Lunch in Otaru

Lunch in Otaru is not only about seafood. You can choose from ankake yakisoba, deep-fried half chicken, soba, kamaboko, Western-style dishes and more. Deciding in advance which sights you will visit and how much time you have for lunch makes it easier to narrow down your options.

Otaru’s Specialties for Lunch

Otaru ankake yakisoba is a local Otaru specialty said to have a history of about 70 years. Well-browned noodles and a thick, generous sauce are features of many restaurants’ versions, but there is no clear definition. It is also served at izakaya pubs, ski areas and other places. At the 2019 B-1 Grand Prix in Akashi, Otaru Ankake Yakisoba Shineitai placed fourth.

Deep-fried half chicken is a dish made by deep-frying half a chicken whole. The Otaru Tourism Association introduces it as a soul food of Otaru. It is an option when you want a meat dish for lunch.

Soba is also one of the dishes that the Otaru Tourism Association introduces as Otaru cuisine. The Association’s guide explains that soba culture has taken root in Otaru as well. It is worth considering when you are looking for Japanese food other than seafood.

Kamaboko is a processed seafood product made by grinding fish meat with salt and heating it. Otaru is a port town rich in processed seafood, and the Tourism Association introduces kamaboko as one of Otaru’s local foods. Beyond lunch itself, it is also worth a look if you want to find fish-based foods while strolling around town.

Seafood Rice Bowls and Sushi

Sushi and seafood rice bowls are also lunch options in Otaru.

For sushi and conveyor-belt sushi, see “Sushi in Otaru and Sushi Street”. If you are looking for a seafood rice bowl at Sankaku Market, see “Otaru Sankaku Market”.

Choosing by Area

The Otaru Tourism Association’s “Eat in Otaru” lets you search for restaurants by cuisine genre and area. The areas include “JR Otaru Station,” “Otaru Canal,” “Sakaimachi” and “Otaru Sushi Street/Hanagin.” If your sightseeing route is already set, you can choose the area first and then narrow down by type of food.

Otaru Canal & Sakaimachi

Otaru Canal and Sakaimachi are each set up as areas in the Tourism Association’s restaurant search. If you plan to walk around here, decide in advance how you will handle lunch. Deciding whether to go to another area just for lunch or to eat during your sightseeing will make it easier to find a place.

If you would rather decide by cuisine, you can also check genres such as “Western-style,” “Chinese and ramen,” “Soba and udon” and “Cafés.” For each restaurant’s operating information, check its individual page from the search results.

Near JR Otaru Station and Otaru Sankaku Market

Restaurants near JR Otaru Station can be found in the Tourism Association’s “JR Otaru Station” area. Wakadori Jidai Naruto Main Store and Yabuhan are also listed in the “JR Otaru Station” area in the Association’s directory.

Otaru Sushi Street (Otaru Sushiya Dori)/Hanagin

The Tourism Association’s search has an area called “Otaru Sushi Street/Hanagin.” If you are looking for lunch in this neighborhood, you can also check options by area.

The Otaru Tourism Association’s “Eat in Otaru” page lets you search for restaurants by both area and genre.

Lunch Options Beyond Seafood

Besides seafood, the Tourism Association’s restaurant search also lists Western-style, Chinese and ramen, soba and udon, café and other restaurants. Deciding on the type of food first and then narrowing down by the area you will be sightseeing in helps you organize your options.

Among the Western-style restaurants, some serve seafood and meat dishes. Menus differ from restaurant to restaurant, so once you have chosen where to go, check the official menu.

If you are looking for Chinese food or ramen, you can check the Tourism Association’s “Chinese and ramen” genre. Otaru ankake yakisoba is also served at many places around the city.

If you are considering a café for a lunchtime break or meal, see “Cafes and Sweets in Otaru”. Cafés are covered in detail there.

Before You Go for Lunch

Lunch service hours differ from restaurant to restaurant. Yabuhan’s lunch starts at 11:15, with last order at 14:30. However, it states that both lunch and dinner service end as soon as the soba runs out.

Operating days differ as well. Wakadori Jidai Naruto Main Store has irregular closing days. Yabuhan is closed on Tuesdays and Wednesdays, and for the New Year holiday from January 1 to 4.

Western-style restaurant Mangiare TAKINAMI is temporarily closed. Its reopening will be announced on the restaurant’s official website. Regular lunch hours are 11:30–14:00 on Tuesdays, Saturdays and Sundays.

Operating days and temporary notices may not match between the Tourism Association’s restaurant page and the restaurant’s own official website. Before you go, check the business days and hours on the official website of the restaurant you plan to visit.

Example Restaurants

Shop name	Cuisine	Area	Lunch hours	Closed	Official information
Wakadori Jidai Naruto Main Store	Deep-fried half chicken, etc.	JR Otaru Station	11:00–21:00 (last order 20:30)	Irregular closing days	Otaru Tourism Association restaurant page
Yabuhan	Soba	JR Otaru Station	From 11:15, last order 14:30. Closes once the soba runs out	Closed Tue and Wed, Jan 1–4	Otaru Tourism Association restaurant page
Mangiare TAKINAMI	Western-style	Around Otaru Canal (2-minute walk from Canal Plaza)	Temporarily closed (reopening to be announced on the restaurant’s official website). Normally 11:30–14:00, Tue, Sat and Sun only	Normally Wed and Thu	Restaurant’s official website

Other restaurants can be found through the Otaru Tourism Association’s “Eat in Otaru”.

FAQ

What local specialties should I try in Otaru?

The Otaru Tourism Association introduces ankake yakisoba, deep-fried half chicken, soba, kamaboko and more as Otaru cuisine. Sushi and seafood rice bowls are also options, but detailed restaurant guidance is in their dedicated articles.

What other lunch options are there besides seafood?

There are Western-style restaurants, Chinese and ramen, soba and udon, cafés and more. On the Tourism Association’s “Eat in Otaru”, you can combine cuisine genre and area to check your options.

Can I eat near JR Otaru Station?

The Tourism Association’s restaurant search has a “JR Otaru Station” area. Wakadori Jidai Naruto Main Store and Yabuhan are also listed in the “JR Otaru Station” area, so you can check them as options for lunch near the station.