Japan Guide
Hokkaidō
Eating
1 Aji-no-ichiban Noodle stall in the morning market serving up the local speciality for ¥1800, as well as plenty of cheaper dishes and May– Oct, delicious, freshly squeezed melon juice. Opening time: Daily 7am–2pm
2 
Asari 10-11 Horai-chō 
0138/23-0422 The old wooden building and tatami floor dining rooms of this restaurant are just part of the pleasure. The rest is in the quality of the sukiyaki, their speciality dish, using meat fresh from the butchers downstairs. Lunch (11.30am–1.30pm) is a bargain at ¥1200–1400, or you can go for the set menu starting at ¥2300. Opening time: Thurs– Tues 11.30am–8pm
3 Café Tutu 13-5 Suehiro-chō Trendy café-bar to the rear of one of the renovated brick warehouses. It's a nice place to relax over gourmet coffee and cake. Opening time: Daily 11.30am–11pm
4 Futemura 36-1 Goryōkaku-chō Very hospitable soba noodle restaurant on the way to the viewing tower. They also make desserts and cakes using buckwheat. The set meal with charcoal-grilled crab is a steal at ¥1000. Opening time: Daily 11am–9pm
5 Hakodate Bay Bishoku Club 12-7 Toyakawa-chō Adjoining the converted brick warehouses by the waterfront is this attractive complex of five restaurants around a free outdoor foot spa. Take your pick between seafood donburi at Kikuyo, Hakodate-style shio (salt) ramen at Ajisai, or soup curry and a jingisukan lamb barbecue at Mei Mei Tei
6 Hishii 9-4 Horai-chō. Near the Horai-chō tram stop, this elegant ivy-draped 1920s wooden building houses a serene teashop and antique kimono shop. There's a tatami area on the second floor. They also run the nearby Bar Shares Hishii at 27-1 Motomachi (Mon– Sat 7.30pm–2am) Opening time: Daily 10am–10pm
7 Nihombashi 7-9 Motomachi Good-value Japanese restaurant serving huge set meals and bowls of noodles in a relaxing atmosphere amid the old houses of Motomachi. Opening time: Daily 11.30am–6pm
8 Tonetsu 22-2 Horai-chō. Convivial tonkatsu restaurant with tatami seating and a good range of reasonably priced set meals from ¥1000, including free coffee. Wed– Mon 11.30am–9pm.