Full of coziness and flavor, recommended lunch spots in Omachi and Hakuba area
Omachi City and Hakuba Village are located in northwestern Nagano Prefecture at the foot of the Northern Alps. There are many Restaurants and Cafes where you can fully enjoy the bounty of the simple mountain villages, such as fresh local vegetables and preserved foods to survive the harsh winter. Why not spend a blissful lunch time while experiencing the rich nature and history of the area?
1Sosha Wakachi
Japanese cuisine that conveys Omachi's culinary culture
The Kuribayashi Family, a village headman since the Muromachi Period, stands on Honmachi Street in front of Omachi Station. The restaurant was established in 2005 to preserve the local history and food culture for the next generation. The lunch menu includes vegetables grown in the fresh water and clean air of Omachi, "frozen rice cakes," a local specialty, and Omachi Kurobuta, a local brand of pork. The most popular "Mokichi Zen" includes several seasonal small potted dishes and a choice of Kurobuta rice bowl or "zaza," which refers to noodles in the Omachi dialect. Wakawachi's original "zaza" is made with fresh, firm noodles made from 100% Nagano wheat.
The Meiji-era machiya-style building is also noteworthy.
The 130-year-old building is a stately space that was built in the Meiji era (1868-1912). You can feel the history of Omachi's hospitality through the old documents and a hanging scroll of a poem written by the poet Mokichi Saito when he visited the mansion. Meals are served in a modern Japanese-style room with a table on tatami mats, allowing you to forget about time and enjoy your meal in a relaxed atmosphere.
In front of the restaurant, there is spring water of different hardness: "Otoko Shimizu," spring water from the North Alps at an altitude of 3,000 meters, and "Onna Shimizu," spring water from the satoyama at an altitude of 900 meters across the street. It is said that drinking the two waters together will bring good luck in marriage.
- Sosha Wawachi
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4084 Kaminakamachi, Omachi-shi, Nagano MAP
10 min. walk from JR Shinano Omachi Stn.
10:00-15:30
Monday, Tuesday
0261-23-7363
Free of charge (Parking in the shopping arcade)
Reservations required, limited to one room and three couples per day
2Kuni's Country Kitchen
Specialties are cutlets and hamburgers with excellent homemade sauces.
The Renge Ohashi Bridge spans the Takase River that runs through the western part of downtown Omachi. This hut-like Restaurant stands at the foot of the large bridge. For lunch, the restaurant offers a Western-style menu of about 10 different dishes, including pasta, curry, and sirloin steak. Local ingredients are also actively used. Of all the dishes, we recommend the cutlet made from "Shinshu Pork SPF" loin, which has a delicious fatty taste. The soft and juicy loin is wrapped in a crispy and savory batter, and the special demi-glace sauce is intertwined with the meat, creating a rich and mellow flavor that fills your mouth.
Relax in a warm log cabin-like space
The homemade hamburger steak made from Shinshu pork SPF and Aussie beef is also popular. The wild texture of the coarsely minced meat, which is about 1 cm in diameter, makes it feel as if you are eating a steak. The rich demi-glace sauce goes well with the hamburger as well.
The log house-style building with cedar wood walls and ceiling was designed by the owner himself and built with his friends. The high ceilings have a fan that spins, and in winter, the warm flames of the wood-burning stove are relaxing and soothing. From spring through fall, the wood-decked terrace is a wonderful place to enjoy a meal.
- Kuni's Country Kitchen
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- 180-17 Taira, Omachi-shi, Nagano MAP
- 10 minutes drive from JR Shinano-Omachi Station
Take a community bus from JR Shinano-Omachi Station, get off at "Butsuzaki" and walk 5 minutes.- 11:30-14:30 (L.O. 14:00), 17:30-20:30 (L.O. 20:00) *No evening hours on weekdays. Please inquire for details.
- Tuesdays
December-April: Tuesdays, 2nd and 4th Wednesdays
*Other irregular holidays - 0261-26-6602
- Free of charge
- Go To Travel Regional Coupon (paper coupon, electronic coupon) can be used, "Shinshu Go To Eat Campaign" meal coupons can be used.
3Farm Cafe Rabbit
A power salad with many ingredients at a cafe on a tranquil plateau.
