A casual Italian restaurant serving a wide ranging selections of wood-fired pizza and pasta, La Terrazza is the best restaurant by the lake Hakone has to offer.
When we planned our trip to Hakone few months ago, we didn’t really do much research about food. Though we did bookmark some restaurants for reference, we missed to gather more info about them. Or how long their business hours. And apparently, that is a huge mistake. Lol.
Since we’re staying in Prince Hotel Ashinoko for two days, our only options are either Hakone-en that closes at 4:50 pm, or restaurants around Moto-Hakone. However, most of the restaurants actually close at 5 pm. This left us to very limited, if not none, option. After a quick survey around the area, we ended up La Terraza. And it turned out to be a pleasant surprise!
See also: Ultimate Guide for the Best Hakone 5D4N Itinerary
A Pleasant Surpise at La Terazza
Address: 61 Motohakone, Hakone, Ashigarashimo District, Kanagawa 250-0522 (Google Maps)
La Terrazza is a lively pizzeria set in the complex of Ashinoko Terrace. From the first glance, the place gives off an industrial vibe with high ceilings and black metal frames. Also staying true to its name, the dining space has semi outdoor seating with direct view of Hakone nature.
Though the interior didn’t look fancy, they sure have a fancy long list of items on the menu. What La Terrazza offers is beyond the ordinary pizzeria in Japan. There, you can select among 30 kinds of pizza, all baked in Italia-imported stone oven. They also have six pasta options, some main, and desserts. All is crafted using fresh and local produce from Hakone mountain and Numazu port.
Here is a glimpse of the Japanese menu.
Halal in Hakone: Special Halal Menu at La Terrazza
When we visited for dinner, most of the tables were already booked. The staff was kind enough to offer us a table, so we could dine in even for a short time. But since we had a shuttle bus to catch, we opted for a take-out instead.
While asking for a recommendation, the staff learned about our dietary restriction. He immediately went in and returned with a new menu. To our surprise, the menu has more items than we expected. Other than halal, they also have vegetarian and vegan menu in hand.
Considering the bus ride, we went with the pasta option. Our orders were Fettuccine with Whitebaits and Green Onion and Fresh Fish Puttanesca Style Tomato Spaghetti.
Honestly, we didn’t have high expectations. But even with the additional travel time, the meal was genuinely enjoyable. The flavors of each dish really came through. We could also taste the freshness of the ingredients. We will definitely return when we’re in Hakone next time. 🙂
More about La Terrazza, Hakone
Besides dinner, La Terrazza also serves breakfast, lunch, and coffee time in the evening. To avoid the long queue, we recommend to reserve in advance.
Pros
- Top-notch ingredients
- Excellent service
- Great ambience
- Vegan and Halal selections available!
Cons
- Dinner time ends early (not necessarily complaining, since most establishments are close much earlier anyway…)
| Halal Status | Self-certified (Halal Menu available upon request) |
| Capacity | 156 seats |
| English Menu | Available |
| Business Hours | Mon to Fri 10:30 – 20:00 Sat/Sun/Holiday 09:00 – 20:00 |
| Payment Method | Cash Credit Cards Quicpay |
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