Babyleaf (Nakazakicho)

Baby and toddler-centered brunch and lunch cafe with healthy, kid-friendly eats (including baby food) and a meticulously crafted sanctuary of fun especially for kids aged 0-3 (including a babies-only area) and peace of mind for their parents.

Note the staff on the left: when even your servers have babies strapped to their backs, you know you are in excellent hands © Angelino Donnachaidh

When it comes to dining out with babies and very small children, Babyleaf takes “child-friendly” to a whole other level. In terms of overall amenities for children, dining experience, and service, it is in a class unto itself.

While there is no serious competition on this front, if the shop does have any weaknesses for our purposes, they would be a lack of consistent English support, an approach to rules that is uncompromising even by Japanese standards, and a relatively complicated system for reservations and fees that can feel downright Byzantine when you add in a language barrier.

This puts it on the more challenging end of the spectrum for international tourists, but if you’ve got a friend or guide who speaks Japanese to help you, can manage Japanese yourself, or are just an expert at using translation apps, the hurdles are more than worth it for toddler rapture and baby bliss while you enjoy a healthy hearty meal in peace.

Babyleaf’s building is exemplary of Osaka’s Nakazaki-cho © Angelino Donnachaidh

The Space

There is really no overstating how unrivaled the Babyleaf experience is for families with babies or toddlers. It is easy to see why among local mama-tomo (mommy-friend) groups, it has achieved cult status.

One of many play areas in Babyleaf, compartmentalized from the dining area to prevent accidents while retaining high visibility © Angelino Donnachaidh

Despite operating out of a traditional nagaya-shaped building with a layout that is long and narrow, Babyleaf makes expert use of its space. Dining areas use floor seating with cushions and small beanbags. Multiple play areas and corners complete with games and books – including an ingenious crawl-in/out cubby under the stairs – dot the first floor, at perfect arms-length from the dining tables so parents and children alike can enjoy a perfect balance of security and separation.

Plastic baby chairs with grip handles and support for the legs, hips, and back line the walls ready to be used, along with ladybug-motif backpack cushions to protect the back and back of the head for tots that like to tumble just as much as toddle.

The private bathroom is equipped with a potty seat, a diaper changing station, and a crib with wall toy for cool-downs © Angelino Donnachaidh

The second floor is a kind of VIP area (or VIB area, if you will) for babies 1 year and under only (and their parents, of course). Judiciously deployed child gates off the main entrance and stairs make sure everyone is where they are supposed to be, and parents can relax when their little ones go wandering away from the table.

The Service and Amenities

There is really nothing a parent could ask for that Babyleaf can’t provide – except of course stronger English support for international tourists. The restaurant has a top-notch kids’ menu, great healthy options in addition to surefire hits, diapers and baby food (for various ages and in various flavors), wipes, toys, play areas, a crib, a potty seat, a stroller parking area in front, and on and on.

Where it gets a little tricky, unfortunately, is the rules and usage system. Babyleaf is only open for lunch, from 11:00am to 4:00pm, with last order for food at 2:00pm and drinks and dessert at 3:00pm. The second floor closes at 3:30pm. Reservations are required. Outside baby food and allergy-compliant food may be brought in, but staff must be notified.

The Babyleaf time fee system is somewhat convoluted, but explained in detail below © Angelino Donnachaidh

So far, so good? The shop also operates on a time fee system, meaning guests pay per person for the amount of time they are in the restaurant aside from whatever food they order while there. Get ready to take notes!

There are two tiers to this fee depending on whether you intend a short visit or a long one, and you must choose which to go with upon arrival with no option to change your mind in the middle of your visit. The time-based tier charges ¥600 per adult for the first hour (plus ¥300 per child aged 1-3) and ¥300 per adult per 30-minute-increment thereafter (there is no additional charge for children 1-3 after the first hour). Alternatively, the “free time” tier charges a flat ¥1500 per adult (and the same flat ¥300 per child 1-3) no matter how long you stay.

To save you some calculating, the math of this system amounts to answering one very simple question: Are you planning on staying two-and-a-half hours or more? If so, go with the “free time” tier. If not, go with the half-hourly rate. Just bear in mind you cannot change your mind once you have selected.

