Asako Iwayanagi Fukuoka (Fukuoka, JAPAN) ★★★★☆

Asako Iwayanagi Fukuoka is an upscale French dessert bar and café nestled in Fukuoka Daimyo Garden City (FDGC) Bio Square next to the prestigious Ritz-Carlton Fukuoka.

I wasn’t planning to get more desserts after our successful run of sweet treat hunting this afternoon, but the lovely creations at Asako Iwayanagi Fukuoka left me with very little choice—especially with mom still looking for her first Mont Blanc cake of the trip. Little did she know, she would go on to enjoy more than half a dozen of them this week.

The clean and sleek dessert café offers the perfect venue for a relaxing afternoon tea. Unfortunately, we didn’t have the luxury of time this afternoon.

Mont Blanc (820 yen) – The last piece of Mont Blanc!

Delicate layers of chestnut vermicelli sat on top of a base of honey cream and sponge cake, paired with a ganache made with what I thought was cassis, adding a lovely acidity to balance the richness of the cake.

A beautifully designed and well-executed dessert by the team here! Mom was especially impressed by the generous amount of chestnut cream on top. Unlike other cake shops that hide fresh cream and sponge beneath the chestnut vermicelli, this one featured layer after layer of chestnut cream making mom a very happy camper.

After soaking up the festive vibes at the Christmas market downstairs at Fukuoka Daimyo Garden City, it was time to head towards Fukuoka Tower (福岡塔) for tonight’s dinner. And we had a good one waiting for us — the highest-ranked French fine-dining restaurant in Kyushu, according to Tabelog.

Food Rating: 6.5/10

Price: ￥￥￥￥

Address: Shop 2B, 2/F Fukuoka Daimyo Garden City Bio Square, 2-6-50 Daimyo, Chuo-ku, Fukuoka, 810-0041 Japan

Closest Metro Station: Tenjin / Akasaka

Tel: +81 (0)92-707-4123

Website: https://shop.asakoiwayanagi.com/

Opening Hours: 11:00am - 8:00pm daily

Jack In the Donuts Tenjin 福岡天神店 (Fukuoka, JAPAN) ★★★★☆

On my way to the Christmas Market at Fukuoka Daimyo Garden City, I suddenly remembered there was one more essential detour to make before fully embracing the festive cheer — Jack In the Donuts, conveniently tucked across the street from the market.

My last experience with a Jack In the Donuts' bake live cafe dated back just a few months ago when we were at Lake Biwa (琵琶湖) during the summer. Their melt-in-the-mouth Soft Malasada Pistachio left quite an impression on me and I figured it was time for a proper encore in the last week of 2025!

Stepping inside, I was greeted by a display of charming Christmas-themed donuts!  

While Jack In the Donuts doesn’t boast the same avant-garde flair as I’m Donut?, they do offer a nice range of options across both yeast donuts and their signature soft malasadas.

Santa 🎅🏻 (350 yen) – I bet little nugget would love this for breakfast.

Soft Malasada Pistachio (385 yen) – As tempting as their curry donut sounded (and looked), I stayed focused on the mission: Soft Malasada Pistachio, round two. This would be a nice comparison with the nama donuts we had earlier at I'm Donut?.

I had this just four months ago in Moriyama (守山) and I have to say, the dough was almost as perfectly airy as the nama donut we tried earlier. The pistachio cream was a touch too sweet for my palate today, but overall, it's a solid alternative for anyone craving a soft, fluffy, melt-in-the-mouth nama donut.

As the third-largest donut chain in Japan, right behind Mister Donut and Krispy Kreme, it's far more likely to stumble upon a Jack In the Donuts outpost than an I’m Donut?.

Food Rating: 6.9/10

Price: ￥￥￥

Address: 2-1-44 Daimyo, Chuo-ku, Fukuoka, 810-0041 Japan

Closest Metro Station: Tenjin

Tel: +81 (0)92-406-6173

Website: http://jack-donuts.jp/

Opening Hours: 10:00am - 8:00pm (Sun, Tue - Thu), 10:00am - 5:00pm (Fri - Sat)

I’m Donut? (Fukuoka, JAPAN) ★★★★☆

Fukuoka is the birthplace of my favorite donut chain in Japan, I’m Donut? so naturally, I had to make a proper visit to their flagship shop during this trip. Thankfully, it’s just a few steps away from Hakata Ikkousha Nishinakasu (博多一幸舍 西中洲店), where we just had our ramen lunch not long ago, so we didn’t have to walk far at all.

