Ishinomaki is famous for its fishing industry, but it also has a thriving agricultural sector, with many restaurants offering dishes made from local ingredients. Beyond the deliciousness of the food, knowing about the charm of the ingredients and the owner's passion makes you love the restaurant even more. The fact that Ishinomaki has such wonderful food and people is one of its attractions.
In this column, we will introduce 10 recommended lunch spots around Ishinomaki Station. We'll cover a wide range of genres, so you're sure to find a place that suits your taste.
'Ishinomaki Genki Ichiba' is a place where Ishinomaki's charms, such as local ingredients and specialty products, gather. On its second floor is a restaurant called 'Genki Shokudo,' which is bustling with locals and tourists alike, regardless of weekdays or holidays.
The menu features a variety of seafood dishes unique to a fishing town, such as the seafood-packed Genki Don, Saba Dashi Ramen, Oyster Cream Pasta, and Roast Whale Don. You can also try Ishinomaki's local B-grade gourmet dish, Ishinomaki Yakisoba.
This time, I ordered 'Ara~men,' ramen made with broth from fish bones. The soup is packed with the umami of seafood, and the accompanying vegetable tempura is crispy. 'Genki Shokudo' offers not only seafood dishes but also katsu curry and char siu ramen, so it can be enjoyed by those who don't like fish or those with small children. No matter what mood you're in, it will surely satisfy your hunger. By the way, you can reduce the portion size of rice dishes, so those with smaller appetites can rest assured.
From the terrace seats of 'Genki Shokudo,' you can see the former Kitakami River. On a nice day, be sure to use the terrace seats.
Location: 2-11-11 Chuo, Ishinomaki, Miyagi 986-0822
'Umifune' is about a 10-minute walk from Ishinomaki Station and about a 3-minute walk from Ishinomaki Genki Ichiba. It's an izakaya specializing in seaside cuisine, and it's open for lunch. I also went there for lunch.
Lunch mainly consists of set meals, with fish options like grilled mackerel set meal and meat options like beef tendon stew set meal. The fried chicken set meal I ordered this time included crispy fried chicken, miso soup, and a small side dish. It thoroughly satisfied the hunger of an adult male.
Looking at the dinner menu, there were many intriguing items like whale bacon and grilled conger eel. You could try it for lunch first, and then bring friends for drinks later – that's one way to enjoy it.
Location: 2-1-23 Chuo, Ishinomaki, Miyagi 986-0822
'Charcoal Grill Sumisen,' located very close to Ishinomaki Station on a corner of Ishinomaki's main street, Tatemachi-dori, is an izakaya that also serves lunch, just like Umifune.
The lunch menu is very simple, with only four options: today's grilled fish set meal (650 yen), fried chicken set meal (500 yen), chicken salt ramen (600 yen), and a daily special lunch. It's great to be able to eat lunch for around 600 yen.
This time, I ordered the 500-yen fried chicken set meal. The volume was incredible for a 500-yen meal, making it a recommended spot when you're really hungry.
Location: Fukuya Building 2F, 2-7-8 Tatemachi, Ishinomaki, Miyagi 986-0824
'Ishinomaki Tempura Nagomi' is a tempura specialty restaurant located across the parking lot from Aeon Ishinomaki Ekimae Store. There's a pathway next to a spice ramen shop called 'Shenron,' and if you go up the stairs, you'll find a warm, wood-toned restaurant on the second floor.
During lunchtime, the menu mainly features donburi such as shrimp tempura don and vegetable tempura don, as well as set meals like the seasonal tempura gozen, all priced around 1,000 yen. My favorite is the chicken kashiwa tempura don, and I ordered my usual menu item this time as well.
The charm of 'Ishinomaki Tempura Nagomi' is that you can eat freshly fried tempura. They fry it in the restaurant after you order, and the hot, crispy tempura pairs perfectly with white rice.
This restaurant also serves alcohol during dinner hours. It's a recommended tempura restaurant for the evening as well, where you can enjoy freshly fried tempura piece by piece while sipping on drinks.
Location: Ohashi Building 2F, 3-6 Isenba, Ishinomaki, Miyagi 986-0826
'Trattoria del centro nuovo' is a stylish Italian restaurant, a different genre from the places introduced so far. During lunchtime, pasta is the main menu item, but you can also enjoy sandwiches and curry. You can savor creative Italian cuisine prepared by a female chef who trained in Italy.
Among the restaurants in the Aito-Pia Street area, 'Trattoria del centro nuovo' stands out for its stylishness. Both its exterior and interior are 'instagrammable,' and the warmth of the wood creates a calming atmosphere.
Popular among women, including stylish local Ishinomaki madams, moms with children, and busy office ladies, Del Centro's visually appealing creative Italian dishes make it a perfect spot for a girls' gathering.
The pasta sets, which use seasonal ingredients, change their menu every season, making you want to visit again and again. The one I had in winter was "Tsubugai (whelk) Peperoncino Spaghetti with Karasumi." Being able to try various pastas each season is also one of its charms.
They also offer dinner service and irregularly hold morning markets exclusively for takeout menus. The morning market sells out in a few hours, so be sure to check the chef's Instagram. If you're craving pasta, I'd be happy if 'Trattoria del centro nuovo' is the first place that comes to mind.
