What to Eat in Fukuoka: 10 Must-Try Foods at Fukuoka

Despite not being the first place that many people think of when Japanese food enters the conversation, Fukuoka in Japan’s southern Kyushu region has a rich culinary history and culture with local specialties that are worth trying.

If you're wondering what to eat in Fukuoka, be assured there’s umakamon (“delicious food” in Hakata-ben, the dialect of Fukuoka) in every corner of the city. From ramen, to hot pot and fresh seafood, there is something for everyone in Japan’s sixth largest city. 

Due to Fukuoka’s central location in Asia, the city’s food culture has been influenced by a variety of flavors from outside of Japan. Hakata Port, one of Japan’s top ports, has been facilitating cultural exchange with China and Korea, swapping dishes and flavors for over 1,200 years. As a result, Fukuoka's food culture is quite unique.

Surrounded on three sides by the ocean, Fukuoka has its share of fish, freshly fetched from the sea. Yanagibashi Market, known as the "pantry of Hakata” is a popular market that has been open since 1916 thanks to the abundant waters of Hakata Bay and the Genkai Sea. Nagahama Fish Market is another spot for seafood lovers, with tuna cutting shows, auctions and bargains to be found.

Sidenote: If you’re wondering what “Hakata” means, the word comes from the old port and merchant town by the same name. After merging with the samurai castle town of Fukuoka long ago, the city kept the latter name. However, “Hakata” has become synonymous with Fukuoka, and is still commonly used to refer to the culture and food of the city.

Fukuoka’s biggest claim to fame is its wealth of yatai street food stalls that offer delicious Fukuoka food specialties served in a lively atmosphere at prices that won't break the bank. 

The welcoming orange glow of lanterns beckons you to park yourself on a stool and enjoy some of Fukuoka’s finest authentic foods, from Hakata ramen to classic yakitori, while sitting elbow-to-elbow with locals.

While the rows of yatai that line the streets in the Hakata ward of Fukuoka are mesmerizing, it can be daunting to decide which stall to enter when there are so many options. 

In this yatai hopping tour, you can let a local guide take you to some of the best stalls to try Fukuoka’s regional delicacies. Feel like a local as you make friendly conversation with the chef and other patrons along the way while eating your way through Fukuoka’s food culture.  

If you are looking for something a little more refined, there are also spots like Hakata no Ouka — one of the best places to get teppanyaki in Fukuoka.

You may have heard of Ippudo and Ichiran Ramen, big names in Japan's ramen scene that both got their start in Fukuoka. If you’ve eaten at these classic tonkotsu chains, you’ve eaten Hakata-style ramen. 

A milky broth rich with fat and collagen from pork bones that have been stewed for 8 hours or more, Hakata-style ramen is an indulgent, must-eat food in Fukuoka. It's popular among women in Japan, as the collagen from pork bone marrow is said to contribute to skin elasticity and anti-aging. 

Hakata ramen noodles are straight and thin, just barely cooked so they maintain their al dente texture even amid the residual heat of the creamy tonkotsu broth.

The portion of Hakata ramen noodles you're served might seem a little on the skimpy side, but this is all part of the plan. If a regular-sized portion was served, the thin noodles would get soggy before you had time to eat them all. 

This is counteracted with kaedama (noodle refills), allowing you to enjoy fresh batches of noodles when they’re at the optimum texture.

Fukuoka is the birthplace of two distinct types of hot pot, perfect to combat those chilly winter evenings. One is motsunabe. Motsu refers to beef or pork offal, and nabe means hot pot. 

While not a lot of people are fans of offal (the rather unfortunate homonym doesn’t help its reputation), it’s a good way to use all the parts of the animal, ensuring that nothing gets needlessly thrown away. 

The ethos of mottainai (the sense of regret over wastefulness) is ingrained in Japanese culture, and motsu is enjoyed just like any other part of the animal.

Motsunabe starts with a savory soy sauce or miso-based soup into which beef or pork offal is boiled, before adding ingredients like spring onions and cabbage. The broth gets infused with the flavors of the meats and veggies, and after that, there are really no rules! 

Feel free to add in more veggies, mushrooms, meats and even noodles. Like other hot pots, the flavor of the dish goes through an evolution as more ingredients are added, becoming increasingly complex and concentrated.

If you’re not sold on motsunabe, and aren’t swayed by assurances like “It tastes just like chicken,” then there’s another style of hot pot that Fukuoka is famous for. Mizutaki is a rich hotpot made with chicken stock, chicken meat, and chicken dumplings. The flavor is pure, unadulterated chicken. 

Of course, there are additional ingredients like cabbage, carrots, tofu, and shirataki noodles to bulk it up, but you won’t forget who the real star of the show is. The citrusy ponzu sauce gives a much-needed brightness to the dish, complementing the natural sweetness of the veggies and the savoriness of the meat.

Japan takes its fruits seriously, so when Hakata Amaou Strawberries are crowned as Japan’s strawberry champion, you know the title carries some weight. Only grown in Fukuoka prefecture, Hakata Amaou strawberries are large, ruby-red, and succulent, bursting with sweet juice. 

Highly prized in Japan, these strawberries are also exported to Hong Kong and Taiwan. Strawberry picking is a popular activity from winter through spring in Fukuoka, but April is the best time to give it a try.

