Osaka is a heaven for all foodies out there and I'm no exception. In fact, I think I spend more money on food than on beauty products in Osaka and that is saying a lot. Given the vast amount of food options there are out there in Osaka, here are my top 10 recommendations on what & where to eat in Osaka.
OKONOMIYAKI
If you are in Osaka, a must-try recognised Kansai region food is Okonomiyaki. Okonomiyaki is essentially a savoury pancake consisting of flour, Japanese yam, egg, shredded cabbage as the base. From there, there are various toppings that may be added on, such as pork belly, seafood, cheese and noodles. For me, Okonomiyaki is like the ultimate comfort food: delicious and filling. The sauce also helps to elevate the taste of both the toppings and the base, giving it an extra boost in flavour. And there's nothing like eating it straight off the hotplate that they cook it on and enjoying it piping hot. If you're in Osaka, you should definitely give this popular dish a try!
One popular place to try this dish is Mizuno. Mizuno is located in the heart of Osaka's food heaven, Dotonbori, and you can easily spot it as there is generally a short queue out front. Don't let the queue get to you because their turnover rate is quite fast. Beginning with about 20 people in front of us, my friends and I waited for about 30 minutes for our table.
There are quite a few versions of Okonomiyaki for you to choose from and you can choose specific ingredients pairings and batter based on what you like. You can also add a portion of noodles like I did to make your meal slightly more filling. They will pre-mix the batter and the ingredients before coming to your table to cook it for you on the spot. The prices here range from $10-$20.
Address: 1-4-15 Dotombori, Chuo-ku, Osaka 542-0071, Osaka Prefecture
Opening Hours: 11am - 10pm, Daily
Another place to try this dish is Momiji. Momiji is a great option to consider for those late-night supper outings. The Okonomiyaki was balanced and very delicious.
The only downside is that people are allowed to smoke inside, which makes the place a little smelly. Also, this place is rather popular so do be prepared to queue for a while. It is well worth the wait though!
Address: 9-19 Ikutamacho, Tennoji Ward, Osaka, 543-0071, Japan
Opening Hours: 5pm - 3am, Daily
Note: If you don't feel like queuing for either options, I suggest taking a walk down Dotonbori and seeing other options. There are a lot of Okonomiyaki restaurants in the area that can be explored.
TAKOYAKI
Another popular region food that you can find in Osaka is Takoyaki. Takoyaki is made with batter and typically filled with pieces of octopus or other ingredients. It is also conveniently shaped like a ball, thus making it perfect as a snack.
For delicious Takoyaki, check out Takoyaki Doraku Wanaka located in Kuromon Market. Kuromon Market is quite large but you can easily spot it with its long queues and live Takoyaki making station right outside the shop. It is much softer than the Takoyaki that is commonly found in Singapore, though they are very generous with the portion of filling inside.
SASHIMI
Another must try when it comes to Japanese food in general is Sashimi, which is essentially fresh raw fish. And there is no better place to try it than in Kuromon Market, where you are literally spoiled for a range of high-quality options. Kuromon Market is well known for its fresh seafood and it is literally lined with shops selling various kinds of sashimi from salmon to tuna and so much more. The prices are more than reasonable for quality sashimi, which is what you are guaranteed to find in Kuromon Market.
Do try buying an assortment set if you are adventurous and interested in trying a variety of sashimi.
RAMEN
Another ultimate comfort food on my list is ramen. Ramen is simply one of those dishes that is suitable for any weather and any time. The broth has an umami taste that is simply hard to find in any other kind of food. Also, there are also so many variations of ramen that you are bound to find one to suit your palette.
One place that simply will not disappoint when it comes to ramen is Ichiran Ramen. Ichiran Ramen is known for its classic Tonkatsu broth and can be topped with their original spicy sauce. I highly recommend that you order the Ichiran Select 5 (1,490 Yen), which comes with dried seaweed, chashu, kikurage mushrooms and a half-boiled salted egg. I also ordered an additional portion of smoke-flavored stewed pork (490 Yen), which was the perfect pairing for my meal.
A good thing about Ichiran Ramen is the level of customisation that they offer. You will be able to customise your ramen by choosing your preferred thickness of noodles, spicy level, richness of broth and so on. This goes a long way to ensuring your enjoy your ramen! For a more detailed guide on Ichiran Ramen, check out this guide here!
Do note that despite having 3 outlets in the Dotonbori area alone, there are still long queues at every outlet. So be prepared to queue for at least an hour or go in the wee-hours where there is less of a crowd. Also, if you really like the ramen, you can even buy the pre-packaged version back to your own home country to enjoy!
