1.
signature dish; specialty of the house; flagship menu item
The dish or item that a restaurant is best known for and takes pride in. Literally 'signboard menu item' — the dish worthy of being on the sign outside.
この店の看板メニューは何ですか。
What is this restaurant's signature dish?
看板メニューの豚骨ラーメンを注文した。
I ordered their signature tonkotsu ramen.
新しい看板メニューを開発するために、シェフが何度も試作を重ねた。
The chef went through many prototypes to develop a new signature dish.
USAGE:
看板 literally means 'signboard' but here means 'flagship' or 'representative.' This compound is used almost exclusively for restaurants and cafes. For non-food businesses, 看板商品 (flagship product) is used instead.
COMMON COLLOCATIONS:
- 看板メニューを頼む (to order the signature dish)
- 看板メニューを開発する (to develop a signature dish)
SIMILAR WORDS:
- 名物: local specialty — refers to a famous product or food of a region, not a specific restaurant
- 看板商品: flagship product — the non-food equivalent