Fun fact: The name “Amaou” is actually an abbreviation of several words—amai (sweet), marui (round), ookii (big), and umai (tasty). With a name like that, you can be confident that these are some fantastic strawberries.

Since one of Fukuoka’s food specialties is seafood, renowned in Japan for its freshness, this list has to include some of the city’s seafood staples. Mentaiko (pollock roe or cod roe), is a Fukuoka staple that originated in Korea. 

A popular ingredient used in all kinds of dishes, from onigiri rice balls to spaghetti and rice crackers, mentaiko can be found in dishes all over Japan, though it got its start in Fukuoka’s yatai street food stall culture.

Mentaiko is an extremely versatile ingredient, as it can be marinated with a variety of flavorings, spices, and sauces. Eaten alone, it has a mild seafood taste rather than a fishy flavor. 

If you want some chicken eggs to go with your fish eggs, mentai tamagoyaki (mentaiko egg roll) is the dish for you. This Hakata street food has vibrant cod roe wrapped in a beautifully fluffy and pillowy Japanese omelet that’s a great food to try when you are in Fukuoka.

Enter an izakaya on a quiet side street in Fukuoka to dine on local specialties like mentaiko chazuke and a five-piece sashimi assortment, allowing you to experience a range of delicious and fresh seafood. 

The Fukuoka food specialties don’t end there. After leaving the izakaya, head to a local ramen shop to get a taste of authentic Hakata ramen and complete your journey through some of the best food in Fukuoka. 

Since mackerel spoils more quickly than other types of fish, it is very rare to eat mackerel sashimi in Japan. However, Fukuoka is one of the very few places in the country where you can try saba sashimi due to the city’s advantageous location.

With mackerel fishing grounds in the Genkai Sea just beyond Hakata Bay, fresh saba (mackerel) is stocked in the Nagahama Fish Market daily, perfect for a variety of sashimi dishes that are a must eat in Fukuoka. 

Goma saba (sesame mackerel) is one of Fukuoka’s delicious local mackerel dishes, consisting of saba sashimi seasoned with ground sesame seeds, mirin (a type of rice wine for cooking), soy sauce, and sake. 

The aromatic nuttiness of the toasted sesame seeds combined with the sweetness of the mirin and the fattiness of the mackerel makes for an addictingly tasty dish.

Forgo the popular yatai and head to the Nishijin area of Fukuoka to experience a different side of the city’s nightlife. Explore bars, izakayas and even ramen shops as you eat and drink your way through the night. 

Try fried horse mackerel for a twist on Fukuoka’s staple seafood and slurp down a bowl of Hakata ramen as you try some of the city’s most-well known dishes while washing them down with a variety of drinks. 

Goboten udon is a signature Fukuoka udon dish, consisting of thick and chewy udon noodles topped with crunchy gobo tempura. Gobo, or burdock root, is a fibrous vegetable with a mild, almost sweet flavor that's often used in Japanese dishes. 

The gobo tempura is prepared differently at various restaurants. Sometimes the gobo is thickly sliced and other times it is very thinly shredded before being dipped in tempura batter and deep-fried till crispy. 

The variation of textures, from the soft and tender noodles to the kari-kari (crispy) gobo tempura, play nicely together, married by the umami flavors of the konbu (kelp) and bonito (dried skipjack tuna) broth.

Gyoza is a pan-fried dumpling dish that came from China by way of Fukuoka. But the city does their succulent, juicy gyoza a little bit differently by making mini, bite-size dumplings. 

If you’re a texture person, you’ll love the contrast between the crispy and chewy exterior and the juicy meat filling, combined with the perfect ratio of gyoza filling to skin. It also helps that they’re easy to munch on in between sips of beer. 

Classic Fukuoka tetsunabe gyoza are grilled and served in a heavy cast iron pan, or tetsunabe. You might want to wait a little before eating them, as they’re served up scaldingly hot.

This medley of citrus flavor and chili peppers is bright and vibrant while also being refreshing and spicy. The peel from the yuzu fruit is combined with salt and chili peppers for a hit of both acidity and spice. 

To level up pretty much any of the Fukuoka food specialties listed above, from Hakata ramen to gyoza (though it’s not recommended on strawberries), just add some yuzu kosho. The bright flavors will cut through any fattiness or oiliness, bringing an element of vibrancy to a meal, or giving a zesty hit to a more unctuous and fatty dish.

If you’re wondering what food to eat in Fukuoka to satisfy that sweet tooth, you’ve got to try Hakata torimon, a manju (steamed bun) unlike any other. A bit of a hybrid between Japanese and Western sweets, it isn’t filled with traditional azuki (sweet red bean) filling.

Rather, Hakata torimon is made with a mix of shiro-an (white bean paste), butter, cream, and condensed milk, encased in a smooth golden pastry exterior. It’s a dairy lover’s dream, with a melt-in-the-mouth, rich texture. It also makes for the perfect omiyage (souvenir).

With the knowledge of some of the best food in Fukuoka, from crispy gyoza to creamy Hakata ramen, plop down in front of a yatai street food stall and order with confidence! Taste the influences of Chinese and Korean cuisine in this up-and-coming gem of a city, while enjoying the mix of urban excitement, traditional craftsmanship, and natural beauty of Fukuoka.

Stomach growling? Browse food experiences in Fukuoka Prefecture or follow us on Instagram. Make the most of your time in this coastal city with our 3-day Fukuoka itinerary, or get to know Fukuoka's rich street food culture!