Local Guide
5 hidden gems in Shinsekai where you can enjoy Osaka-style gourmet food

Osaka, which has developed its own unique food culture with flour-based dishes and dashi soup stock, was known as the "Kitchen of the Nation" during the Edo period, and is now a treasure trove of delicious food, known as the "city of gourmets." Among them, this article introduces hidden gems in Shinsekai that are known only to those in the know. We have carefully selected five restaurants with a wide variety of genres and personalities, including grilled chicken, udon, soba, Western cuisine, and butcher's croquettes. You are sure to experience the charm of Osaka's profound flavors.

Enjoy Matsusaka's specialty, grilled chicken, made with a focus on freshness in a standing bar.

Assortment of young chicken thighs and breasts "Kashiwa" Regular size from 410 yen
Assortment of young chicken thighs and breasts "Kashiwa" Regular size from 410 yen

This standing bar serves Matsusaka chicken yakiniku, a specialty of Matsusaka City, Mie Prefecture, where you can enjoy the dish. The appeal of this bar is the large number of dishes on the menu and the unique cuts of chicken you can try. The yakiniku is grilled on a net placed on the counter, and you can cook it yourself.
The recommended dish is the "Kashiwa" platter of young chicken thighs and breasts. Because they use fresh chicken, it remains moist even after being thoroughly grilled, allowing you to enjoy the juicy flavor of the chicken. Another great thing about the restaurant is that all of the dishes are available at reasonable prices.

A great value morning menu of grilled chicken that you can enjoy from the morning

The restaurant has an open atmosphere that makes it easy to drop in. On the wall is a menu with a variety of cuts of meat written on it.
The restaurant has an open atmosphere that makes it easy to drop in. On the wall is a menu with a variety of cuts of meat written on it.

It opens at 9:00 a.m. on weekdays, with customers peaking around 10:00 a.m. Until 11:00 a.m., they offer a morning menu where you can get a drink and a plate of chicken (regular size) for 500 yen, making it a rare place where you can enjoy some grilled chicken in the morning.
In addition to the standard dishes, they also offer rare cuts that you won't find at other stores, such as mohawks, fundoshi, otafuku, and butt skin. Rare cuts such as chicken innards and the "kokorozakari" tube that connects the liver and heart may sell out in the morning.Be sure to visit and Experience Osaka's standing bar culture as well as the depth of grilled chicken cuisine.

Comments Local Guide
The restaurant has a second location in Kyobashi, Osaka, and also operates a chicken breast kabayaki specialty restaurant and a horumon skewer specialty restaurant in the Shinsekai area. Both are all-standing and reasonably priced. Join the locals and enjoy Osaka's standing drinking culture.
Stand Hattori
  • URLhttps://www.hattori88.co.jp/honten
  • 住所1-6-10 Taishi, Nishinari-ku, Osaka City, Osaka Prefecture MAP
  • アクセスOsaka Metro動物園前駅から徒歩約3分
  • 営業時間9:00-21:00 (LO 20:30), Saturday 9:00-22:00 (LO 21:30), Sunday 8:00-20:00 (LO 19:30)
  • 定休日New year holiday season
  • 駐車場None

A hearty curry udon topped with crispy pork cutlet

Limited quantity "Katsu Curry Udon" with crispy lightly battered pork cutlet on top, 1,350 yen
Limited quantity "Katsu Curry Udon" with crispy lightly battered pork cutlet on top, 1,350 yen

This popular restaurant serves chewy, springy Sanuki-style udon noodles. The highlight is the limited-edition "Katsu Curry Udon" topped with a large pork cutlet that covers the udon. The juicy pork cutlet (thinly coated in a thin batter) is crispy fried, and although it looks surprisingly voluminous, it is so light that you can eat it all in one go. The soup is made by adding dashi from kakesoba noodles and broth from zaru soba noodles to a spicy curry roux, resulting in a rich and mellow flavor. We recommend ordering a small bowl of rice (100 yen) to eat the remaining soup together.

Easy udon making, focusing on ingredients and effort

The interior is decorated with posters of rock musicians that the owner is a big fan of, as well as autographs of celebrities who have visited the store.
The interior is decorated with posters of rock musicians that the owner is a big fan of, as well as autographs of celebrities who have visited the store.

