Eat, Sip, Repeat: Your Quick Guide to Hakuba’s Food & Drink Scene

Snow Machine might’ve brought you to Hakuba — but the food scene? That’s a headline act too. This alpine village dishes out a wild mix of local flavour and global comfort, best served between powder laps, late-night sets, and après-ski antics.

You didn’t come all this way to eat average. Whether you’re chasing ramen steam through the village or sipping cocktails in a basement bar behind a cigarette vending machine (yes, really) – here’s your guide to where to feast, sip, and chill.

Local Flavours: The Heart of Hakuba

Maeda Soba Noodle Shop: A local institution serving the best soba noodles in the valley. No frills, no fuss – just flavour. Located in Happo One. Cash only. Go early.

Takahashi-ke: This gem is undoubtedly the best ramen spot in all of Hakuba Valley. Tucked inside a converted shipping container near Goryu, it’s cozy, steamy, and 100% après perfection.

Tori Co: Slope-side izakaya vibes with bangin’ yakitori. Family-style, flavour-packed, and the perfect spot to skewer, sip, and repeat. The staff? Legends.

Other Local Faves Worth the Slurp

• Shinshu miso soup – local, hearty, soul-warming
• Oyaki dumplings – steamed pockets of joy
• Nozawana pickles – salty, crunchy, surprisingly addictive
• Tororo soba – earthy, unique, 100% Japanese

 

Après & Nightlife: Where It Gets Spicy

Hakuba Après: The one. The only. Located right on the Nakiyama slope, it’s your go-to for beats, beers, and bold energy. DJs daily. Good vibes guaranteed.

Holy Smokes: The speakeasy behind a cigarette vending machine. Blink and you’ll miss it. Find it and you’ll never want to leave. Low ceilings, big vibes.

The Tap Room: Craft beers on tap, a proper Aussie pub menu, and live music that pulls you in. A warm, welcoming place to toast the day’s turns.

Bar Refuel: Open late, locals + visitors, all welcome. Japanese and Western eats, and a 4–6pm happy hour with half-price drinks. Refuel indeed.

Global Eats: Something for everyone.

Calico Hakuba: Born in Bali, raised on Main Street Echoland. Burgers, bowls, and festival cocktails that hit just right. Casual, cool, and always full of familiar faces.

Cherry Pub: A Country-Western fever dream with karaoke rooms that go hard. Order drinks from the mic and sing like no one’s watching (…..but everyone definitely is).

Bernd’s Keller (The Marillen Hotel): Ski-in, fondue-ready. Austrian comfort food with fireside seating and views of Nakiyama’s night-lit slopes. Schnitzels, currywurst, and mulled wine? You’re sorted.

Blizzard: A festival favorite, Blizzard is where après rolls straight into the late-night dancefloor. Come for the wood-fired pizzas, stay for the live DJs, flowing drinks, and an all-night vibe. It’s loud, it’s fun, and it’s pure Snow Machine.

Unjaune Burger Bar: Big burgers. Bigger energy. Post-pow happy hour hits different here. Come hungry, leave hyped.

The Rabbit Hole: Think Melbourne laneway meets Hakuba slope style. Espresso martinis, craft beers, pool tables, DJs, and damn good burgers. Always buzzing.

One Last Bite of Wisdom…

The music brought you here. But the food, the bars, the weird and wonderful moments between lifts and late sets? That’s what’ll keep you coming back.

We’ve cooked up some pretty wild stuff in Hakuba over the years – from limited-edition Calico burgers to secret cocktails and late-night pop-ups, special cocktails for the festie week, or curated tastings in back-alley bars, and unexpected pop-ups.

Final tip: Book ahead (especially during Snow Machine). Be kind, be patient, and always bring your best “arigatou”.

We’ll see you at the bar.