Where to Eat Lunch Near Nara Park — 15 Must-Try Restaurants

Nara Park is home to freely roaming deer and iconic landmarks such as Todaiji Temple, Kofukuji Temple, Kasuga Taisha Shrine, and the Nara National Museum. Blending rich history with beautiful natural surroundings, it serves as a central hub for sightseeing in Nara and attracts visitors year-round. Around Nara Park, you will find a wide variety of lunch options, from traditional Japanese restaurants and refined dining spots to stylish restaurants and hidden cafés. In this guide, we introduce great lunch spots to stop by while strolling around the Nara Park area.

• Kinki
• Nara
• lunch
• Localgourmet

Azekuraya

Dining amid the rich atmosphere of Nara

Located within Nara Park and the grounds of Todaiji Temple, Azekuraya is an easy stop between sightseeing spots. Founded in the Edo period, this historic restaurant serves local Nara specialties. The menu includes chagayu (a traditional tea rice porridge), lightly seasoned Kansai-style Rokusai Udon, and the playful Bambi Curry, featuring rice shaped like a deer—an iconic symbol of Nara. House-made warabi mochi and mitarashi dango are also available, along with the original shaved ice Shiroshika Ice during summer, making it a great place to enjoy dessert after your meal.

Katchan’s Taishu Sakaba the STAND

A fun, festival-style spot for daytime drinks

Designed around the motto “Every day feels like a festival!”, this casual tavern offers a lively atmosphere and creative dishes made with fresh, seasonal local ingredients by a French-trained chef. With counter seats, private rooms, and a standing area, it suits everything from a quick solo drink to relaxed group dining. The sake selection features a rotating lineup of local brews from Nara.

Anne Marie Café

A British-Style Cafe Where You Can Spend a Luxurious Time

Just a short walk from Kintetsu Nara Station, Anne Marie Café is a British-style café beloved by locals and visitors alike since opening in 1999. The owner prepares all lunch dishes by hand, with favorites such as quiche, omurice, and British-style curry. Inside, antique furniture, teddy bears, and other British-inspired décor create a cozy setting, complemented by soft classical music—an inviting place to relax and enjoy a leisurely meal.

Total Therapy cafe・salon・school・studio KURURU

Enjoy health-conscious meals

This food therapy café serves vegan dishes made with locally sourced, farm-direct ingredients. The menu features brown rice onigiri, tofu hamburg steaks, and seasonal brown rice noodles, all prepared without food additives, animal products, or gluten. Every dish is developed by the owner through original research, focusing on simple, wholesome flavors. The café also sells brown rice noodles and custom-blended herbal teas created through personal consultations, offering a gentle, nourishing break for both body and mind.

Soba Sakaba Takamaya

Carefully crafted house-made soba and signature dishes

Just about a five-minute walk from Kintetsu Nara Station, this soba restaurant is known for its house-made noodles. Using primarily hikigurumi buckwheat flour from Hokkaido, the chef carefully blends the flour each day based on its condition. At lunchtime, value sets pair soba with rice dishes and obanzai, and the menu also includes drinks and light snacks. Local specialties such as pickles and tempura made with Yamato vegetables highlight the flavors of Nara and are well worth trying.

Machiya Kitchen Nero

Enjoy a stylish lunch in a renovated machiya

This hidden Italian and Spanish bar is set in a renovated machiya townhouse, redesigned by the owner, a former architect. The menu highlights local Nara ingredients such as Yamato vegetables, Yamato beef, and Yamato pork. Lunch offerings range from fresh pasta and hamburger steak to spicy keema black curry, with the Omakase DELI Plate Lunch Set available on weekdays. Takeout options are also offered, making it easy to grab a bento and enjoy a picnic in Nara Park.

Unagi no Himekawa Nara Honten

Premium unagi at reasonable prices

Guided by the motto “Delicious, affordable, and good for your health and beauty,” this unagi restaurant delivers quality and careful preparation at approachable prices. Unagi is grilled to perfection—crispy on the outside and tender inside—and served as kabayaki, unaju, hitsumabushi, or shirayaki. If you can’t decide, the Two-Style Unaju lets you enjoy both kabayaki and shirayaki in one bowl. Unagi liver skewers pair well with drinks, while the carefully selected rice, sauce, and sansho pepper complete the experience.

