Matsumoto's signature dish is sanzoku-yaki — a slab of chicken thigh marinated in garlic, ginger and soy and deep-fried whole. The dish was invented in nearby Yamabe in the 1950s and is now sold across the city; Sanzoku in the suburbs is the original. In town, the speciality to look for is basashi (raw horse meat sashimi), a Nagano staple traditionally served with grated ginger and soy.
Soba is the regional carbohydrate and most restaurants make their own. Komian and Shōji are reliable old-school soba houses near the castle. For an evening of small dishes and local sake, the alleys north of Nawate-dōri have a dozen izakayas; Kuraya and Hashizō are good starting points. The local sake brewery Daisekkei has a tasting room a few minutes from the station.