The owner, who trained at famous udon restaurants in Osaka and Kagawa, founded this restaurant in Nishinari in 2013. It has since relocated near Shinsekai and is so popular that there are often lines at lunchtime.
The restaurant is particular about serving freshly made and boiled homemade udon noodles using domestic wheat flour. The ingredients are carefully selected without artificial seasonings, and the gentle broth is full of the umami flavor of seafood, typical of the Kansai region, where dashi is valued.Other menu items include bukkake udon, curry udon, and kamaage udon, which can be enjoyed with a variety of toppings such as chicken tempura, large shrimp tempura, and chikuwa tempura.

Comments Local Guide
You can enjoy deep-flavored udon that combines the charms of Kansai and Kagawa udon. In addition to the delicious udon, the owner's polite and kind service makes the restaurant a very comfortable space.
Handmade udon noodles topped with tempura flour
  • URLhttps://www.instagram.com/udon_tenkomori
  • 住所1-7-26 Ebisuhonmachi, Naniwa-ku, Osaka City, Osaka Prefecture MAP
  • アクセスApproximately 1 minute walk from Osaka Metro Daikokucho Station
  • 営業時間11:30〜15:00（L.O. 14:45）
  • 定休日Sunday
  • TEL06-6599-8778
  • 駐車場None

Curry soba made with authentic spices and the delicious flavor of dashi stock

"Fried tofu curry soba" uses authentic masala and costs 900 yen. "Meat curry soba" is also available for 950 yen.
"Fried tofu curry soba" uses authentic masala and costs 900 yen. "Meat curry soba" is also available for 950 yen.

This is a long-established soba restaurant that has been in business since before the original Tsutenkaku was built. They serve soba noodles made with the first flour called "Sarashina flour" which is taken from the center of the buckwheat seed.
The recommended "Curry Soba" uses the restaurant's original roux, made with masala mixed by an Indian chef. The soup, made with a dashi stock made from kelp, Japanese medaka, and mackerel, and authentic spices, is a refined Japanese-style curry that is familiar to Japanese palates. The pure white soba has a firm texture and a light taste that goes well with the rich soup.

The interior has remained since the early Showa period, giving the restaurant a retro atmosphere.

It moved to its current location in 1912 (Meiji 45), the same year as the original Tsutenkaku Tower was built. The current store was rebuilt in 1956 (Showa 31) after being destroyed by fire during the Osaka Air Raid.
It moved to its current location in 1912 (Meiji 45), the same year as the original Tsutenkaku Tower was built. The current store was rebuilt in 1956 (Showa 31) after being destroyed by fire during the Osaka Air Raid.

A row of unique shopsIn the Tsutenkaku Hondori shopping arcadeThe restaurant has a strong presence with its stately appearance. Currently, the fourth-generation owner is at work in the kitchen. The interior of the restaurant, which retains the atmosphere of the early Showa period, is neatly arranged, and it is clear that it has been well looked after by the successive owners.
The traditional specialties are "zaru soba" and "kake soba," which are sarashina soba noodles served in a fragrant broth. You can enjoy the smooth texture of the soba noodles to your heart's content. In addition to soba noodles, there is a wide variety of menu items, including rice bowls such as oyakodon and tendon, and a la carte dishes such as rolled omelets.

Comments Local Guide
This is a long-established soba restaurant beloved by locals. The restaurant has high ceilings and is spacious, allowing you to spend time in a quiet and peaceful atmosphere. Outside the window, there is lush greenery, and the beautiful crane statue that has been carefully handed down from the previous owner is also worth a look.
Sohonke Sarashina
  • 住所大阪府大阪市浪速区恵美須東1-17-10 MAP
  • アクセスApproximately 2 minutes walk from Osaka Metro Ebisucho Station
  • 営業時間11:00〜19:00（L.O. 18:30）
  • 定休日Friday
  • TEL06-6643-6051
  • 駐車場None

"Herebeef cutlet sandwich" loved by many celebrities

"Herebeef cutlet sandwich" 2,200 yen. It is said to be delicious even when cooled, and can be taken out.
"Herebeef cutlet sandwich" 2,200 yen. It is said to be delicious even when cooled, and can be taken out.

