Tebasaki: Where to Eat, Prices & Opening Hours (Aichi)

In Nagoya, tebasaki refers to chicken wings fried without batter and coated in a sweet, savory sauce and spices. They are double fried until crisp, and the pepper sprinkled at the end stirs the appetite. As a standard at izakaya pubs, they are essential to a Nagoya night. Said to have been born in Nagoya in the 1960s, they have become a leading example of Nagoya cuisine, now known nationwide.

Highlights

• The double frying technique, slow at low heat then crisp at high heat
• A moreish flavor where sweet savory sauce and peppery spice mingle perfectly
• The original sweet savory style, the peppery spicy style, and other shop by shop personalities are fun
• They pair superbly with beer, and you keep reaching for another

Seasonal Enjoyment

Paired with a cold beer, it is an unbeatable match for a humid summer night. In the cold season too, the piping hot just fried wings and the kick of spice warm the body. No matter the season, they liven up the table.

Access and Basics

• Area: widely enjoyed at izakaya around Sakae and Nagoya Station
• Specialty shops and famous names gather in the Sakae entertainment district
• Budget: from a few hundred yen to around a thousand yen per serving, easy to enjoy with a drink
• Mainly an evening dish, though some shops serve lunch

Practical Travel Notes

• Time of day: mainly an izakaya dish, so evening onward is the lively time, and shops serving it at lunch are limited
• Avoiding crowds: popular shops draw lines on weekend nights, so weekdays or just after opening let you savor it at ease
• Enjoying it in the Sakae entertainment district lets you make the most of a Nagoya night with a walk or bar hop
• Hands get messy, so keeping a moist towel nearby is reassuring
• Sweet savory and peppery styles differ in flavor, so comparing shops is fun

A Little Advice

Hold the wing by hand and pop the joint to make it easier to eat. Enjoy the richness of the sauce that makes you want to lick your fingertips. They are tasty even cooled, but the top recommendation is to bite into them piping hot and freshly fried.

Practical Information for Your Visit

• How it was born: The deep-fried chicken wings regarded as the original were created in 1963 (Showa 38) at a restaurant in Hibino, Atsuta Ward, Nagoya. The official account is that on a day when no whole chickens for deep-frying were delivered, the sauce was applied to chicken wings instead
• Where to eat it: Furaibo Sakae branch (Gourmet Building "Aeri" 1F, 4-5-8 Sakae, Naka Ward, Nagoya) / Monday to Thursday 17:00-23:00, Friday and Saturday 17:00-24:00. Closed on Sundays
• Points to note: Since it opens from the early evening and closes on Sundays, if you want to eat there at lunchtime or on a Sunday you will need to choose a different branch or restaurant
• Finding a restaurant: You can search for restaurants serving tebasaki on the official website of the Nagoya Meshi Promotion Council, formed by Aichi Prefecture, the City of Nagoya and others

* Opening hours and prices vary from restaurant to restaurant.

(Sources: Furaibo official website, Nagoya Meshi official website)

Information Sources

This article is compiled from tourism information provided by the City of Nagoya and Aichi Prefecture, together with information published by each restaurant. Prices and menus differ by restaurant and are subject to change, so please check each restaurant's official information for details.

Sightseeing Checklist

• Budget guide: From a few hundred yen to around 1,000-2,000 yen per serving
• Where to eat it: Izakaya around Sakae and Nagoya Station (Sakae has specialty and renowned establishments)
• Best time of day: It gets lively from early evening onward (some places open for lunch too)
• Avoiding the crowds: There are queues on weekend evenings; weekdays or right after opening are more relaxed
• Combine it with: Strolling the Sakae entertainment district and a bar crawl