With incredible natural bounty to work with, there are many excellent restaurants across many types of cuisine. Below are a selection to get you started.
Iida City is Japan’s charcoal barbecue capital, with many and varied restaurants to choose from.
Specialising in lamb, with other cuts available, Honnoriya’s owner is a sake expert, providing suggestions on a broad range of Nagano sake, and choice selections from throughout Japan. Extremely popular, reservations are recommended:
Run by a younger crew, this ever popular restaurant has fresh local meat and always has a changing speciality cut on offer. They also offer an all-you-can-drink system for when you really want to celebrate. Reservations recommended.
Old school! The charcoal smells which have seeped into the walls of this venerable establishment are older than many of the customers. Lots of fun, lots of different types of cuts including more traditional offal not served in modern chain restaurants. No website, no Instagram; just a phone to call or drop in ahead of time. Reservations recommended.
Soba are buckwheat noodles for which southern Nagano is famed. Eaten cold or hot, you can enjoy a hearty meal all year round.
Designed to look like a traditional Japanese castle, the Soba Castle is actually a “Michi no Eki” or roadside station, designated by the national government combining travel services, local culture and regional products. Soba is hand made on-site, and there are displays and information on the process throughout the facility. The restaurant is on the second floor, with the first floor selling local produce.
(Japanese only, has an access map or input to Google Maps for directions)
Part of the village-run Goyukkuri Onsen hot springs facility in Tenryukyo, Nonbiri Kitchen is a favourite with tourists and locals alike. They offer a range of soba dishes including set menus and seasonal variations.
(Japanese, can be machine translated. Has Google map for access)
Run by an enthusiastic Tencho (master) and his young crew, this shop is a mission of love and it shows. The ramen is made on site, and the workshop can be seen from the main restaurant. The owner is always experimenting with different styles of broth, and meat and veggie pairings. A varied menu with changing seasonal bowls is offered.
While this is a chain, this outlet is a fun place just off Chuo Dori (High Street) down from the station. Good for the usual izakaya favourites: karaage (fried chicken), hokke (flat fish) and plenty of “daijokki” (big beers!).
On the way into Achi village on route 153, Funayoshi is a long-standing family run restaurant providing outstanding tempura, karaage (Japanese style friend chicken) and tonkatsu set meals. No website or Instagram but a friendly welcome is assured.
The founding concept of the restaurant is that some things you can only understand in your hometown, some things you can only understand by leaving your hometown. The team aims to use quality local ingredients in a changing fusion of Japanese styles with French and Italian tradition. Located in the first floor of the Erebon Hotel in Iida city.
The tencho (master) has a passion for pizza and a real pizza oven, delivering Italian favourites but also local inventions using regional seasonal produce.
Like Hikonoki, the tencho (master) has studied his craft and maintains an authentic oven with a broad range of Italian favourites and traditional antipasti. Located just off Apple Road, the main Iida bypass
The tencho (master) loves 80s metal so the restaurant soundtrack is always interesting. Has a range of burgers, sauces, and sides, including the shop challenge, the 1 Pound Burger, of which there are only two per day. Come hungry!
Run by a young couple who love motorcycles and good food, a friendly place in central Iida with a good selection of burgers, including a buffalo burger and a local lamb burger.
