Niigata Restaurants

Echigo Brewery is a combination of the best of Japanese beer making methods and German beer making methods. The owner is Japanese and his wife is from Germany. Together they've put together the best Beer Garden I've ever been to in Japan. The Beer is excellent. The food is great (e.g. fine cheeses, no cheap Snowbrand). And the atmosphere is superb. Occasionally, they have live bands performing using stringed instruments, vocals, and the like.

I've had the pleasure of listening to Celtic music while drinking a fine dark ale and exquisitely savouring the taste of the restaurants gourmet dishes.

The Brewery is located near Makimachi. You can drive there. But, it is a little difficult to locate. Ask the locals for help if you get lost.

Favorite Dish: I recommend the toasted bread with blue cheese and maple syrup. It's so good!!!

You can also order a fine plater of cheese to go with the beer you'll be tasting.

Lynn passed away in August 1993. I wish to keep this page up in memory of her.

Previous descriptions below******************

Lynn & Itoh's closed in May of 2002. They are now looking to open a new special ramen restaurant. I'll give you more information once I have it. So that those of you can read what you missed I've kept my
original description below. Lynn might be
interested in cooking a turkey or her American pie for whomever asks and is willing to pay the money. The only way to find out, of course, is to ask.

MY PREVIOUS DESCRIPTION:

"Lynn & Itoh's is owned by an American from Texas named Lynn and her Japanese husband Itoh. If you've been living here in Japan for quite a while you probably miss real American food from time to time. Well, this is the place to go. Lynn acts as the hostess/waitress and Itoh is the cook. But, he really knows what he's doing because everything he makes looks and tastes like authentic American food.

The Lamb chops are imported from Australia. And Lynn bakes the Apple pie herself every morning. She's a wonderful conversationalist with all kinds of interesting stories about Niigata or Texan life.

Lynn also throws a yearly Halloween Party where she dresses up as some kind of vegetable (last year she was an eggplant). But, if you want to experience Lynn & Itoh's restaurant you had best do it soon because they may not be there a year from now. The local government is going to be building a road somewhere through their restaurant in the not so distant future."

Favorite Dish: the Lamb Chops (the best in Japan)
the Pastrami Sandwich (the best in Japan, too)
and oh God, the Apple Pie A La Mode (maybe, the best in the world)

OK. I might be exagerating but this gives you an idea on how good it really is (was?).

Beer Gardens are very popular during summers in Japan. Conjure up this image... gulping down a cold, refreshing beer on a hot summer night with a group of roudy friends! Sound good?? I thought so :-) Here is some information on a few beer gardens in Niigata City.... Let the drinking begin!

Mitsukoshi Department Beer Garden Ph.227-1111
Open: 5.30pm - 9pm. For 2,900 Yen you get an 'all you can eat and drink' deal for two hours. Great view of Next 21.

Niigata Grand Hotel Ph.228-6111
Open: 6-9pm. An expensive option at 5,000 Yen which gets you an all you can eat crab menu and a drink deal. It has a really nice view of Bandai Bridge and the Shinano River and is nice for a special occasion.

Honma Kenko Land - Mori-no-Beer Garden Ph.283-4126
Open 6-9.30pm. This Beer Garden is set in a beautiful Japanese garden. It is also connected to a health spa and is a family style place. Advance tickets cost 3,990 Yen for 90 mins of 'all you can eat and drink'.

Other beer Gardens include Sado Kisen Beer Garden and the Niigata Toei Hotel garden.

Yeah! Niigata is a much bigger city than Nagano where I have been living. It was nice to have lunch in Starbucks. Not very Japanese, I know, but nice all the same! Give me a starbucks sandwich for lunch any day!!

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Capricciosa provides an affordable and delicious variety of Italian dishes. Go for the
Garlic and peppers spaghetti as it's a favorite.
They also have a wonderful choice of hearty desserts (although they've recently made their pie servings smaller probably to better accomodate Japanese stomachs).

Capricciousa is also reknown for giving you huge helpings of food. Be prepared!! This is unlike most places in Japan. What we're talking about here are American size portions!

Favorite Dish: The Garlic & peppers spaghetti.

It's SO good.

Bronkos is a chain restaurant that serves a small variety of dishes. But, the reason I go there is for their enchiladas and tacos.
Bronkos serves a plater with 2 tacos filled with cabbage, tomatoes, meat, and sauce.
It's pretty good. The enchiladas are delicious as well. You're likely to enjoy the food so much that you'll order more of the same.

There's a Bronkos restaurant located not to far from the South Entrance of Niigata station, somewhere across the street from Plaka 3.

And there's another Bronkos in Aoyama on Route 116.

I don't remeber the name . Sorry !
Althought I don't remeber the aname of the restrant, He serve very good food for us.
The master does everything by himself and there is only him to cook.
He serve Japanese food. It's like a 'OFUKURO NO AZI' . And the cost is very cheep. you can eat luch for 650 yen !

Favorite Dish: Lunch