5 Recommended Gourmet Spots in Matsusaka City, Mie Prefecture. From Eating Tours to Late-Night Restaurants

Matsusaka City in Mie Prefecture, which flourished as a town of wealthy merchants, has many noteworthy gourmet spots. In this article, our editorial team will introduce some carefully selected spots, including a honey specialty store that you should stop by during your stroll, Matsusaka beef steaks that are recommended for lunch or dinner, and teppanyaki restaurants that are open until late at night.
1. Exclusive store-only, exquisite monaka ice cream "Hachimitsuya Matsujiro no Ho"

The first place we'll introduce is a recommended spot for walking around Matsusaka city. About a 6-minute walk from Matsusaka Station is the Honey Shop Matsujiro. This honey specialty store is run directly by a long-established beekeeping farm founded in 1912, and they also have a store in Ise. They offer a wide variety of honey and processed products, as well as the popular monaka ice cream.

The store has a wide variety of precious domestic honey and processed products, among which the honey offered at the Kanname Festival at Ise Shrine is a popular item that is flooded with pre-orders every year. Other products available include honey-based sweets and cosmetics, as well as health foods such as propolis capsules and drinks.
A recommended health food is a stick-type product that combines propolis and manuka honey. It is very moisturizing when you have a sore throat. It is extremely popular among voice professionals such as announcers and voice actors, and they apparently keep it in their bags so they can drink it right before going on stage.
Orders flood in from overseas

Currently, orders from overseas are increasing, and processed products such as honey lemon with lemon peel and honey yuzu with yuzu juice are also popular. Most of the customers are from Thailand, Hong Kong, Taiwan, and the United States, and one of the reasons is the high quality of the products made using Japanese processing technology and the fact that they are creating a big buzz on social media.
It can be enjoyed in a variety of ways, such as diluting it with hot or cold water, mixing it into yogurt, or simply spreading it on bread.
Must try! Honey Monaka ice cream made with care

At Matsujiro no Ho, you can eat store-exclusive mochi ice cream topped with honeycomb. This is Hungarian honeycomb filled with acacia honey, and its refreshing sweetness goes well with dairy products. You can eat in or take out.

Here is the honey monaka that you can only get here! Honey and ice cream made with rich milk from Mie Prefecture are sandwiched between luxurious monaka that are individually hand-baked by craftsmen. In addition to milk, matcha, kinako, black sesame, and chocolate chip, there are also flavors that change with the seasons, and at this time of year, the lineup features sweet potatoes made with domestic Beni Haruka sweet potatoes.
The mochi is light and crisp, and the ice cream is not too heavy, making for a great combination. You won't find this mochi texture and ice cream anywhere else, so be sure to try it when you visit.
2. The finest Matsusaka beef steak: "Beef Club Noel"

Beef Club Noel has an impressive chic navy exterior. They serve Matsusaka beef steaks and reasonably priced Wagyu steaks. It's about a 6-minute walk from Matsusaka Station, so it's very close to the station. As soon as you open the door, there are stairs, and if you go up, you'll find a dining area on the second floor.

The restaurant is divided into counter and table seats, and the walls are decorated with stylish wreaths. In front of the counter seats is the kitchen separated by glass, so you can enjoy your meal while watching the chef grill your steaks.
Luxurious marbled Matsusaka beef

You can choose from cuts such as sirloin, fillet, or aitchbone, but this time I ordered the Matsusaka beef loin steak, which is recommended for lunch.
As expected of Matsusaka beef! The fine fat marbling is superb. The pieces are placed on a large commercial iron plate so that they can be grilled in large quantities, and are crossed halfway through cooking to ensure a nice sear. Furthermore, the depressions in the iron plate are designed to allow excess fat to drip off, ensuring delicious grilling.
The degree of doneness is where the chef's skill shines. He checks it repeatedly, relying on his years of experience and intuition to determine the most delicious state.
Matsusaka beef steak with delicious meaty flavor and a melt-in-your-mouth texture

