Ultimate Osaka/Kobe/Nara Japan Travel Guide: Restaurants, Bars, Tips, Fun, and More

19 Must Eat + Drink Spots

This is Osaka, Japan’s vibrant kitchen, where history and flavor collide! Where Tokyo feels completely overwhelming, Osaka feels a bit more like NYC, with its mostly grid system, and easy to navigate streets and subways. Once a vital hub of trade during the Edo period, Osaka earned the nickname “Tenka no Daidokoro” – the nation’s kitchen, because of its central role in rice distribution and bustling food markets. Today, that legacy lives on in its lively food streets like Dotonbori, where glowing neon signs and giant mechanical crabs set the stage for some of the city’s most iconic dishes. Locals are said to spend so much on eating out that there’s even a phrase for it – kuidaore – which means “to eat until you drop!” and that’s why you need this guide! Along with Osaka, Kobe, and Nara make perfect day trips, so those recommendations are included as well.

Below is every single restaurant I’ve been to broken up by Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner, and Drinks, 19 in all! Plus tips, tricks, hotels, and everything I did on my 3 trips to Osaka, Kobe, and Nara! Also included is a google map with every spot listed!

7 Must Eat Spots from my 2025 visit