Osakans call it kuidaore – eating until you drop. Eating is big business in the central Japanese city, and nowhere is it more in evidence than in Osaka’s best street food.
From skewered meats to gravity-defying sweets, the city’s distinct street food culture draws in crowds from across Japan – and the world. It centres around the vibrant Dotonbori strip – home to a host of restaurants, cafes and street food vendors serving up homegrown delicacies. But the culinary scene spans the entire city, and here we round up the best street food dishes in Osaka, and where to find them.
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Takoyaki are an Osaka street snack with a global reputation. These crisp, battered balls are filled with soft diced octopus, spring onion and pickled ginger, often topped with shavings of bonito flakes which waver in the steam. Yama-chan in the Tennoji district is one of the best Takoyaki spots in town – the secret is purportedly in the broth they use in the batter. Have yours plain to really take in the flavour, topped with soy sauce and mayonnaise (the traditional accompaniments), or with sesame oil and salt for a punchy dressing.
1-9-15, Sennichimae, Chuo Ward, Osaka
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Mitarashi-dango can be found on street corners across the city, and for good reason. These skewers of freshly grilled sticky rice dumplings are liberally brushed with a sticky-sweet soy glaze – a rich, caramelised charred note which perfectly balances the sweetness. One of the most popular renditions can be found at Kiyasu Sohonpo: this wagashi (traditional sweet shop) also has a small takeaway stall outside the eatery.
Various locations including 1-4-2 Jusohonmachi, Yodogawa Ward, Osaka
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Okonomiyaki has made its way from the streets of Osaka to teppanyaki restaurants the world over. It’s a savoury crepe, typically made with flour, yam, egg and shredded cabbage – but fillings can be widely varied. In the birthplace of the Okonomiyaki, this dish can be had in the street – but in-the-know Osakans flock indoors to Mizuno at Dotonbori. The 60-year-old family-run business stands out from the crowd not just for its classic flavour combos, but also because it’s one of the few places in town to serve multiple vegetarian options of this Japanese street food classic.
1-4-15 Dotonbori, Chuo Ward, Osaka
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Kushikatsu are no-nonsense skewers of meat or vegetables, dipped in breadcrumbs and deep-fried. Light and crisp, they’re the perfect accompaniment to a beer or two. While travellers flock to Ganso Kushikatsu Daruma – hailed as the inventor of Osaka-style Kushikatsu – for a more down-to-earth experience visit Matsuba Sohonten on the Shin-Umeda Shokudogai restaurant street, just by Umeda train station. In this standing-only kushikatsu joint, you’ll rub shoulders with after-hours salarymen in search of a great bite. The menu is Japanese-only, but the shop stacks freshly made kushikatsu up in front of you so you can take what you want.
Ganso Kushikatsu Daruma: 1-6-4 Dotonbori, Chuo-ku, Osaka
Matsuba Sohoten: Shin-Umeda Shokudougai, 9-26 Kakudacho, Kita-ku, Osaka
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Among street food dishes in Osaka, the most Instagrammable choice may well be the ‘Long Softcream’. Creamy soft-serve ice cream is piled some 40cm high in a single cone for a dessert that requires a steady hand to slurp down, lest it end up on the floor. Head to the eponymous shop in the Amerikamura (‘American village’) district to order your own lofty creation.
2-11-9, Nishishinsaibashi, Chuo Ward,