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Savor the flavors of Tohoku’s largest city with our complete Sendai food guide. From the famed gyutan to green gyoza and chilled ramen, there’s plenty to delight your taste buds!
Sendai, the capital of Miyagi Prefecture and Tohoku’s largest city, is known as the gateway to northern Japan. Just a 90-minute shinkansen ride from Tokyo, it’s full of history, charm, and a food culture that never fails to surprise me.
In this Sendai Food Guide, we’ll share our favorite local delicacies and insider tips on where to find them, so you can eat your way through the city just like I did.
Beef Tongue (Gyutan)
Beef tongue, or gyutan (牛タ), is Sendai’s most famous dish. After World War II, Keishiro Sano, founder of the iconic Aji Tasuke, began grilling discarded beef tongues from American soldiers. Inspired by Japan’s mottainai (do not waste) culture, he served them with barley rice and tail soup—a practical, nutritious, and filling meal during food shortages.
Gyutan’s simple charcoal grilling creates a tender yet slightly crunchy texture, often paired with pickles to balance the richness.
If you’re visiting Sendai, trying gyutan is a must. You can head to the original Aji Tasuke for a classic experience, though it can get crowded. I also enjoy Gyutan Tsukasa near Sendai Station, which serves set meals, gyutan sausages, meatballs, and more.
Zunda
The Tohoku region is a major producer of edamame, or young soybeans. Beyond being a simple snack with beer, edamame is mashed into zunda, which you’ll find in sweets, desserts, and drinks.
At JR Sendai Station, Zunda Saryo is a must-visit. I loved their zunda shake and zunda mochi, and they also offer zunda soft serve and parfaits. Zunda mochi boxes make perfect Sendai souvenirs!
Fun fact: Zunda is said to come from samurai Date Masamune, who crushed edamame with his sword handle, serving it with mochi, a treat that evolved into today’s zunda mochi.
Sendai Beef
Miyagi Prefecture has a proud livestock tradition. With smaller farms averaging just 28 animals, each cow is raised with care. The region’s high-quality rice straw also helps produce beautifully marbled beef.
While most people think of Kobe when it comes to Wagyu, Sendai beef is just as tender, flavorful, and rich. We recommend trying it at a yakiniku(Japanese BBQ) spot, where you can sample different cuts from ribeye to tongue. One of my favorites is Yakiniku Gyujin Ichibancho for an unforgettable Sendai beef experience.
Oysters
The Sanriku Coast in Miyagi is one of the world’s top fishing grounds, blessed with rich waters perfect for scallops, seaweed, and—most famously—oysters.
Oh, sweet, briny oysters! Matsushima, just 50 minutes from Sendai, is oyster heaven, but you don’t have to leave the city to enjoy them. We recommend heading to Kakiya no Kakiya, a cozy oyster bar serving everything from raw and deep-fried oysters to teishoku sets with a side of kaisendon.
You can even sample oysters from different regions and compare their flavors, paired with sake if you’re in the mood.
Sasa Kamaboko
Speaking of seafood, let’s talk sasa kamaboko. Back in the early Meiji Era (1868–1912), flounder was so plentiful that much of it spoiled without proper storage or transport. The solution was to grind the fish into cakes, now known as sasa kamaboko (笹かまぼこ), or bamboo leaf fish cake.
Stop by Abe Kamaboko-ten to grab some as souvenirs, or try grilling them yourself! You can buy them on a stick at the counter and char them over the in-store grills for that smoky goodness.
Also try the hyotanage, fish cakes coated in batter and fried until golden brown on the outside and juicy on the inside.
Aoba Gyoza
Aoba gyoza, or green leaf dumplings, are known for their vivid color, thanks to Sendai yukina, a leafy vegetable native to the area. The skins are a bit thicker than regular gyoza, giving them a chewier bite, and the filling often includes extra yukina for a lighter, healthier twist.
You’ll find these green dumplings all over Sendai, but our favorite is at Ichiban Goro, where they’re perfect alongside a steaming bowl of ramen.
Fun fact: Aoba means “green leaf” and also symbolizes Sendai, the “City of Trees.”
Hiyashi Chuka
Hiyashi Chuka is a classic cold noodle dish that originated in Sendai. In 1937, when summer heat slowed ramen sales, local chefs created Ryanbanmen, which had chilled noodles with cabbage, salted cucumber, carrots, and chashu pork. After the war, more ingredients became available, leading to the modern version with thinly sliced pork, cucumber, ham, eggs, and jellyfish.
The chilled noodles have a satisfyingly chewy texture and are served with either a refreshing soy sauce-based or rich sesame sauce.
At Ryutei, the original Hiyashi Chuka restaurant, you can choose your sauce and add the colorful toppings on the side.
Seri Nabe
Another top produce from Miyagi Prefecture is seri, or Japanese parsley, prized for its earthy flavor and edible roots. The roots are slightly crunchy and earthy, while the stems are soft, almost chewy, with a subtle bitterness.
In winter, seri is often added to nabe (hot pot) with a soy sauce-based duck or chicken broth.
You can find seri nabe at specialized restaurants or local izakayas. A friend recommended Serisoan Sendai-Ekimae, but it was fully booked, so we tried Irori (いろり), where the hot pot came with tofu, gobo, plenty of seri, and chicken thigh.
Sankaku Aburaage
Last on our list is sankaku aburaage, or triangular deep-fried tofu. Unlike regular aburaage, its thickness and triangular shape make it extra special.
We visited the source, Jogi Tofu Store, about 50 minutes from Sendai. The triangular shape lets them maximize frying in their rectangular deep fryer. Each piece is double-fried for a shatteringly crisp exterior.
Enjoy it with soy sauce, garlic shichimi, or regular shichimi. It’s a satisfying snack after visiting Jogi Nyorai Saihoji Temple. If you can’t make the trip, some Sendai izakayas and restaurants also serve it.
What’s Next on Your Culinary Journey?
That wraps up our list of Sendai’s must-try foods! Beyond gyutan, we were surprised by just how rich and diverse the city’s food culture is, and we hope you get the chance to taste it all for yourself.
Did we miss any local favorites? Share your recommendations in the comments below, and let us know which city food guide you’d like to see next!
