A Foodie's Guide to Canal City Hakata (Fukuoka)
- littlemissphoebe
- Mar 16, 2020
- 6 min read
Whether you're staying at Grand Hyatt Fukuoka (directly linked to Canal City Hakata) or just paying a visit to the largest shopping mall of Fukuoka, you're bound to get hungry at some point and in search of some good food.
Luckily, there are plenty of options in this maze-like commercial complex to fill your stomach - in fact, there are waaaaay too many options you might have a major decision crisis (just like I did).
This informative restaurant guide by category, along with reviews of the restaurants I tried, will give you plenty of time to make up your mind.
1. Ramen
The city of Hakata is renown for its tonkotsu (pork bone) ramen, so naturally that would be the first item of interest on every tourist's list.
Canal City boasts a unique Ramen Stadium concept, where 8 famous ramen stalls from all across Japan gather together on the 5th floor of the Center Walk.
When we first walked in (without doing any homework), we were overwhelmed with all the choices and spent some time examining all the different menus.
We ended up making our final decision in two steps:
Eliminating the ramen stalls originating from outside Hakata left us down to 3 options
Ramen Jinambo (らーめん二男坊) had the longest queue out of those 3 at the time
(When we finished eating, we discovered that the longest queue had already changed to another ramen stall, so it's probably just herd mentality.)
Like many other ramen places in Japan, you have to place your order and pay at a vending machine (the ones here are really tourist-friendly with pictures and English) before entering the restaurant.
Be sure to hold on to your tickets, as the waiter will collect them from you during the queue.
The waiter will also ask for your preferred noodles texture.
Upon being seated, all you have to do is wait for your food to be served! The four of us ordered a 2-person set, which included 2 bowls of tonkotsu ramen and a dish of 12 gyoza (Japanese pan-fried dumplings), 2 other separate bowls of ramen - one with black garlic oil, one original - and Suntory draft beer.
The gyoza was kind of small, but they were quite crispy and flavorful. As for the tonkotsu ramen, the soup was overall above average (just a little too mild for me), and there was a generous amount of ingredients, including 4 huge slices of quality pork and an entire soft boiled egg. The price is a little more expensive than average, but still quite a bargain considering the bigger portion.
However, the real hidden gem is Ichiran, "the best ramen in the world" that began in Fukuoka back in 1960, tucked away in the basement of the North Building.
The secret soup base is on a completely different level that will surely blow away your taste buds, and the best part is that you get to customize everything from the richness of the broth down to each ingredient, such as the amount of garlic you would like.
The only downside is that the portion is quite small, so those with big appetites might need to order extra sides, like kae-dama (noodle refill), a half-boiled salted egg or additional slices of pork.
2. Character Cafes
Cartoons and anime are a huge part of Japanese culture, and have amassed millions of fans from all around the globe over the years. So it's no surprise that Canal City is home to not only one, but three unique cartoon cafes!
1. moomin Bakery & Cafe (B1/F, Center Walk)
We came here for breakfast, so it wasn't really packed yet, but there was a queue forming for lunch when we left.
As a non-moomin fan, I was amazed by how cute everything was. There were life-sized dolls you could place beside your seat to take pictures while dining.
The breakfast set menu was quite limited in terms of choice, and we ordered the two options available: Japanese-style all day breakfast and gratin with ham and egg. The sets came with hot corn soup, which was creamy and comforting in the cold weather.
We upgraded the drinks included in our breakfast set to lattes (matcha, coffee and chocolate milk) and were delighted to find out that we got to choose the character designs for each beverage.
P.S. Don't forget to check out the souvenir shop inside before you leave!
2. Kirby Cafe (B1/F, North Building)
It was a bummer I didn't get a chance to visit the cafe, as the food there looks extremely appetizing and appealing.
Luckily, I did pass by the merchandise store on the second floor of the South Building, and I was so tempted to buy some exclusive goodies, but decided to save my money for stationery shopping.
Check out more details and make a reservation in advance here.
3. Gundam Cafe (1/F, South Building)
I'll be honest - I have zero knowledge on Gundam, but apparently Canal City houses "The Gundam Base Fukuoka", the first flagship store in the Kyushu area.
Besides enjoying Gundam-inspired pastries, food and drinks here, you can also explore the extensive figurine collection and assemble purchased gunpla in the "Build Room".
3. Other Japanese Food
You can't say you've been to Japan if you don't try the authentic local cuisine, and there are a handful of delicious Japanese restaurants waiting for you at the 4th floor of Centre Walk!
1. UMAYA
UMAYA is an izakaya (Japanese tavern) serving yakitori (chicken skewer) and other meal sets featuring the Mitsuse-dori chicken (a brand of chickens raised in northern Kyushu).
We came here for late dinner and I ordered a shabu shabu (Japanese hotpot). Originally we had wanted to order the sukiyaki (the soup is richer with soy sauce and sugar), but to our dismay it had already sold out.
For the shabu shabu, the chicken slices were served with seaweed soup in the pot for cooking, a separate broth for dipping, lettuce for wrapping the meat in, sesame/spring onions for adding more flavor to the meat, noodles AND rice. Needless to say, we were super full afterwards.
If you fancy crispy tempura and everything deep-fried, then Hakata Tempura Takao is the restaurant for you! And you even get to see how they make your order right in front of you.
The restaurant chain operator "Hiroshi" also specialises in selling mentaiko, so you can check out their souvenir corner for the popular pollock roe.
3. Heishiro
Heishiro is a revolving sushi bar, aka sushi heaven for all the sushi lovers out there. With over 100 different kinds of sushis to choose from, it's the perfect place to satisfy everyone's sushi cravings.
Osakana Kazoku Zakoya serves izakaya-style cuisine featuring fresh seafood during dinnertime. The fish in season are displayed on a screen for you to easily pick your preferred dish of the night.
If you are looking to get your veggie fix, then Teishokuya Khyakusai Shun is where you need to be. The carefully selected ingredients and well-balanced nutrients is something you shouldn't miss!
4. Drinks & Dessert
For those with a sweet tooth, drinks and desserts can be found at multiple places in Canal City. To make it short, I'll just write about the two spots that I visited.
Located in the basement of Grand Hyatt, we were entranced by the live music at this casual bar, accompanied with a beautiful view of the water fountain show outside.
Apart from offering a wide variety of cocktails, wines and spirits, they also have a seasonal promotion starring an alcoholic parfait and cocktail using Fukuoka's famed strawberries as the base. The slight sourness of the strawberries balanced out the sweetness of the layered cream and cake in the parfait, while the fruity scent enriched the taste of the bubbly Moet Imperial champagne cocktail.
Take note that there is an entrance fee of ¥750 per person after 8:30 PM, but it will be waived for guests staying at the Grand Hyatt. If you don't feel like spending any money, you can still enjoy the show for free by standing on the balcony of the ground floor.
2. Laox Duty Free Store
Laox is the best hangout after dinner. Simply head to the 4th floor of the South Buildling, and you can browse through the wide assortment of electronics, fashion accessories, beauty products and other duty free items, then take a rest at the in-store cafe afterwards.
I tried one of their best sellers: milk ice-cream. The milk flavor was ultra rich while the ice cream texture was quite heavy but refreshing at the same time. The cone was quite crispy and light, making it a suitable after-dinner treat.
If none of the above options seem appealing to you, fear not! There are many more restaurant categories at Canal City for your picky appetite, including Western diners, Chinese eateries, fast food chains... you name it. Just click here to take a full look of all the options and find exactly what you want.
How to get to Canal City
Canal City is easily accessible by bus, subway, car and even foot.
You can find more details here.
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