Osaka: A Food Paradise
Food is king in Osaka and there is no place better than Namba to surrender your stomach to the gastronomic kingdom. There’s even an expression used to describe Osaka’s obsession with food — “kuidaore,” to eat oneself into financial ruin. Here are some of the best spots in Namba to indulge your culinary obsession:
Dotonbori
Dontonbori, Osaka’s most famous tourist destination, will incite all your senses! It’s best to go there at night to fully appreciate the extravagant signage and lit up store fronts advertising exactly what the restaurant is serving. The choices are dizzying. There are numerous restaurants, bars, and street food carts serving up seafood, beef, ramen, udon, sushi, and many other delectable Japanese food. One of the most popular restaurants in Dontonbori, Kani Doraku, has a giant moving crab on its storefront beckoning you to eat at the restaurant. It’s advisable to make reservations online or it can be a two hour wait!
If you don’t want to stress yourself out going to the popular restaurants, check out Tempura Suke that’s hidden along a small alley. It’s away from the crazy crowds and has set meals that are delicious and affordable.
Non-food related attractions in Dontonbori include the Ebisu Bridge and the 20 meter tall and 10 meter wide Glico man sign. It’s an advertisement for the Glico candy that was first installed in 1935 and have been modernized over the years to include LED lighting. The Glico man has become a symbol of Osaka’s Minami area and is a popular meeting spot for locals and tourists.
Address: Dotonbori, Chuo Ward, Osaka, Osaka Prefecture 542-0071, Japan
Station: Namba Subway Station
Opening Hours: 24 hours, varies by restaurants
Tempura Suke: 1 Chome-7-2 Dotonbori, Chuo Ward, Osaka, 542-0071
Opening Hours: 11 a.m. – 11 p.m.
Kuromon Ichiba Market
Nicknamed “Osaka’s kitchen,” Kuromom Ichiba market has 150 stalls selling fresh seafood and produce, as well as 25 restaurants and cafes along the stretch of the market. You can try a variety of dishes at the market including Osaka’s soul food – okonomiyaki, a huge savory pancake that originated in Osaka. The batter is made of flour, grated nagaimo (a type of yam) and eggs, and topped with other ingredients such as green onions, shredded cabbage, seafood, cheese, and/or meat. It’s really filling so share it with your friends!
Station: Nippombashi Subway Station and Kintetsu Nippombashi Station
Opening Hours: Daily, 9 a.m. – 6 p.m.
Made with cream cheese, butter, separated eggs, sugar, and butter, Japanese cheesecake is a type of chiffon cake that’s less sweet and has fewer calories than the American version. One of the most popular cheesecake brands in Japan, Rikuro Ojisan, is named after its founder and pastry chef Rikuro Nishimura who created this special cake 34 years ago. Rikuro Ojisan actually means Uncle Rikuro! The shop’s specialty is the use of Danish cream cheese to give the cake the extra smoothness and irresistible flavor. This particular store in Namba is their flagship branch so it gets particularly crowded. It’s definitely worth the wait! You can enjoy the cheesecake immediately after purchasing it or chilled from the fridge.
Address: 3-2-28 Namba, Chuo-ku, Osaka-shi
Opening Hours: Daily, 9:30 a.m. – 9:30 p.m., closed Jan 1.
This restaurant serves one of the best bowls ramen noodles I’ve ever tasted! The broth was rich and punchy with flavor, and the noodles were perfectly springy and chewy. It does get very crowded with locals and tourists alike so try and go at an odd time. It opens until 2 a.m. so you can have a late night dinner there!
Address: 3-1-17 Nanbanaka, Naniwa Ward, Osaka City, Osaka
Opening Hours: Daily, 11 a.m. – 2 a.m.
Japanese Supermarket
If you’ve never ventured into a Japanese supermarket before, do yourself a favor and make a trip to the supermarkets of Takashimaya and Daimaru. Even if you’re not buying anything specific, it’s a treat for the eyes! Everything is packaged beautifully and all the fruits and vegetables are laid out like art. There are little stores selling gorgeous gift boxes of dessert but the piece de resistance are the exquisitely put together bento boxes. I have no idea if they taste any good but they are absolutely gorgeous to look at!
Takashimaya
Address: 5-1-5 Nanba, Chuo-ku, Osaka 542-8510, Osaka Prefecture
Opening Hours: Sunday-Thursday 10 a.m. – 8 p.m., Friday & Saturday 10 a.m. – 8:30 p.m.
Daimaru
Address: 1-7-1Shinsaibashisuji, Chuo-ku, Osaka 542-8501, Osaka Prefecture
Opening Hours: Daily, 10 a.m. – 8:30 p.m.
An underground shopping center connecting numerous subway and railway lines, Namba Walk is the perfect pit stop to satisfy your growling stomach. With dozens upon dozens of restaurants and cafes selling everything from ramen and yakitori to fluffy Japanese pancakes, you will find the perfect dish to satisfy the pickiest of gourmands. If you love sukiyaki, you’ll love Yokohama Sukiyaki Zen. The restaurant serves thin slices of quality cut beef and vegetables simmered in broth in small iron pots. The sets range from ¥960 (US$8.50) to ¥1980 (US$17.70), making it an affordable meal for the amount of food you’re getting.
Another beef-centric restaurant, Gyu Kushi Sakaba, serves rice bowls topped, and I do mean, topped, with a mountain of beef slices. It’s delicious but incredibly filling! The restaurant is also a bar so expect it to be packed with locals at night.
Address: 542-0074 2-1-15 Sennichimae, Chuo-ku, Osaka
Opening Hours: Shopping 10 a.m. – 9 p.m.
Restaurants 10 a.m. – 10 p.m.
Stations: Namba Station on the Kintetsu Railway and Subway Midosuji, Sennichimae, and Yotsubashi Lines.
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