Know Before You Go: Fukuoka’s Most Famous Regional Specialty Foods!
If you are visiting Fukuoka for the first time, there is so much for you to explore! This young and energetic city is famous for its rich culture, festivals and above all; food! Fukuoka’s many regional specialty dishes - meibutsu - are popular with Japanese tourists visiting Kyushu who affectionately call the region グルメ天国 (gourmet heaven)! Choosing the best food options while in Fukuoka can be overwhelming due to the availability - so many choices and so many restaurants! Hang in there; Fukuoka Eats walks you through the complete guide of Fukuoka’s local food and the right places to get them!
Motsunabe
Winter is around the corner, and nothing can complement this season more than motsunabe! Motsunabe ranks in at the top of Fukuoka’s most delicious specialties, as these days it can be found all across the country, but nothing beats eating it at the source! This hot-pot dish uses a salty miso or soy-sauce base, and stews plump and fluffy beef innards (motsu) with tofu, green onion, and cabbage. Originally a dish served after World War II, it doesn’t have luxurious roots, but these days there are several price points for enjoying the delicious dish, ranging anywhere from 1,000en for a singe-person serving, to 5,000yen for a full course meal. Innards may not sound that appetizing if you’ve never had them before, but the chewiness and flavor become an obsession once you’ve tried it!
Hakata Motsunabe Yamanaka (Akasaka Shop):
If luxury is what you’re after, Yamanaka is considered to be the best restaurant for Motsunabe. Located outside of Akasaka Station, in close proximity to Ohori Park, on the second floor of the building, and you can spot it by the restaurant’s sign! The building’s interior presents a high-class ambiance, a contrast to the traditional izakaya pub setting that normally serves the dish. The course menu guarantees you’ll be sitting with a well-made hotpot and plenty of appetizers to keep you snacking until the end of your meal. Serving some of the best Motsunabe in town at top quality, the shop opens as early as 4 pm, and the closing time is around 11:30. Reservations can be made through the website, but be aware that English is currently unavailable
Motsunabe Rakutenchi Hakata:
Considered one of the oldest Motsunabe places in town - Rakutenchi has been operational for more than 30 years! You cannot miss this local place while you are here in Fukuoka! The original shop is a good, hole-in-the-wall location that draws local patrons and hosts a lively atmosphere, but there are now four locations across Fukuoka, including one outside Hakata Station! Cozy and authentic are words that come to mind -, it is a lively and fun place to eat. The English website is friendly, thorough and introduces the concept of Motsunabe as well as easy-to-understand price points for all of their courses.
Mentaiko:
One of the most popular flavors of Fukuoka, mentaiko made its way to Fukuoka from Korea thanks to the Hakata port's trade route. Mentaiko is cod roe marinated with spices and is either eaten raw as an appetizer, mixed with mayonnaise or green veggies, or served inside rice balls or omelettes to appeal to the taste buds even more. It sounds fishy, but don’t knock it until you’ve tried it - this spicy condiment like side dish has rich umami and enhances otherwise basic or plain Japanese dishes. You can taste mentaiko and other entrees seasoned with mentaiko by visiting any of the following restaurants.Ganso Hakata Mentaiju:
Mentaiju is a Mentaiko specialty restaurant in Fukuoka. Apart from the taste and quality of food it serves, Mentaiju is also famous for its signature architecture - the wooden exterior stands out in downtown Fukuoka, making the restaurant both easy to spot, and delightful to visit. Mentaiju’s signature dish is the mentaiko wrapped in konbu kelp and served over rice, but I strongly recommend the mentaiko tsukemen - a noodle dish where you dip the noodles into a spicy mentaiko spiced fish broth full of rich salty mentai umami. Check out their website at: http://www.mentaiju.com/ for more details.
Fukutaro Tenjin Terura:
For mentaiko purists who want to enjoy this spicy ingredient in it’s original form, Fukutaro Tenjin (Terra) is good choice for a light lunch or a snack during your tour of Fukuoka City. Popular among both tourists and locals for its divine simplicity, this quick spot won’t cost you more than 1,000 yen for a meal.
