Surugamachi’s Okonomiyakiya is a small Okonomiyaki Restaurant in Nara, just a few minutes from JR Nara Station. 

It’s a really young shop with both tables and a tatami area to sit, which we thought was great! 

Now, if you had Okonomiyaki in Osaka before, you know the difference from the really great street food version. And we are honest this may be a bit under par. But if you are in Nara and not sure what to eat, this is still a great place to go! Especially because their super friendly and chilled environment as well as to meet some fellow travellers.

The friendly staff is really great. And the vibe is hostel-casual, which is nice. It’s been a while since we stayed in a hostel and it brought some great memories back. Now, this may be more for a younger crowd or the young at heart.

The English menu makes ordering easy at Surugamachi’s Okonomiyakiya. We chose the all-in shrimp “one”, with extras. As well as a basic “one”, with extra kimchi, cheese, soba and 2 beers for a total of 3400¥. That’s pretty great value with portions being huge! Additional toppings cost around 100-150¥ and include also squid, tuna or egg.

Food is brought ready made to your table, again if you are looking for a do-it-yourself-style kinda restaurant, this isn’t it. But it tasted yum and stays nice and hot in front of you, due to the hot plate beneath.

On our way out we had a bit of friendly chat and got a chance to leave our mark on the map. All in all a really pleasant experience and fun evening!

Web

https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100022301718744

Address

〒630-8244 Nara, Sanjocho, 606-8 田中ビル 1F

Opening Hours

• Tuesday12–3PM, 5–9:30PM
• Wednesday12–3PM, 5:30–9:30PM
• Thursday12–3PM, 5–9:30PM
• Friday12–3PM, 5–9:30PM
• Saturday12–3PM, 5–9:30PM
• Sunday12–3PM, 5–9PM
• Monday12–3PM, 5–9:30PM

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Kasuganinaijaya Tea House inside Nara Park it’s a real gem, as many people do not know that it is there or did not realize that it is probably the best Tea House in Nara Park!

It looks quite small from the outside and it gives the idea of being already full. But has a big outdoor seating area to the back. So whether you are by your self or with a group, they should be able to accommodate you.

They do not do many things, as the name kinda explains it is a Tea House. So expect Coffee and Tea as well as Cakes and Desserts or small treats. A nice spot to get your fill of Matcha and why not try one of their famous persimmons cookies?

We did! We go the Matcha set for and it was wonderful! We were tempted by the too, but there is no switching of the drinks (as so often in Japan, you can only get what is on the menu).

So if you are in the Park and need a bit of a break, this is the perfect spot for you!

Web

http://www.kasugataisha.or.jp/h_s_tearoom/ninaityaya/index.html

Address

〒630-8212 Nara, 春日野町Kasuganochō, 160, 春日大社萬葉植物園正門横

Opening Hours

Sunday to Tuesday from 10 am to 4 pm

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Cafe Wakakusa is a small friendly cafe just a bit of the main walk towards Nara’s famous temples and its big Buddha!

It’s a colourful small cafe, with pretty much all its walls all scribbled and drawn on by previous happy customers. Giving it a fresh and playful vibe. 

The staff is incredibly friendly, he even opened for us on its day off! And as big plus they also have an English menu! 

They have mainly crepes but also some pasta and pizzas. Is it the most Japanese? Probably no, but it’s a great spot just off the beaten track to have a nice breakfast. And travelling, we do get those western food cravings sometimes, right? ????

You can find a decent lunch and breakfast deals. As we got here around noon, we managed to just about still qualify for the breakfast deal. Yes! We got the sweet and savoury set with a latte for 980¥. The crepe style duck wrap was so good! We could not get over how outstanding the dressing was, really so delicious! And it is great to have a bit of fruit on a plate. Just like that. And that cream on bread, was the best surprise, as we almost did not even try it!

So if you have been on the road for a while or just in the mood for some tasty crepes for breakfast then check this lovely little cafe. They might even let you draw on the walls!

And if you need to catch up on your Caffeine intake, make sure not to miss Kasuganinaijaya Tea House inside Nara Park!

Web

http://www.cafewakakusa.com

Address

Cafe Wakakusa, 22 Higashimuki Kitamachi, Nara, 630-8214

Opening hours

Wednesday to Monday from 9 am to 6 pm

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