Japanese cuisine in general is very popular amongst foreigners. Osaka is especially well-known for it’s cheap and delicious dishes! Locals take pride in their food, and Japanese people from other prefectures even go as far as to call Osaka “食い倒れの街,” which literally means that you’ll eat so much that you’ll lose all your money. Here are some popular dishes that you should definitely try!
たこ焼き / Takoyaki
Recommendation: You should definitely try it with the tangy ウスターソース that usually comes with it. However, eating it with a citrus sauce called ぽん酢 (Ponzu) and bonito flakes brings to life a whole new taste altogether.
大阪お好み焼き / Okonomiyaki
Recommendation: There are many different Okonomiyaki flavors, but the one flavor that tastes good no matter what store you go to is the Pork Okonomiyaki, or 豚玉. There are many other flavors so don't be afraid to go a little crazy. You can also order Hiroshima-style okonomiyaki at some restaurants, but most people from Osaka swear by their own recipe. The main difference between the styles is that Kansai-style mixes all of the ingredients together, while Hiroshima-style layers all of the ingredients.
串カツ / Deep fried skewered meat (Kushikatsu)
Recommendation: Not only do they deep fry skewered meat, they also deep fry quail eggs and many other ingredients as well. Popular kushikatsu restaurants are Daruma (2-3-9, Ebisugashi, Naniwa-ku, Osaka) and Yakko (2-3-10, Ebisugashi, Naniwa-ku, Osaka), where you can eat kushikatsu at a fairly reasonable price.
豚まん / Pork buns
Recommendation: 551の蓬莱 (551 No Horai) is known to have some of the tastiest pork buns in Japan, and it’s a must-eat. The pork bun is already so flavorful on its own, so it’s best that you keep it as it is. However, it is also delicious to put the mustard that comes with it on the bun, so try that as well!
焼き鳥 / Barbecued skewered chicken (Yakitori)
Recommendations: There are two main flavors for yakitori: ta-re (sauce) and shio (salt). We recommend trying a bit of both to see what you prefer. You can also sprinkle 七味(Shichimi) to add a little flavor and spiciness.
牛カツ / Deep fried beef (Gyukatsu)
Recommendations: It's called deep fried beef, but the meat is served rare with a thin bread-crumb coating. We recommend you eat it on its own first. Then, try it with soy sauce and wasabi. Both are absolutely delicious!
たこ焼き / Takoyaki
Recommendation: You should definitely try it with the tangy ウスターソース that usually comes with it. However, eating it with a citrus sauce called ぽん酢 (Ponzu) and bonito flakes brings to life a whole new taste altogether.
大阪お好み焼き / Okonomiyaki
Recommendation: There are many different Okonomiyaki flavors, but the one flavor that tastes good no matter what store you go to is the Pork Okonomiyaki, or 豚玉. There are many other flavors so don't be afraid to go a little crazy. You can also order Hiroshima-style okonomiyaki at some restaurants, but most people from Osaka swear by their own recipe. The main difference between the styles is that Kansai-style mixes all of the ingredients together, while Hiroshima-style layers all of the ingredients.
串カツ / Deep fried skewered meat (Kushikatsu)
Recommendation: Not only do they deep fry skewered meat, they also deep fry quail eggs and many other ingredients as well. Popular kushikatsu restaurants are Daruma (2-3-9, Ebisugashi, Naniwa-ku, Osaka) and Yakko (2-3-10, Ebisugashi, Naniwa-ku, Osaka), where you can eat kushikatsu at a fairly reasonable price.
豚まん / Pork buns
Recommendation: 551の蓬莱 (551 No Horai) is known to have some of the tastiest pork buns in Japan, and it’s a must-eat. The pork bun is already so flavorful on its own, so it’s best that you keep it as it is. However, it is also delicious to put the mustard that comes with it on the bun, so try that as well!
焼き鳥 / Barbecued skewered chicken (Yakitori)
Recommendations: There are two main flavors for yakitori: ta-re (sauce) and shio (salt). We recommend trying a bit of both to see what you prefer. You can also sprinkle 七味(Shichimi) to add a little flavor and spiciness.
牛カツ / Deep fried beef (Gyukatsu)
Recommendations: It's called deep fried beef, but the meat is served rare with a thin bread-crumb coating. We recommend you eat it on its own first. Then, try it with soy sauce and wasabi. Both are absolutely delicious!
