Omiya Food Guide: 11 Restaurants and Cafes for a Day Trip from Tokyo

Visit Omiya, a Bustling District North of Tokyo

Omiya is the largest business district in Saitama and can be easily reached by train from Tokyo (25 minutes from Ueno Station on the JR Utsunomiya Line and JR Takasaki Line).

This area is renowned for the Omiya Bonsai Art Museum and Bonsai Village, as well as for Musashi Ichinomiya Hikawa Shrine, which is the head of Hikawa Shrines in Japan and stands at the origin of the district's name ("Omiya" means "great shrine").

When visiting Omiya, don't miss out on the amazing local cuisine, which includes Omiya Napolitan, Musashino udon, dango, and manju.

In this article, we introduce 11 restaurants and cafes where you can enjoy Omiya's local cuisine.

Omiya Food Guide

What to Try: Omiya Napolitan, Musashino Udon, Dango, and Manju
Top 5 Omiya Napolitan Spots
1. Hakushakutei
2. OTTO CAFE
3. Bistro Bon Appetit
4. Hiikiya Omiya Nishiguchi
5. Restaurant Un Deux Trois
Top 3 Udon Restaurants in Omiya
6. Fujidana Udon
7. Kago Yasumi
8. Hideyoshi Udon
Top 3 Dessert Shops in Omiya
9. Hikawa Dangoya
10. Jumangoku Manju
11. Kasho Umon Imo Koi

Omiya Cuisine: Omiya Napolitan, Musashino Udon, Dango, and Manju

There isn’t a definitive list of the so-called top three cuisines of Omiya. However, when it comes to local specialties, Omiya Napolitan is undoubtedly at the top.

Spaghetti Napolitan is a dish that was commonly eaten in Omiya, a railway town that was once home to a railway factory.

Restaurants in the former Omiya City serve this dish as Omiya Napolitan, an attempt to make it a local specialty. This variation is made using multiple types of vegetable produced in Saitama Prefecture.

Udon, including Musashino udon, and confections like dango (rice dumplings) and manju (steamed buns), with Hikawa dango being the most famous, are also among Omiya’s well-known cuisines.

Top 5 Omiya Napolitan Spots

Picture courtesy of Photo AC

First, we introduce the top recommended restaurants for Omiya Napolitan. Each restaurant offers its own creative twist on this dish.

1. Hakushakutei

Picture courtesy of Hot Pepper Gourmet
Hakushakutei is a popular café with many visitors and is credited as the birthplace of Omiya Napolitan.

They serve their Original Omiya Napolitan, offering a traditional and nostalgic flavor.

The café is known for being open 24 hours. In addition to spaghetti Napolitan, it also offers rare dishes from various countries such as Europe and Asia.

Hakushakutei
Address: Saitama, Saitama, Omiya, Miyacho 1-46
Hours: Open 24-hours
Official Website: https://www.hakushakutei.com/ (Japanese)
Hot Pepper Gourmet: https://www.hotpepper.jp/strJ000175891/ (Japanese)

2. OTTO CAFÉ

OTTO CAFÉ is a stylish café located along the approach to Hikawa Shrine.

The spaghetti Napolitan, made with their homemade tomato sauce and ketchup, has a gentle flavor with a balanced blend of acidity and sweetness.

They also have a kids’ menu, which is why you’ll often see families dining with their children.

OTTO CAFÉ
Address: Saitama, Saitama, Omiya, Azumacho 2-88-2 Hashimoto Building 1F
Hours: 10:30 – 22:00
Closed: Mondays
Official Website: https://otto.favy.jp/ (Japanese)
Hot Pepper Gourmet: https://www.hotpepper.jp/strJ001148495/ (Japanese)

3. Bistro Bon Appetit

Picture courtesy of Hot Pepper Gourmet
Bistro Bon Appetit is ideally located just a minute’s walk from the station.

It’s a bistro where you can enjoy lunch during the afternoon and have a meal with a drink in a relaxed atmosphere in the evening.