I’m Donut? took the world by storm when owner-chef Ryouta Hirako first launched the concept in Tokyo back in 2022, showcasing his signature nama donuts originally developed at his Fukuoka-based bakery café AMAM DACOTAN (now rebranded as dacō). He later brought the concept back home to Tenjin, Fukuoka in the same year.

Known for their light, fluffy, melt-in-your-mouth texture, nama donuts have since made their mark in Tokyo and now even in New York City. I’ve visited a few of their Tokyo locations, which typically offer fewer than 10 flavors, but this was my chance to see their full lineup of over 20 flavors, featuring both sweet and savory options.

It only took about 10 minutes of waiting outside the shop before my turn to experience some of the best donuts Japan has to offer!

The shop was tastefully designed, with wooden cupboards beautifully filled with rows of freshly baked donuts. Staff was seen restocking the shelves with donuts fresh out of the oven.

We began with a collection of traditional ring-shaped donuts, available in a variety of flavors including chocolate, matcha, strawberry, caramel, and more. 🍩🍩

Soon after, the much-anticipated nama donuts made their appearance.

While the original "Nama Donut Plain" was clearly the most popular choice among the few customers ahead of me, I also spotted exciting and new flavors I hadn’t seen in Tokyo before including this mentaiko (明太子) donut.

The anchovy cheese was another intriguing option.

I ended up grabbing four donuts, one each for me and my teammates to indulge in.

Double strawberry 🍓 (330 yen) – For my strawberry loving son. This came with a beautiful strawberry glaze and was topped with strawberry-flavored chocolate pieces.

Nama donut plain (220 yen) – Exactly the airy texture you’d expect from a nama donut. Not bad but it lacked that satisfying mouthfeel of a creamy custard filling.

Pistachio nama donut (440 yen) – For mom who’s a huge fan of pistachio (and nuts in general). I had this a couple of times before and it definitely came highly recommended by yours truly.

Mentaiko egg nama donut (380 yen) – Something new for me. I thought the savory-sweet combination added a nice twist (the dough was subtly sweet, thanks to the pumpkin base), but the mentaiko flavor could have been a bit stronger to let that unique savory-spicy combo truly shine. 

That said, kudos to the team here for trying something innovative and keeping fans on their toes.

The shop is located on the ground floor of the Tokan Building Fukuoka, right across the street from Mitsukoshi (三越). You absolutely won’t miss it — just look for the line of loyal die-hard fans waiting patiently outside.

Later while I was strolling around Daimyo, I stumbled upon dacō, the sister concept of I'm Donut?. 

Here they take their creativity with doughnuts even further, offering funky creations like the Daco Dog with a sausage, the Daco Burger, Chocolate Sand, and more. Too bad I wasn't in the mood for yet another donut at this hour.

Food Rating: 7.2/10

Price: ￥￥￥

Address: G/F Tokan Building Fukuoka, 5-24-30 Watanabedori, Chuo-ku, Fukuoka, 810-0004 Japan

Closest Metro Station: Tenjin-minami

Website: https://instagram.com/i.m.donut

Opening Hours: 10:00am - 7:00pm daily

Hakata Ikkousha Fukuoka Nishinakasu 博多一幸舍西中洲店 (Fukuoka, JAPAN) ★★★☆☆

We didn’t have lunch plans this afternoon, and since it was getting very close to lunchtime (checking my watch, it was 11:59 a.m.), we decided to slurp a quick bowl of ramen before kicking off our shopping spree.

Luckily, ramen shops are never in short supply on the buzzy Kokutai Road (国体道路) in Fukuoka. With Hakata Ikkousha Nishinakasu (博多一幸舍 西中洲店) just around the corner, we let the final minute tick away as they finally slid open their door for business.

Hakata Ikkousha (博多一幸舍) is a well-loved institution in Fukuoka, known for its pork bone–based ramen. With three different broths to choose from — original (salt-infused tonkotsu), black (with black garlic), and red (spicy) — it’s a popular choice among both locals and tourists alike.