Bottomless soft drinks including coffee, tea, and juice for adults and children are included in both rates, but the next drink can only be ordered after returning the cup from the previous one.

The child pancake lunch set © Angelino Donnachaidh

The Food

Systems and rules aside, what’s the food like? Fortunately, fantastic. Babyleaf’s commitment to catering to parents (and perhaps especially mothers) of wee ones shines through just as much in its menu as it does in its interior design. Set lunches featuring kid-friendly side veggies (edamame, sliced cherry tomatoes, and steamed kabocha squash) paired with crispy fried smiley-face potatoes and Jell-O style jelly snacks round out entrees of all-star toddler favorites like udon noodles, pancakes, sweet curry with rice, meatballs with rice, or whitefish with ankake (starchy sauce) and rice.

The child udon noodle lunch set © Angelino Donnachaidh

And parents: Babyleaf has not forgotten you with the food either. Order lunch from an excellent shortlist of adult-pleasing hearty and healthy set lunches of salads and veggies alongside top-quality fare like fettuccine with porcini mushroom or bolognese, green curry, and rice dishes served with pork-ginger stirfry, fried chicken with tartar sauce, or Salisbury steak with demi-glace. Heck, if you want you can even crack open a mini bottle of Corona beer with lunch.

Pork ginger stirfry with rice and a set salad, from the grown-up menu © Angelino Donnachaidh

Gourmet lunchtime dessert fare with coffee or tea is something of a modern cultural fixture for Japanese ladies (not that they’re the only ones who can enjoy it), and to this end, Babyleaf treats mothers just as well as it treats children.

Croffles (croissant-waffles) served a la mode with vanilla ice cream and mixed berries, Basque cheesecake, crema Catalana (Spanish crème brûlée-style custard), or ice cream with chocolate or berry sauce: they’re all here, and each more sure to delight than the next.

While the lunches are excellent, don’t sleep on the sweets at Babyleaf either © Angelino Donnachaidh

The bottom line: you’ll have to brave a language barrier and a somewhat convoluted system to get into Babyleaf, but it is absolutely worth the trouble if you’re looking to spend lunchtime out with little children. I’d recommend visiting with a guide, translator, or Japanese mama-tomo if you can and are worried about communication difficulties. If not, you can probably manage well enough with a good smartphone translation app, especially armed with the information here.

You might just leave wishing you had a Babyleaf in your area too © Angelino Donnachaidh

About Angelino Donnachaidh
Angelino Donnachaidh is a Mexican-American father, author, Japanese-English translator, and longtime resident of Osaka, Japan. His works include the middle grade (pre-)historical fiction novel Tamiu: A Cat’s Tale (Winner of the North Street Prize and CWA Muse Medallion), the YA post-cyberpunk heist adventure screenplay Brother (Winner of the HollywoodGenre 2025 Scifi Screenplay Competition), and the upcoming samurai scifi-fantasy action-thriller novel The Mayhem Protocols.

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Babyleaf Information

Name in English:
Oyako Cafe Babyleaf

Name in Japanese:
おやこカフェBabyleaf

English address:
1 Chome-5-23 Ukida, Kita Ward, Osaka 530-0021

Japanese address:
〒530-0021 大阪府大阪市北区北区浮田１丁目５−２３

Opening hours:
11:00am-4:00pm

Non-smoking area: All non-smoking

Price:
Approximately ¥1500-¥3000 per adult, ¥300-¥1000 per child
See the “Service and Amenities” section above for details on how the fee structure works.

Nearest transport:
3-minute walk from Tenjinbashisuji 6-chome (“Tenroku”) Station (exit 13) on the Osaka Metro (Subway) Tanimachi and Sakaisuji Lines, and Hankyu Senri Line
5-minute walk from Nakazakicho Station (exit 2) on the Osaka Metro (Subway) Tanimachi Line

Website: Official website (Japanese)

Near To Here:
Babyleaf is located in Osaka’s Kita and Umeda district. See our complete list of things to do in the Kita and Umeda district, including places to eat, nightlife and places to stay.

Best Osaka Restaurants
See our list of the best Osaka restaurants for even more ideas about great places to eat in Osaka.

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