Address: 1 Chome-4-16 Dotonbori, Chuo Ward, Osaka, 542-0071, Japan
Opening Hours: 24 Hours, Daily
100 YEN SUSHI
An experience not to be missed in Osaka is trying cheap & tasty sushi at a conveyor belt sushi restaurant. You can have sushi made to order or from a revolving conveyor belt.
One popular chain restaurant to go to is Kurasushi where a plate of sushi cost 100 Yen and above! In fact, they have a large assortment of sushi that only costs 100 Yen. But don't let cheap price misguide you. This is definitely quality sushi that you're getting, making it totally worth it. In fact, because the sushi is good, it is really easy to overeat and spend way more than you expect to. You can order sushi made to order, or take any of the plates from the revolving conveyor belt.
Also, for every 5 plates that you eat, you can drop the plates back into the designated spot and have a chance at winning a small toy capsule! The toy isn't much but it's something that just adds to the whole experience (even if you're not a kid). We didn't understand much but we actually really enjoyed watching the animation to see if we won anything.
Do note that chain is popular among both locals and tourists so do expect once again, to queue and wait for your turn to be seated. They do have various outlets in Osaka, so do choose one that is the most convenient for you.
Address: 1 Chome-8-23 Shikitsuhigashi, Naniwa Ward, Osaka, 556-0012, Japan
Opening Hours: 11am -12am, Mondays - Fridays | 10:20am - 12am, Saturday & Sunday
GYUDON
If you have yet to try Gyudon, you are truly missing out! Gyudon consists of thinly sliced marinated Japanese beef along with shredded onions over a bowl of rice. It's also usually served with a bowl of miso soup, making it a complete meal! It's so simple but it's so delicious. More importantly, the best options for this can be found almost all over Japan. Matsu-ya is a popular 24H fast-food chain that specialise and are well known for this dish.
At Matsu-ya, the starting price of gyumeshi (including miso soup) begins at 280 Yen for the mini portion, while the extra large portion only costs 550 Yen. It is without a doubt, one of the cheapest and most filling food that you can enjoy in Japan. If you are craving for some late-night food, this is also a good option as it is one of the few restaurants that allow take-away. Just note that miso soup is only available for dine-in customers only.
If you are unable to find a Matsu-ya near you, another popular option is Yoshino-ya. It is similarly a popular fast food chain that also specialises in Gyu-don. Honestly, there are not much differences between the two chains. I personally prefer Matsu-ya because I think the meat is more flavourful but my brother thinks otherwise.
Address: Japan, 〒542-0081 Osaka, Chuo Ward, Nanba, 4 Chome−4−61F 2F
Opening Hours: 24 Hours, Daily
GYUKATSU
Another popular beef dish that I've gotten to know about and fallen in love with recently is Gyukatsu. Gyukatsu is a deep fried beef cutlet, that comes with a golden brown coating on the outside and a rare cutlet on the inside.
One of the best places to try it is Gyukatsu Motomura. They actually have two outlets in Dotonbori and one outlet in Umeda. It is a really popular place, so once again, do expect to queue for quite a while. I arrived just before the opening time and there was already a short queue. Luckily, I only had to wait about 10-15 minutes.
Gyukatsu Motomura only serves gyukatsu set meals. The options available are a single or double portion, and with or without grated yam. I ordered the single portion gyukatsu set without grated yam (1,300 Yen). The set comes with rice, miso soup and a large portion of cabbage.
Given that the beef comes rare, you are suppose to cook it on the hotplate to your preferred doneness. This was a really fun experience but just be careful not to overcook your meat. There are also a variety of sauces that you can dip the meat in once it's done cooking. I generally prefer soy sauce to match with the meat.
The quality of the meat was exceptional. The meat is so juicy and it literally melts in your mouth. The bread coating also gives an additional crunch to the dish. For the price you are paying, it's really worth it. I won't mind travelling back to Japan just to eat this again.
Address: Japan, 〒542-0076 Osaka, Chuo Ward, Nanba, 3 Chome−3−1 スガタビル
Opening Hours: 11am - 10pm, Daily
TONKATSU
Tonkatsu is a deep fried breaded pork cutlet. Similar to Gyukatsu, it is often served with rice, cabbage and miso soup. The best part of Tonkatsu is its crunchy exterior and yet tender interior.
A good place to try Tonkatsu is Tonkatsu KYK. I actually chanced upon this place because I really wanted to eat Tonkatsu at least once before I left. Unfortunately, I did not have time so I went to the Airport in hopes of finding a good Tonkatsu place. This is where I found Tonkatsu KYK. To my surprise, it is actually a popular chain restaurant with outlets in Osaka city center as well. It specialises specifically in pork cutlets, but they also have other options such as deep fried prawns. They are also well-known for their fresh pork fillet.