Located in a back alley not far from Tsutenkaku, this Western restaurant was founded in 1961. Its signature dish, the Fillet Beef Cutlet Sandwich, is a favorite with many customers, with many celebrities frequenting the restaurant. Thickly cut fillet meat is deep-fried almost rare, and the fragrantly toasted bread, juicy meat juices, and rich, mellow sauce combine to create an exquisite harmony. In Osaka, meat generally means "beef." Also, calling fillet meat "fillet meat" is a unique part of Osaka culture.

Located in a back alley in the downtown area, this hideaway-like shop has a Showa-era feel to it.

The interior of the shop exudes the atmosphere of a long-established establishment, with wooden carvings, retro accessories, and photos from the shop's founding, creating a warm atmosphere.
The interior of the shop exudes the atmosphere of a long-established establishment, with wooden carvings, retro accessories, and photos from the shop's founding, creating a warm atmosphere.

The current owner took over the restaurant at age 46. He was a salesman with no cooking experience, but he started out washing dishes by watching his father, the previous owner, and gradually acquired the skills. He says he now loves cooking, and many regular customers continue to visit because of his gentle personality.
Another specialty is the "Pork Fillet Curry Stew," a dish of pork fillet wrapped in a spicy curry sauce. You can also enjoy the original menu created by the owner, who pursues his own unique flavor while cherishing the traditional taste.

Comments Local Guide
This is a traditional Western restaurant that has been in business for three generations. For a limited time, they sometimes offer re-releases of dishes from when they first opened. They also have menu items that are easy for children to eat, such as hamburger steaks, high-fat rice with demi-glace sauce, and egg sandwiches.
Grill Bon
  • 住所大阪府大阪市浪速区恵美須東1-17-17 MAP
  • アクセスApproximately 2 minutes walk from Osaka Metro Ebisucho Station
  • 営業時間12:00-14:30 (LO 14:00), 17:00-19:30 (LO 19:00) *Ends when sold out
  • 定休日6th, 16th, and 26th of every month
  • TEL06-6632-3765
  • 駐車場None

Stroll around Tsutenkaku while eating freshly made croquettes from a butcher shop

"Tsutenkaku Croquette" is 150 yen and features a fluffy potato texture and a mild flavor. Payment is by cash only.
"Tsutenkaku Croquette" is 150 yen and features a fluffy potato texture and a mild flavor. Payment is by cash only.

This butcher shop, located at the entrance to the Shinsekai Market Street of Food Stalls, is lined with old-fashioned retro shops. The main attraction for many customers is the Tsutenkaku Croquette. This croquette is full of fluffy potatoes, juicy minced beef, and the sweetness of onions, giving it a nostalgic feel. The best thing about this shop is that there is a fryer right next to the cash register, so you can enjoy hot, freshly fried food. You can receive your order in just a minute, so it's a great place to stop by when you're feeling a bit hungry or while strolling around Tsutenkaku.

You can also enjoy Osaka gourmet food such as beef fillet cutlet sandwiches and kushikatsu.

There is sauce available in front of the register so you can add flavor to your liking.
There is sauce available in front of the register so you can add flavor to your liking.

Founded in 1910 (Meiji 43), the shop operated as a butcher and sold fried foods such as croquettes and minced cutlets on the side. It changed its style to keep up with the times and the movements of the people, and now mainly offers takeout fried foods. In the Tsutenkaku area, where there are few restaurants where you can eat while walking, it is highly valued by tourists visiting from both Japan and abroad, as well as local regulars.
In addition to Tsutenkaku croquettes, they also sell thick "beef fillet cutlet sandwiches," asparagus bacon, and pickled ginger skewers. You can casually sample the authentic flavors of Osaka specialties while walking around.

Comments Local Guide
Another plus point is that each croquette is only 150 yen, making it easy on the wallet. You can enjoy freshly fried croquettes any time, so even if you're full, you'll want to stop by when you visit Tsutenkaku.
Meat Sakamoto

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