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Not sure what to eat in Osaka? We share a few “must try” street foods and restaurants in Osaka, that we enjoyed! Unfortunately, we had limited time in this amazing city, also known as “Japan’s Kitchen”, so we had a list of foods that we knew we had to try! Update your foodie list so you do not miss out!
Some foods are available all over Japan, but others should definitely be tried in a particular city! Check out our list of what to eat in Osaka below and enjoy – wishing you delicious and happy food adventures!
- Osaka Quick Facts: Did you know…
- Osaka is the third largest city in Japan.
- From Tokyo, it takes approximately two and a half hours by shinkansen or bullet train, to Shin-Osaka Station in Osaka.
- The two main areas in Osaka are Minami (South) and Kita (North).
- we knew we wanted stay in the heart of Minami, close to the incredible food, shopping, and nightlife!
- Tsuji Culinary Institute, located in Osaka, is one of the top culinary schools in the world.
As a foodie, exploring the food in Osaka was a dream come true!
Since we stayed at the Cross Hotel Osaka, we were steps away from the Dotonbori district and the amazing food of Osaka! Read our review of Cross Hotel Osaka here!
Unfortunately, we were only in town for a few days. It even rained one day but it didn’t stop us from exploring like so many others! Food stalls often have lines outside, even in the rain! Therefore, be prepared to wait for street food and at restaurants. But enjoy it! It is all part of the journey!
Also, despite our foodie list, we still did not have enough time to try everything we wanted to eat in Osaka! Of course, there are foods missing this article since we only had a few days in the city. Therefore, we do plan to return to Osaka since we loved the food and our stay so much!
Savour every moment and all the delicious food! We definitely miss this city!
Worried about missing out on foods and sights in Osaka? Consider guided tours – click here to explore popular Viator Osaka Food Tours and check out the two walking tours below with hundreds of reviews!
Osaka Food & Restaurants
Osaka Food Specialty: Takoyaki
Eat as much takoyaki, or “octopus balls”, in Osaka as you can!
With bits of octopus inside, these ball-shaped snacks are my favourite street food in Japan, and Osaka does it best! We ate it a few times during our trip in Japan, but I crave the takoyaki we ate in Osaka!
Takoyaki is served with a delicious brown sauce, mayonnaise, and bonito flakes. Despite the long lines of people, it is worth the wait for freshly cooked takoyaki!
Also, as difficult as it is, resist eating the freshly cooked takoyaki right away! The delicious filling of squid, batter, and cheese is really hot!
When we return to Osaka, the first street food I am eating is takoyaki!
Osaka Famous Restaurant: Kani Doraku
If you love crab, you must eat at Kani Doraku Osaka! The famous, iconic restaurant has a giant red moving crab above the entrance.
We booked a dinner reservation for our first night in Osaka at the Kani Doraku “Main Branch”. There are various locations but we wanted to eat at the original spot which is located in Dotonbori and opened in 1962.
Be sure to check back for our full review of Kani Doraku restaurant with details and photos!
This is a must eat restaurant for fellow foodies who love eating crab!
Also, book reservations in advance as the restaurant is very popular and often cannot seat walk-ins! Reservations can be made on their website.
Website: https://douraku.co.jp/kansai/honten/
Address of Kani Doraku Main Branch Dotonbori:
542-0071 1-6-18 Dotonbori, Chuo-ku, Osaka-shi, Osaka
For other locations, check their website. There are various locations of Kani Doraku in Osaka, Tokyo, Kyoto, and other cities.
Osaka Food Specialty: Okonomiyaki
Okonomiyaki is a savory pancake-like dish made from a batter, cabbage, and usually mixed with other ingredients, such as meat, seafood, and other toppings.
Many restaurants prepare and grill the okonomiyaki in front you. There are also restaurants where customers can cook the okonomiyaki themselves on a grill built into the table.
