A lesser-known shopping district in Osaka, located in close vicinity to Shinsaibashi and Dotonbori, Horie is a must-visit place for any traveler. While it was historically a furniture district, and today holds many shops featuring home furnishings and design, the area has many quirky cafes and international cuisine. Here are some of the best places you can go for the first meal of your day, before beginning to explore the district.
West Wood Bakers
Bakery, Cafe, Pastries, American
Sweet hotcakes, smooth eggs, savory bacon, and a dark cup of coffee – if this sounds like the perfect beginning to a day, then West Wood Bakers is the place to go. This warm, cozy cafe in Minamihorie serves Western breakfast and brunch items. They have a breakfast menu before 11, but similar items are also available later in the day should you choose to visit for a late brunch. This ambient cafe is particularly popular with the local expat and international community, as they have an English menu and English-speaking staff.
Granknot Coffee
If you’re a huge coffee fan, you may have heard about Granknot Coffee as one of the best indie coffee shops in Osaka. But did you know that they also serve amazing brunch foods? Their French toast is more of a roll than the flat French toast you might be used to, but in terms of taste it is perfect – eggy and sweet in equal measures. They also have sandwiches, paninis and various types of pastries. It goes without saying that Granknot Coffee serves their coffee with passion and sincerity, as can be seen by the professional equipment and the range of coffee available.
Naniwa Fujiyoshi (浪花 ふじよし)
You can’t visit Japan without having at least one Japanese breakfast, and Naniwa Fujiyoshi gives you an authentic Japanese experience, at a reasonable price. From the traditionally decorated storefront, to the interior setting of low tables and tatami mats, you can be sure of a delicious experience. This Kita-horie shop specializes in buckwheat noodles, with hot noodles in soup to warm you up on cold winter mornings, or refreshingly cold noodles served on bamboo streamers for hot summer days. With its early opening hours, you can stop here for an early start to your day, or come in the late morning for a heavy brunch.
Café Continue
Cafe, Japanese, Coffee, Tea , Fast Food, Pastries
Whether you’re an early riser, looking for a lazy start to your day with a Western style brunch, or even just craving breakfast food in the middle of a night, Café Continue is a sure choice. Open twenty-four hours a day, this Western-style cafe serves typical breakfast foods such as eggs, sandwiches, and different types of bread. They also have salads, pasta, burgers, and rice for a more filling meal. Located near Yotsubashi station in Kita-horie, Café Continue is a convenient place to have your first meal of the day before beginning a full day’s shopping at nearby Ame-mura and Shinsaibashi.
Biotop Osaka
Cafe, Restaurant, Japanese, Italian
Like many stores in Horie, Biotop is both a cafe and a retail store, making it a great place to start the day with breakfast and a little shopping. On the ground floor and by the outdoor seating area is Biotop Corner Stand, a coffee shop that sells quality drip coffee and simple food such as bread and pastries. An Italian restaurant, Biotop Cubierta, takes up the rooftop, which has a garden and an alfresco dining area. This is a great place for a late brunch with pizza and pasta, surrounded by nature.
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Don’t be fooled by its small-scale appearance, Kosuiten is one of the most locally renowned restaurants in Horie. This twenty four hour establishment specializes in ramen noodles, which can be eaten for breakfast, lunch, dinner, or any meal in-between. The most striking part of this cafe, other than their delicious variety of ramen noodles and gyoza (fried dumplings), is their decor. With a hipster, beach vibe, the interior of this little shop is filled with posters and other memorabilia that makes it a great place to sit comfortably, look around, and gear up for the day ahead of you.
Enjoy! Café
Cafe, Japanese, Coffee, Tea , Fast Food, Pastries
Located along the trendy Orange Street, one of Horie’s main shopping destinations, this stylish cafe has a nostalgic vibe that goes along with the centuries-old shops on Orange Street, combining the old and the new. One of the most popular items at Enjoy! Café is their pancakes, which are made in the Japanese style of the originally Western dish – fluffy and sweet, and lighter than American pancakes. Pair it with a latte and you’ll have the perfect breakfast.
Kiwis Pie
Market, Australian
You may notice that while there are a great number of Western restaurants and dessert cafes in Osaka, there is a definite lack of pies available on the market. Well, worry no longer – you can get your pie fix from Kiwis Pie, which sells Australian and New Zealand pies that are baked daily at the shop. Choices range from classics such as the bacon and egg pie, to locally flavoured ones like curry pie, all at extremely reasonable prices.
Café Weg
Cafe, Coffee Shop, Japanese, Coffee, Tea , Pastries, Fast Food, Street Food
Hidden in a quiet street in Minami-horie, Café Weg is a gem of a cafe. Despite its small size – it can only seat less than 20 customers – it is very serious about the quality of its coffee. You can choose from a huge range of coffee, differing by how much it is roasted and place of origin of the coffee beans, which include Kenya, Columbia, and many other countries. For food, they serve simple fare such as sandwiches and pastries. This is a great place to grab a quick bite to eat and to fuel up on caffeine before the start of your day.
Mondial Kaffee 328
Bar, Cafe, Coffee Shop, Coffee, Pastries, Japanese
Conveniently located near Yotsubashi station, this chic coffee shop is the perfect place to start your day, or to chill in the middle of the afternoon. With its stylish decor, comfortable seats, and delicious coffee, Mondial Kaffee 328 is almost like a bar or lounge. They import beans from all over the world, and their drip coffee gives you the option of different beans, depending on what is available during your visit. They have breakfast sets available before 11am, which offer delicious French toast, sandwiches, and eggs, along with a drink.
Elizabeth Lee was born in California and grew up in Hong Kong, the city where she has lived her whole life (so far!). She is currently studying at the University of Hong Kong, pursuing a Bachelor of Arts in English Studies and Linguistics. Rather than look for a place to call home, Elizabeth is a wanderer who wants to experience life on this earth to the fullest. Driven by her curiosity for the world and in particular other cultures, Elizabeth has travelled to various places in Asia, Britain, Australia and North America. Elizabeth is an aspiring writer who is inspired by literature, history, and foreign cultures, and her work features themes of freedom and feminism. She hopes to publish her fictional writing someday.
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