Y. Market Brewing Kitchen

Y. Market Brewing Kitchen was founded in 2014 by the Okadaya Liquors group as Nagoya's first urban microbrewery, and it is still the brewpub that put the city on Japan's craft beer map. The brewhouse sits on the ground floor and the taproom restaurant directly above, so the beer travels one floor to your glass and is served at its freshest.

Around ten house beers are usually on tap, with the line-up changing by day and season. The range covers hazy IPAs, lagers, wheat beers, pale ales, stouts and seasonals, and the brewery's party courses can include up to twelve of its beers. Whisky, cocktails, highballs and wine cover anyone in the group who is not drinking beer.

The food is a big part of the appeal. Order the rotisserie chicken, which comes with a choice of three sauces, or the spicy Nagoya-style fried chicken wings seasoned with the house spice mix. Other favourites include a rotisserie chashu egg, loaded potatoes and fish and chips made with a whole conger eel, plus pizza and tacos. An English menu and knowledgeable staff make the list easy to navigate.

The wood-grain room has counter and table seating and can be hired for private parties of up to 65. It is at 4-17-6 Meieki in the Yanagibashi Market district, about five to eight minutes' walk east of Nagoya Station and a few minutes from Kokusai Center subway station. The brewery's site lists opening from 5pm Tuesday to Thursday, 3pm on Fridays and 11.30am at weekends and on holidays, closing at 11pm, with Mondays closed. Walk-ins are welcome when it is not fully booked, but weekends get busy. If you want more, the group also runs Keg Nagoya in Sakae.