They basically serve it medium rare. However, if you request it, they will cook it to your desired doneness. The meat is tender and very juicy! You can enjoy the full flavor of the meat. The spicy black pepper adds an accent, and the soy sauce-based sauce does not overwhelm the deliciousness of the meat.
The side dishes are roasted potatoes, bell peppers, and glazed carrots, all of which are cut in half for a delightful size.
In addition, the set comes with soup, salad, and rice. The soup changes depending on the day, and can be minestrone or corn soup. On this day, it was potato soup. It is an exquisite soup that melts in your mouth and allows you to taste the taste of vegetables elegantly. The salad is topped with French dressing, and has a pleasant crunchy texture and is extremely fresh.
Each dish has a perfect taste, and you will be left with a lingering aftertaste of deliciousness. Why not enjoy a luxurious time at Beef Club Noel?
Store Information: Beef Club Noel
■Address: 25 Kyomachi, Matsusaka City, Mie Prefecture, 515-0017
■Business hours:
Weekdays 11:30~14:15,17:00~20:45
Saturdays and Sundays 11:30~14:45,17:00~20:45
■Closed on Thursdays
■Telephone number: 0598-26-6410
■Access: 5 minutes on foot from Matsusaka Station
3. The soup is the key! A soba restaurant where you can eat Chinese noodles "Sarashina"

Sarashina is a long-established soba restaurant that has been loved by locals since it was founded in 1925. If you drive for about 7 minutes from Matsusaka Station, you will see seasonal trees and a large sign with the word Sarashina written on it, and the staff of the restaurant will welcome you.
A relaxing interior with a sense of history
The restaurant has both table seating and tatami seating, and is spacious enough to accommodate wheelchairs and strollers. The relaxing interior has a nostalgic atmosphere.

There is also a stone mill for grinding buckwheat, and you can see how it is done inside the store. You can enjoy freshly ground, freshly made, and freshly boiled soba.
No.1 Popular Chinese Noodles

Sarashina's main dish is soba, but they also boast a Chinese noodle dish. The original soup, made by combining stock made from rough mackerel, dried mackerel, round sardines, sardines, bonito, and dried sardines with homemade soy sauce that has been aged for two weeks, has a deep, rich flavor. The gentle sweetness of the ingredients, including finely chopped onions, carrots, cabbage, and meat cut into bite-sized pieces, goes well with the noodles.
In fact, the origin of Matsusaka's Chinese noodles is said to be when the first owner of Fujiya and Sarashina, two restaurants that also serve Chinese noodles in Matsusaka, ate Chinese noodles in Manchuria. Convinced that they could make money in Japan, they opened a restaurant, and word spread that it was delicious, and thus Matsusaka's Chinese noodles were born.
Sarashina's Chinese noodles are now sold as chilled products, mainly at supermarkets in Matsusaka and Mie prefectures. The store also has takeaway products, so they are also recommended as souvenirs. Please stop by to try the Chinese noodles loved by the locals.
4. Creamy curry udon at "Oonishi"

A seven-minute drive from Matsusaka Station will take you to the famous udon restaurant, "Oonishi." Look for the large sign, and there is a parking lot for five cars in front of the restaurant. If the parking lot is full, there is also parking space for six cars behind the restaurant. Because it is a popular restaurant, there may be a line, especially during lunch hours.
Plenty of seating available for groups

The spacious restaurant is fully equipped with a counter, tatami room, and table seating. It has a calm atmosphere. At the back of the kitchen is a space for making noodles, where the owner painstakingly makes the noodles every day.

The handmade noodles are made with care and are smooth to the touch. In addition to udon, you can also choose soba, and there is a wide variety of dishes to choose from, including wakame, kitsune, tempura, curry udon (soba), and nabeyaki udon. There are also rice bowls such as oyakodon and katsudon.
Among them, curry udon is the most popular at Oonishi. This time I ordered chicken curry udon. The light color and thick appearance of the curry make it look like a creamy and mild curry udon. You can sprinkle tempura flakes and green onions on top to taste.
Mild and creamy curry udon

The taste is as mellow as you'd expect, and you can taste the deep richness of the curry. The noodles go down smoothly and are well coated with the thick curry. It's not too spicy, so it's perfect for kids. By the time you've finished eating, there's almost no soup left. Although it's simple, you can see that attention has been paid to every aspect, such as the flavor of the noodles and curry, and the thickness of the soup.
Other curry udon options include shrimp tempura, fillet tempura, pork cutlet curry udon, and meat curry udon made with Matsusaka beef. There are many curry udon restaurants in Matsusaka, but Oonishi is a famous restaurant that has captured the hearts of Matsusaka residents. Be sure to check it out.
5. "Choromatsufumi" where you can spend a deep night

About a 12-minute walk from Matsusaka Station, along a street lined with bars and other nightlife establishments, you'll find Choromatsu Fumi. It's a charming restaurant with a traditional, rustic sign and swaying noren curtains that will draw you in.

