoya-meshi, a mix of old and new. The Yoshinao Zone, located near the main gate of Nagoya Castle, is lined with long-established and renowned restaurants. This is the place to go if you want to enjoy the traditional taste of Nagoya.

In contrast, the Muneharu Zone is brimming with up-and-coming restaurants that are breathing new life into Nagoya's foodie scene through creative cooking and cheap but tasty local food. There are plenty of takeaway options too, so feel free to stroll around and snack as you take in the castle town atmosphere. The nearest subway station is Shiyakusho-eki (City Hall).

Among the dozens of skyscrapers that line the streets in front of Nagoya Station is the 40-storey Nagoya Lucent Tower, which stands out from a distance with its unique sleek curves. The basement floors and second floor are packed with restaurants, but the Sky Lounge on the 40th floor is definitely the most well-known destination. With glass walls on every side, the night view from the lounge is breathtaking.

A variety of cocktails are served here, as well as meals. The basement and the second floors are also home to some of the best restaurants in Nagoya, so it’s a perfect place to compare and choose. The prices are very reasonable, especially during lunchtime.

Standing proudly in front of Nagoya Station, the Midland Square skyscraper is a 247-metre-high luxurious tower building. The lower floors, from the basement to the fourth floor, and the upper floors, the 41st and 42nd floors, each house selected cafés and restaurants. Cafés and chocolate shops on the basement floor sell exclusive sweets that you'll only find in Midland Square.

It's a pleasant place to meet up or just relax and enjoy some refinement. On the upper levels, there's a wide variety of high-end restaurants, including Kaiseki, Teppanyaki, Sukiyaki, French and Italian. If you feel a bit intimidated by the chic atmosphere at night, lunch is a good way to enjoy excellent food here in a more relaxed setting.

Sakae is Nagoya's leading shopping district, packed with shopping centres and department stores. Among the landmarks of Sakae is Oasis 21, with its impressive Spaceship-Aqua, a huge glass roof floating in the air. In the underground mall, you can grab a quick bite from cafés as well as sushi, ramen and Chinese restaurants. If you're looking for a solid meal, department stores like Nagoya Sakae Mitsukoshi and Matsuzakaya Nagoya have excellent restaurant areas.

Nagoya Parco offers a selection of casual restaurants and cafés with delicious sweets. Sakae is also known for its extensive underground shopping malls. Sakaechika, with its gorgeous fountains, Central Park, which runs underground along Hisaya-Odori Avenue, and the Mori-no-Chikagai Underground Mall, with its relaxed ambience, are all easily accessible from Sakae Subway Station, and are good for lunch.

The Kakuozan area, located around Kakuozan Nitaiji Temple in Chikusa Ward, Nagoya City, is a high-grade, tranquil residential area voted as the "Most Livable Town" by Nagoya residents. Why not enjoy a spot of luxury with a cup of tea in the historical architecture of a local gallery or mansion?

This area is also famous for its sweets shops. The approach to Nittaiji Temple is home to tart shops (get there early to avoid disappointment!), popular donut shops, Japanese confectioners that uses only the finest ingredients, and cafés where you can relax. It's really easy to get here, as it only takes about 10 minutes from Sakae or Nagoya Station to Kakuoji Station on the Higashiyama Subway Line.

Located only 30 minutes away from Nagoya by train, Inuyama is a popular day-trip tourist destination. The castle town of Inuyama, also known as the Little Kyoto of Owari (the western part of today's Aichi Prefecture), is home to Showa Yokocho, where you can enjoy casual bites such as Dengaku (Tofu coated with sweet miso paste), Kushikatsu (Deep-fried pork skewers), and Coppe Pan (Japanese-style bread roll) in a retro ambience.

The shops selling Dango (Sweet rice dumpling) in Showa Yokocho are also a huge hit on social media. Dango topped with colourful red bean paste and seasonal fruit attract long queues of people with their cute looks and delicious flavours. Just look for lines of people and you'll be sure to find those dumplings. The old-fashioned, photogenic streets of Showa Yokocho are perfect for photo souvenirs.

JR Central Towers, situated above Nagoya Station, consists of two skyscrapers: an office tower and a hotel tower, and the lower levels connect the two. It boasts one of the largest restaurant floors in Japan, with a wide range of Japanese, Western, Chinese and Asian restaurants, cafés, and of course Nagoya-meshi specialists. There's something for everyone here.

This landmark is always crowded with locals because it's home to long-running local Nagoya restaurants as well as popular chains from Tokyo. And since it's directly connected to Nagoya Station, you can take your time to pick the restaurant of your choice without worrying about the weather.

Sunshine Sakae is a huge Ferris wheel that dominates the scenery in Sakae, Nagoya's largest shopping district. Nishiki 3-chome, where this Ferris wheel is located, is one of Nagoya's major nightlife hubs. You can start your night out here with a beer, as there are many restaurants serving delicious Nagoya-meshi like Tebasaki and Misokatsu. Then head out to a nightclub and dance the night away.

Or if you prefer something more low-key, Nishiki also has bars for a relaxing drink, sports bars for extra adrenaline, and snack bars for a more homely atmosphere. The area really comes to life on the weekend. Nishiki is easily accessible from Sakae Subway Station.

Alongside the underground shopping mall underneath Sakae Station, you’ll find the Meieki Underground Shopping Mall in the basement of Nagoya Station. About 10 underground shopping malls are located throughout the city, including ESCA, MEICHIKA, SUN ROAD, Nagoya Kintetsu Building Underground Mall, and UNIMALL. The hottest spot at the moment is BIMI yokocho, an underground shopping mall in KITTE Nagoya that opened in 2016. There you’ll find a lineup of Nagoya’s trendiest eateries, including places serving popular South Indian curry, Yakitori Don (Grilled chicken rice bowl), and Italian food using local ingredients.

The ESCA on the Shinkansen side is also worth a visit. Restaurants here offer a full range of classic Nagoya-meshi: Tebasaki (Fried chicken wings), Miso-nikomi Udon (Udon stewed in miso), Kishimen (Flat udon noodles), Hitsumabushi and more, so you can always check out Nagoya’s greatest foodie experiences while waiting for your Bullet Train to depart.

Osu, having prospered as the gateway town to Osu Kannon Temple, features a broad shopping street spanning from Osu Subway Station to Kamimaezu Station. Osu Shopping Street is famous for its downtown flavours, with endless places to drop by and pick up a tasty snack.

Originally developed as one of Japan’s three major "electric towns", Osu is also a centre for subcultures and is renowned for its many restaurants serving international cuisine as well as Nagoya-meshi. Make sure you check out the wide range of delicious foods on offer - Taiwanese fried chicken, Korean street food, Turkish ice cream, offal dishes, Brazilian food and more, not to mention the maid cafés and cat cafés, as well as the more traditional establishments.