I ordered the set of black pork loin and fillet tonkatsu. The set came with rice, cabbage and miso soup, with the rice being refillable. I highly recommended that you upgrade your miso soup to the tonjiru soup as it is more much flavourful. As for the black pork loin and fillet, it was simply sumptuous. The tonkatsu was very crispy on the outside and I like the option of having both the fatty and leaner pork in one meal. Both the meat was also cooked well and was juicy and tender. More importantly, it did not have an overtly greasy and oily feel which allowed me to finish the meal nicely.
Address: 5-1-60 Nanba, Chuo-ku | Namba City B1F, Osaka, Osaka Prefecture
+81 6-6635-3770
Opening Hours: 11am - 10pm Daily
Another good place that I would recommend is Katsukura. Katsukura might be more convenient for some as their outlets are located more conveniently in Osaka's city center. They offer a variety of pork selections for various budgets but all of their pork is juicy and tender. If you order their set, it comes with unlimited refills of both rice & miso soup! I often find myself having 2-3 bowls of miso soup because is it THAT good as well!
Address: Japan, 〒530-0013 Osaka, Kita Ward, Chayamachi, 19−19番19号 アプローズタウン
Opening Hours: 11am - 10pm, Daily
DAIFUKU (MOCHI)
Daikaifu is mochi stuffed with sweet fillings inside. I LOVE the chewy texture of mochi. Combine that with anything sweet and I'm sold. A really nice and relaxing place to try Daikaifu is Mochisho Shizuku Shinmachi. The shop has a very upscale feel, but don't let that deter you. The atmosphere is very relaxing and many people come here to enjoy a cup of tea along with some sweet treats. In fact, there were a lot more locals than tourists.
They have pre-packaged sweets that you can purchase to bring home, or you can choose to order from their array of Daifuku. They also alternate some of their flavours depending on the season. The workmanship that goes into everyone is so intricate. It's certainly a treat for your eyes and your mouth.
Unfortunately, when I arrived at around 2pm, they were already sold out of most of the popular items on their menu. Luckily, I still managed to purchase a black bean & raspberry Daifuku. Just a quick note, the price ranges from 200-400 Yen, so it is on the pricier side. But you are truly getting your money's worth.
It's hands down the best Daifuku I've ever eaten. Both the raspberry and black bean flavors were not overtly sweet, and there was a really nice balance of flavour. I usually can't eat more than one or two a day, but I would have gladly eaten more of this.
If you're planning to head there, do go in the morning as they sell out towards the afternoon. Also, even if you can't speak Japanese, they are very accommodating and patient and will try their best to communicate with you.
Address: Japan, 〒550-0013 Osaka, Nishi Ward, Shinmachi, 1 Chome−17−17 忠兵衛 公園ビル 新町ハウス 1階
Opening Hours: 10am -5pm, Wednesdays - Sundays
MINI CHEESE TART
I've never been a fan of cheese tart until I went to Japan and stumbled upon Pablo. In fact, I just saw that there was a queue outside the shop and decided to join it. It was one of the best decisions of my first trip to Osaka. Every time I go back to Osaka, I make sure to stop by Pablo to get one. I tend to get the mini ones because I can enjoy it as I shop and I can never quite finish the original size even with my family's help. But honestly, the mini cheese tarts have a really nice ratio of cheese to tart to help balance out all that cheesy goodness. The consistency of the cheese, while light and wobbly, is not overtly loose. You'll definitely be able to remain mess-free while enjoying this treat.
For the mini ones, I was only able to get it at their Shinsaibashi outlet. Their other outlets, located in train stations etc, tend to only sell the original size. Also, it is at the Shinsaibashi outlet that you can to see them make it live! So make sure you head down to the Shisaibashi outlet to try the mini ones, especially if you're not confident of finishing the original size one!
Address: Japan, 〒542-0085 Osaka, Chuo Ward, Shinsaibashisuji, 2 Chome−8−1 心斎橋ゼロワンビル1F
Opening hours: 11am - 10:30pm, Daily
BONUS: CONVIENIENCE STORES
Convenience Stores are definitely a main feature of Japanese food. I don't think there's anywhere else in the world that has convenience stores like the ones in Japan. Convenience chains like Lawson, Family Mart and 7-Eleven all have multiple outlets throughout the country. If you want affordable but tasty food, definitely head into a convenience store. There are so many quality options for you to choose from for you to makeup an entire meal. I prefer Family Mart for their pastries, bread and sweets. On the other hand, I really love Lawson's cooked food, especially their chicken katsu. It's just so cheap and good!
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