Inside Osaka

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Best Kaiseki, Kappo and Other Haute Cuisine In Osaka

Consisting of multiple small dishes served one by one, kaiseki cooking is highly seasonal and rarefied. This style of Japanese fine dining is what inspired nouvelle cuisine and degustation menus. For most first-time visitors to Japan interested in food, kaiseki is a must-try genre.

Iroha
Iroha - image © Florentyna Leow

In general, Kyoto is associated with kaiseki. Osaka tends to be associated with kappo-style cooking. The latter is also considered seasonal fine dining, but the meal itself tends to be more casual and more flexible in the way kaiseki - which usually has a fixed course menu - isn’t. It’s far less structured and more informal.

Osaka has both great kaiseki and kappo-style restaurants to choose from. Depending on which you prefer, you could have some rather special meals out at any of the following restaurants. Be prepared to dig deeper into your pockets; these are the restaurants you plan ahead for and splash out on.

  • Iroha (Kita; expensive)
    Iroha is a fabulous little kappo restaurant in the Kita-Shinchi district serving up some incredibly fresh and flavourful dishes. Reservations are essential, and you’ll need to give yourself some extra time to locate the place - it’s a little tough to to find.
  • Momen (Minami; expensive)
    Momen is a superb little Shinsaibashi counter restaurant serving some of the most sublime dishes you’re likely to encounter anywhere. It’s usually described as kaiseki, but kappo is probably a better word for it – a flight of wonderful and artistic creations made from the freshest Japanese ingredients.
  • Shimanouchi Ichiyo (Minami; expensive)
    On the far east side of Shinsaibashi, this wonderful kappo specialist serves out-of-this-world seafood. Shimanouchi Ichiyo is named for Japan’s Inland Sea as that’s where a lot of their ingredients come from. The fare is creative and beautiful to behold.
  • Asai (Minami; expensive)
    Asai is a one-star Michelin restaurant in Minami Ward that’s a great place to try out kaiseki. Sitting at the counter and watching the chefs create their sublime dishes is part of the appeal of this place.

Best Osaka Restaurant Recommendations

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