The restaurant opens a little late at 7pm. Regulars are already drinking and laughing, including the landlady. The bright interior has counter seats and raised tatami seating. Groups of 4-5 people are also welcome.
Even after 9pm, many customers continue to flock in, and it is also very popular to go for a second drink. (At the time of the interview, the restaurant was quickly full, and customers continued to come in non-stop.)
What is the origin of the name Choromatsu?

Choromatsu, which is also the name of the restaurant, is the name of a menu item. The bite-sized okonomiyaki (with green onions) in the picture is Choromatsuyaki. It is derived from a Western-style okonomiyaki containing pork and eggs, and when it was improved to be smaller so that it could be eaten easily with alcohol, it was very popular with customers and orders started to increase. It is now such a signature menu item that it is used as the restaurant's name.

The flour-based dough is topped with bonito flakes, tempura scraps, spring onions, pickled ginger, and other ingredients, then cooked by turning it over with a spatula. The sight of the chef turning the dough over and over again until it is golden brown is a spectacular sight! The dexterity of the chef, who has been cooking for decades, is ingrained in his body, and he doesn't hesitate for a moment. Finally, the dough is folded so that it is easy to eat, and soy sauce is poured over it to finish it off.
Choromatsuyaki goes great with alcohol!

It is served piping hot, a feature unique to teppanyaki. The chewy texture and refreshing aroma of spring onions fill your mouth. The pickled ginger and tempura flakes add a nice accent, making it the perfect snack! The strong soy sauce seasoning goes well with alcohol, and it is light so you can eat it all in no time.
The proprietress' suggestion to make the portions bite-sized is a big hit! If it's your first time at the restaurant, you'll be able to eat as many plates as you want.

There are other recommended menu items as well. The seafood fried noodles mix is made with thick noodles and ingredients such as squid and cabbage, and is a rich teppan fried noodles with a rich sauce as the base. The flavor is loved by everyone and will fill you up.
Choromatsu is currently run by the second generation proprietress and has been passed down from parent to child, and even after 60 years since its establishment, it is still a relaxing place for customers. There is a lot of takeout, which is useful for snacks for children or late-night meals. If you come to Matsusaka, why not stop by Choromatsu? You may be able to have a drink with local people. It is also recommended as a second stop.
Enjoy delicious food and travel memories in Matsusaka
Matsusaka has many restaurants, including long-established establishments that have been around for generations and hidden gems. Why not visit Matsusaka to try some delicious food? The places are lively until late at night, and the opportunity to interact with local people is one of the best parts of traveling.
A little further away is the nature-rich Iitaka/Iinan area, where you can find Matsusaka's specialty products at the roadside station "Iitaka Station" and the restaurant/cafe "Oku Matsusaka" with accommodation facilities, among other recommended spots to visit on your trip to Matsusaka. We will introduce this in a separate article, so please look forward to it.
For more gourmet spots in Matsusaka, be sure to check out this article:
Mikumo and Ureshino interview articles, Iitaka and Iinan interview articles
We will also introduce various other Matsusaka specialties and local products! ▼
Other articles related to Matsusaka are also available! Check them out! ▼
Matsusaka City, Mie Prefecture is located almost in the center of Japan, where you can enjoy world-class gourmet Matsusaka beef, rich history and culture, and beautiful nature. During the Edo period, Matsusaka was the final post town for pilgrimages to Ise-mairi (a pilgrimage to Japan's highest-ranking shrine). These merchants succeeded in trading Matsusaka cotton in Edo and brought prosperity to Matsusaka.
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