Japan is home to some of the world’s finest dining. The country is famous for dishes such as sushi, ramen, and tempura, as well as kaiseki dining (a traditional, multi-course Japanese haute cuisine). Japan is also home to some of the most budget-friendly family restaurants, one of which has become a firm fixture for myself and my partner.
Having lived in Japan for over five years now, I don’t always feel like eating Japanese food. Sometimes, I crave something different from the relentless shoyu (soy sauce) “umami” fare that Japan offers. Now, there are plenty of great international restaurants across the country, and recently my partner and I have been favoring Vietnamese, but there is one place we go to time and time again because we know exactly what we’re going to get, and it’s often even cheaper than eating in. We head to Saizeriya.
Cheap, popular, and long-lasting
Yes, the cheap, family-friendly “Italian” restaurant chain that is scattered all over the country. I have no shame in saying it. I like it. Let me preface this by saying that I am half Maltese; I’ve spent a lot of time in the Mediterranean, and I know what real pasta and pizza should taste like. I am aware that this is not it. However, that hasn’t stopped me from frequenting it whenever I want simple, cheap, and reliable food (that, and I usually don’t order the pasta or pizza, but the Japanese hamburger steak sets).
My partner and I are not the only ones who love visiting Saizeriya. Almost every day when work lets up, any Saizeriya restaurant within a built-up part of a major city is going to have a queue out the door of people waiting to get a table. It’s extremely popular and has been since it opened in 1992. Okay, technically, the company initially opened in 1973 under the name Marianu before it changed to Mariano in 1987, and finally to Saizeriya in 1992.
What’s on the menu?
The menu is split up into different sections. You have your salads, soups, and appetizers, such as sausages, mozzarella and tomato, as well as the (very Italian) chicken wings and even escargot (snails). Then there are pastas, dorias (rice gratins), pizzas, and meat sets (usually Japanese hamburger steaks with sweetcorn and potatoes). Finally, there are desserts, with pudding and tiramisu as the main options.
It’s simple, it’s easy, and it changes very little except for some slight seasonal modifications. The best thing, it’s extremely cheap. A soup may set you back less than ¥200 ($1.30). A pasta can cost around ¥400 ($2.60), and a hamburger steak with potatoes and sweetcorn will cost you close to ¥500 ($3.25). And let’s not forget the unlimited drink bar for ¥200! The most expensive meal on the menu (as I write this) is the lamb rump that comes in at just over ¥1,000 ($6.50).
The menus are in Japanese and English and, in most Saizeriyas, you now order by QR code, so you don’t even have to interact with staff other than when they bring the food. The restaurant also has free Wi-Fi you can hop on.
When should you go?
There are two answers to this. The first addresses visitors to Japan who are just coming for short stays.
Saizeriya is not really a restaurant you want to visit if you are only in Japan for a short amount of time. Go enjoy all the stunning cuisine that Japan has to offer. Even if you are on a budget, there are plenty of affordable family restaurants serving Japanese fare that you should try out. The only reason I can think of to visit Saizeriya during a short trip is if you have little kids who are fussy eaters or you yourself are a fussy eater.
Now, the second answer is aimed more at people who are living in Japan or spending longer periods here, and it refers to the time of day. Lunchtime is usually a good time, but be careful of the rush. As I stated above, as soon as people start leaving work, around 6–9 p.m., certain centrally located Saizeriyas can get really busy, and you’ll need to write your name down and wait to be called. Early evening or late evening, before or after the rush, is best.
If you are thinking of heading there, know what you are getting yourself into. This isn’t fine dining, this is cheap comfort food. Go there knowing that, and you’ll likely enjoy yourself.