Their Omiya Napolitan is a bistro-style dish with thickly sliced bacon that will whet your appetite. It’s an exquisite meal you'll want to savor slowly in the peaceful atmosphere of the restaurant.

Bistro Bon Appetit / Bar Yorubona
Address: Saitama, Saitama, Omiya, Miyacho 1-82 2F
Hours:
Mon, Wed – Fri: 11:30 – 15:00 / 17:30 – 0:00 next day
Weekends and national holidays: 11:00 – 15:00 / 17:30 – 0:00 next day
Closed: Tuesdays
Official Website: https://bistro-bonappetit.owst.jp/en/
Hot Pepper Gourmet: https://www.hotpepper.jp/strJ000016551/ (Japanese)

4. Hiikiya Omiya Nishiguchi

この投稿をInstagramで見る

ひいき屋西口(@hiikiya_west)がシェアした投稿

A Western-style restaurant that just reopened in September 2024 after renovations.

Their spaghetti Napolitan uses thick, chewy noodles, making it a hearty and satisfying dish.

Generous toppings and Napolitan sauce, perfectly coating the noodles, create an exquisite harmony for a perfect dish.

Hiikiya Omiya Nishiguchi
Address: Saitama, Saitama, Omiya, Sakuragicho 2-159-2
Hours: 11:00 – 15:00 / 17:00 – 23:00
Closed: Mondays (may have temporary closures)
Official Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/hiikiya_west/

5. Restaurant Un Deux Trois

Picture courtesy of Hot Pepper Gourmet
A restaurant where you can enjoy smoked dishes made in-house.

The Omiya Napolitan, a popular house special, uses thin noodles mixed with aromatic homemade bacon, offering a generous serving.

The rich tomato sauce also contributes to creating a Napolitan dish unlike any other.

Restaurant Un Deux Trois
Address: Saitama, Saitama, Omiya, Sengencho 2-45-1 2F, 3F
Hours:
Tues – Fri: 11:00 – 15:00 / 17:00 – 23:00
Weekends: 11:00 – 23:00
Closed: Mondays
Official Website: https://omiya-restaurant-undotuwa.owst.jp/ (Japanese)
Hot Pepper Gourmet: https://www.hotpepper.jp/strJ000981834/ (Japanese)

Top 3 Udon Restaurants in Omiya

Musashino udon’s main feature lies in its thickness and firmness. With its strong, coarse texture, rather than focusing on the smoothness of the noodles going down, it’s better described as a dish that lets you savor the natural flavors of the wheat.

Below are three recommended restaurants where you can eat udon in Omiya.

1. Fujidana Udon

Picture courtesy of Hot Pepper Gourmet
Fujidana Udon is a popular udon restaurant bustling with lines every day.

A popular dish here is the Nikuju Udon, a hearty serving of udon in a pork broth and prepared in the classic Musashino udon style.

This dish features a flavorful broth generously topped with pork belly and spring onions. The udon noodles absorb the savory pork fat, creating an incredibly delicious flavor.

The restaurant is only open during the day on weekdays, so it’s recommended to visit early.

Fujidana Udon Omiya
Address: Saitama, Saitama, Nishi, Mihashi 6-14-7
Hours: 10:00 – 15:00
Closed: Saturdays, Sundays, and national holidays
Hot Pepper Gourmet: https://www.hotpepper.jp/strJ000175400/ (Japanese)

2. Kago Yasumi

この投稿をInstagramで見る

駕籠休み(@kago.yasumi.udon)がシェアした投稿

Kago Yasumi is a nationally famous restaurant, attracting many visitors from outside the prefecture.

Their udon is a flavorful dish made by blending various types of wheat flour. The restaurant also offers many unique items, including udon made with buckwheat flour, special rice bowls, and more.

