In a nation that values rising early, it can be surprisingly difficult to find a decent brunch in Osaka, especially since gathering for the mid-morning meal hasn’t quite caught on yet. Read Culture Trip’s guide to the best places for brunch in Minami to make your excursion a little bit easier.
Eggs ‘n Things for pancakes, waffles and eggs
Restaurant, Pastries
Eggs ‘n Things, situated in the centre of the busy Amerikamura area, provides an escape from all the craziness and commotion. Step into this welcoming resort-themed restaurant and get away for an hour or so to Hawaii. The staff are incredibly friendly, and the restaurant comes equipped with an outdoor patio for warm and sunny mornings. Eggs ‘n Things has an English menu and Western food, with a huge range of decadent pancakes, waffles and eggs to enjoy.
Pan Café Swallowtail (スワロウテイル) for French toast and all the trimmings
Bakery, European, Pastries
Pan Café Swallowtail is a bakery and café best known for its bread. Its french toast, in particular, is a popular choice, with fluffy bread served with syrup and dusted with generous amounts of icing sugar. Pan Café Swallowtail hosts live-music events and pastry-making classes a few times a month. This petite café is decorated in a pretty storybook aesthetic, complete with white walls, a wooden ceiling and many trinkets on display.
Hanamaruken (花丸軒) for temple-side ramen
Restaurant, Japanese
One of the best Japanese foods for brunch is ramen, and it’s hard to find a better spot than Hanamaruken. This tiny shop lies near an temple, Hozenji, and an alleyway of the same name. There are less than 20 seats along a counter where you can watch the staff cook your ramen up close. The texture of the ramen is the perfect balance between springy and soft, and its home-made soup base is flavourful, making for a delicious and filling Japanese brunch.
Elk is a chic pancake house located in trendy Shinsaibashi. It has a cosy, youthful decor that combines comfy armchairs with stylish trinkets and lamps. In addition to its pancakes, Elk serves a huge range of brunch items throughout the day, such as eggs benedict, crepes, soup and pasta. For the ultimate brunch combination, try the scrambled eggs and bacon pancakes. If you’re craving a more Japanese flavour, you can’t go wrong with the matcha pancakes.
Rich Garden for gourmet burgers
Restaurant, American
One of the best burger joints in Osaka is Rich Garden, located in Amerikamura. This cosy, hip joint serves not only some of the most delicious gourmet burgers in the city but also other Western food, including pasta, salad and brunch staples such as french toast, waffles and assorted pancakes. Whether you’re looking for a typical or nontraditional brunch, Rich Garden is a reliable choice.
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Arabiya Coffee (アラビヤコーヒー) for first-rate coffee
Cafe, Japanese, European
Located just behind the historic Hozenji Yokocho alleyway is Arabiya, a quaint café that fosters a well-deserved reputation for its excellent coffee. With its dark wooden furniture and exposed-brick walls, Arabiya conveys a warm, relaxed atmosphere. Its coffee is famous for being dark and bitter, but lattes are also available if you prefer it milky. For food, it serves simple but delicious sandwiches, eggs and pancakes.
Pancake Cafe Mog for light and fluffy buttermilk pancakes
Cafe, Japanese, European
This lovely café in Namba specialises in buttermilk pancakes, which are made using a secret recipe. They are perfectly light and fluffy and made to order on the shop premises to ensure freshness. Options range from classic buttermilk pancakes served with syrup and butter to versions like aromatic apple and tea rye as well as Mexican chilli. Whether you choose to stay with the familiar or try something new, Pancake Cafe Mog is sure to satisfy your pancake cravings.
This friendly neighbourhood café is one of the best places in Horie to get authentic, filling brunch food. Like many cafés in Japan, it doesn’t have a specific brunch menu, but it serves breakfast and brunch foods well into the afternoon. A selection of delicious meals such as maple-bacon-cheese scones, crusty country bread loaves and sandwiches (including burgers) fill the menu. West Wood Bakers is a popular place for brunch among the international community that calls Osaka home.
Brooke lived in Osaka, Japan for six years, honing her expertise on local attractions, culture, food, & the outdoors. She has been travel writing since 2011.
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