¥¥¥Sushi
Born into a family that owned a sushi restaurant, the owner-chef helped her father out from a young age. The father noticed how drawn she was to sushi artisanry and provided a guiding hand. She was in her element when training and learned the techniques of those who came before. She starts with white-fleshed fish as it has a lighter taste. The restaurant is named after wasabi grown in a clean environment. Likening herself to wasabi, she put down her roots in Yamato.
¥¥Yakitori
Hirokazu Bando follows the teachings of where he trained and uses and cooks at high heat directly over the flame. He fills the roaster with bincho charcoal, leaving no spaces in between. Only a set menu is offered so that customers can enjoy a variety of skewers. He dresses whole chickens himself, so also offers rare parts such as chicken oysters and arteries. The meal starts with shuko, such as liver pâté, and proceeds to yakitori chosen to provide gradual changes in taste.
¥¥Italian
An Italian restaurant famed for its wood-fired cuisine. The chef’s experiences in Tuscany made him fall in love with cooking over firewood. Grilled vegetable dishes, such as shiitake mushrooms with anchovy butter and broccoli with karasumi (salted and dried grey mullet roe), are served one at a time, fresh from the kitchen. At lunchtime, prix fixe courses focus on pizzas, made using home-cultured yeast and noted for their high rims. Evening offerings include duck, beef and pasta.
¥¥¥French
The elegant space was once a sake brewery founded in the 19th century, in the Meiji period. Enjoy French cuisine featuring Nara ingredients and various creative touches. Vegetables delivered from nearby farms are used in salads and soups. Also unique are the desserts made using sake lees and sweet sake. After the meal, a special Japanese tea, Yamatocha, is brewed, extending the magic to the last moment. Pairings with sake sourced directly from the brewery accentuate the cuisine.
¥¥¥Chinese
Nara food culture fused with Chinese cuisine; historic ambience paired with time-honoured foodstuffs. ‘So’, a condensed-milk product dating from the Asuka period (592–710 AD), and ‘hishio’, a Nara period (710–784 AD) condiment that uses soybean malt and barley malt, are made by hand. Peking duck, prepared with duck from Gose, showcases the chef’s extensive experience in Beijing cuisine. Seeking new ideas by studying the past, the chef revels in combining Chinese traditions with Western delicacies such as truffles and foie gras.
¥¥¥Sushi
A sushi shop run by two sisters; the younger prepares the sushi, the elder serves the guests. White-fleshed fish is marinated in kombu, squid lightly scored, tuna is marinated in soy sauce. The order of sushi toppings is modulated to progress from lighter flavours to stronger ones. Japanese tiger prawn is served without wasabi to bring out its sweetness, while simmered conger eel is lightly grilled over bamboo leaves to impart their aroma. With their unique perspective towards sushi, much thought is given to every piece.
¥¥¥Tempura
A chef who honed his skills at a ryotei now applies those skills to tempura. The omakase prix fixe meal begins with an assortment of appetisers. Tempura is fried in cottonseed oil for a light and airy texture. The chef’s craftsmanship shines in works such as matsukasa-age, or crispy-scaled fried sea bream, and items cured with kombu. Service alternates between seafood and vegetables, bringing variety to the flow of dishes. Unusual items such as eel and venison are born from the chef’s passion for exploring new flavours. Tencha, tempura on rice with the first brewing of broth poured over, wraps
¥¥Soba
Izumo soba is a local cuisine of Shimane. The family moved to this location from Shimane and opened this restaurant to introduce the taste of their hometown. Nana Nitta, who took over the restaurant from the father, mills the unpolished buckwheat. This is what gives Izumo soba its blackish colour. The thin juwari soba is served with broth poured over it. Another cultural tradition of Izumo is the three-tiered vermilion-lacquered serving dish called a ‘warigo’.
¥¥¥French
Nara and Hokkaido are co-stars in this drama of gastronomy. Hokkaido ingredients are used because of the collaboration with French restaurant in Sapporo. Through this interplay of two backgrounds, the charms of Japan's natural bounty come to the fore. Ingredients from Nara take the stage in plates garnished with vegetables and cuisine of amago trout. Seafood and potatoes arrive from the north. As the play unfolds, the diner’s knowledge of food producers and producing regions deepens.
¥¥¥French
In the French countryside, the chef absorbed the love of hometown; in Paris, he learned the importance of the classics. The chef has built relationships of trust with producers and uses local ingredients to convey the richness of Nara’s natural bounty. He sets great store by sauces, from his respect for the classics. His speciality is poached Gojo eggs in red wine sauce. His wife, his constant companion since his apprenticeship, will suggest wine pairings.
