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Booker’s Café
A bar/restaurant with a nice, relaxing atmosphere and a fairly varied menu of western style foods. Good cooking, but beware of the ‘Ethnic Chicken’- it’s seriously spicy. They also have beer, sake, cocktails, and “Booker’s original” dishes. A good place for a drink or a meal, although it’s not super cheap.
Getting There: From CIC, go down the back street past Tengu’s, cross at the lights and go straight ahead. Booker’s is on the right, past the International Restaurant and a little set back from the road. Set menus for large groups are also available.
Café America
Shinto Machi 2-2-14
Open: 17:30 – 24:00 (closed Sundays)
Tel: 433-6665
A ritual for many Toyama City ALTs. Café America is a place with a relaxed atmosphere where you can enjoy some tasty food. The very friendly master lived in America for over 20 years and can speak English very well. They have a wide selection of westernized sushi rolls, salads, pasta and Mexican food. It takes a little while to get your food but that is because the owner makes all orders from scratch. Nomi houdai is available for groups but it is best to call in advance. Look out for the 100Y parties hosted here!!
Getting there: Follow the tram lines towards Daigaku Mae, go past CIC on your left, and keep walking until you get to the first big intersection. Café America is on the road that leads off to the right, on the right hand side. Look out for the neon American flag!
Café Ecole
Closed Wednesdays and every 3rd Tuesday of the month
Tel: 433-3110
A coffee shop with organic fair trade beans that they roast right there. Super fresh! There's also a little shopping section where you can get hard-to-find things like Indian curry spices, bulk nuts, chocolates, jams, sauces, etc. It’s a super place.
Getting there: From the station, follow the street to Nishi-cho. When you get to the intersection with the big gas station on the left, turn left. Go a little ways until there is a Cosmo gas station on your right at a smaller intersection (there's a traffic signal) and turn left again. Ecole is on the left about a two minute walk down.
Eran de Kebab
Tel: 090-5175-0655
Sure you can find sushi and spaghetti all over the city, but how far would you go for some authentic fresh baked pita bread and chicken kebabs? Well, you don’t have to because here in our very own Toyama city is our own Eran de Kebab. Eran, an Israeli transplant, sets up his restaurant on wheels in front of the B&B House in south Toyama city, on the north side of route 359. Just a few kilometers east of the 359/41 intersection, Eran’s truck is impossible to miss in bright yellow. Chicken, lamb and beef kebabs run 400yen for small to 650yen for large. His off days are Monday and Thursday, all other days you’ll find him rotating bewteen Toyama and Takaoka from about 10 till he runs out of kebabs (maybe 6ish – check his schedule at http://www3.to/erandekebab). One of a kind and definitely worth the trip.
Giraffe
Hours: 17:30-1:00
Tel: 491-7050
Quaint and comfortable is how you must describe Giraffe, one of Toyama’s few cozy cafes. Their torts, pastries and chocolate brownies are delicious, and the menu of coffees and teas is impressive.
Getting There: From Toyama Station South exit walk straight so that CIC is on your left and Mister Donuts in on your right. Giraffe is about 100m straight on your left hand side.
Japamala Asian Café
Hours: Monday-Friday 11:30-14:30, 17:30-23:00
Saturdays and Sundays 13:00-16:00, 17:30-24:00
Tel: 425-7488
The food is excellent – really authentic. The spicy noodle soup is highly recommended (but beware, it is REALLY spicy), as are the spring rolls. The décor is great and they play really cool music. The staff are really friendly and will try to help you out as much as possible. The food is not especially cheap (650-980 yen per dish) but is definitely worth it.
Getting there: Take the tram from Toyama station towards minami Toyama. Go past the post office on your right, and get off at the stop just after the first big intersection (takes about five minutes). Japamala is on the right hand side of the road, near the corner.
Taberna
Sogawa 2-8-6 Hachiban-kan
Hours: lunch 11.30-13.30 (Mon-Thur) dinner 17:30-23:00 (Mon-Sat)
Closed Sunday
Tel: 422-7766
This is a bistro style pub and grill. They have everything from big fancy salads to kimchee, sashimi, pizza and spaghetti. It's a bit of an eclectic mix, but it has a nice atmosphere and good food. You’ll probably pay about 2000 yen per person.
Getting There: Take the tram to Nishi-cho, and walk down Chuo-dori. Turn off right after Wiz Theater. Keep going past Akiyoshi and the ice cream parlor. It’s on your left, with a big blue neon sign on the building.
The Peace St Kitchen
Hours: 11am-3pm, 5:30-9:00pm
Closed Sundays
Tel: 422-6445
Looking to get out of Japan, but don't have the time or the money? Centered around organic and local veggies, this gem of Toyama restaurants is not only delicious but also cheap. The lunch menu is 850 yen and the dinner menu (choose one of three) is 1000 yen. There are fabulous deserts, organic fair trade coffee, and organic beers and wines. You can also find things here you can't find anywhere else like Eden Soy Milk. Highly recommended for the health conscious.
Getting there: From Toyama station head toward Nishi-cho. When you get to the big intersection between Seibu and Daiwa take a right. Go through three traffic signals. On the right you will see a big sign on a wall down the first small street after the third signal that has a big head and says 'Record Market'. Take this right and the Kitchen is a minute walk down on the left. There are also places to park directly across from the Kitchen.