Must-try foods in Fukuoka! 6 traditional, long-established and trending new foods

Hatsumi Ito
A gourmet blogger who eats and drinks at over 400 restaurants a year. He posts gourmet information on Twitter (@hatsu823) and other SNS.
Host of the online salon "Tokyo Gourmet Salon" limited to 140 people. "Gourmet is communication" is his life theme.

*Prices include tax.

Bikkuri-tei Honke Honten, a yakiniku teppanyaki specialty restaurant loved by locals

"Bikkuri-tei Honke" is located in front of Minami-Fukuoka Station on the JR Kagoshima Main Line, just a one-minute walk away. Founded in 1963, this long-established yakiniku teppan specialty restaurant has only one dish on the menu. It is so popular that as the opening time of 11:30 approaches, customers start arriving one after another and a line forms!

There are tables and tatami rooms where you can relax, and the nostalgic atmosphere that evokes a long history is very comfortable. The spacious restaurant is almost full as soon as it opens! You can see that it is loved by a wide range of people, from families to couples, friends, and people of all ages and genders.

The counter seating, which gives off a lively atmosphere and lets you enjoy the sizzling sound of the meat being grilled, is also very popular with solo diners.

The menu only has one item, "Yakiniku". You can choose the amount: one portion (900 yen), one and a half portions (1,250 yen), two portions (1,700 yen), or three portions (2,400 yen). There are three sizes of rice: small 150 yen, medium 200 yen, and large 300 yen, so let's order the yakiniku and rice set. *The photo shows 1.5 portions.

The long-awaited "Teppan Yakiniku" (grilled meat on a hot plate). Various cuts of pork, such as hanging tenderloin, cheek meat, head meat, and pork belly, are stir-fried together with cabbage over high heat and finished with a traditional special garlic sauce. The aroma of garlic will whet your appetite...!

Now, there is a delicious way to eat this teppan yakiniku using a wooden stick called a "geta" (bikkuri stick) that is placed on the table.

First, place a wooden clog on one side and tilt the iron plate to move the fat to one side.

The next key ingredient is the "secret spicy miso." When this spicy miso is dissolved in the fat on one side of the iron plate, a special sauce with a flavor similar to chili oil is created.

First, let's try it as is. You can enjoy the texture of the various cuts of meat, and the rich flavor of the garlic is irresistible. The generous amount of cabbage is also packed with the flavor of the garlic sauce and meat.

When you mix the spicy miso with the melted fat, it has a strong spiciness that makes you want to eat more rice! The spicy miso, which is made with several types of spices, is addictively delicious.

It's no wonder that this popular restaurant has such a long-standing reputation. Come and enjoy the traditional flavors that have been loved by locals in Fukuoka for years!

Bikkuri-tei Honke Main Branch

A must-see for wine lovers! Kyushu's first urban winery, "Hakata Winery Takenoya"

Conveniently located just 300 steps from Hakata Station, Hakata Winery Takenoya is Kyushu's first urban winery, scheduled to open in May 2022. It is a winery and dining establishment with the theme of the marriage of wine and chicken skin.

The restaurant is spacious with 95 seats, mostly at tables. It has a stylish cafe-like interior and is a bright space with plenty of sunlight streaming in through the large glass windows.

The winery has eight tanks, so you can enjoy wine straight from the barrel.

There is also a wine shop on-site, offering over 60 types of bottled wine carefully selected by a sommelier. For an additional 990 yen, you can drink the wine you purchased at the shop in the restaurant.

We immediately toasted with the "Today's Tap Wine Comparison Set of 3 Glasses, 60ml x 3" (1,089 yen)! The "Muscat Gordo Blanco" on the left is not brewed in-house, but has a slightly bitter taste with a refreshing citrus flavor, the "Cabernet Sauvignon" in the middle is brewed in-house, and its berry aroma makes it a delicious pairing with food, and the "Shiraz" on the right is also brewed in-house and has a mild spice, but is easy to drink and you won't get tired of it.

The "Western-style Oden with Mushroom and Daikon" (209 yen) is the perfect accompaniment to wine. The rich and creamy sauce goes perfectly with the fluffy daikon. Enjoy the sauce with homemade bread.

The specialty "Hakata Guru Guru Torikawa" can be ordered from one piece, five pieces (825 yen), or ten pieces (1,540 yen). Each thick piece of neck skin is skewered and slowly grilled in a secret sauce, resulting in a superb dish with a crispy skin and a chewy inside. You won't be able to stop eating it.

"Uwasa no Tamagoyaki" (649 yen). This tamagoyaki uses the luxurious brand of eggs "Tsumandego Tamago" and has a soft-boiled egg inside, so when you cut it, the runny yolk oozes out. Experience the rich flavor and flavor of the egg.

This is a must-try restaurant for wine lovers, offering wines brewed in-house and draft wines aged in barrels, as well as wines carefully selected by sommeliers. Be sure to try the pairing of these wines with the exquisite yakitori and other dishes!

Hakata Winery Takenoya