¥¥Japanese
Enjoy the locally cultivated bounty of historic Nara, in an area with many elegant townhouses. As at the head restaurant, Kiyosumi no Sato Awa, the key ingredients on the menu are traditional homegrown vegetables. The offerings include a basket of assorted colourful appetisers, tempura of Yamato vegetables, and nimono thickened with Yoshino kudzu. The culinary delights of Nara are also highlighted, such as Yamato beef with local sake.
¥¥Sushi
Latticework and white plaster walls exude a machiya feel. The ambience is charming at night, with light seeping in to add warmth to the stillness. This entire district, today known as Naramachi, was once the precinct of Gangoji Temple; the restaurant is on the former site of the main temple building. Two sisters run the eatery, the younger preparing sushi, and the elder handling service. Sharing an unspoken understanding, they move in quiet harmony, and diners naturally fall into the rhythm between them.
¥¥¥Meats and Grills
This boutique restaurant wants the whole world to know how delicious game cuisine can be. Venison and wild boar, caught by hunters in the village of Totsukawa, is prepared using Japanese and Western methods. The evening begins with the presentation of the game. The prix fixe meal is a meat lover’s delight, featuring items that are smoked, char-grilled or simmered in wine. Reverence is revealed in the chef’s passionate discussion of his creations. Jibie Ida explores the possibilities of game cuisine while caring for the local environment.
¥¥¥Italian
Mami Yanagawa managed a restaurant in her hometown out of love for the produce brought forth by nature’s bounty. Encountering regional cooking in a northern Italian restaurant and studying the cuisine of mountain and inland regions made her aware of the attractions of Nara. She prepares simple, modern fare using ingredients sourced from producers she works closely with, reimagining hometown cooking with a contemporary sensibility. Italian cuisine presented in a uniquely Nara style.
¥¥French
Longing to recreate the bustling mood of a Paris bistro, the chef made his dream come true in his native Nara with a restaurant that seems to blend in with the daily life of France. Seafood bouillabaisse, inspired by memories of student days in Montpellier, brings the flavours of the Mediterranean to his hometown. ‘La Pie’ is French for ‘magpie’, a bird said to be a bringer of happiness. The name is also a shout-out to the restaurant’s location, Kasasagi-cho, whose name means ‘Magpie Town’. Happiness brought by delicious cuisine.
¥¥Italian
The chef’s journey starts from the craftsmanship he encountered in an Italian village. Keen to do as much as possible in-house, cured meats such as prosciutto and salami are prepared on site. Wild plants and mushrooms are foraged from the surrounding mountains, and his hunting experience ensures the chef handles game with skill. A course dedicated to game is offered from the start of each year. The use of traditional medical herbs deepens both aroma and flavour, bringing out the meat’s distinctive wild character.
¥¥¥Sushi
Yutaka Shimonaka uses over 200 different kinds of seafood throughout the year and expresses the season in his sushi. He visits fishing ports in each area and orders seasonal fish. The wide variety of snacks includes sashimi, tempura and assorted shuko. Sushi toppings are prepared in such ways as maturing or pickling them. The rice is made with akazu and rice vinegar, combining the traditions of Edomae and Kansai.
¥¥¥Japanese
‘Kotan’ refers to having depth of taste in light foods. Owner-chef Masanori Mizukawa chose the name as one that chimes with the essence of Japanese cuisine. Embodying this idea is the dashi for the soup; its simple, refined flavour comes from kombu and dried tuna. He puts his experience of having worked as a cook at a ryotei to use in the elaborate vegetable takiawase as well. Accenting the menu is the beef hobayaki speciality.
¥¥¥French
The chef honed his skills in Paris and other parts of France and uses Nara ingredients to prepare local dishes using traditional techniques he learned there. Seasonal vegetables and fruits come from Gojo City and Soni Village, and he also uses wild game caught in Tsuge. The main appetisers are homemade-style charcuterie, and the main meat dishes are roast and stew. He also incorporates ingredients like ayu and tilefish, sometimes giving the dishes a Japanese touch.
¥¥¥Soba
A soba shop on the premises of a sake brewery. The location is Shimizu-cho, meaning ‘pure water town’, named for the clear streams that flow down from Mt. Kasuga and gush out in springs. Using water fetched for sake brewing, the owner-chef prepares exceptionally fine 100% buckwheat noodles. Soba grains carefully selected for their aroma are ground by hand in a stone mortar. Pure flavour is best conveyed in the ‘mizusoba’, soba dipped in nothing but cold water – the same way farmers would gauge the quality of their harvests.
