Best restaurants in Kansai

Yōshūji serves superb shōjin-ryōri in a delightful old Japanese farmhouse with an irori (open hearth). The house special, a sumptuous selection of vegetarian dishes served in red lacquered bowls, is called...

In business since 1841, Yoshino specialises in Osaka-style sushi, which is hako-sushi ('pressed sushi'). This older version of the dish (compared to the newer, hand-pressed Tokyo-style nigiri-sushi) is formed by...

This famous tako-yaki (octopus dumplings) stand, just north of Dōguya-suji arcade, uses custom copper hotplates (instead of cast iron) to make dumplings that are crisper than usual (but still runny inside)....

One of Osaka's most famous okonomiyaki (savoury pancake) restaurants, Chibō almost always has a queue, but it moves fast because there's seating on multiple floors (though you might want to hold out for the...

This two-Michelin-starred restaurant specialises in exceptionally light and delectable tempura served at the counter, where you can watch the chefs, or in private rooms. The tasty sea bream dish serves two to...

Trek out to Osaka's fish market to taste the exceptionally fresh sushi at cosy Endo, in business for over a century. You can choose from four different sushi sets of five pieces each; we recommend starting your...

Miyama's natural bounty is a big draw, and this restaurant in an elegantly updated thatched-roof farmhouse serves menus of seasonal local ingredients (such as mountain vegetables in spring and mushrooms in fall)....

This antique-strewn century-old house is a wonderful place to sample Matsusaka's famous wagyū (Japanese beef). Lunch sets of sukiyaki (thin slices of beef cooked in broth and dipped in raw egg) and teppanyaki...

This is a great place to try Kōbe beef prepared in a variety of styles, including teppanyaki or shabu-shabu (thinly sliced beef cooked with vegetables in boiling water and then dipped in sauce). It's managed...

The speciality here is ochazuke, a bowl of rice and toppings over which hot tea is poured. Everyone's here for the popular katsuo ochazuke (¥1450), topped with raw katsuo (bonito), a local speciality, marinated...

In a hut overlooking the ocean, ama (professional, mostly female, shellfish divers) grill seafood lunches – including items from their morning haul – and entertain with stories about their (sometimes treacherous)...

Mikuni serves local speciality Tajima-gyū (a high-end brand of Japanese beef). Different cuts are served different ways, and not just as steaks: sirloin, for example, is seared and sliced thin, served over rice...

Mikami is a beacon of good food in the otherwise forlorn zone between Shin-Kōbe Station and Sannomiya. For both lunch and dinner it does excellent teishoku (set meals); the ' katsu ' (crumbed and fried) dishes...

This is an elegant sushi counter, frequented by locals, offering reasonably priced set meals. In winter you can sample local crab sourced from Tsuiyama harbour, just 10 minutes away, in a variety of ways, from...

Kadohama specialises in goma-dōfu (sesame tofu) prepared several ways. The lunch sets come beautifully presented in bamboo baskets with eight small dishes around a larger one – evoking the eight-lotus-petal...

A good place to sample local Nara specialities like kakinoha-zushi (pressed sushi wrapped in persimmon leaf – don't eat the leaf!) and chagayu (rice porridge made with roasted green tea). Look for the...

The most famous of Kōbe's bakeries, Isuzu is particularly famous for its crisp, fluffy 'curry pan' (¥160; カレーパン ), a deep-fried doughnut stuffed with beef curry. There's a huge variety of sweet and savoury...

This local institution specialises in gyū-don (sliced beef on rice). Early-morning shrine visitors can pick up menchi katsu (croquettes stuffed with minced beef; ¥150) from the takeaway counter. The shop is in...

This is a good place to sample kawadoko 'above-river' dining on platforms. A friendly crew of ladies run the show and the food is quite good; they are known for their Nagashi somen noodles in summer (11am to...

Located above a fish market, this casual restaurant is a popular local spot for kaisen-don (raw seafood on rice; ¥1400 to ¥1950), but there are also tempura and grilled items on the menu. Between November and...