Speaking of Asakusa cuisine, we cannot miss the “Asakusa Menchi (浅草メンチ)”, which was voted as the number one specialty in Asakusa, Japan! Every time you come to Nakamise Shopping Street, turn left into Senzoku-dori and you will see an extremely exaggerated queue waiting for the freshly baked delicious pork patty. It took me three visits to Asakusa before I had time to join the queue. I tried the Asakusa Fried Pork Patty and the famous queue food next door, the “Fukufuku Black Wagyu Curry Bread (豊福 黒毛和牛カレーパン)”, and I will share them with you in this post!
Must Read: 9 Best Things to Do in Asakusa to Help You Capture 100 Years of Tokyo within a Day
How to Get to Asakusa Menchi?
- Address: 2-3-3 Asakusa, Taito-ku, Tokyo
- Transportation: 3-minute walk from Exit 6 of Asakusa Station on the Tokyo Metro Ginza Line
- Business hours: 10:00~19:00
This time, I queued for about 10 minutes to get the Asakusa Menchi (deep-fried pork patty). Luckily, I got to taste the freshly fried pork patty. As eating while walking is prohibited in Asakusa Temple, after buying the pork patty, you can either eat it on the spot or go to the seating area a little further to the left to enjoy the warmth and eat.
A fried pork patty costs 200 yen each, and it is very hot to eat, but the outer layer is incredibly crispy, while the inside is filled with high-quality pork from the Kurobuta breed and onions. The pork has no gamey taste and is juicy and elastic. The only thing that scares Piao’er is the onions because she is a picky eater. If you dare to eat onions, this fried pork patty is truly of high quality!
Fengfu Black Hair Wagyu Curry Bread / Yutaka Black Hair Wagyu Curry Bread
- Address: 2-3-4 Asakusa, Taito-ku, Tokyo
- Business hours: 10:00~19:00
While Little V was queuing for Asakusa fried pork cakes, Piao Er went to the next door to wait for the Fukufuku black-haired wagyu curry bread. The storefront displayed a sign that said it would take five minutes to bake, but they happened to catch the boss just as he finished frying, so they only had to wait one minute to get their hands on the black-haired wagyu curry bread.
Piao Er just bought Fengfu, and there was a long line behind. However, after taking a glance at Fengfu’s curry bread, besides its huge size that’s bigger than a fist, the outer layer doesn’t seem to be fried to a crispy and delicious texture.
After taking a bite, the curry sauce inside was not very full, and it felt like the dough was just inflated. The curry sauce itself was overly rich and salty, and the biggest problem was that the eater couldn’t feel the texture of the black-haired wagyu beef. Not only was it tough on the outside, but it also had a strong beefy smell. Eventually, it was not finished…
This time I bought Asakusa fried pork cake (浅草メンチ) and Fukuoka black beef curry bread. I truly feel that “Asakusa fried pork cake (浅草メンチ)” deserves to be Japan’s number one item voted in Asakusa. As long as you can handle onions and pork, this affordable snack is definitely worth buying. As for Fukuoka black beef curry bread, if you’re really hungry, you can give it a try, but if there’s a long line and you’re not that hungry, it’s not worth buying.
Other Asakusa food recommendations: 【Asakusa Food】10 Affordable Asakusa Snacks and Queuing Restaurants You Can’t Miss
One-day Tour of Attractions around Asakusa
【Morning】Visit Sensoji Temple, Shop at Nakamise Shopping Street → 【Afternoon】Stroll in Ueno Park, Shop at Ameyoko → 【Evening】Walk along Sumida Park → Enjoy the Night View from Skytree Tembo Deck → Shop at Tokyo Solamachi
The itinerary in Asakusa is often combined with a one-day trip to Ueno and Tokyo Skytree, which are very close by. The above is the recommended itinerary route that I suggest, which is smoother to walk. You can also refer to Tokyo Asakusa one-day trip itinerary route arrangement for detailed transportation connections and fun attractions.
- Ueno: Ueno Station & Okachimachi Shopping Guide
- Ameyoko: Ameyoko Market Guide: Food, Shopping & More
- Asakusa: Sensoji Temple & Nakamise Street Guide
- Skytree: Tokyo Skytree Guide: Views, Shopping & More
- Imado Shrine: Imado Shrine: The Birthplace of Japanese Lucky Cats
Ultimate Tokyo Food Guide: 20 Best Japanese Foods to Try in Tokyo