Food and Drink
Asia Roast Chicken
Isesaki
Indian restaurant. Really friendly English-speaking staff and tasty food. Huge, delicious naan bread is cooked to order (2 included with every curry).
Bankin
Isesaki
Vietnamese restaurant. Delicious coffee, salads and springrolls.
Brazilian Pizza
Isesaki
Brazilian pizza with some different topping choices, but they also have pizzas that are almost western with lots of meat.
Big pizzas are about 1800 yen.
Cafe Suave
Isesaki
A cute and delicious little cafe that serves really good German tea and coffee and tasty meals and desserts! *Not open on Tuesdays.
Deli Ichi
Isesaki
Friendly staff and cheap and delicious Vietnamese food.
El Kero
Isesaki
Peruvian restaurant. Large portions and huge steaks!
London Bus
Isesaki
An old London bus converted into a bar. Good cocktail menu.
Mets Club
Isesaki
Popular bar with cheap, all-night nomihodai.
Subway
Isesaki
I know the map shows it's McDonald's but it has changed into a Subway! (they built a new McDonald's a block away)
Den En Plaza
Kawaba
Popular road-side station that makes a great afternoon hang out. There is a farmers market full of all local village produce, a yogurt shop that makes drinking yogurt, ice cream and other dairy products, a micro brewery with internationally awarded beers on tap, three restaurants, a sausage shop that has also won several international awards, a blueberry farm for picking in the summer, and plenty of grass to sit out and soak up the sun.
Alegre
Maebashi
A beautiful Spanish restaurant behind the Kencho with a view of the Tone river. They have dishes like paella, cured meats, tortillas, and sautéd jamón ibérico. They also do parties so it's a great spot to suggest for your next enkai! Open weekdays 11:30-15:00/17:30-22:00, closed weekends except for special events.
Cafe Camel
Maebashi
A really chic, casual restaurant with awesome lunch sets for around ￥1,000. Good portion sizes and a delicious variety of pastas and Japanese-style Western foods (think omurice, curry, hamburgers, etc.) Open 11:00-23:00.
Calmo Cafe
Maebashi
I went here for dinner last night and it was delicious!! I ordered an Avocado & Grilled Chicken Salad-don(on rice). It would be the perfect place for lunch with friends. Although a little on the expensive side, the atmosphere and food is great! You can order mains on their own or make them into a set meal.
After eating, you can browse the shops in the 'garden centre'. There is a fashion accessory shop and an optometrist if you need some new glasses!
Kappa Sushi
Maebashi
A fun revolving sushi restaurant with a mini-bullet train that brings your order right to your table. ¥105 per plate. Open 11:00-23:00 every day, all year round.
King God Burger
Maebashi
Best burgers in Maebashi. Open 11:30am - 10:00pm (Last order 9pm). Closed Thursdays.
Mumtaz
Maebashi
A favourite Indian restaurant for many Maebashi JETs. Dishes are reasonably priced and delicious!
Noguchi Shoten
Maebashi
This old kakigori (shaved ice) shop is pretty famous in Gunma. They have generous servings, lots of flavors, and cheap prices ranging from ￥290-￥350.
Popotto (ポポット)
Maebashi
A friendly, cozy (Japanese) Italian restaurant with a large selection of pastas as well as hamburgers and doria. Lunch sets and choice of three increasingly generous pasta portion sizes available. Meals come with a huge salad (which you can receive free seconds on). Open 11:00-14:45／17:30-21:30, closed Mondays and the first Tuesday of the month.
Sushi Restaurant
Maebashi
100Yen a plate Sushi Train Restaurant. Delicious and cheap, what more could you want?
Thai Noodle Semakute
Maebashi
A small Thai restaurant with a limited menu but reasonable prices located in the heart of Maebashi. Open 11:00-15:00/17:00-21:00, 11:00-17:00 Sundays & Mondays, closed Tuesdays & the last Wednesday of every month.
つむじ Tsumuji
Nakanojo
Tsumuji is a new building in central Nakanojo (opened in 2010). For food there are a couple of cafes as well as a yakimanjyu shop, gelato shop, and a shop selling local art and goods. There are also a couple of exhibit spaces and a free foot spa. It’s a great place for a relaxed meal, or to pick up souvenirs on your way out of town. They also have concerts and events so please check out their website.
