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Higashi Chaya District Area – Latest Lunch Guide 【2025 Edition】

Higashi Chaya District is one of Kanazawa’s most iconic and popular tourist spots. While long-established Western-style diners and restaurants often draw crowds at lunchtime, many hidden gems can be found just off the main alleys—and new restaurants are constantly popping up. In this feature, we highlight noteworthy spots that have opened since 2022. Enjoy the nostalgic charm of the traditional teahouse district while savoring exquisite lunches made with fresh local ingredients.

Higashi Chaya District Area – Latest Lunch Guide 【2025 Edition】

Machi no Odoriba Yoh

  • The cafe is located just off the main street of Higashi Chaya District.
  • Salad Galette Rolls (3 varieties)
  • The salad buffet features vegetables primarily from Ishikawa and the Hokuriku region, along with a selection of side dishes. Enjoy a healthy and delicious dining experience.
  • Not only in the salads and dressings, but also in the desserts, local ingredients like koji and miso are used.
  • The menu also includes rice dishes like "Millefeuille Kaisendon" and "Tiny Inari Sushi."
  • Restaurant interior
  • Hojicha Tea Latte-flavored shaved ice.

Opened in January 2025, this vegetable cafe is part of the "Machi no Odoriba" townhouse hotel series. It showcases a wide variety of local ingredients, including vegetables and seasonings from Ishikawa and the Hokuriku region. Chic, healthy, and on-trend—the cafe attract guests with its one-plate salad buffet, galettes, and hot marshmallow drink with a twist. From the second-floor seating, guests can relax and enjoy views of the charming teahouse district.


Address: 1-7-7 Higashiyama, Kanazawa
Hours: 10:00 AM – 4:00 PM 

*Lunch hours: 10:00 AM – 3:30 PM

Sumibi Yakitori Ryo

  • From the second floor, you can enjoy a view of the streets of Higashi Chaya District.
  • The lunch-exclusive "Ryo's Tori Jū" can be upgraded to a premium version with Noto beef for an additional ¥1,300. The rice, made with the local rice brand "Hyakuman-goku," is cooked in a special pot, offering distinct grains and a refined flavor.
  • The Chef’s Selection of 5 Skewers (¥1,800) comes with three small side dishes. The skewers feature Ishikawa’s specialty chicken, grilled over charcoal to enhance the flavor.
  • The dinner menu features a variety of skewers, including juicy homemade tsukune, Noto beef, Noto pork, and Kaga vegetables, with highlights like the "Higashiyama Kama-daki Set Meal."
  • In addition to table seating, there are also semi-private rooms available.

A popular yakitori grilled chicken restaurant in Kanazawa, "Sumibi Yakitori Ryo", opened in the Higashi Chaya District in September 2024. The menu emphasizes locally sourced ingredients, with a standout lunch dish: the limited 20 servings of "Ryo’s Tori Ju" (Grilled Chicken Rice Box). This dish features large, flavorful rice cooked in a pot, topped with charcoal-grilled chicken, Kaga vegetables, and a rolled omelet. The "Chef’s Selection of 5 Skewers" is also highly recommended!


Address: 3-1-30 Higashiyama, Kanazawa

Hours: 12:00 PM – 2:30 PM, 5:00 PM – 9:00 PM

Closed: Thursday

AMIYA ―Kanazawa Oden, Wajima Fugu, Nodoguro

  • It stands in the charming, historic streets of teahouse.
  • A full selection of dishes featuring the rich flavors of Noto’s seasonal ingredients.
  • Marinated Wajima fugu and grated yam rice bowl—high in protein, low in calories, rich in collagen, and packed with flavor.
  • A cozy, intimate space with 14 seats in total—10 at the counter and one table for four. Especially at night, it has the feel of a hidden gem.

A restaurant run by an owner from Wajima, specializing in dishes made with abundant from Noto Peninsula. Highlights include rice bowls featuring Wajima puffer blowfish, Kanazawa oden prepared with blackthroot seaperch broth for a rich flavor, and the "Nodoguro Mabushi Don" that offers three ways to enjoy nodoguro. Other options include dried fish set meals, allowing you to savor the delicious tastes of Noto. The restaurant also offers rare Noto sake, with daytime drinking available.