Hakata Ramen
Ramen is a quintessential Japanese dish that can be found all across the globe, but Japanese ramen culture runs particularly deep with flavors, toppings, and even the noodles varying from region to region. One of the most universally appreciated variants of Japanese ramen - tonkotsu ramen made from a rich pork bone broth - calls Fukuoka Prefecture it’s birthplace. Also affectionately called Hakata Ramen (the old name for Fukuoka City is Hakata) Japanese tourists will make a point of enjoying tonkotsu ramen while visiting Fukuoka, and locals enjoy it particularly after a night of pub crawling. No matter what the occasion, tonkotsu ramen is a must-have when visiting Fukuoka! You won’t have it better anywhere else.
Ichiran:
Arguably the most famous place to try Fukuoka’s tonkotsu ramen is Ichiran. With restaurant chains across the globe, their recipe is loved by many. Try this acclaimed tonkotsu ramen at the source to get the best experience. With English-friendly service, and infinite ways to customize each dish, this is the best place to try tonkotsu ramen for the first time. Locals love their noodles “barikata” or quite stiff, so please give it a try when filling out your custom order sheet! Seated in dark individual ramen booths, it takes them no more than 15 seconds to bring freshly cooked Ramen from the kitchen to your table. To be engulfed in a pleasant experience from start to finish, Ichiran is your best bet.
ShinShin:
With lineups out the door at the Tenjin shop, ShinShin is a local tonkotsu ramen spot adored by residents in Fukuoka City. If you want to have an immersive experience of eating and living “like a local”, then this is the place for you. For first timers, I recommend their original ramen (and you can always order “kaidama,” extra noodles, if you’re still hungry!) but for repeat visitors or those who want to dive deeper into the complexities of ramen culture, I personally recommend ordering the mentai yaki-ramen (fried ramen noodles with no soup, flavored with Fukuoka’s famous spicy mentaiko) as well.
Mizutaki:
For a light dish with subtle flavors, mizutaki is the perfect dish to try in Fukuoka. A hot pot dish with locally grown chicken and vegetables, the flavors stew together over a gentle flame to create a chicken soup broth rich with umami and flavor. Although it is a a hot pot dish, it is not just restricted to the winter season - you can get a bowl of flavorful mizutaki whenever you visit Fukuoka. For locas, this is a dish that can normally be enjoyed at home (as soup broth is sold regularly in supermarkets and most people have a hot pot set at home), but for travellers the best place to try this traditional dish is in a restaurant with all the bells and whistles.
Hakata Hanamidori:
It is one of the most popular restaurants in Fukuoka for mizutaki, Hanamidori dominates the mizutaki restaurant industry, with ten locations across Fukuoka City, and plenty of “take home and make yourself” easy to assemble sets. It is best known for its signature recipe of chicken broth, making it distinct from others. Dining at Hakata Hanamidori is a bit pricey, but it is worth the dining experience and food quality. Get a bowl of tender chicken and meatballs immersed in a flavorful broth. Great for special occasions or family gatherings - there’s nothing better than friendly discussion gathered around a bubbling hot pot.
Goma-saba
Fukuoka is known as a seafood paradise as it is surrounded by the blue sea on Kyushu island and is teemed with fresh and delicious seafood. You can relish the blessing of the best seafood at the most reasonable price in Fukuoka. Goma Saba (Mackerel) is a spotted fish seasoned with soy sauce and sesame, abundant in non-fatty acids; that is why it is considered healthy and palatable. Goma-saba tends to make an appearance on local izakaya (pub restaurant) menus, but to enjoy it in it’s simplicity, there is one shop that remains popular with residents and visitors alike:
Hakata Gomasabaya
If you want to taste goma saba, you won't find a place better than Hakata Gomasaba-ya in Fukuoka’s downtown Tenjin area. It is the best place for tourists as well as for locals to try this particular dish. Paired with other side dishes to round out a healthy “teishoku” style set meal (with miso soup, fried chicken, fried fish, salad, and other menu items), this small hole-in-the-wall type establishment is a popular spot for goma-saba enthusiasts to get their fill on this popular hometown dish.
Hitokuchi (One Bite) Gyoza:
Often served with a big bowl of ramen, these small bite-sized dumpling are pan-fried with a filling of green onion, cabbage, and pork. It has the perfect combination of crisp and tenderness with crispy soft covering texture on the outside with tender and juicy filling inside. You can get the taste of these dumplings from any restaurant offering Fukuoka's specialty food around the city, but for a solely gyoza-centric experience, try one of the few famous
Tetsunabe:
The local restaurant chain is famous for serving piping hot gyoza, preserving the taste since its establishment. With three locations in Fukuoka, it is a popular place with a flexible menu - come for a beer and a snack, or make it a course experience by tacking on other famous dishes such as goma-saba, basashi (horse sashimi), and more! The two nakasu locations have more of a local pub vibe, but the location inside Parco in Tenjin is clean and accessible after a long day of shopping. Multilingual menus are available as well, so you can pop in and order with ease.
