Manmaruya

The dish that seems to keep diners coming back to Manmaruya is its pepper-and-tuna potato salad, which is also listed on the menu. It makes a tempting first order before moving on to other small plates. The vegetable sticks come with a Japanese-style dip, and diners have also praised the simmered whelks and tempura corn.

There are fish dishes and a few with Shizuoka connections, too. Alongside fried kuro hanpen, introduced as a Shizuoka speciality, the menu lists thick-cut miso-marinated grilled sablefish and grilled salmon belly, noted for its rich fat. The selection works for a night of sampling small plates or for a meal centred on fish.

For a more substantial meal, one review singles out the yakisoba, whose flavour is lifted by bonito flakes. The menu also includes rice bowls topped with fresh-fish namerō and plenty of whitebait, so there are options for both a drinks-led evening and a proper dinner. This basement izakaya in Ookayama has counter seating, and diners say it can be an easy place to enjoy a meal or a drink solo. For a few small plates, consider a draft Sapporo Black Label or a soda with Mikkabi mandarin liqueur.