Excellent, creative cooking, friendly service and some of the nicest modern decor in Kobe make this restaurant worth a stop. Be sure to try the local dishes like the cross-cultural dim sum...

One of the best of the tonkatsu chains, Kyoto-based Katsukura offers nice side dishes like yuba (tofu-skin) croquettes and excellent Kyoto-style pickles. And they're open all afternoon if you need a...

This popular cafe-style restaurant serves "farm-to-table" fare, with heaping "one-plate" lunches. The buttermilk fried chicken is a specialty of the house, and is recommended. Japanese craft beers...

This tiny shop prepares fantastic karaage-fried chicken, either on its own or donburi-style over a bowl of rice. The coating is crunchy and the meat is moist and tender, with a nice garlicky flavor....

This small, popular counter shop serves nice meaty gyoza dumplings in a down-to-earth setting. The fried dumplings are slightly more charred than usual, creating a crunchy texture and deeper flavor....

This charming Kobe landmark serves a full range of Sapporo beers, and a huge, 150-item food menu. The small brewery in the basement produced two craft beers - a somewhat fruity wheat beer and a...

A rooftop oasis right in central Kobe, this cafe looks out onto a big garden area, with seating both indoors and out. The casual, inexpensive food menu is a mix of Japanese and Western dishes -...

Akashiyaki is a lighter, fluffier version of takoyaki, made with local octopus, and Tako-no-tsubo is an expert in its preparation. The room cozy dining room - usually filled with the aroma of...

Best known for their noodle dishes, the kitchen here also turns out a complete range of Cantonese standards.

One of the original wave of yoshoku restaurants, Itoh Grill has been preparing original Japanese-style Western dishes since 1923. They've probably redecorated since then, but not too recently. ...

Kansai-style spice curry is the specialty at Rojiura Kitchen Yonemon, and the three-curry combo is highly recommended. One dish that especially impressed us was the Korean-style seafood curry, made...

Good-quality charcoal grilled unagi eels. Budget around Y4,000 for lunch or dinner.

First-rate Indian cooking from a former chef at Gaylord; dinners start around Y3000.

Excellent home-made tofu is the core of the menu here, with tofu-centered set meals at various price levels (Y4000-10,000). The dining room offers a nice high-rise view over the Kobe waterfront.

Churrasco-style Brazilian grilled meats (beef, pork, chicken) are served here, and the waiters will keep bringing you meat until you tell them to stop; all-you-can-eat deals cost around Y3000 per...

This popular shop lets you cook your own kushiage skewers in a deep-fryer right at your table. It's all you can eat, including various side dishes and a big variety of skewered tidbits. Y2625 per...