Yatai (Street Food Stalls):
One of the most popular foodie attractions in the city, yatai are tiny man-made food stalls that line the streets of downtown Fukuoka city after dark. Serving bowls of ramen, grilled yakitori chicken skewers, hot oden (stewed tofu and radish in dashi), gyoza, and other cooked goods, yatai are fun to pop into for a drink and snack when wandering the city and hanging with friends. The most famous “yatai” strip in the city, is the one along the river just outside of Canal City Shopping mall, but you can also find them lining the main street (Watanabe Street) in front of Nishitetsu Fukuoka (Tenjin) station, or over near the entrance of Oyafuko Street on the far side of Tenjin.
How do you choose a yatai? Well, generally, the most popular ones will already be full! The key here is to look for a lineup. Items are quick to come out once ordered, and proper “yatai etiquette” encourages diners to eat their fill and then move on to the next stall, so seats will open up quickly. When in doubt, check guides online to find the most popular yatai and photos to reference exactly what is on their menu. A full yatai guide will be coming to Fukuoka Eats soon too, so keep your eyes peeled for updates over the next couple of weeks.
Where can I go to have it all?
There is so much to explore in Fukuoka City, but it can be hard to hit up everything if you’re only staying for a couple of days. If you’d like to eat as many local specialties as possible under a very limited time restriction, don’t worry! There are restaurants in the city that have it all!
Hakata Bentendo:
Hakata Bentendo is worth visiting if you want to try food from one of Kyushu's seven prefectures. You can order any of Fukuoka's local specialties by choosing from the set of 35 dishes on the menu. It is a traditional Japanese townhouse consisting of large rooms and private dining spaces.
Hakatarou:
Hakatarou aims to serve its customers with the best food and service. Its mission is to offer the specialty food of Kyushu with phenomenal service and hospitality. It has a well-established menu of a wide range of dishes, especially Fukuoka's local foods.
Hakata Station:
Hakata station is the largest station on Kyushu Island - a transportation hub that connects the shinkansen from Honshu with the rest of Kyushu, located in close proximity to Fukuoka Airport as well. Many people who pass through Hakata Station are only here to connect to another transportation route, and don’t have a lot of time to sit down and enjoy a meal, luckily the station is packed full of local specialties for the busy traveller to try. Underground you’ll find quick in-and-out style restaurants for single diners or small groups, and on the 9th and 10th floors of Hakata Station you’ll find fancy sit-down restaurants that offer everything from sushi omakase to fancy shabu shabu. Plenty of Fukuoka’s most popular restaurants have a small sister shop in Hakata Station, so you can try some of the best food in a short window.
KITTE Hakata:
Located right next door to Hakata Station, this large shopping center also has a basement floor filled with izakaya pub-style food fare, from ShinShin’s famous ramen, to Toriden’s mizutaki,, to Oyama’s motsunabe-for-one, there’s plenty to find here that represents the best of Fukuoka’s food scene. Can be directly accessed from Hakata Station’s underground food court, so definitely stretch your legs and check out both when scouting for a place to eat!
Parco (Tenjin)
Located just outside of the Nishitetsu Fukuoka (Tenjin) train station, and directly above the Fukuoka (Tenjin) subway station, Parco’s underground floors also house various restaurants that are local favorites - I highly recommend the tempura at Hakata Tempura Takao which is served with all-you-can-eat mentaiko, or the sister shop of Tetsunabe, mentioned above, for the one-bite gyoza! (Note: Parco has two buildings - The original “honkan” on the corner, and the “shinkan” building right beside it. Both basements have restaurants that update and change frequently, so take a stroll through and see if there’s anything you like!)
This was a list of local and regional specialties here in Fukuoka - but there is so much more to Fukuoka’s local food scene than this! To see what the locals are eating, follow my restaurant listings and reviews (in ENGLISH!) through my Instagram account below ↓
Did I miss anything important? Let me know your tips and recommendations in the comments below! I always love hearing when you’ve gone and tried any of my recommendations, so don’t hesitate to reach out to let me know if you’ve enjoyed something—or even if you didn’t! Your tips can help other travelers plan their itineraries when they come to visit, so all information is helpful!