Address: 1-12-12 Higashiyama, Kanazawa

Hours: 11:30 AM – 4:00 PM, 5:00 PM – 8:00 PM

BUSAKU

  • The counter tables are uniquely set on tatami mats, offering a distinctive experience.
  • Located near the heart of the Higashichaya District. Pass through the noren-draped gate and walk along the stone-paved path, and you’ll be invited into a space with traditional Japanese charm.
  • The well-maintained garden also delights the eyes of those who visit.
  • With a deep respect for the passage of time and seasonal blessings, the dishes masterfully blend Japanese and French cuisine, captivating both the eyes and the palate.
  • A summer dish featuring octopus.
  • An example of the appetizer. From the interior design to the selection of ingredients, preparation, cooking methods, and dishware, every detail reflects a deep commitment to hospitality.
  • Start with a drink. You can choose between sake or a non-alcoholic sweet rice drink (amazake).

BUSAKU is a French restaurant built around the Zen philosophy of Shuhari—a concept that values tradition, innovation, and harmony with nature. Both lunch and dinner are served as course meals, carefully crafted with seasonal ingredients, focusing on vegetables and seafood. Every dish is prepared to bring out the purest flavors of each element. Blending Japanese tradition with French creativity, the restaurant offers an exquisite dining experience.


Address: 1-5-12 Kannon-machi, Kanazawa

Hours: 11:30 AM – 2:30 PM, 6:00 PM – 9:00 PM

Ichirin

  • Ichirin is located by the banks of the Asanogawa River.
  • Hanakago Lunch. The joy of Japanese cuisine is in savoring a variety of colorful ingredients, each in small portions.
  • Ichirin Bento. A well-rounded meal featuring lotus root steam, sashimi, small side dishes, grilled items, tempura, yuba rice, and includes dessert and drinks.
  • Enjoy dishes made with seasonal ingredients, along with the charm of traditional townscapes and atmosphere.
  • Yuba rice served with the Ichirin Bento.

A restaurant located along the Asanogawa River in the historic Kazuemachi Chaya District, near Higashi Chaya District. The building is a renovated townhouse where American print artist Clifton Karhu spent his later years. While enjoying the vibrant “Ichirin Bento” or “Hanakago Lunch,” you can admire the Karhu Collection, a perfect blend of new and nostalgic. The restaurant offers a variety of seasonal ingredients, based on Japanese cuisine.


Address: 2-6 Kazue-machi, Kanazawa

Hours: 11:30 AM – 1:30 PM, 5:00 PM – 10:30 PM

*On weekends and holidays, lunch is served in two shifts: 11:00 AM – 12:30 PM, 1:00 PM – 2:30 PM.

Closed: Monday

YAE

  • The concept is "A course meal in a single galette," offering ingredients from the Hokuriku region and seasonal produce.
  • Homemade Bacon Galette Complète (1,870 yen). The bacon is marinated, smoked, and cooked slowly at a low temperature.
  • A hidden gem located just off the main street of Higashi Chaya District. Once inside, a chic, extraordinary space unfolds.

In a stylish space renovated from an old storehouse, you can enjoy "Galettes", ―a regional dish from Brittany, France. Made with 100% carefully selected domestic buckwheat flour, these galettes are known for their chewy texture, cooked to a crisp like crepes. Among them, the savory galette with homemade bacon is perfect for lunch. During café hours, you can also enjoy sweet galettes paired with coffee.


Address: 1-6-7 Kannon-machi, Kanazawa

Hours: 11:00 AM – 5:00 PM

*Savory galettes are available from 11:00 AM – 2:00 PM only.

Closed: Monday

Les mailles

  • A French restaurant nestled halfway up Utatsuyama Hill.
  • An example of a main dish: a blissful plate made with locally sourced venison from Ishikawa.
  • Table seating with views of the lush greenery of Mt. Utatsuyama through the windows.
  • They use domestically sourced ingredients, tableware, and cutlery.
  • The restaurant’s concept is to create a space that connects the colors and blessings of the seasons with people’s hearts and palates.
  • The chef personally grows organic vegetables and uses food waste from the restaurant as compost.

A French restaurant in a standalone house that opened on Mt. Utatsuyama in June 2023. The seasonal course menu highlights the natural flavors of each ingredient, presented with elegance and care. Not only are the dishes healthy, but they also reflect a commitment to sustainability—using pesticide-free vegetables, supporting producers, and reducing environmental impact. Through each plate, the restaurant shares the beauty of Japanese ingredients and traditional craftsmanship.


Address: 58-2 Higashimikage-machi, Kanazawa, Ishikawa 920-0835
Hours: 12:00–15:00 / 18:00–22:00
*Seasonal lunch course featuring requires reservation by the day before.

Closed: Tuesday & Wednesday 

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