Osaka is known as the food capital of Japan. Needless to say, the streets of Osaka provide goated meals delivered straight from the gates of food heaven.
In this article, I, an Osaka native, will provide a list of the top 3 most goated meals you can have here in Osaka.
First up is Takoyaki (also commonly known by its unappealing & objectionable English name, “octopus balls”).
Takoyaki is a light meal made by frying a batter made of flour, eggs & dashi-broth into a spherical shape, while enclosing a chunk of octopus meat in its center.
Takoyaki is known throughout Japan as the quintessential Osakan street food.
There are more than 5000 takoyaki shops(!) in Osaka, making Osaka the densest city in the world in terms of people-to-takoyaki ratio.
Honestly, I can’t imagine a singular living being leaving Osaka without chowing down a single takoyaki ball.
Of course, there are too many shops to choose from, so let me introduce you the one shop that has it all.
Visit “Konamon Museum” For All Your Takoyaki Needs
I’d recommend going to Konamon Museum to satisfy all the takoyaki needs imaginable. Why Konamon Musem, you say? Let me tell you, it’s not just because they taste good.
It’s because they provide an incredible array of flavors. Starting with the standard sauce & mayo style, they have the mentaiko (aka spicy cod roe) & mayo, they have the butter & soy sauce, they even have a cheese sauce to cover a broad spectrum of flavors.
Not only do they have these incredible flavors, they can even provide you with a “Comparison Set” that includes all four flavors in one dish—all for you to straddle all corners of flavor town.
Please, go and search for the optimal flavor profile to tickle your taste buds in the best way.
You think I’m done writing about this shop? No, not even close. This is no ordinary takoyaki shop, you see.
In this store, you can relive the entire history of takoyaki. Not only that, they allow you to cook them tasty balls.
If you’re in Osaka, the takoyaki capital of the world, wouldn’t you want to be a part of takoyaki history?
All activities are child-friendly of course, so there’s fun to be had for the whole family!
…Thought I was done? I have two words: food sample. You can make your own takoyaki food sample.
Your very own, one of a kind takoyaki food sample is waiting to be created. Too bad you can’t eat it, but you can of course gift these as a unique gift for your folks back home.
▼ Konamon Museum Address: 1-6-12 Dotonbori, Chuo-ku, Osaka-shi, Osaka 542-0077 Business hours: Weekdays 10:00-21:00 / Weekends and holidays 11:00-21:00 Phone:06-6214-6678 Access: 4 min. walk from exit 14 of “Namba” subway station
Okonomiyaki
Okonomiyaki is another world-famous Osakan dish.
Okonomiyaki is a savory pancake dish, made by frying a batter made of flour & cabbages, with the addition of toppings such as pork, seafood and et cetera.
This dish is as popular as takoyaki, and I’ve personally never met anyone who dislikes this dish in Osaka.
Okonomiyakis are a common household dish as well. You can guarantee an okonomiyaki is being fried somewhere in Osaka, at any given second.
Ajinoya一The Undisputed Champ of Okonomiyaki
Everybody in Osaka knows this place.
Ajinoya is the legendary okonomiyaki joint that has been in business for over half a century. There is a near-constant queue in the front, from all people wanting get a bite of the legendary, saucy goods.
As this restaurant makes frequent appearances in the media, many people from across the country come and visit Osaka just to dine in this place.
The signature dish here is the Ajinoya Mix.
An array of ingredients consisted of cabbages, squid, shrimp, octopus, pork belly and minced pork all combine to form the best okonomiyaki imaginable.
The Ajinoya Mix provides all sorts of flavors okonomiyakis have got to offer, so I’d recommend first timers to start their Ajinoya journey from this dish.
There are counter seats and table seats in this lively restaurant, making this place enjoyable for all types of visitors, from families to solo-travelers.
▼Ajinoya Honten Address: 1-7-16 Namba, Chuo-ku, Osaka-shi, Osaka 542-0076 Business hours: Tuesday-Thursday, Sunday, Holidays 11:00-22:00 (L.O.21:30) Friday, Saturday 11:00-21:00(L.O.22:00) Closed: Mondays Phone:06-6211-0713 Access: 3 min. walk from Exit 14 of Namba Station on the Midosuji Subway Line
Kushikatsu
Last but not least, is kushikatsu.
Kushikatsu is made by deep-frying various meats, vegetables, seafoods, etc. on a skewer made of bamboo.
Kushikatsu is another Osakan cuisine, just as famous as takoyaki and okonomiyaki. This dish was born in Osaka.
As you can imagine; many kushikatsu restaurants line the streets of Osaka.
This is especially true for Shinsekai, the old town district, as this district is the actual birthplace of kushikatsu.
If you’re in Osaka, why don’t you try out some kushikatsu skewers?
Below, I will make a suggestion so you won’t get lost navigating the kushikatsu dimension.
Ittoku is the gateway for skewered goodness
For first-time kushikatsu enjoyers, the one place I’d recommend going to is Ittoku.
There’s so much on the menu here, and their specialty sauce combined with the deep-fried bits is mind-bendingly good.
This restaurant provides the ultimate sensory experience. Let the kushikatsu gods softly whisper into your ears— “This is kushikatsu. This is Osaka”.
As well as tasting heavenly, their price is simply unbeatable. Expect to pay around 2000-3000 yen for a full meal.
Their old-town-themed interior flourishes are also a nice Osakan touch.
The golden character seen in the store facade is Billiken, a character now associated with all things Osaka in Japan. Billiken is treated as a deity here, and has been loved by Osakans for decades.
People say its good luck to tickle Billiken’s feet, so if you have a chance to visit, remember those golden feet!
▼ Osaka Shinsekai Kushikatsu Ittoku Dotonbori Address: 1-6-4 Dotonbori, Chuo-ku, Osaka-shi, Osaka 542-0071 Business hours: Sunday-Monday 11:00-24:00 Phone: 06-6213-9499 Access: 7 min. walk from Namba Station
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