ALBERT'S BRITISH DINING｜アルバーツ ブリティッシュ ダイニング — Restaurant in Karuizawa

Albert's is a new, fine-dining venue that fills a niche no other local competitor occupies. Having tried most of what's on offer in town, and being of English stock myself, I was looking forward to some quality British cuisine. I was, in short, delighted. The decor is cosy and definitely in-style. The maitre d' is a Surrey man and the bi-lingual owner of Wellies B&B, where the restaurant is located. A more amiable host is impossible to imagine. The food is authentic, reasonably priced, and prepared by a highly-qualified young Japanese chef with international experience. Don't miss the Beef Wellington, which is the restaurant's signature dish. The fish-and-chips are a stand-out, too. Simpson's in The Strand may still be closed, but that's not a problem, because Albert's in Karuizawa is now open. By the way: Albert's also does a real English afternoon tea. The teas themselves are imported from the UK. The cucumber sandwiches and the smoked salmon sandwiches are pukka. And the heart of the art, which for me is always the scones, are made to a traditional British recipe and are as close to perfection as it's possible to get. They certainly rival those I had at the Savoy in London, and they're far superior to any I've had in Tokyo, or anywhere else in Japan. The lemon cake is made to a family recipe and is delicious. A great deal of attention has been given to all the details, and though it's not Savoy-posh-nosh, it is the very...

I had seen this on a local FB group and when I had to drive up to Karuizawa for something else, I took the opportunity to go have afternoon tea... I was SO glad that I did. I can't say if this rates or is authentic (American here), but even if it's not, it's well worth the trip. The food was simply divine from the smoked salmon to the finishing chocolate (Hand made by the chef). The tea (I stuck with the classic, Earl Grey, hot) paired extremely well with the food and I was sorry I didn't have the time to indulge in another pot (or two or three).

Beyond the wonderful food, I also have to call out both the atmosphere of the place (superbly comfortable) and the hosts. They were wonderfully attentive, even if I showed up way too early for my reservation.

In fact, the ONLY regret I have about it that I have is simply Karuizawa is a bit out off the way from me so I can't make this a regular stop. I would love to try the regular menu and the well...

What a fantastic experience! I'm British, my wife is Japanese. We went here for my birthday. Chris (the owner) was not only very attentive to all the customers but highly entertaining. We had a great time exploring his record collection and marveling at all of the British memorabilia around the restaurant.

But the food was absolutely divine. The homemade smoked salmon was a delicious starter with the pate. The tomatoes in the salad have more flavour than any tomato I've tasted since I left the UK 20 years ago.

And the main course (stew with roast vegetables) was amazing. And we could request as many Yorkshire puddings as we wanted! It felt like I had died and gone to heaven haha.

If you want an unforgettable dining experience in Karuizawa, look no further than Albert's British Dining. I'd give 10 stars out of...