Showing 1-22 of 22 results
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Chibō
A great okonomiyaki (grilled pancake-like treat) specialist. There's an English sign in addition to the English menu. Try the house special Dōtombori yaki , a toothsome treat with pork, beef, squid, shrimp and cheese for ¥1500.
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Dōjima Hana
If you crave something a little kotteri (rich and fatty), we recommend the tasty tonkatsu (fried pork cutlets) at this approachable restaurant a stone's throw from the excellent Junkudō bookstore. We recommend the rosukatsu teishoku (pork cutlet roast teishoku, ¥880/1080 regular/large). There is a limited picture menu and an English sign.
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Dōtombori Arcade
Dōtombori Arcade (Dōtombori Chūō-ku; M0661; ;Namba Station on the Midōsuji, Yotsubashi or Sennichimae subway line) is the heart of Minami, and it's crammed with eateries. This is not the place to go for refined dining, but if you want heaping portions of tasty food in a very casual atmosphere, this place can be a lot of fun. And because it sees a lot of tourists, most of the big restaurants here have English menus. Here is a quick list of our favourite spots:
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Ganko Umeda Honten
Big is the operative word at this giant dining hall alongside Hankyū Umeda station that serves a wide variety of Japanese dishes starting with sushi (if you want just sushi, you can sit at the counter and order à la carte). It's very approachable and has an English picture menu. It's just south of the huge DD House entertainment building. Look for the picture of the guy with the headband (the symbol of Ganko).
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Ganko Zushi
Giant sushi restaurant (can order à la carte at counter) that serves just about everything else.
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Gataro
A good food court in Kita is the Kappa Yokochō Arcade. Here you'll find Gataro, a cosy little spot that does creative twists on standard izakaya or pub-style restaurant themes. Look for the glass front on the left as you head north in the arcade.
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Genroku Sushi
Of course, Minami is all about shōtengai (shopping arcades) and the Sennichi-Mae Arcade is one of the biggest. In addition to all the pachinko parlours here, you'll find lots of cheap, casual restaurants like Genroku Sushi a bustling automatic sushi place where plates of sushi cost a mere ¥130, and Izumoya an old unagi (eel) specialist that serves tasty dishes like mamushi nami (small unagi over rice) for ¥700, or the larger tokujō (special unagi, ¥1400). It's on the corner with a brownish marble front.
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Gin Sen
This casual, approachable place serves delicious kushi katsu (meat and veggies deep fried on skewers), a greasy but tasty treat. It's on the 2nd floor of the Gurukas building; there's a Lawon convenience store on the ground floor.
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Imai Honten
One of the area's oldest and most revered udon specialists and our favourite place on the strip. Try the tendon ( tempura over rice, ¥1575). It's sandwiched between two pachinko parlours. There's no English sign, but the traditional front stands out among the glitter.
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Kani Dōraku Honten
Popular crab specialist; look for giant crab on storefront.
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Krungtep
Dōtombori's most popular Thai place serves fairly authentic versions of the standard favourites like green curry and fried noodles. Look for the small English sign - it's on the B1 floor.
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Maru
A great place for a cheap lunch or dinner while in Kita is the Shin-Umeda Shokudō-Gai ( M0652;) which is located down the escalators and to the right of the main exit of Hankyū Umeda station (just past the McDonald's). There are heaps of good restaurants here that vie for the lunch-dinner custom with cheap set meals, many of which are displayed outside, making ordering easier. Our favourite spot here is a sashimi and grilled fish specialist called Maru station (on the Hankyū line), where the lunchtime sashimi set meal costs about ¥800. It also serves oden , the classic Japanese winter dish of meat, vegetables and tofu stewed in broth. To get there, exit Hankyu= station via the escalators, walk 10m past the McDonald's, take a left into the corridor and you will see it on the right after about 10m. Pictures of the set meals are on the wall and there's usually a young lady outside beckoning customers.
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Monsoon Café
For a fun night with decent pan-Asian cuisine and a casual international atmosphere, try the Osaka branch of this nationwide chain. It's in the Urban Terrace Building, which is across from the Hotel Hankyū International.
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Nishiya
An Osaka landmark that serves udon noodles and a variety of hearty nabe (iron pot) dishes for reasonable prices, including a tempura udon (¥1100). Look for the semirustic façade and the food models about 10m north of the corner.
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Org…Organic Life
At this open-plan, casual café you can grab a light meal or a quick pick-me-up while exploring Kita. You can get a pasta or risotto lunch for very little, and finish it off with cake and coffee. It's easy to spot, with an English sign. There's no English menu, but there is a picture menu and 'pasta lunch' or 'risotto lunch' will get your point across.
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Pina Khana
If you find yourself all sushied out and hanker for a different flavour, head to Pina Khana where you can jam yourself in for some good Indian food. Situated in the Kappa Yokochō Arcade, this restaurant does tend to get crowded, but once you've eaten there you'll understand why.
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Shinkiraku
Another excellent food court is Hilton Plaza, on the B2 floor beneath the Osaka Hilton. Here, you will the excellent Shinkiraku,an excellent tempura specialist that packs 'em in at lunchtime. At lunch try the ebishio-tendon (shrimp tempura over rice, ¥880) and at dinner try the osusume-gozen ( tempura full set, ¥2079). Take the escalator to the B2 floor, go right and look for the small English sign.
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Tonkatsu Ganko
Sometimes you need something a little heavier than noodles and rice, and tonkatsu may be the call. This popular tonkatsu specialist near Namba station is easy to spot with food models in the glass case out front (next to an NTT Docomo shop). There's a picture menu.
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Ume no Hana
This is part of an upscale chain that serves a variety of tofu-based dishes. Take the elevators from Midōsuji and look for the restaurant signs posted only in Japanese (the other one on the 11th floor is posted in English).
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Umeda Hagakure
Locals line up outside this Kitashinchi noodle house for their fantastic udon noodles. It's on the B2 floor of the Ekimae Daisan building. Wondering what on earth to slurp? Check out the pictures outside to help with your ordering.
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Zuboraya
A huge fugu (Japanese puffer fish) specialist with a good picture menu. Look for the giant fugu out front.
Showing 1-22 of 22 results
