ALA at Go Harajuku

Cheerful Italian bar in Ura-Harajuku, pouring craft beer and grilling spiedino skewers.

ALA is an Italian bar operated by Daruma Production, tucked into the Harajuku SH Building in Ura-Harajuku, just five minutes from Meiji-jingumae Station. The concept is a cheerful Italian酒場, or taverna, and it specialises in Italian craft beer and spiedino, the Italian answer to skewered grilled meats. The kitchen works with carefully selected beef, pork, lamb, duck and fish, charcoal-grilling them to draw out their natural flavours, and the front counter displays antipasti and ingredients that set the mood the moment you walk in. The menu also offers pasta, prosciutto and salumi, and a signature fruit spritz made with sparkling wine. Seating includes a counter overlooking the open kitchen, table seating for up to sixteen, and a semi-private room, making it flexible for both quick solo lunches and lively group dinners. Lunch runs to affordable pasta and set plates, while dinner leans into sharing and drinking, with Italian craft beers a particular draw. Reservations are available, and the venue is closed on Sundays. For a relaxed, convivial Italian evening in Ura-Harajuku, ALA is a genuine neighbourhood favourite. It is the sort of place where the craft beer is cold, the skewers are charred just right, and the welcome is warm.