Welcome to Osaka – a city known for its vibrant food culture. Each street is lined with stalls and restaurants offering a variety of mouth-watering delicacies that will surely tantalize your taste buds. This blog post will introduce you to some of the best local gourmet food that you must try when you visit Osaka.

Okonomiyaki

Okonomiyaki, often referred to as “Japanese pizza,” is a savory pancake that is filled with cabbage, green onions, and a variety of other ingredients depending on your preference. The batter is made from flour, eggs, and a special type of broth, and the dish is cooked on a hot griddle. It’s topped off with a sweet sauce, mayonnaise, seaweed flakes, and bonito (dried fish flakes), making it a delicious treat that you won’t want to miss.

Kushikatsu

Next, we have Kushikatsu, a type of skewered meat or vegetables. The ingredients are skewered on bamboo sticks, dipped in a batter made of eggs, flour, and bread crumbs, then deep-fried until crispy. The classic kushikatsu includes ingredients like pork, chicken, quail eggs, and various vegetables. It’s served with a savory-sweet sauce, but remember the golden rule of kushikatsu: no double-dipping!

RAMEN

When you mention Japanese food, Ramen is one of the first dishes that come to mind. Ramen is a noodle soup dish that comes in a variety of flavors, including soy sauce, miso, and pork bone broth. The noodles are firm and chewy, served with slices of char siu (roast pork), green onions, and a soft boiled egg. A bowl of ramen in Osaka will surely warm your heart and your stomach.

Tecchiri

Tecchiri is a hot pot dish made with pufferfish (fugu), which is considered a delicacy. This dish is particularly popular in the winter months and is known for its delicate flavor and slightly chewy texture. The fugu is thinly sliced and cooked in a clear, subtly flavored broth with vegetables and mushrooms. Eating tecchiri is almost a ritual, where the fugu is first enjoyed in the hot pot, and the remaining broth is mixed with rice to make a delicious porridge.

Takoyaki

Last, but certainly not least, is Takoyaki. This is a must-try street food in Osaka. Takoyaki is a ball-shaped snack made from a wheat flour-based batter with a piece of octopus inside. It’s cooked in a special molded pan, giving it its unique shape. Once cooked, it’s topped with takoyaki sauce, similar to Worcestershire sauce, mayonnaise, seaweed flakes, and bonito flakes. The outside is crispy, while the inside remains creamy, making it an explosion of flavors and textures in your mouth.
In Osaka, food isn’t just about eating – it’s an experience. It’s about the bustling atmosphere of the street food stalls, the chefs’ skills at the open kitchens, and the enjoyment of eating delicious food. So, when you visit Osaka, make sure to try these local gourmet foods. They will surely make your trip even more memorable.