柏屋カフェ Kashiwaya Cafe
Nakanojo
Kashiwaya Cafe is a small cafe in the Shima Onsen area. It is right above the river and the second floor window seats have a nice view.
Their menu has a number of unique items like Onsen Natto Pizza, and Agashishi Korokke Burgers (which feature a cute onsen mark toasted on the bun), as well as more standard curry and lattes. They are open 10am - 5:30pm, closed on Thursdays.
Girasole
Numata
Fantastic Italian restaurant with a variety of noodles and pasta sauces. I recommend the pizzas with the black crust! Super friendly staff and very good prices. It is tucked away behind a Chinese restaurant and can be a bit hard to find, but there is plenty of parking out front.
J*H*K
Numata
Hands down the coolest hang-out spot in Numata/Kawaba, JHK is run by a lovely couple who love skateboarding, dancing, and live music, and have opened their dream cafe on the edge of Numata, boardering Kawaba Village. It is a funky cafe featuring lots of local art work and a super cool decor. The menu includes homemade sandwiches, bagels, fish & chips and more. A huge skate park with various jumps and half pipes is out back and it’s cheap to use. They have plenty of parties year-round with live music, DJs and dancers.
Primavera
Oizumi
A great Brazilian restaurant. They serve huge quantities of delicious meat alongside a salad and pasta buffet. Best when you\'re really hungry!
Bangkok Stamina-en NANA
Takasaki
A tiny little Thai restaurant that serves up a tasty selection of popular dishes and uses pretty authentic ingredients. Small portions, but located conveniently near the station. Open 11:30-14:30/17:00-23:30 Mon.-Thurs., 11:30-14:30/17:00-3:00(a.m.) Fri. & Sat., closed Sundays.
Gateau Festa Harada Original Store
Takasaki
Located in Takasaki's Shinmachi district, this areas claim to fameis being the original home of the famous Gateau Festa Harada Rusk. What is rusk, you may ask? It is a delicious dessert of french bread slathered with butter and sugar, then baked into a cookie. They are famous throughout Japan as gifts, especially in Tokyo, and most times you can see a line out the door at their store in Fujioka. The original Harada's is a humble place, but further down the road is their giant factory, an elegant building also worth seeing. For your Rusk from the source (and to make Tokyo people jealous!) be sure to stop by.
Kiwi Cafe
Takasaki
Just as it sounds - a place for us kiwis to get some meals we are missing from home. Lamb chops, fish and chips & hokey pokey ice cream are all on the menu. They are most well known for their delicious pizza! (Reasonably priced and Western sized!)
Maharaja
Takasaki
Indian cuisine. Part of the group which also owns Mumtaz and New Delhi in Maebashi.
Mets #2
Takasaki
Following the popular success of Isesaki's Mets Club, the owner decided to expand with Mets #2 in Takasaki. Same nomi-houdai deals; same food. Enjoy!
Pizza La
Takasaki
Yummy overpriced pizza to satisfy your wester-style pizza craving.
Skyturk Kebab House
Takasaki
An excellent kebab place with take-out and delivery available. They serve chicken or beef pita sandwiches, wraps, and Turkish desserts like baklava. Open 15:00-23:00 weekdays, 12:00-23:00 weekends, closed Wednesdays. (Saturday is usually beef kebab day.)
Starbucks
Takasaki
This starbucks is relaxing and quiet despite it's location on the busy Takasaki Loop Route (Kanjo-sen). Parking is Free!
There are two other Starbucks locations in Takasaki, both inside Takasaki Station at the east and west entrances.
The Red Lion
Takasaki
Irish and missing Guinness? From the UK and have a hankering for some fish\'n\'chips? Or are you just a regular Joe from anywhere in the English speaking world and looking for something that may remind you of home? Well, here\'s the answer! The Red Lion is an Irish style pub in the heart of Takasaki. A little expensive but with Happy Hour every night from 5-7pm, home is closer than you think. Sometimes there is just nothing better than a Happy Hour drink with some friends after school.