¥¥Japanese
The phrase ‘cook of the soil’ on the curtain expresses how much the founder prized vegetables. He tilled the field and grew his vegetables with care. That passion was passed on to his son, the second-generation owner-chef. His ingenuity is on display in how, for example, early harvest onions simmered in dashi are served in bowls made out of wax gourd. The ceramic serving dishes, which he made himself, also come from the soil.
¥¥¥Italian
The concept is hometown cooking from all twenty of Italy’s regions, spreading the word about the traditional dishes of each. Running the gamut from north to south, the prix fixe menu criss-crosses the Italian peninsula. Many ingredients are imported from Italy, keeping flavours as true to their roots as possible. The house makes its own pasta, demonstrating consummate skill. Like the menu, the wine list covers the whole of Italy. Wines from native cultivars are on offer, offering harmonious companions to dishes from the same region.
¥¥¥Japanese
This restaurant is named after the Rinzai Buddhist monk who founded the Muso School. Out of respect for ingredients, Musoan leans toward simple, honest preparations. Wanmono broth is pungent with the aroma of bonito, featuring a fish cake packed with seafood flavour. Beef, a perennial favourite, is grilled on a ceramic plate and served with rice cooked in clay pots. A mother-and-son team runs Musoan, with the son in command of the kitchen. Enjoy dinner while looking out on a garden tended by the gardener mother.
¥¥Yakitori
The chef’s study of yakitori led him to dry ageing. Drawing out moisture enhances the flavour of both skin and meat. To showcase its true value, the meal begins with sot-l’y-laisse wrapped in skin. Kashiwa, or 'whole chicken', features different cuts of chicken on a single skewer, allowing diners to enjoy changing textures and flavours with each bite. The chef also has firm views on the best ways to arrange charcoal and grill skewers, devoting single-minded passion to his craft.
¥¥¥Japanese
The owner-chef cut his teeth in the counter kappo trade. There, he learned that a counter chef must be able to respond spontaneously to customer requests. Menus are omakase, but with plenty of flexibility to accommodate preferences. His Kyoto experience shines in his use of Kyoto vegetables and in soup stock of Rishiri kombu kelp and dried bonito flakes. Seasonal small hotpots are well worth the wait: flower of Japanese pepper in spring, pike conger in summer; Matsutake mushrooms in autumn and wild boar in winter.
¥¥Italian
‘Komforta’ is Esperanto for ‘comfortable’ or ‘cosy’. An apt description of this restaurant, which is reminiscent of a mountain hut and on a hill, as its wood accents create a warm and inviting space. The cuisine bursts with creativity, crafted by a chef who gives his imagination free rein. Nara ingredients reflect the tempo of the seasons. Born of the land, its people and environment, each dish is thoughtfully conceived with Nara at its core.
¥¥Japanese
Seasonal crops are lined up on the zataku. Yamato vegetables and vegetables from various countries spruce up the plates. The Miuras visit farms and grow the seeds they collect. The harvested vegetables are used in local dishes they learned how to prepare in each area. You’ll enjoy items grilled on a ceramic plate in spring and summer and soy milk nabe in autumn and winter together with colourful takiawase. The menu makes you feel like you’re strolling around a market garden.
¥¥¥Japanese
The restaurant’s name symbolises the spirit of Hiroyuki Ikejima: his gratitude to his mentor; the proprietress, his wife; and his parents. Every day, as he takes his place in the kitchen, he remembers to be thankful to those who supported him. Ikejima’s vegetable sculpture is a skill transmitted directly to him by his mentor. He places great importance on his soup stock, drawing the umami from a wide range of ingredients. His ankake (thick starchy sauce made from kudzu) of wagyu beef and vegetables is enlivened by stock made from both.
¥¥¥Japanese
The Chinese character for ‘food’ comprises two radicals, one for ‘people’ and one for ‘good’, which could be interpreted as ‘making people better’. The owner-chef makes a credo of this interpretation and talks with customers about how to best enjoy the seasons. The hamo comes directly from Awaji, and longtooth grouper from Wakayama. Standard items to end with include Kyoto-style dashi chazuke and chirimen sansho on rice. The steamy hot dishes speak to the kind of training he had.
