Get a Taste of Yokohama
with Some of the City’s Best Local Dishes

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Being a port city, Yokohama is always open to new ideas, influences — and, in this case — foods. The city’s culinary scene is vibrant and with so many amazing restaurants and cafés it can seem impossible to choose where to eat. To make that decision a little easier, here are some beloved must-try Yokohama staples.

Hotel New Grand: Cocktails and Classic Dishes

One of Yokohama’s most prominent landmarks, Hotel New Grand has been a hub for people from all over the world to gather and connect since 1927. Its heralded status is not coincidental — the hotel is known for its culinary innovation, with some dishes making it into mainstream Japan. Coffee House The Cafe serves Napolitan (a tomato-based spaghetti dish) and seafood doria (a gratin with rice), both Hotel New Grand originals that are now considered integral of Japanese soul food dishes.
Bar Sea Guardian II offers a selection of locally inspired cocktails, including the Yokohama — a brilliant red concoction inspired by the sun setting over the city’s port. While the Yokohama didn’t originate here, both The Million Dollar and Bamboo cocktails are said to have been designed by Louis Eppinger, head bartender of The Grand Hotel, Hotel New Grand’s predecessor.

Kiyoken: Flavorful Shiumai

Kiyoken’s shiumai (steamed meat dumplings, also known as shaomai) are one of the most sought after souvenirs for domestic visitors to Yokohama. The company started in 1908, but it was in 1928 that they created their distinctive take on shumai that was delicious both hot and at room temperature. Traditional Kiyoken shiumai are bite-sized bundles of juicy pork and dried scallops that are rich in fragrance in flavor. These days Kiyoken offers countless variations of their mainstay item with ingredients such as crab, black pork, shrimp and more.
At Kiyoken Honten — their flagship store — customers can either buy a box of shiumai to enjoy at home, or dine in one of the many restaurants available in the building.

Edosei Honten

You’ll be hard-pressed to find a more quintessential Chinatown food than historic Edosei’s signature dish, the butaman. Butaman is a steamed bun with minced pork filling and Edosei’s are giant, tender pockets filled to the brim with a mix of pork, vegetables and seafood. They’re easy to eat on the go, and they’ve remained a popular snack for people exploring Chinatown.
Visitors to the main store should check out not only the traditional butaman, but explore other varieties such as the chili shrimp bun and the sweet dessert-style black sesame and red bean bun with walnuts. Other offerings include tanpei-sanra xiaolongbao, a hot and sour soup dumpling that is a great pick-me-up when you’re feeling tired.

Western-style Food Deli The Yokohama Boogie

While The Yokohama Boogie may be easy to miss if you’re not looking for it, this restaurant and bar is worth the search. The interior is full of old world character and there’s one menu item that draws people from all over: the veggie napo, or vegetable Napolitan. As mentioned earlier, the Napolitan spaghetti dish originated at Hotel New Grand, but Yokohama — and Japan in general — has made the dish its own. Case in point, The Yokohama Boogie’s veggie napo, which uses a sauce based on the Sicilian dish caponata. The beauty of this version of the dish is both the amount and variety of vegetables — it also changes seasonally, with more root vegetables in winter, to adjust for ingredient availability. For those looking for a modern take on Japan’s soul food favorite Napolitan, the veggie napo is an absolute must.

Note: Business hours and services may differ due to the impact of Covid-19

Which Yokohama dish do you want to try first? For more about Yokohama’s foodie firsts, click here