fukuoka eats

The river that separates Hakata Ward from the rest of Fukuoka.

If you ever find yourself in Fukuoka, you are in luck. The cocktail scene is great and the affordable food offering is fantastic. There are at least three things that you have to try while visiting this small city.

Ramen

Many cities in Japan serve ramen. But, Fukuoka's ramen scene specializes in pork bone broth. Known as Hakata ramen (Hakata, apparently, used to be a separate town but it has since been incorporated into the greater Fukuoka city), this dish can't be missed while in town. I have found that this type of broth is richer and packed with flavor. 

Ramen at Shin Shin.

Shin Shin serves fantastic ramen. Note, that the place is almost always packed so be prepared for a wait. Luckily, diners tend not to dawdle so people come and go fairly quickly.

Another place that serves tasty ramen is Ichiran. It is a chain but the good thing about it is that one can customize the ramen experience. You can choose soft, medium or firm noodles, the amount (if any) of garlic added, the richness of the broth, etc.

Ramen Zen, located near the City Hall, is also a good (and cheap) option to try Hakata ramen.

Mentaiko

Mentaiko is basically spicy cod roe - somewhat like bottarga but spicier. Fukuokans top it on various dishes. The dish below is a mentaiko cheese tofu that was served piping hot. It was tasty!

Mentaiko Cheese Tofu.

Yatai

Technically, yatai are food stalls that pop up at night on the streets around Fukuoka. They serve beer, ramen, mentaiko, and all sorts of stuff. They are temporary locations so expect an informal atmosphere and a great opportunity to meet locals blowing off steam after a long day at work, or tourists from other parts of Japan checking out this particularly interesting Fukuokan street food culture.

Yatai.

Inside a yatai.

Yakitori

Yes, I know I said three things. But, I am adding yakitori (grilled food stuff on a stick), which is not particularly specific to Fukuoka, because Gonbei is a fantastic place to visit. The folks at Bar Oscar recommended a stop at Gonbei and I am so glad they did. 

Yakitori at Gonbei.

Please let us know whether you have tasted any of the above and how you liked them.