Today, we’d like to introduce a spot in central Hamamatsu where you can casually drop in for food and drinks.

This article was created on November 6, 2023.

After the long stretch of the COVID-19 pandemic, Hamamatsu’s restaurants and bars are finally coming back to life.

Today, we’d like to introduce a spot in central Hamamatsu where you can casually drop in for food and drinks.

An Italian Bar Run by the Liquor Shop with Hamamatsu's Top Wine Sales

Located in Sakanamachi, Chuo-ku, in the heart of Yurakugai, “Sumibi Bar mabuchi” is an Italian tavern run by a liquor shop with 325 years of history.

In a bright, open space, you can enjoy charcoal-grilled dishes and a variety of food from the restaurant’s signature stone oven, along with a great-value drink lineup that only a liquor shop could offer.

Wine is a particular focus here, with a carefully selected range served at reasonable prices.

Seating spans two floors, with counter seats, tables, and sofa seating, so the restaurant can host parties both large and small.

*Seats up to 80 guests
*Equipped with a large screen, perfect for wedding after-parties

Just want a quick drink? Grab a seat at the counter! It’s the best seat in the house, where you can watch the charcoal-grilled dishes being cooked right in front of you.

Creative Italian Dishes Made with Local Shizuoka Ingredients

When we asked staff member Yamazawa for a recommendation featuring local ingredients, the answer was the “Fresh Nori and Shirasu Pizza(生海苔としらすのピザ).”

It’s a Neapolitan pizza baked in an authentic stone oven. The flavor of nori from Lake Hamana takes center stage, making it a pizza that also pairs perfectly with drinks. The chewy dough is made fresh every day with plenty of time and care.

Other popular dishes include “Shizuoka-Sodachi Roast Beef,” the “Tapas Trio” featuring the chef’s picks of the day, and a variety of ajillo dishes that go perfectly with the bottomless baguette served as your otoshi (starter).

For drinks, there’s beer and sours, of course, along with a wide selection of wines that are especially popular.

“Our sommelier carefully selects every wine, and our staff taste-test them all in-house, so please try wines from all kinds of grape varieties and countries!” Yamazawa also told us about the restaurant’s all-you-can-drink plans.

Bar-Hopping Downtown: Bringing Hamamatsu's City Center Back to Life!

Since it’s in the center of Yurakugai, “Sumibi Bar mabuchi” makes it easy to move on to other spots nearby.

Many places downtown also welcome guests for just a quick drink, so why not go bar-hopping and savor all the food and drinks Hamamatsu has to offer?

For souvenirs, we recommend “Mercato Mabuchi,” a sister shop of Sumibi Bar mabuchi that’s open until midnight on Fridays and Saturdays.

It’s the perfect place to pick up local snacks, or a drink for one last round back at your hotel.

*The information in this article is subject to change.