Saijo

Simple yet scrumptious Italian pastas and desserts. The owner often changes and updates the menu on a blog and uses locally-farmed ingredients. Examples of dishes include a cream shrimp and mushroom carbonara and a mustard cress bolognesa. The cafe serves coffee and tea. Decor and seating is minimalist and comfortable with a few sofas. The space is very open and bright. The relaxing atmosphere evokes the slow life of surrounding Tanbara town. Recommended by a young woman from Tanbara.

Just a minute or so up the road from Cafe Lamp and lined with cherry trees, Ushironoshoumen is a lovely place to visit in spring. The lunch of the day specials available on weekdays start from ¥780 with optional add-ons like the salad bar with the cafe's dressing. They also have an assortment of desserts including cakes, crepes and ice cream.

Old-school piping-hot okonomiyaki in a down-to-earth shop with Showa-Era vibes. Located in a small residential neighborhood nearby the Kamo river. The Hiroshima-style (here they call it "soba-iri") Kamogawayaki is the most popular variation, grilled at your table on a steel surface until the edges of the noodles are seared golden-brown and crispy. Servings are large, with plenty of savory sauce, herbs, and mayonnaise to add as you please. Toppings include the usual roast pork, squid, and cheese. Drinks include iced tea and beer.

Small cafe run by husband and wife. Each have decorated different rooms to their own tastes for visitors to enjoy. Dotted around the cafe are wares brought back from Finland which are also available for purchase.

Popular Japanese-style Italian fare in a cozy warm setting often frequented by families and newlywed couples. This store in Komatsu Town is the home store for a small regional chain. Great for an outing with locals who don't want to go to an Izakaya.

Lovely hotel restaurant with delicious traditional Japanese set meals and bargains at lunchtime. Generous helpings with a colorful array of side dishes. The menu changes seasonally. The shop is known for its crisp tempura, breaded chicken cutlet (chicken katsu), barbecued eel over rice, and fresh kaisendon (raw seafood over rice bowl). Service is polite and the windows let in a lot of natural light at breakfast and lunch. Regional sake choices are also available.

This independent izakaya features sashimi, deep-fried breaded dishes, and nabe. There is a bar and tatami seating. The service is professional and friendly, with a lot to see behind the counter. There's plenty to drink, including regional sakes and bottled corona beer with a lemon slice. It is popular for local work parties, so reservations are recommended.

Excellent, classy Izakaya run by a friendly local family. It has an intimate dark wooden atmosphere and private rooms with sliding doors. There are courses featuring nabe (hot pot), side-dishes, tasty grilled and fried chicken (yakitori and karaage), wonderful American-inspired appetizers, and fantastic salads. The store also has a great selection of fresh seasonal fish and chicken sashimi as well as carpacchio. You can also order à la carte. The sake selection features several great regional rice wines and shochus. There are also strong cocktails. Reservations are recommended if possible for seating outside of the bar.

Fantastic Izakaya style restaurant, with both tatami floor and table seating. Food is divine with an excellent range of skewered chicken, beef, pork and anything else skewerable (each range from ¥50~200). Plenty of beautifully presented hotpots, donburis, deep fried foods, pizzas and other delicious morsels available too. They offer the full range of Japanese beverages and even have a page of cocktails to choose from. There's a bunch of tables with the large cooking area on top, so you can try cooking up your own okonomiyaki or other dishes. Staff are incredibly lovely and one of the Filipino chefs speaks fluent English!

The oldest and possibly the most famous restaurant in Toyo. This family-run restaurant is owned and operated by an incredibly friendly family that has been looking after the local foreigners for the last 25 years. The food is absolutely amazing and the service is even better.