¥¥¥Contemporary
The restaurant’s name means ‘insight’ or ‘perception’. Its aim is to linger in a corner of guests’ memories. With the theme of ‘seeking chance encounters’, the chef looks for a distinctive culinary style. Foie gras-filled monaka is inspired by the welcome sweets served at a ryokan. Decorative tatami plates also reflect the spirit of Japanese hospitality. The signature dish, "TSUNAGU", or ‘bonds’, is prepared entirely with Nara vegetables, expressing both the bounty of the land and the connections between people.
¥¥¥Japanese
Mitsuru Sakamoto opened his restaurant in Tomio, which appears in the ancient Nihon Shoki (Chronicles of Japan) . Incorporating traditional events such as the five seasonal festivals into the menu and decorating the dishes with seasonal leaves further celebrates the Japanese spirit. Yamato round eggplant is made into takiawase with herring. Yamato beef is grilled slowly over charcoal. The rice is Hinohikari from Asuka Village, from where Sakamoto hails.
¥¥¥French
The Tomio area of Nara was a hangout of the chef in his high school days. The restaurant’s name is an amalgam of the French words ‘sol’, meaning ‘soil, earth’, and ‘lier’, meaning ‘to connect’; thus ‘earth connection’. With fruits and vegetables from his home garden in hand, the chef connects his guests to the Tomio he loves through cooking. He brings dishes to guests’ tables himself, to impress on guests the appeal of his ingredients and his thoughts about them. His father-in-law helps with the gardening. The support of his family is his stalwart encouragement.
TripAdvisor review sample · 4.7/5 · 80 reviews
Located in Gödöllő, SOLIER holds an average rating of 4.7/5. Food quality is highly praised, featuring exquisite presentation, unique desserts, and fresh, gourmet dishes. Service is generally professional and friendly, with staff noted for politeness and English proficiency, though isolated complaints cite slow pacing, rude attitudes, or mandatory service charges. The ambiance is clean and pleasant, highlighted by a terrace overlooking a park and convenient parking. While some reviewers find the prices high relative to value, many recommend it for a quick lunch after visiting Sissi Castle or for excellent coffee and pastries. Overall, it offers a refined dining experience with consistent positive feedback on taste and setting.
Ideal for travelers seeking refined French cuisine or a high-quality lunch and dessert stop after visiting Sissi Castle.
¥¥¥French
A European-style façade catches the eye in this quiet residential district. The ambience of the dining room is classic, as if invited into some grand estate. The couple in charge apprenticed in Paris: he as a chef, she as a sommelier. Cuisine that places importance on sauces is paired with appropriate wines. Years of dedication have borne fruit, and the restaurant now enjoys widespread support amongst local diners.
¥Japanese
The meals here are all based on unpolished rice. Vegetable dishes with no meat or fish are served in small pots with unpolished rice that’s been cooked in a wood-fired oven. The owner-chef calls himself a master of unpolished rice cake, his speciality being rice cake made with a mortar and pestle. He wants his customers to get to know tastes that are being lost in an age of plenty, so he seasons his dishes with soy sauce, miso and mirin made using traditional processes.
¥¥Italian
The chef began cultivating his free-ranging inventiveness in his apprentice days. To extend his reach beyond the confines of Italian cuisine, he incorporates Japanese ingredients. Wasabi and Japanese pepper vary fragrance; refreshing yuzu and sudachi citrus add variation. Vegetables come from nearby farms, fostering ties with the local community. The ground floor, with its double‑height ceiling, is the dining room, while the first floor is a gallery exhibiting works by artists with connections to Nara.
¥¥¥Japanese
The tranquil residential district of Ikoma is where Inada hangs its noren. The two brothers who run the establishment greet you with warmth and grace, the older putting guests at ease with conversation while the younger tends to the kitchen. Practiced in the ways of the ryotei and fond of tea ritual, the brothers celebrate events of the year through authentic Japanese cuisine. Seasonal flower arrangements, cultivated in the home, espouse the tea ceremony spirit. It is only fitting that Inada is so close to Takayama, famed for its tea-whisk production.
¥¥¥Japanese
This Japanese restaurant is located in Nara’s oldest soy brewery. The head chef works together with the 18th generation owner and prepares a menu focused on soy sauce and vegetables. Soy sauce is used with everything from the appetisers to the sweets, such as the Miwa somen with soy sauce espuma and takikomi-gohan with unrefined soy powder. The theme is modern Japanese, and some of the dishes draw inspiration from Chinese and French cuisine.