[Kintetsu Nara Station] Unagiku Nara Main Branch

A long-established taste full of tradition

Located right in front of the First Torii Gate of Kasuga Taisha Shrine, Unakiku is an unagi specialty restaurant operated by Kikusuiro, a long-established ryotei with over 130 years of history. The unagi is prepared in the Edo-style method—steamed first, then grilled—resulting in a rich yet light flavor with excess fat removed. The menu ranges from lunch-friendly set meals to à la carte dishes and full unagi courses, making it suitable for a variety of occasions. Along with carefully prepared cuisine, time spent in the historic setting of this traditional ryotei building adds to the experience.

Hide Out

A Hidden Lunch That Is Also Visually Appealing

Located in the popular strolling area of Naramachi, this café is set in a renovated traditional townhouse. The tatami floor with rugs creates a cozy space that invites you to linger. Lunch features the Hassai Gohan, a colorful assortment of Japanese and Western-style dishes, and three types of authentic curry, which can also be served together. Each dish is visually striking and perfect for photos. For café visitors, the reservation-only Yokubari Maison lets you enjoy both sweet and savory treats for a fun, indulgent experience.

Ones Heart Café Naramachi-ten

Seasonal meals made with local ingredients

This café serves dishes made with plenty of local ingredients, including vegetables grown in the fertile soil of southern Nara and Nara-grown Hinohikari rice. Menu highlights include Kudzu Udon Pasta—udon with Yoshino kudzu served with a pasta sauce—One’s Heart Curry, and herbal curries. The most popular choice is the One’s Heart Meal, which changes every two weeks. It comes with four small side dishes, a main plate, rice, soup, and pickles, offering a satisfying and hearty lunch experience.

En – Koji Ryori & Bio Steam

Nutritious koji-based cuisine

Located at the foot of the Kasugayama Primeval Forest, this café is set in a renovated traditional townhouse over 80 years old. Enjoy a variety of koji-based dishes, including the Koji Plate, which changes every two months, and the Group Dining Plan for two or more guests. The menu also features koji-based sweets and herbal wines, offering a nourishing experience. Visitors can also try the Bios Steam—a modern take on traditional mugwort steam therapy—providing a relaxing and warming experience for both body and mind.

Meisenya – Japanese × French

Healthy fermented dishes made with carefully selected seasonings

Meisenya is a café where you can enjoy dishes and sweets made with over 100 types of fermented seasonings. The café’s name comes from the kimono shop run by the owner’s grandparents. Lunch menus change monthly based on seasonal ingredients, with dishes featuring homemade koji-based seasonings being especially popular. The reservation-only afternoon tea combines light meals and baked sweets, making it perfect for a relaxed afternoon.

Cafe terrace kikinomori

Enjoy a Cafe Lunch in the Sun

This café and dining bar, set in a container surrounded by greenery, offers a cozy atmosphere and healthy, classic-style lunches. The popular Kikino Mori Lunch features plenty of fresh vegetables, while pasta and kid-friendly meals are also available, making it perfect for families. Lunch is served until 4 PM. On sunny days, enjoy your meal on the open terrace or rooftop seating, soaking in the natural surroundings.

Café Sakaba SomechoA

Cafe & Bar – Just Steps from the Station

Located just a 2-minute walk from JR Nara Station, this café & bar is open from lunchtime until midnight. Menu highlights include the Adult Lunch Plate, featuring omelet rice, hamburger, and Neapolitan pasta on one plate, and the Korean Plate with yangnyeom chicken, along with a variety of Korean à la carte dishes. Counter and table seating make it easy for solo visits, while cozy reservation-only sofa seats are perfect for girls’ gatherings.

La Trace

Cozy and Welcoming French Dining in Nara

Just a 3-minute walk from JR Nara Station, this small, reservation-only French restaurant is run by a husband-and-wife team. It has earned a Michelin star for three consecutive years in the Michelin Guide NARA. The chef’s philosophy is to let visitors from outside the city or prefecture enjoy Nara’s local ingredients through French cuisine. Courses are tailored to guests’ preferences and include amuse-bouche, appetizer, fish, meat, seasonal Nara desserts, and coffee or tea for both lunch and dinner. Menus change daily and seasonally, so every visit offers a fresh culinary experience.

Enjoy a wonderful time in an area where history and nature meet

Around Nara Park, you’ll find many restaurants where you can enjoy the unique flavors of this historic city. Many dishes feature locally sourced ingredients, and the relaxed pace of life gives a true sense of Nara’s charm. Enjoy a delicious lunch while soaking in all that Nara has to offer.