everything i ate in osaka
DECEMBER 2022
36 hours of nibbles in the wonderful food city
Osaka is the food city of Japan. The main attraction and everything in between. On a December trip to Kansai, we only had one day in Osaka. Got in late on the first day, spent a full day walking and eating, and then left the morning of the next day for Kyoto. Didn’t even truly have a real full meal, but never went more than a couple hours without stopping for a bite.
day one
LATE NIGHT
7-Eleven
We arrived late in the evening, it was around 9pm by the time we got to the hotel (Grand Hyatt Osaka), and given the location, it didn’t make sense to trek out into the city, so instead dinner was a full spread of 7-Eleven goods. And honestly, what could be better than a konbini shopping spree?
The next morning we set out for the city by subway and went to Cafe Tokiona for a sit down breakfast at a homey Japanese style cafe. Something about the Japanese version of Western food is just so much more charming than the food itself. Like the little side dish of spaghetti. Beige flag at its best. The loaded toasts and coffee made for a filling breakfast and warmed us up for a walk over to Osaka Castle.
Last time I was in Osaka, I never got okonomiyaki, which was a miss that needed to be corrected this trip. By early afternoon, we were in Tennoji, wandering from temple grounds to the full dose of commercial department stores and transit hubs. And by the recommendation of a local friend, we were directed to Abeno, an unassuming okonomiyaki specialty store tucked away in the underground mall. The smell of smoke, lack of English menu and middle aged locals hovering over piles yakisoba with giant mugs of beer were all green flags in my book.
DINNER
After a leisurely walk through Shinsekai, up into Nipponbashi Denden Town, in true tourist fashion we ended the night in Dotonbori. And did a snacky early dinner at Daruma for kushikatsu, another obligatory local delicacy. From the angry man mascot to the rather aggressive automated conveyor belt food delivery system, it’s a 10/10 novelty experiential meal that can’t even really be a tourist trap because it is so inherently entertaining. On the plus side, there are several locations and often ample seating, which does cater well to a tourist schedule.
LATE NIGHT
We finished doing some very important shopping and then grabbed mini croissants from Le Croissant and strawberry daifuku from STRAWBERRY MANIA and headed back to the hotel for some late night bites, featuring more 7-Eleven foods.
day three
breakfast
Hyatt Regency Osaka
And on the last day, we opted for the lazy option. Breakfast buffet at the hotel. But let’s be real, breakfast buffets at five star hotels in Asia just hit different, and from the Japanese selections to Western options, it made for a fun, personalized, multi-course spread before heading out for the train up to Kyoto.
see also
EVERYTHING I ATE IN TOKYO
OSAKA V TAIPEI