Kago Yasumi
Address: Saitama, Saitama, Omiya, Kishikicho 2-108-12
Hours: 10:00 – 15:00
Official Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kago.yasumi.udon/
Hot Pepper Gourmet: https://www.hotpepper.jp/strJ000842690/ (Japanese)

3. Hideyoshi Udon

Picture courtesy of Hot Pepper Gourmet
A popular multifaceted establishment that is an udon restaurant by day and an izakaya (Japanese pub) by night.

This restaurant is known for its thick udon noodles made with whole wheat flour, served in a gentle broth made with Kyoto-style dashi stock. Their popular Nikuju Udon features domestic pork, adding sweetness from the pork fat.

The evening menu features unique takes on udon, including meat sauce udon, Napolitan udon and more for customers to enjoy.

Hideyoshi Udon
Address: Saitama, Saitama, Omiya, Sakuragicho 2-305
Hours:
Mon, Tues, Thurs, Fri: 11:00 – 14:00 / 17:30 – 22:00
Wed: 11:00 – 14:00
Closed: Saturdays, Sundays, and national holidays
Official Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/HIDEYOSHI_UDON
Hot Pepper Gourmet: https://www.hotpepper.jp/strJ000766360/ (Japanese)

Top 3 Dango and Manju Shops in Omiya

Omiya is home to some of Saitama’s most famous shops for dango (sweet rice dumplings) and manju (steamed buns). Here are three recommended shops.

1. Hikawa Dangoya

Picture courtesy of Hot Pepper Gourmet
Hikawa Dangoya is a shop along the approach to Hikawa Shrine beloved by visitors since 1970.

They offer handmade dango, carefully crafted one by one and grilled to perfection. You can easily enjoy their high-quality flavor.

Hikawa Dangoya
Address: Saitama, Saitama, Omiya, Takahanacho 2-130
Hours: 9:30 – 16:30 (dine-in)
Closed: Mondays
Official Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bingchuandangowu/
Hot Pepper Gourmet: https://www.hotpepper.jp/strJ001064542/ (Japanese)

2. Jumangoku Manju

Picture courtesy of Jumangoku Manju (Japanese)
Jumangoku Manju is famous for the catchphrase “Yummy, just too yummy!” which deeply resonates with many residents of Saitama.

They are popular for their manju, which are carefully made with high-quality ingredients such as Tokachi azuki beans from Hokkaido and Koshihikari rice flour from Niigata.

They have over 30 locations, primarily in Saitama Prefecture, and in Omiya, their manju is sold on the basement level of the department store Sogo.

Jumangoku Sogo Omiya
Address: Saitama, Omiya, Sakuragicho 1-6 Sogo Omiya B1F
Hours: 10:00 – 20:00
Official Website: https://www.jumangoku.co.jp/ (Japanese)
Hot Pepper Gourmet: https://www.hotpepper.jp/strJ001080885/ (Japanese)

3. Kasho Umon Imo Koi

Picture courtesy of Hot Pepper Gourmet
Kasho Umon is a confectionery primarily based in Kawagoe, with a location inside JR Omiya Station.

Imo Koi, their signature product, is a subtly flavored manju filled with sweet potato and coarse red bean paste.

The sweet is recognized as a Sai-no-Kuni Excellence Brand Product by the prefecture.

Kasho Umon ecute Omiya
Address: Saitama, Saitama, Omiya, Nishikicho 630 JR Omiya Station
Hours:
Mon – Sat: 8:00 – 22:00
Sun & holidays: 8:00 – 20:30
Official Website: https://imokoi.com/ (Japanese)
Hot Pepper Gourmet: https://www.hotpepper.jp/strJ000182487/ (Japanese)

Enjoy Omiya Napolitan, Udon, and Dango to the Fullest!

Omiya is popular for local dishes such as Napolitan, udon, and dango. In addition to the restaurants we’ve introduced, many other spots offer their own creative takes on these dishes. The next time you visit Omiya, be sure to find a place that suits your tastes and enjoy Omiya cuisine to the fullest!

Main image courtesy of Photo AC
Written by Cakutama editorial team