The café is located in the eastern part of Lake Kisaki, at an altitude of 900 meters above sea level, on the Nakayama Plateau. A must-try for lunch is the "Rabbit's Whimsical Power Salad" with more than 10 kinds of vegetables. The vegetables are mainly picked in the field right in front of the cafe, and when they run low, they go to the field to pick more. The dish also includes ham cooked at low temperature, Omachi's specialty "frozen rice cakes" with a chewy texture, beans, cereals, nuts, and cheese, offering a variety of textures and tastes. The natural yeast bread and seasonal soups are also excellent. They gently fill your stomach.
Enjoy the terrace seating with a great view when the weather is nice!
In addition to salads, the owner's own wild game dishes, such as deer and wild boar, are also popular. You can enjoy the flavor of the wild game in curry, sausages, stews, and other dishes.
The Nakayama Plateau, where the restaurant is located, is a scenic location that has been the setting for TV dramas. The restaurant's location is also the setting for a TV drama, with rape blossoms in the spring and white buckwheat flowers in the summer, creating an otherworldly beauty that is enchanting. A special place to sit is on the terrace, where the view is spectacular and the clear air is comfortable. Cute sheep and goats in the outhouse outside will make you feel relaxed and at ease while you wait for your food.
- Farm Cafe Rabbit
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- 8295-48 Omachi, Omachi City, Nagano Prefecture Nakayama Kogen MAP
- 12 min. drive from JR Shinano Omachi Stn.
- 11:00-15:00 (L.O. 14:30)
- Tuesdays *Closed from December to March
- 080-1065-1627
- Free of charge
- Closed until April 2021
4Orize
About 10 seasonal delicacies served with home-grown rice
This is a famous Japanese restaurant loved by local customers. The owner is a rice farmer and serves freshly cooked rice made from Koshihikari rice grown in his own rice paddies nearby. The cuisine is prepared by skilled artisans with hotel backgrounds. There are three types of lunch menus, all of which are popular for offering a variety of tastes. The most popular is the "Saori Zen," which offers nine to ten dishes. The dishes are gorgeous and change monthly, and include such delicacies as sesame tofu with a rich aroma, saikyo grilled flounder, and turnip furofuki (turnip with vegetables).
A quaint interior with a view of the Northern Alps and the countryside
The stately triangular-roofed building with high ceilings and massive beams is full of Japanese style. The salmon pink plaster walls, which the owner painted by hand with his family, create a warm atmosphere. The windows on the west side offer an unobstructed view of the mountains of the Northern Alps, which is refreshing. A buckwheat field spreads out before you, and the summer view of white flowers in bloom is soothing.
The spacious tatami room in the back of the restaurant is well known as a place where you can relax even with children. The restaurant also offers a menu that includes "children's colorful meals" and "children's plates.
5sounds like cafe
Breads and sauces are homemade, and the large burger will bring a smile to your face.
The owner, a roaster and Bali barista, moved to Hakuba Village and opened the restaurant in 2009. It is a popular café that is bustling with international guests every day. The specialty "Chicken Burger" is a big-sized dish designed to fill the stomachs of young snowboarders. It consists of a large piece of fried chicken marinated in spices and deep-fried, fresh onions with a nice texture, and plenty of lettuce on a homemade bun. In addition, there are about eight other types of burgers and sandwiches, all of which are very hearty.
Enjoy your time with a cup of home-roasted coffee in your hand.
The rice dishes, such as "Yerman Rice" topped with tender pulled pork, started in the winter of 2019, are also popular. The showcase also features handmade sweets such as lemon cake, chocolate cake, and muffins, making it the perfect place to spend a leisurely café time. For drinks, be sure to try the coffee roasted in the store. There are seven types of hand-drip coffee and 14 types of espresso drinks, including café lattes, to choose from, offering a wide variety of drinks. The warm and inviting interior will make you want to stay longer.
- sounds like cafe
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- 3020-504 Kitashiro, Hakuba-mura, Kitaazumi-gun, Nagano MAP
- 10 min. drive from JR Hakuba Station
- 8:00-17:00 (Food L.O. 16:30)
- Thursdays and Fridays *Closed for about 2 weeks in spring and fall
- 0261-72-2040
- Free of charge
