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Miyoshi Winery might seem like an obvious destination for local wine tasting, but locals know that it’s also a great place for lunch or dinner! Behind the main winery building, across the grassy lawn, Miyoshi Winery’s Barbecue Garden serves yakiniku, or Japanese barbecue. Diners can indulge in cuts of premium wagyu beef and locally-raised pork, and then sear each piece to perfection on a small grill set into the table, making it both a delicious meal, and a fun experience.

Ask the Barbecue Garden staff, and they’ll tell you the restaurant prides itself on offering the highest-quality meat. Barbecue Garden serves beef from Hiroshima cattle, raised by passionate Hiroshima farmers on local ranches. In fact, the menu has one section for “beef raised in Hiroshima,” and another section for the officially registered brand of “Hiroshima Beef,” similar to the famous “Kobe Beef.” Hiroshima Beef is wagyu that comes from Japanese Black cattle, known for excellent marbling and rich flavor. For wagyu-lovers, Barbecue Garden is a great place to have the real deal while in Japan, while the standard beef is always a delicious option as well.

Diners looking to branch out a little might be interested to see that the menu also includes pork loin and belly, which comes from Miyoshi pigs. Barbecue Garden offers “Omai Pork,” a local Miyoshi brand of pork from pigs raised on a diet including Japanese rice, which is said to lend the meat a sweet flavor and make it lean and tender.

While just about everything on the menu is available à la carte, Barbecue Garden’s set meals come complete with meat (or even some seafood), vegetables, and standard Japanese sides like white rice and miso soup to round out the meal. Prices range from sets under 2,000 yen (with smaller cuts of Hiroshima-raised beef and Omai Pork, possibly some seafood, or even lamb) which make a great lunch, to meals including different cuts of Hiroshima Beef, perfect for sampling the marbled wagyu (generally between 3000~5000 yen).

For dessert, the restaurant has a few options including Kyoho grape ice cream, but one other possibility is to walk back across the lawn to Miyoshi Winery’s Cafe Vine. The cafe closes a bit earlier than Barbecue Garden, but during business hours they offer Pione grape soft serve, a Miyoshi specialty. The ice cream is available to-go as well!

Of course, after the meal, it’s the perfect chance to browse the winery selection in the main building. Visitors can taste another Miyoshi Winery vintage or two in the main shopping area, or pay a small fee to enjoy a wine tasting with some of the winery’s more high-end wines. The shop is also an ideal place to find a snack for the road, or a souvenir to bring home! Learn more about Miyoshi Winery here.