If you have time to kill whist waiting at Saga station, or just want a quick hamburger steak, pasta, pizza or parfait, then Hamburg is definitely the place to go.
Nestled away in the corner of the station, close to the bus centre, this restaurant has all of the above and great lunchtime offers.
The signature dish, which I assume gives the place its name, is of course the hamburger steak. This is a common dish in Japan, consisting of a large hamburger patty smothered in a sauce and served with different side dishes of vegetables. The sauce and side dish it comes with depends on which type you order, and there is a wide selection to choose from here.
If hamburger steak doesn’t take your fancy then you can always try one of their pizza or pasta dishes. There is not a huge selection, but enough to give pescetarians options, although vegetarians will find few meals edible here.
Meals are reasonably priced, with pasta dishes from around ¥600 and hambuger meals costing a little more at around ¥700. Though it’s typical for meat based meals to cost more in Japan, these prices are about average for the area.
The restaurant is not large but there is usually seating, and no queues. The staff don’t speak a lot of English, but the menu comes full of pictures so you can make a selection easily, even if you don’t speak any Japanese. It is decorated in a semi-Japanese style but you aren’t required to sit on the floor on tatami mats, the tables are western style. Water also comes free.
However, none of this is what I go there for. The reason I love to go to Hamburg is for the parfaits. I have never seen such an incredible selection of parfaits. They come in all styles and flavours, and there are even seasonal selections to choose from. From tiramisu to kiwi, you are sure to find something which appeals to you. There is a whole menu just for parfaits so you are definitely spoilt for choice.
Parfaits in Japan are expensive everywhere, but these are actually quite cheap for what you get. Parfait’s start from around ¥500 and are no where near as big as the picture would lead you to believe, or as big as the sundaes in Europe, but they are definitely worth a try if you want to satisfy a sweet tooth.
