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Thanks to its history and unique culture, the Kansai region offers an unparalleled variety of Japanese cuisine. In addition to the local specialties of Osaka, Kobe, and Nara, Kansai has the same inexpensive chain restaurants as Tokyo and a good variety of international food. Outside tourist areas, restaurant staff may not speak English but often exhibit Kansai’s signature friendliness, going out of their way to help.
Japan's first steak house is famed for its superb, hand-fed Kobe beef from a single farm in the nearby city of Sanda. The melt-in-your-mouth sumiyaki (charcoal-broiled) steak is worth its weight in yen and is only served with mustard and pepper. (Don't even think about asking for other condiments.) The dining room's dark-wood paneling and lovely chandelier give it a European air. Be prepared to spend some yen; main courses are phenomenally expensive.
The city's premier hotel restaurant serves extremely good French food. The elegant yet relaxed atmosphere, seasonal menus, and extensive wine list make La Baie an excellent choice when you're in the mood for European-style fare. With its high ceiling, 18th-century paintings, and dark-wood accents, the interior is impressive and the service is impeccable. The weekday lunch courses are a good way to sample some of the best French cuisine in Osaka.
If there is one food Osaka is known for, it is okonomiyaki, a savory pancake that can be filled with vegetables, meat, or seafood. Mizuno, opened in 1945, is one of the city's best and oldest places to try this hearty specialty. Mizuno's okonomiyaki are light and fluffy, using a variety of ingredients delivered from Osaka's Kuromon Market. Sitting at the long teppan counter grill you can watch as the chef whips up a hearty taste of Osaka before your eyes. Long lines form around lunch and dinnertime, but move rather quickly.
At this elegant dining room, the excellent Kobe beef is sliced thin and cooked before you on a teppanyaki grill along with fresh vegetables and served with pepper, mustard, and soy sauce for dipping. Wakkoqu uses meat from three-year-old cows that have never been bred, which is said to be the reason for its unbelievable tenderness. Lunch set menus are available until 3pm.
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