One of the absolute highlights of a trip to Hokkaido is the food! Fresh seafood, ramen, Jingisukan (grilled lamb), sweets—just thinking about them makes your mouth water, doesn't it?

Sapporo is the most popular city in Hokkaido. Tourist guidebooks list many famous restaurants that everyone agrees are delicious. But while famous restaurants are great, wouldn't you rather know about delicious local spots that locals frequent, or places you can proudly recommend to friends visiting Sapporo?

This time, we'll introduce a carefully selected list of Sapporo restaurants that locals consider must-try dishes for anyone visiting Sapporo! After reading this, you'll be a Sapporo expert!

<Contents>
1. A soup curry that is satisfying both in appearance and taste: 'Okushiba Shoten'
2. A surprisingly little-known, exquisite lamb shabu-shabu! 'Hokkai Shabu-Shabu'
3. Shirokuma, an authentic Genghis Khan restaurant bustling with local regulars.
4. Fresh seafood and a friendly owner at 'Uogoten Sawada'
5. The King of Huge Portions of Ramen in the North! 'Buta King'
6. Exquisite ramen & char siu rice ball! 'Gojogen'
7. Fruity and vibrant dessert: 'Little Juice Bar'

If you come to Sapporo, you absolutely must try soup curry. Tourists might be surprised to see so many soup curry restaurants lining the streets. Among them, I would like to recommend "Okushiba Shoten Sapporo Main Store".

Located in the basement of the Hokuren Building, an office building about 3-4 minutes from JR Sapporo Station, this restaurant is always bustling with customers despite its somewhat hidden location. The interior has an ethnic atmosphere, and from the counter seats, you can clearly see the chefs skillfully preparing the soup curry in the kitchen.

"Tender Chicken Leg and Vegetable Curry" 1,210 yen (tax included). A delicious dish featuring chunky, vibrant vegetables and a large, tender, stewed chicken! (Photo on the left)
The kitchen is open, making the waiting time enjoyable. (Photo on the right)

The menu is designed so that you select your preferences from left to right.
Our recommended soups are packed with large, flavorful ingredients. We especially recommend the "Okuoku Soup," which has an irresistible shrimp flavor.

[Okushiba Shoten, near the station, Soseiji Temple]　 ■ Phone number 011-207-0266 ■Business Hours: 11:00 AM - 22:00 PM (Last Order: 21:00 PM)　 ■Access: 3-minute walk from the South Exit of JR Sapporo Station ■Parking: Use a nearby coin-operated parking lot.

While Genghis Khan (grilled lamb) is well-known, surprisingly few people are familiar with "lamb shabu-shabu." In Sapporo, many families believe that shabu-shabu should be made with lamb, and it's a dish that's rarely available on Honshu (mainland Japan). So, let me introduce you to "Hokkai Shabu-Shabu." Beautifully pink lamb is shabu-shabu style in a pot of kelp broth, and when dipped in the secret sauce, its light flavor makes it so delicious you'll want to eat slice after slice! Of course, it's low in fat and healthy, making it very popular with women.

The menu is basically all-you-can-eat, and in addition to lamb, there's pork, tofu, shirataki noodles, and rice served in cute,俵型 (tawaragata) shaped onigiri (rice balls). There's also ramen to finish off the meal.

120-minute all-you-can-eat and drink for 4,900 yen (tax included)

[Hokkai Shabu-Shabu Kita 2-jo Branch] ■ Phone number 011-200-0977 ■Business Hours: 17:00 - 23:30 (Last Order: 23:00) ■Access: 3-minute walk from the South Exit of JR Sapporo Station ■ No parking available

Next 3. Shirokuma, an authentic Genghis Khan restaurant bustling with local regulars.

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