Takoyaki, Akashiyaki

Takoyaki are balls of fried batter filled with bits of octopus, an inexpensive delicacy of Osaka. Akashiyaki are a Kobe version of this dish with a lighter and fluffier batter, using octopus from the Akashi area.

Akashiya - Akashiyaki: Umeda

[ Open 5pm -2am (LO). Closed Mondays. ]

The prices on the menu outside Akashiya are in U.S. dollars and the sign reads: we have loco food. Does this mean crazy or local? It's a little of both. Masa, your congenial host, will cook up an...

[ Open 5pm -2am (LO). Closed Mondays. ]

Bubutei - Akashiyaki: Umeda

[ Open 10am-9:30pm (LO) daily. ]

This small shop serves takoyaki and akashiyaki (the Kobe-style version of the dish); take-out is available.

[ Open 10am-9:30pm (LO) daily. ]

Tako-no-tsubo - Akashiyaki: Motomachi

[ Open noon-9:45pm (LO) daily. ]

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...

[ Open noon-9:45pm (LO) daily. ]

Kushiage

Kushiage (aka kushiyaki) refers to battered and deep-fried food on skewers. Typical ingredients include pork, chicken and other meats; mushrooms, lotus root, and seafood like scallops and shrimp.

Kushinobo - Kushiage: Nagahori

[ Open 11am-10pm daily. ]

Good-quality kushiyaki deep-fried skewers from this Tokyo-based chain. Budget around Y2500-3500 at dinnertime.

[ Open 11am-10pm daily. ]

Iruri - Kushiage: Tennoji

[ Open 11am-11pm daily. ]

Kushiage restaurants are one of the attractions of the very down-to-earth bar zone around Shinsekai's Tsutenkaku Tower, and there are a lot to choose from. But while other shops are content to serve...

[ Open 11am-11pm daily. ]

Kushinobo - Kushiage: Umeda

[ Open 11:30am-2, 5-9:30pm (LO) daily. ]

Reliable deep-fried meat and seafood skewers from this Tokyo-based shop. Budget around Y3,500 at night, Y1,000 at lunchtime.

[ Open 11:30am-2, 5-9:30pm (LO) daily. ]

Kushiya Monogatari - Kushiage: Umeda

[ Open 11am-10:30pm daily. ]

All-you-can-eat deep-fried skewers of meat and vegetables, plus assorted side dishes and desserts, will set you back Y2625 (or Y1575 at lunchtime). There's a two-hour limit, so don't dawdle over the...

[ Open 11am-10:30pm daily. ]

Mogami - Kushiage: Umeda

[ Open 11:30am-10:30pm (LO) daily. ]

Earthen walls with backlit niches and the spacious dining room at Mogami elevate the humble kushikatsu (fried morsels on skewers) to a feast. There are 36 different kinds, from fish to vegetables,...

[ Open 11:30am-10:30pm (LO) daily. ]

Kushiya Monogatari Harborland - Kushiage: Harborland

[ Open 11am-10pm daily. ]

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...

[ Open 11am-10pm daily. ]

Kushiya Monogatari - Kushiage: Nishinomiya

[ Open 11am-11pm daily. ]

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...

[ Open 11am-11pm daily. ]

Okonomiyaki

Okonomiyaki is another inexpensive Osaka favorite - savory pancakes made from flour and eggs and filled with pork, squid, shrimp, shredded cabbage and other ingredients. See the okonimyaki menu article for more details.

Chibo - Okonomiyaki: Namba

[ Open 11am-10pm (LO) daily. ]

Five floors of okonomiyaki action here at Chibo headquarters overlooking the river. Actually the top floor - called "President Chibo" - specializes in grilled steaks.

[ Open 11am-10pm (LO) daily. ]

Boteju - Okonomiyaki: Umeda

[ Open 11am-10:30pm daily. ]

This national chain prepares good-quality okonomiyaki, yakisoba, "modern-yaki", and interesting five-color "salads" of shredded vegetables. They also do a Hiroshima-style option. Take-out is...

[ Open 11am-10:30pm daily. ]

Fugetsu - Okonomiyaki: Umeda

[ Open 11am-10pm (LO) daily. ]

Besides the usual okonomiyaki variations, Fugetsu also serves grilled seafood - a combo of octopus tentacles, shrimp, squid and oysters is Y1050.

[ Open 11am-10pm (LO) daily. ]

Kobe beef steaks, teppanyaki

This section covers classic "steak houses" as well as teppanyaki restaurants, which serve full-course meals that include seasonal seafood delicacies in addition to steak.

Miyasu - Steak house: Motomachi

[ Open noon-9pm. Closed Sundays. ]

One of Kobe's top-rated places for steaks; full-course dinners start at Y9000, or you can go a la carte.

[ Open noon-9pm. Closed Sundays. ]

A-1 - Steak house: Sannomiya

[ Open noon-11pm. Closed Tuesdays. ]

The interior here is far from fancy, but the steaks are good and the prices reasonable; full-course Kobe beef steak dinners start at Y6500.

[ Open noon-11pm. Closed Tuesdays. ]

Minami - Teppanyaki: Namba

[ Open 11:30am-2:30, 5:30-9:30pm (LO) daily. ]

Top-quality domestic beef and seasonal seafood dinners start at Y13,860; lunches run from Y5428. The pleasant dining room looks out over the rooftop gardens of the Swissotel directly above Namba...

[ Open 11:30am-2:30, 5:30-9:30pm (LO) daily. ]

Tofu and Kyoto-style cuisine

Ume no Hana Umedaten - Tofu: Umeda

[ Open 11am-3, 5-9pm (LO) daily. ]

This well-established tofu specialist offers luxurious multi-course menus centered on their excellent home-made tofu. The tofu is prepared at your table, and supplemented by grilled fish, sashimi...

[ Open 11am-3, 5-9pm (LO) daily. ]

Umenohana - Tofu: Kyukyoryuchi

[ Open 11am-3, 5-9pm (LO) daily. ]

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.

[ Open 11am-3, 5-9pm (LO) daily. ]