Food · Sapporo · Japan
What to eat in Sapporo
The dishes, drinks and food experiences that define Sapporo, and where locals actually eat them.
Updated By the AMZBooking editorial team
Photo: Nryate, CC BY-SA 4.0
Quick answer
Start with Miso ramen, Genghis Khan and Soup curry. Start the day with a kaisendon at Nijo Market or the outer market of the Central Wholesale Market, where counter restaurants serve the morning's crab and sea urchin. Many ramen shops use ticket machines at the door; pick a button, pay and hand the ticket to the cook.
Key facts
- Signature dish
- Miso ramen
- Vegetarian-friendly picks
- 4
- Tipping
- Tipping is not practised in Japan and can cause confusion.
- Food experiences
- 4
10 foods to try
Dish
1.Miso ramen
Sapporo's signature noodle soup: thick, curly yellow noodles in a rich miso broth, often fried with bean sprouts and minced pork and topped with sweetcorn and a pat of butter. Ideal on a snowy night.
Where: Ganso Ramen Yokocho in Susukino and neighbourhood ramen shops across the city.
Dish
2.Genghis Khan (Jingisukan)
Lamb or mutton grilled at the table on a dome-shaped iron skillet, with bean sprouts, onions and cabbage cooking in the juices below. Hokkaido's best-loved social meal, usually with plenty of beer.
Where: The Sapporo Beer Garden halls and small specialist counters in Susukino.
Dish
3.Soup curry
A Sapporo invention: a thin, spiced curry broth served with large pieces of roasted vegetables and often a whole chicken leg, with rice on the side. You choose the broth base and the spice level.
Where: Specialist soup-curry restaurants throughout the centre, many with vegetable versions.
Breakfast
4.Seafood rice bowl (Kaisendon)
A bowl of rice topped with raw Hokkaido seafood — sea urchin, salmon roe, scallops, crab and tuna — often eaten for breakfast at the markets.
Where: Counter restaurants in Nijo Market and the outer market of the Central Wholesale Market.
Dish
5.Hokkaido crab (Kani)
Hairy crab, king crab and snow crab are served boiled, grilled, raw or in hotpot. Crab set courses are a splurge meal in Sapporo.
Where: Dedicated crab restaurants in Susukino and the fishmongers of Nijo Market, which will boil a crab to eat on the spot.
Snack
6.Zangi
Hokkaido-style fried chicken, marinated in soy, ginger and garlic before frying, often served with a dipping sauce. A standard izakaya order.
Where: Izakaya across Susukino and convenience-store hot counters.
Dessert · Vegetarian
7.Soft-serve ice cream
Made with Hokkaido milk, the island's soft-serve is noticeably creamy, and Sapporo shops sell it even in winter, sometimes with melon or lavender flavours.
Where: Dairy shops, cafés in Tanukikoji and kiosks at the sights.
Dessert · Vegetarian
8.Late-night parfait (Shime parfait)
A Sapporo custom of ending a night out with an elaborate parfait instead of the usual bowl of ramen; specialist dessert bars open until late.
Where: Parfait bars in Susukino, many open from the evening into the early hours.
Drink · Vegetarian
9.Sapporo Classic
A crisp lager brewed by Sapporo Breweries and sold only in Hokkaido, a point of local pride; the city's beer story begins with a government brewery founded in 1876.
Where: Any izakaya, beer garden or convenience store in Hokkaido.
Street food · Vegetarian
10.Grilled corn and potatoes
Hokkaido is Japan's main corn and potato producer, and Odori Park's summer carts grill sweetcorn with soy and butter and serve buttered steamed potatoes (jaga-bata).
Where: Carts along Odori Park in the warmer months and at the summer and autumn festivals.
Food experiences
Market breakfast
Start the day with a kaisendon at Nijo Market or the outer market of the Central Wholesale Market, where counter restaurants serve the morning's crab and sea urchin.
Beer garden Genghis Khan
The Sapporo Beer Garden's brick halls serve grilled lamb with draught beer, often as an all-you-can-eat-and-drink set; book ahead on weekends.
Ramen crawl in Susukino
Compare miso, salt and soy-sauce bowls in Ganso Ramen Yokocho and the surrounding streets, then finish with a late-night parfait as locals do.
Sapporo Autumn Fest
Usually in September, Odori Park becomes a giant food festival with stalls from across Hokkaido serving seafood, cheese, ramen and local beer and wine.
Quick bites and street food
- Seafood rice bowl — Counter restaurants in Nijo Market and the outer market of the Central Wholesale Market.
- Zangi — Izakaya across Susukino and convenience-store hot counters.
- Grilled corn and potatoes — Carts along Odori Park in the warmer months and at the summer and autumn festivals.
Vegetarian options
Of the 10 foods in this guide, 4 are usually vegetarian: Soft-serve ice cream, Late-night parfait, Sapporo Classic and Grilled corn and potatoes. Check preparation with staff, as stocks and fats vary.
Eating out: tips and etiquette
- Many ramen shops use ticket machines at the door; pick a button, pay and hand the ticket to the cook.
- Izakaya often add a small cover charge (otōshi), served as a small dish when you sit down.
- Soup-curry restaurants ask you to choose a spice level; start in the middle of the scale.
- Book popular crab and Genghis Khan restaurants ahead during the Snow Festival, when the city is full.
- Tap water is safe and served free in restaurants.
Tipping
Tipping is not practised in Japan and can cause confusion. Some hotels and ryokan add a service charge, and higher-end restaurants may add a percentage to the bill.
| Phrase | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Konnichiwa | Hello |
| Arigatō gozaimasu | Thank you very much |
| Sumimasen | Excuse me / sorry |
| Kore o kudasai | This one, please |
| Okaikei onegaishimasu | The bill, please |
| Oishii | Delicious |
Questions travellers ask
+What food is Sapporo famous for?
Miso ramen, Genghis Khan, Soup curry and Seafood rice bowl. Sapporo's signature noodle soup: thick, curly yellow noodles in a rich miso broth, often fried with bean sprouts and minced pork and topped with sweetcorn and a pat of butter.
+Is Sapporo good for vegetarians?
Several local staples are meat-free, including Soft-serve ice cream, Late-night parfait and Sapporo Classic.
+Do you tip in restaurants in Sapporo?
Tipping is not practised in Japan and can cause confusion. Some hotels and ryokan add a service charge, and higher-end restaurants may add a percentage to the bill.