We had the pleasure of trying the original and black tonkotsu ramen at their flagship location back in 2019, and it was a wonderful experience.

Today, we were their first customers! 😂😂

Salt tonkotsu Ajitama ramen (1,000 yen) – Their signature ramen with the original pork based broth, infused with salt.

The body of the broth wasn’t as thick as some other tonkotsu broths on the market which was always a good thing. It still clung onto the noodles relatively well.

The yolk of the soft boiled egg could have been a little more runny.

The char siu not bad but the bamboo shoot not nearly enough for bamboo shoot lovers like us. 

Mini fried rice (400 yen) – After sharing a bowl of noodles with little guy, I had a bowl of mini fried rice myself.

I love ordering fried rice at ramen shops in Japan—they always deliver that incredible "wok hei" (鑊氣). Only wish there was more diced barbecued pork instead of onion; that would’ve made it perfect.

While the shop was empty when we first stepped in, this was 10 minutes later; entirely full with a few customers queuing up inside waiting for a table. That says a lot about the popularity of this place.

Perhaps my palate has changed a little since 2019 but I found the seasoning in the tonkatsu broth and fried rice both a little on the salty side. A sign of aging? 👴👴 

Food Rating: 6.1/10

Price: ￥￥￥

Address: 3-11-18 Haruyoshi, Chuo-ku, Fukuoka, 810-0003 Japan

Closest Metro Station: Tenjin-minami

Tel: +81 (0)92-401-0141

Website: https://www.ikkousha.com/store-ikkosha

Opening Hours: 12:00pm - 3:00am (Mon - Sat), 12:00pm - 9:00pm (Sun)

Dipper Dan Crepe Canal City (Fukuoka, JAPAN) ★★☆☆☆

We woke up to cloudy skies this morning. Hopefully it clears up since this is my only full day in the city.

Our first stop was an easy one: Canal City, just across the street from our hotel. This popular shopping mall has definitely seen better days, but its age hasn’t hurt its appeal among tourists. On our way to Tenjin (天神), we decided to pop in for a quick stroll, and it didn’t take long to spot mom’s favorite Japanese crepes.

Founded in 1972, Dipper Dan Crepe has outlets all over Kyushu, and this one even has a small sit-down area.

Mom went straight for a sweet crepe, while little nugget and I opted for one with savory fillings.

For me, it was a tuna salad crepe (500 yen) with lettuce, minced tuna, corn and mayo, as usual. Having warm food on a chilling morning was nice but the crepe was a little hard for my teeth which were just warming up for action.

Little one had a sausage salad crepe (¥530) with lettuce, minced tuna, corn, sausage, and ketchup. A little heavy for a morning snack, no?

I’ve always enjoyed Japanese crepes (especially Marion Crepes!) from time to time with all the different fillings, savory or sweet. And they often stay open until late, perfect for satisfying our late-night cravings!

Food Rating: 4.3/10

Price: ￥￥￥

Address: B1F Canal City Hakata, 1-2-22 Sumiyoshi, Hakata-ku, Fukuoka, 812-0018 Japan

Closest Metro Station: Hakata

Tel: +81 (0)92-263-2306

Opening Hours: 10:00am - 9:00pm (Mon - Fri), 10:00am - 10:00pm (Sat - Sun)

Tempura Tanaka 天ぷら たなか (Fukuoka, JAPAN) ★★★☆☆

We have two highly anticipated meals ahead of us in Fukuoka, starting with a tempura dinner at Tempura Tanaka (天ぷら たなか) tonight.

Tempura Tanaka is ranked as the second-best tempura restaurant in Fukuoka Prefecture (福岡縣). Nestled on the edge of the Kego district (警固區), near Yakuin-odori (藥院大通) and Akasaka (赤阪區), it’s slightly off the beaten path for those staying in the city centre. However, an Uber ride brought us there in just over 10 minutes.

The restaurant is helmed by Owner-Chef Hideki Tanaka (田中秀樹), a seasoned tempura master who spent 21 years at the renowned Ginza Tenichi (銀座天一), where he also served as head chef. Sitting at the cozy 8-seat counter gave us the perfect opportunity to witness his craftsmanship up close.