We ate at Okonomiyaki Mizuno, one of the famous Osaka restaurants known for this Japanese dish. Our server prepared and cooked our meal in front of us. Check out our article on Okonomiyaki Mizuno for our review and more pictures from this restaurant!
Overall, trying okonomiyaki was a tasty, unique experience in Osaka we enjoyed!
Osaka Food: Kitsune Udon
Kitsune udon is one of Osaka’s most popular udon noodles. Essentially, the dish includes udon noodles in dashi broth, topped with fried tofu.
“Kitsune” means fox in Japanese. Although there are a few stories about how this dish was named, generally, these Japanese tales express that foxes enjoy eating “aburaage”, the deep-fried tofu!
We ate at Dotonbori Imai restaurant, known for their kitsune udon and other traditional bowls of noodles. Both locals and tourists frequent this popular restaurant. Check back for our more detailed review and pictures from our meal at this restaurant!
Japanese Food: Tempura
Tempura is a Japanese dish, typically seafood and vegetables, coated with a batter then deep fried.
Tempura is prepared and served as a side dish, street food, and also high-end Japanese cuisine.
Although it is enjoyed throughout Japan, we also had to eat it in Osaka, “the kitchen of Japan”.
As in other cities in Japan, there are restaurants in Osaka that specialize in tempura. Also, not surprisingly, there are tempura restaurants located in Osaka (and other Japanese cities) awarded Michelin Bib Gourmand and Michelin stars!
TIP: (One of) the oldest tempura restaurants in Japan is San-Sada, serving customers since 1837. Although it is not in Osaka, despite the somewhat mixed reviews online, we would have liked to try this historic tempura restaurant if we had known about it, so we are sharing it here! San-Sada tempura restaurant is close to Senjo-ji temple in Asakusa, Tokyo, Japan.
More Japanese Street Food!
Of course we could not possibly list all the amazing Osaka street food and restaurants! There are just so many delicious foods to explore.
Other popular Japanese (street) foods you will see in Osaka include the following and more!
- kushikatsu: deep fried meat and vegetables on skewers.
- katsu: deep fried cutlet coated with panko crumbs, typically served with steamed white rice and shredded cabbage. There are different varieties including, “tonkatsu” (pork cutlet), chicken katsu, “gyu” katsu (beef cutlet).
- taiyaki: fish-shaped pastry with fillings such as red bean paste, chocolate, cheese, or sweet potato.
Unfortunately, although it was on our itinerary, we did not have time to check out Kuromon market! If you enjoy visiting local markets, it is a large shopping street with about 150 shops in Osaka. We’ll have to visit on our next visit!
TIP: If you are taking the bullet train to and from Osaka, be sure to also try the “ekiben” (railway bento box)! We bought them when we travelled by train from city to city! The bento boxes were surprisingly delicious and made our long journeys more enjoyable. The boxes are readily available at the train stations and may have meat, seafood and/or vegetables inside.
Osaka Food & Restaurants: Conclusion
With so many delicious foods, deciding what to eat in Osaka is a delightful situation to find yourself in! As expected, we loved every moment exploring the food and sights in this exciting city!
We hope to return soon to “Japan’s Kitchen” and eat more – there is so much food we want to try, and eat again, in Osaka! If you are worried about missing out on food, definitely consider a guided food and drink tour in Osaka!
Happy travels and food adventures! Enjoy Osaka!
*Check back for more articles coming soon on Japan, food, hotels, and other tips if you are visiting Tokyo, Osaka, or Kyoto!
Tour Information:
Osaka Popular Tours
Explore Osaka popular tours from Viator here, or explore the tours below with hundreds of positive reviews:
Hotel Information:
Osaka Hotel Accommodations
During our time in Osaka, we had an excellent stay at Cross Hotel Osaka – read our article and review here! The four-star hotel is in an ideal location to explore Osaka’s food and entertainment district!
For other accommodations in Osaka, explore Booking.com for hotels, reviews, and pricing:
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