When you stay at a hot spring inn, you eat a luxurious kaiseki meal at night, and then have a Japanese breakfast the next morning, but after checking out, your mouth may be craving something other than Japanese food. In that case, there is a famous pizza restaurant in Noboribetsu Onsen! The name of the restaurant is "Astra." Let's take a look. The official name of the restaurant is "PIZZERIA ASTRA", but it is more commonly known as "Astra". Amidst a row of souvenir shops typical of a hot spring town, this stylish pizza restaurant suddenly catches your eye, and is sure to catch the interest of tourists passing by. The owner, Osaka Daiki, visited Italy while honing his skills as a pizza chef and was shocked to find that you could eat delicious pizza for just 500 yen. So, to make it easier for people in Japan to enjoy the food, he started with a food truck. Gradually, he gained more fans, and people told him he wanted to open a restaurant because they wanted to eat the food whenever they wanted. In response to those requests, he decided to set up a restaurant in his hometown of Noboribetsu. Astra offers over 15 different types of pizza. The dough is made fresh every day using an original recipe. Even a large size can be had for just 1,000 yen, a sentiment that is the result of the owner, Mr. Osaka's, spirit. The most recommended item is the "Ultimate Margherita" (M: 1,300 yen including tax, L: 1,980 yen including tax). The freshness of the fresh tomatoes and the richness of the fresh cheese from Hokkaido make this an irresistible pizza. By the way, there are other varieties of Margherita, such as "Margherita" and "Margherita EX", so it's clear that this is the most recommended signature menu item. If you want to taste the deliciousness of Hokkaido cheese, we recommend the "Shiranuka Meikeisha Mozzarella Cheese Caprese" (980 yen including tax). This fresh cheese from Shiranuka Meikeisha, carefully selected from the many Hokkaido cheeses available, is a must-try even for those who aren't cheese lovers. Nothing goes better with pizza or Caprese than a delicious beer! You can drink the local Noboribetsu craft beer "Oni Densetsu" (850 yen including tax) here. If you can also drink their specialty coffee after the meal, it's the best. Astra is particular about its coffee, and the "Astra Latte" (480 yen including tax), which combines espresso made in an Italian machine with Hokkaido milk, is sure to be a blissful drink. At first, you might think, "A pizza restaurant in a hot spring town?" but once you hear the story, it makes sense, and more than anything, once you try it, it makes sense. Even during the COVID-19 pandemic, Astra's takeout pizza seems to have been very popular, to the point that people living nearby are envious. Be sure to remember the name of the store and stop by next time you visit Noboribetsu. ＜PIZZERIA ASTRA＞ Address: 60 Noboribetsu Onsencho, Noboribetsu City, Hokkaido Phone: 070-5605-7702 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/pizzeria.astra/