Vegan¥¥¥otemachiDaily 07:30-11:30, 11:30-15:00, 17:00-22:00
JoGeSaYu is the fully plant-based kitchen near Peace Memorial Park in Hiroshima, rebuilding ramen, curry and katsudon without animal products.
Signature: Vegan ramen, Vegan curry, Vegan katsudon
Order: The vegan katsudon, rebuilt without egg or animal stock
Tip: The room opens at 07:30 for a morning service, which is unusual for a plant-based kitchen in western Japan.
Okonomiyaki¥¥¥otemachiDaily 11:00-21:00, last entry 20:00
The Orizuru Tower branch of Mitchan Sohonten faces the A-Bomb Dome in Hiroshima and adds oysters, conger eel and local beef steak to the teppan menu.
Signature: Oyster okonomiyaki, Hiroshima beef steak, Koune
Order: Okonomiyaki with Hiroshima oysters, noodles, pork and egg
Tip: Sitting beside the Orizuru Tower entrance, this branch is the easiest Mitchan to reach straight from Peace Memorial Park.
Okonomiyaki¥¥ekimaeDaily 11:00-22:00, last order 21:30
Reichan has griddled okonomiyaki since 1957 and now works the ekie concourse at Hiroshima Station, open from late morning until the last trains.
Signature: Soba okonomiyaki, Ika kyodai
Order: Ika kyodai, grilled squid and squid tempura on one griddle cake
Tip: Sitting in ekie just outside the ticket gates, this is the one okonomiyaki counter that still works for a 21:00 shinkansen connection.
Okonomiyaki¥¥hatchoboriMon-Fri 11:30-14:30, 17:30-21:00; Sat-Sun 11:00-14:30, 17:00-21:00; closed Tuesday
Mitchan Sohonten in Hiroshima layers cabbage, pork and crisped soba on the teppan at its Hatchobori flagship, the shop whose founder set the postwar template.
Signature: Soba niku-tama, Udon niku-tama, Grilled oysters
Order: Soba niku-tama, the layered pork, cabbage and noodle okonomiyaki
Tip: The counter seats fill before 12:00 on weekends, so arrive at opening or plan a late lunch after 14:00 instead.
Okonomiyaki¥¥yagenboriTue-Sat 16:00-22:30; Sun and holidays 16:00-21:00; closed Monday and the 1st and 3rd Tuesday
Yagenbori Hassho is the Hiroshima okonomiyaki counter that works slowly, resting the cabbage under pork belly for 20 to 30 minutes before the soba lands.
Signature: Soba niku-tama, Teppanyaki ox tongue
Order: Soba niku-tama at 1,150 yen, the only order most regulars ever place
Tip: Cooking takes 20 to 30 minutes per griddle cake, so this is a sit-down dinner rather than a quick stop.
Oyster bar¥¥¥¥otemachiDaily 11:00-14:30, 17:00-20:00 last order; closed over the New Year holidays
Kakibune Kanawa moors on the Motoyasu river in Hiroshima and serves oysters from the family's own rafts, raw downstairs and in courses above.
Signature: Oyster course, Fried oysters, Grilled oysters
Order: The oyster course, built around raft-grown Seto Inland Sea oysters
Tip: The kaki-zukushi course on the Seto boat runs 9,000 yen and is worth booking ahead; raw, fried and grilled plates are ordered a la carte at both services.