Top 10 Recommended Restaurants in Aizu! Introducing Ramen, Regional Dishes, and Sake

The Aizu region is a treasure trove of food, nurtured by rich nature.
In this article, we will introduce 10 restaurants that offer local cuisine, including ramen, regional dishes, and sake.
Please come and enjoy the delicious food you can only eat here.

Aizu Ramen

Aizu ramen is characterized by flat, curly noodles.
The light broth and the chewy, curly noodles are a perfect match.

Bannai Shokudo is among the top three renowned Kitakata ramen shops

It is a famous restaurant known for Kitakata ramen, which is renowned nationwide. It features a light yet flavorful, refreshing broth and a melt-in-your-mouth, specially-made chashu (braised pork belly).

• Store Name: Bannai Shokudo
• Address: 7230 Hosoda, Kitakata-shi, Fukushima
• Access: About a 15-minute walk or a 5-minute drive from Kitakata Station
• Payment: Cash only
• Official Site: https://ban-nai.com/

Uende has served the beloved Chuka Soba (Chinese-style noodles) since 1972

The ramen is exquisite, featuring a flavorful broth made with carefully selected ingredients, including the rare Aizu yamajio (mountain salt), a specialty product of Aizu, and chewy noodles with a fragrant wheat aroma.

• Store Name: Uende Main Store
• Address: 11-3 Kamimiyori Omameta, Otomachi, Aizuwakamatsu-shi, Fukushima
• Access: 3-minute walk from Ashinomaki Onsen Station and about a 40-minute drive from the Aizuwakamatsu Interchange on the Ban-etsu Expressway
• In addition to the main store, there are also locations in Aizuwakamatsu City and Kitakata City.
• Payment: Cash only
• Official Site: https://uende.jp/

Kitakata Ramen Specialty Shop Kirin

Kitakata ramen renowned for its fragrant niboshi (dried sardine) broth. You can enjoy two types of Chuka Soba: one with an amber-colored broth and ajitama (seasoned egg) flavored with white soy sauce, and another full-bodied one with rich umami and black soy sauce flavored ajitama.

• Store Name: Kitakata Ramen Specialty Shop Kirin, Shiromae Store
• Address: 1-84 Higashi Sakaemachi, Aizuwakamatsu-shi, Fukushima
• Access: 5-minute walk from Tsurugajo Kitaguchi bus stop (Aizu Bus) and an 8-minute drive from Aizu-Wakamatsu Station
• Payment: Cash and credit cards accepted
• Official Site: https://kawakyo.co.jp/shop-kirin/

Aizu’s local cuisine

Local specialties representing Aizu include kozuyu (regional clear soup), horse meat dishes, wappa-meshi (dish served in a traditional magewappa bentwood container), and soba noodles.

Kappo Aizu Cuisine Takino, where you can enjoy the original wappa-meshi

A long-established restaurant, relocated from a 250-year-old jinya (post station), where you can enjoy Aizu’s traditional cuisine in a nostalgic setting. You can enjoy Aizu’s flavors, including wappa-meshi (dish served in a traditional magewappa bentwood container), kozuyu (regional clear soup), tempura manju (deep-fried sweet bun), and local sake.

• Store Name: Kappo Aizu Cuisine Takino
• Address: 5-31 Sakaemachi, Aizuwakamatsu-shi, Fukushima
• Access: 4-minute walk from Shinmei Dori bus stop (Aizu Bus) and a 5-minute drive from Aizu-Wakamatsu Station
• Payment: Cash and credit cards accepted
• Official Site: http://www.takino.jp/

Local cuisine and Aizu beef Shibukawa Donya

A restaurant with a serene atmosphere that utilizes a historic building in Aizuwakamatsu City. Operated by a former seafood wholesaler, you can enjoy Aizu’s unique local cuisine and Aizu beef.