Location: 2-7-10 Chuo, Ishinomaki, Miyagi 986-0822
'cafe Ren' has a warm atmosphere that's evident at first glance. This cafe, housed in a renovated old folk house, offers both lunch and sweets. This time, I visited during lunchtime.
With the concept of "a daily meal and bread shop created by a patissier from a farming family," 'cafe Ren' offers healthy lunch menus that change weekly. I had the "Hamburg Steak ~Onion and Black Vinegar Sauce~" lunch plate. The gentle yet substantial flavor of the dish was so delicious that its aftertaste lingered throughout the afternoon. For the lunch plate, if there's one main dish, it's 825 yen, and for 1,265 yen, you can add another dish, choosing two main dishes. It's a great deal to enjoy such healthy cuisine for around 1000 yen.
The chalk art adorning the interior and exterior is also one of its charms. In particular, the wonderful chalk art at the entrance of the store is eye-catching, so if you've read this article, you'll immediately recognize it as 'cafe Ren!'
Location: 2-7-26 Tatemachi, Ishinomaki, Miyagi 986-0824
At 'bi cafe Natsume,' located about a 3-minute walk from Ishinomaki Genki Ichiba at the foot of Hiyoriyama, you can enjoy authentic medicinal cuisine. This is great news for those who prioritize health and beauty.
The exterior looks completely like a private house, but when you open the door and go up to the second floor, you'll find a bright and inviting restaurant. Sunlight streams in through the windows, making the interior very bright, and the window seats are warm even in winter.
Medicinal cuisine, in essence, is "preventive food that balances the body and boosts immunity to prevent illness," and 'bi cafe Natsume' is dedicated to providing such dishes. The menu includes medicinal hot pot sets, medicinal curry sets, and sets where you can enjoy both hot pot and curry. This time, I ordered the most popular medicinal hot pot set.
From unique medicinal ingredients like herbal beef and herbal rice to assorted mushrooms and seasonal vegetables, the menu is packed with nutrients. Eating ingredients warmed in the red mala soup and white paitan soup will invigorate both your mind and body. By the way, if you ask the staff, they can adjust the spiciness of the mala soup to be milder, so even those who don't like spicy food can enjoy it.
Location: 1-3-21 Kadowakicho, Ishinomaki, Miyagi 986-0024
'Shizenshoku Shokudo San,' introduced here, offers "meals that help many people become healthier," meticulously designed by the owner, a registered dietitian. You can enjoy delicious and body-friendly dishes that prioritize local production for local consumption and minimize the use of additives and pesticides.
Both the exterior and interior resemble a long-established traditional Japanese restaurant, making you feel calm the moment you step inside. Although the restaurant is located in the city center of Ishinomaki, very close to the multi-story parking lot of Ishinomaki Genki Ichiba, it offers a tranquility that makes you forget its urban setting.
From stir-fried thick fried tofu and maitake mushrooms to grilled cod marinated in sake lees, every dish sounds delicious just by its name. The pork shoulder loin ginger stir-fry I ordered this time also had a gentle flavor that further calmed my mind. I highly recommend trying their ichiju-sansai (one soup, three side dishes) meal, which pays close attention to the side dishes as well.
Location: 2-7-31 Chuo, Ishinomaki, Miyagi 986-0822
This is the only soba restaurant introduced in this top 10 list. Among the several soba restaurants in Ishinomaki City, we will introduce 'Soba-dokoro Moriya' this time.
Entering through the Japanese-style entrance, you'll find an interior that feels just like your local grandmother's house. It's a cozy soba restaurant that has been run by the family for many years, with staff wearing traditional aprons.
They offer a variety of soba dishes, from classic kake soba/udon to popular curry soba/udon. The niku soba (meat soba) I had was perfectly seasoned. It's recommended when you want to eat something quickly and then get back to work in the afternoon.
By the way, 'Soba-dokoro Moriya' also offers soba delivery exclusively to nearby residents. During my visit, I witnessed them heading out for a delivery on a motorcycle, which was a small moment of感動 (deep emotion) for me, being born in the Heisei era.
Location: 2-1-13 Chuo, Ishinomaki, Miyagi 986-0822
Finally, I'll introduce 'CAPTAIN KANGAROO Ishinomaki,' which serves huge hamburgers.
It's a bit far from Ishinomaki Station, but you can get there in about 10 minutes by car or 30 minutes by bicycle. Unlike the 9 establishments introduced so far, this is an American-style restaurant that you'll spot immediately from a distance.
The interior is also full of energy, and the staff's cheerfulness instantly brightened my mood. Also, there's active communication with customers, so some might frequent the place for that reason.
The hamburgers served at this American-style restaurant are also American-sized. This time, I ordered the most popular item, the "Sparky Burger." It was so big that for a moment I wondered how to eat it, but taking big bites is part of the fun. The patty is juicy, the bun is chewy, and the fried onions and bacon inside are crispy and addictive. Once you try it, you're sure to become a repeat customer!
Location: 3-1-1 Maruido, Ishinomaki, Miyagi 986-0865
How was it? Ishinomaki is a region rich in food, with many more lunch spots and pubs I'd like to introduce besides the 10 establishments in this article. I believe you'll understand what I mean when you walk around the town.
Just as the character for 'food' (食) is said to be composed of 'person' (人) and 'good' (良), when food is abundant, life also becomes abundant. By visiting the restaurants in Ishinomaki, where both fishing and agriculture thrive, I hope you can experience that richness.
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