We were first started off with a refreshing salad of spinach and persimmon. It was finished with a nutty Japanese sesame sauce (胡麻醬).

Next up, two types of sashimi to whet our appetite including grouper and squid. I thought the squid really stood out for its firm and stringy texture.

For the tempura, we were provided with four condiments: Himalayan salt, Okinawan salt (a more powdery variety), a classic tempura dipping sauce, and lemon juice.

Shrimp head – The tempura journey began with a crispy and super flaky shrimp head. 

As little nugget always said, it’s like having chips.

Shrimp – It was immediately followed by a delicious shrimp tempura. Thick battered but at the same time, really flaky and soft at the same time. Enjoying it with the pink salt from the mountains of Himalayas was simply a thing of beauty.

Then, we had our second piece of shrimp with a slightly thinner batter. Don’t know if it was intentional. 

Lotus root – I thought a little more powdery (粉) than crunchy for me.

Kiss fish – The Japanese whiting fish was thin but very tasty. I liked the way it soaked up the tempura sauce.

Matsutake mushroom with shrimp – Apparently, a signature dish here. 

I expected a little more from a house specialty but this turned out to be just okay.

Green onion – Delivered double the crunch, as expected. Always a fun bite.

Shirako (白子) – My biggest fear came true. For a few of our omakase meals, I made sure to indicate in my reservations that I didn’t want the prized fish milt included but unfortunately, I must have forgotten to do so for this one (we've had so many restaurant bookings on this trip!). It turns out I only asked them to exclude it for little nugget.

To be brutally honest, the thin batter actually helped to "glue" the custard-like fish milt together nicely, and the addition of lemon juice also helped cut through some of the slightly fishy flavor. Better than expected.

Taro – This looked like a slice of Japanese fish cake at first glance. OK but not too memorable.

Oyster – Briny and fresh, it worked reasonably well with the light batter.

We enjoyed a break in action with a small fish soup with turnip. Little nugget thought the meal was over! Well, not quite!

Crab wrapped in shiso leaf – Chef Tanaka looked really focused here. Maybe he's onto something.

The shiso leaf wrapped crab (螃蟹) and crab roes were pretty tasty but something was missing to tie it all together. 

Perhaps something like sea urchin? A dish that was good but could have been great.

Burdock – Instead of coming in thin strips, this came in the shape of a ring. Not bad.

Sawara fish – Decent.

Mandarin and pear 🍐 – Always enjoy having fruit from Kyushu (九州). Again, little one thought it was the end of the meal but nope. More food coming.

Beans – Lovely crunch, with fresh and clean flavors.

Anago – The sea eel was the third and final fish item. 

We finally wrapped up the meal with a tendon featuring a kakiage made with onion and shrimps. A slightly underwhelming end to a meal that lasted around two and a half hours.

This was served along with a red miso soup.

Sweet potato 🍠 – One final tempura but a nice, thin batter and the usual crunchy (crusty) texture.

This wasn’t a cheap meal by Fukuoka standard. Does it live up to the lofty expectations of being the second-best tempura restaurant in the prefecture (according to Tabelog)? Well, it's hard to say — this was my first tempura experience in Fukuoka. But compared to our recent tempura meals in Tokyo and Osaka, this one fell a notch below expectations.

While the seafood and fish items (especially the shrimp and kiss fish) were excellent, the vegetarian offerings were noticeably less memorable. As the dinner wore on, we found ourselves waiting for the next standout dish but it never arrived. For a restaurant with such pedigree, one simply expects more.

On the bright side, the service was excellent throughout. The chef, who speaks very good English, was very engaging and certainly kept us thoroughly entertained. That said, I’m not sure if I would return, given the other dining options available at similar price points.

Food Rating: 6.8/10

Price: ￥￥￥￥

Address: 1/F Akasaka Minami, 2-2-1 Kego, Chuo-ku, Fukuoka, 810-0023 Japan

Closest Metro Station: Yakuin-odori

Tel: +81 (0)92-713-5725

Website: https://www.tempura-tanaka.com/

Opening Hours: 12:00pm - 2:30pm, 6:30pm - 9:30pm (Wed - Mon)