• Store Name: Shibukawa Donya
• Address: 3-28 Nanukamachi, Aizuwakamatsu-shi, Fukushima
• Access: 3-minute walk from Nanukamachi Station and an 8-minute drive from Aizu-Wakamatsu Station
• Payment: Cash and credit cards accepted
• Official Site: https://shibukawadonya.com/

Kiriya Gongentei, a long-established soba restaurant with over 50 years of history

The set featuring handmade soba, made from Aizu-grown buckwheat and milled in-house, along with tempura of seasonal vegetables, is exquisite. They are committed to using the finest ingredients, including organic vegetables, and prepare everything with care.

• Store Name: Kiriya Gongentei
• Address: 2-34 Uwamachi, Aizuwakamatsu-shi, Fukushima
• Access: 8-minute walk from Yubinkyoku-mae bus stop (Aizu Bus) and a 5-minute drive from Aizu-Wakamatsu Station
• Payment: Cash and credit cards accepted
• Official Site: https://kiriyasoba.co.jp/

Izakaya (Japanese bars) in Aizu with sake

Aizuwakamatsu City is home to about one-third of the approximately 60 sake breweries in Fukushima, a renowned rice-producing region.
Try comparing different types of sake to find your favorite.

Kagota, an izakaya where you can savor the flavors of Aizu

A place where you can enjoy Aizu’s traditional cuisine and original creative dishes. The chef, who honed his skills in Kyoto, takes pride in serving traditional dishes and a wide selection of sake.

• Store Name: Aizu Izakaya / Castle Town Cuisine Kagota
• Address: 8-49 Sakaemachi, Aizuwakamatsu-shi, Fukushima
• Access: 6-minute walk from Shinmei Dori bus stop (Aizu Bus) and a 7-minute drive from Aizu-Wakamatsu Station
• Payment: Cash and credit cards accepted
• Official Site: https://www.kagota.co.jp/

Gonbe, a nostalgic izakaya

An izakaya that evokes nostalgia, resembling an old folk house, with a lineup of renowned Aizu sake. Izakaya menu items such as horse meat sashimi and grilled skewers are available. Nearby is the long-established Tsurunoe Shuzo of Aizuwakamatsu City, where you can also taste their renowned sake.

• Store Name: Gonbe
• Address: 1-5-2 Omachi, Aizuwakamatsu-shi, Fukushima
• Access: 11-minute walk from Aizu-Wakamatsu Station and a 4-minute drive
• Payment: Cash and credit cards accepted

Sakaba Jiyuujin, where you can enjoy sake and carefully aged meat

With a main course of aged meat, the menu is regularly changed to highlight seasonal ingredients from Aizu, making it a place you’ll want to visit repeatedly. They also offer a selection of local sake from Aizu.

• Store Name: Sakaba Jiyuujin
• Address: 4-46 Sakaemachi, Aizuwakamatsu-shi, Fukushima
• Access: 6-minute walk from Shinmei Dori bus stop (Aizu Bus) and a 7-minute drive from Aizu-Wakamatsu Station
• Payment: Cash and credit cards accepted
• Official Site: https://www.gurutto-aizu.com/detail/512/index.html

Izakaya Taiheiraku, where you can enjoy a selection of 30 types of sake

An izakaya that takes pride in Aizu local chicken and sake. Focuses on Aizu-produced ingredients and offer a range of dishes from traditional cuisine to original menu items. More than 30 types of Aizu sake are offered, with a monthly rotation.

• Store Name: Izakaya Taiheiraku
• Address: 3-3 Hinokimachi, Aizuwakamatsu-shi, Fukushima
• Access: 5-minute walk from Tobu Koen Minami bus stop (Aizu Bus) and a 5-minute drive from Aizu-Wakamatsu Station
• Payment: Cash and credit cards accepted
• Official Site: https://aizujidori-ajinokai.com/shop-info/taiheiraku/

Aizu is a region known for its delicious cuisine and historic sake derived from its rich natural surroundings. Be sure to visit the shops introduced in this article and experience the unique food culture of Aizu.