Shinsaibashi, located in Osaka’s southern hub, is home to one of the city’s longest shotengai (covered shopping arcades) and adjacent to attraction-heavy Dōtonbori. Both on and branching off from the shotengai are local and international stores, souvenir shops, karaoke joints, and many more hidden gems. This is a fun place to shop and sightsee, so visitors are sure to work up an appetite. This list of the top 10 restaurants in and around Shinsaibashi should help!
Vermillion Mahoroba
Restaurant, French, Japanese, $$$$$
Minimal but attractive French cuisine. | © star5112 / Flickr
At Vermillion Mahoroba guests are treated to elegant French cuisine. The delicious food at this restaurant comes served with a healthy twist; the kitchen steers clear of butter and the heavy sauces usually associated with French dining. If you are looking for a light but exquisite meal, this is definitely the place to head to. The dishes are a little on the pricey side, but the food is of a superb quality.
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Wed - Mon:
11:30 am - 2:30 pm
6:00 pm - 9:30 pm
Mezze (メッゼ)
Restaurant, Turkish, $$$
Turkish food | © Chad Skeers / Flickr
Just a short walk away from Shinsaibashi’s main drag lies a Turkish restaurant called Mezze. The Turkish owner and chef ensures customers experience real, authentic dishes from his home country at an incredibly reasonable price. Here, diners can opt for a lunch course or browse through the delicious à la carte menu. If you end up in Mezze on a weekend, expect entertainment as they host a belly dancing show every Friday and Saturday evening!
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Mon - Sat:
11:30 am - 2:30 pm
5:30 pm - 10:30 pm
Kitamura
Restaurant, Japanese, $$$
Step through the sliding glass door and immerse yourself in the world of sukiyaki at Kitamura. Sukiyaki is a traditional Japanese stew-like dish prepared in a hot pot. It usually consists of thinly sliced meat, vegetables and other ingredients cooked and simmered in a mixture of soy sauce, sugar and mirin (sugary rice wine). Have a seat at one of the tatami-mat tables and watch your waitress cook your hot pot meal right in front of you. It’ll be an unforgettable foodie experience.
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Mon - Sat:
4:00 pm - 10:00 pm
Meal service:
All Day, DinnerAtmosphere:
CosyIchibazushi Shinsaibashi
Restaurant, Japanese, $$$
This amazing little restaurant serves up some of the most delicious sushi in Japan. If you are after a real, authentic, and tasty sushi experience head over to Ichiba Zushi. The staff is incredibly funny and kindhearted and the prices are reasonable. Here, diners can watch their chef prepare the food, a masterful art. Some may describe the restaurant as a hole in the wall, but for what it lacks in décor, it makes up for in the quality of the food.
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Ramen Zundoya Shinsaibashi
Restaurant, Japanese, $$$
Ramen Zundoya is a shop that originated in Himeji, the locale of Japan’s finest castle, and is now making its way around Japan and the rest of the world. The style of ramen served here is tonkatsu, which is pork based, but from there customers can customize their bowls in many ways – you can choose the hardness of the noodles, amount of oil in the broth, spiciness, and toppings. The shop, recognizable by the giant lantern hanging above the entry, is open 24 hours, so this is perfect for a quick lunch or after partying all night in Shinsaibashi.
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Mon - Sun:
12:00 am - 12:00 am
Brooklyn Parlor
Pub, Restaurant, Cafe, American, British, Dessert, $$$$
With plenty of comfortable seating and large portions of food, Brooklyn Parlor never disappoints. This lounge and café serves traditional pub food, such as fish and chips and onion rings. For something sweet, try one of their delicious cakes. With such a large seating area and free wifi, this is a great place to both work on a computer and bring a large group of friends for a special occasion. They offer both smoking and non-smoking areas as well.
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Mon - Sun:
11:30 am - 11:00 pm
Biotop Osaka
Cafe, Restaurant, Japanese, Italian, $$$$
Like many stores in Horie, Biotop is both a café and a retail store, making it a great place to start the day with breakfast and a little shopping. On the ground floor and by the outdoor seating area is Biotop Corner Stand, a coffee shop that sells quality drip coffee and simple food such as bread and pastries. An Italian restaurant, Biotop Cubierta, takes up the rooftop, which has a garden and an alfresco dining area. This is a great place for a late brunch with pizza and pasta, surrounded by nature.
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Mon - Sun:
11:00 am - 11:00 pm
Umenohana
Restaurant, Japanese, $$$$$
Many people cannot even imagine the number of different ways tofu can be prepared. If you’re one of these people, Umenohana will open your eyes and excite your taste buds. Diners can treat themselves to a 10-course tofu meal, each one entirely different from the rest. Relax on the tatami floor as the servers continuously serve one delicious meal after the next. The set meals come at different prices, ranging from 4,000 to 10,000 yen. This is an expensive but one of a kind experience.
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Mon - Sun:
11:00 am - 4:00 pm
5:00 pm - 10:00 pm
Hatena
Restaurant, Thai, $$$
Thai street food. | © star5112 / Flickr
This Thai food stall and restaurant is hard to miss. Loud Thai pop music can be heard blaring from this restaurant from the street where you can take away all kinds of delicious street food until midnight. If you want a more relaxed feel, have a seat inside the small café-style restaurant and art gallery. They serve an assorted menu of Thai food and other Southeast Asian traditional dishes.
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Mon - Sun:
5:30 pm - 2:00 am
Chinese Cafe 8 (24H 中国茶房8 心斎橋店)
Restaurant, Chinese, $$$$
This weird and wacky Chinese restaurant just off the Dōtonbori Canal is a must-visit for two reasons – the food is amazing and the décor is…unique. The menu features hundreds of authentic Chinese staples served 24 hours a day and the tables are decorated with gigantic golden Buddhas. The walls are covered in gold moulds of, well, ‘adult body parts’ might be the best way to phrase it. There is a shrine to the male member as well.
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Mon - Sun:
12:00 am - 12:00 am
Meal service:
All DayPrema Chablani also contributed to this piece.