【Dotonbori】 You cannot talk about local cuisine of Osaka without eating this. 5 okonomiyai shops recommended by locals.

Osaka, also known as “the food capital.”

Those days Osaka’s local dishes draw attention of foreign tourists, and so many people think that “Osaka is a mine of delicious food.

Sharpening the focus on a popular tourist spot “Dotonbori,” here I present a local selection of okonomiyaki shops you should try at least once.

Muslim Friendly Okonomiyaki is also available. Both taste and service are exceptional at “Chibo Dotonbori shop.”

Being particular about taste, service, and space arrangement, the shop has long been loved by many people domestically and internationally with reputation that you can relax and enjoy this traditional food of Osaka, “okonomiyaki.”

They are even particular about “water” used for okonomiyaki dough. Therefore, its taste, of course, and also live cooking done in front of customers are the secrets of popularity.

Considering Muslim customers, 7th floor of the restaurant building is Muslim friendly. So, they can enjoy okonomiyaki without worries.

Tiny pieces of cabbage and soft and spongy dough are the features. Sweetness of cabbage gently spreads in the mouth.

The highly recommended dish is the most popular “Dotonbori-yaki” full of main ingredients. It goes so well with special sauce.

Other than okonomiyaki, they have a variety of dishes. Among them, I would like you to try “Tonpei-yaki.” Its runny egg is great.

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Pioneer of Osaka’s okonomiyaki. Its appearance with plenty of mayonnaise on it has a strong impact. “Botejyu®︎ Sohonten/Dotonbori”

“Botejyu” was established in 1946 in the town of food mania, Osaka Tamade. The name “Botejyu” comes from the rhythmical expression of turning okonomiyaki with a flat iron as “bote” and grilling on the plate as “jyu.”

Cooking idea of giving flavor with mayonnaise for okonomiyaki, and “Modern-yaki” are also originated by “Botejyu®︎.”

Fresh cabbage and well selected meat and seafood are generously added to their original dough mixed together with Japanese yam and their secret natural broth, and gorgeously grilled on the iron plate by their chef.

Their　sweet, spicy and think　special sauce contains no food additives. Please enjoy their okonomiyaki with this sauce together with creamy white Osaka mayonnaise which was created after trial-and-error.

Recommended Dotonbori-yaki of “Botejyu®︎ Sohonten/Dotonbori” is a gorgeous dish, having beef, pork, prawns, and chunks of squid, and octopus extravagantly.

Flour which was milled carefully and mixed originally is mainly used for its dough. So, outside is crisp and inside is soft and puffy.　Refined fragrance of natural stock made mainly with seafood emphasizes the original taste of luxurious ingredients.

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Famous restaurant for those in the know. “Fukutaro” is recently drawing attention of foreign tourists with okonomiyaki and negiyaki.

Signature menu od “Fukutaro” is negiyaki, which looks the same as okonomiyaki.

It seems that, for locals, negiyaki has to be the one of “Fukutaro.” It is really delicious, indeed.

I personally like “Mochi to Cheese no Negiyaki (or negiyaki with rice cake and cheese).” Melting cheese goes very well with sauce.

Their attractive menu includes not only negiyaki, but also B-grade gourmet (which means cheap and nice dishes) such as okonomiyaki and yakisoba to steak of Japanese Black beef. You can enjoy a wide range of food genre here.

Their okonomiyaki dough is thick and runny. This texture is unique to this restaurant and you would get addicted to it for sure! “Geso shioyaki” is also suggested as squid meat is springy.

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At “Nishiki Warai Dotonbori store” you can enjoy okonomiyaki different from other restaurants.

This okonomiyaki restaurant is from Kyoto. Therefore, you can enjoy different taste from okonomiyaki restaurants from Osaka. Their signature menu “warai-yaki” is highly recommended.

It is their original, and only available at this restaurant. Dough is puffy, and with one bite, fragrance of broth goes through the nose. Since it contains soft noodles, you can enjoy the texture different from the ones of Osaka.

If you are not fond of sauce, “Kyoten-yaki” is suggested. This new wave okonomiyaki is very much like Kyoto as you can eat without any sauce. Fresh daikon radish sprouts are its highlight. Since it has a light taste, it can be a nice snack when you are a little hungry.

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Very thick noodles used for yakisoba and original sauce are favored at “Tsuruhashi Fugetsu Dotonbori Ebisubashi store.”

“Tsuruhashi Fugetsu” is a chain of okonomiyaki restaurants expanding through Japan with Osaka as its center. Their original sauce and very thick egg noodles are famous.

Popular okonomiyaki menu is “Chiitama buta modern.” It is grilled with noodles on top of okonomiyaki full of cabbage, then, finished with egg and cheese on it.

Melting cheese and smooth and chewy texture of noodles make it popular. It is a filling dish.

It is their commitment that each okonomiyaki is cooked by their staff.

Here you can enjoy a genuine taste coming from the place of okonomiyaki.

At supermarkets found in Osaka city, processed yakisoba, okonomiyaki sauce and yakisoba sauce made under the supervision of “Tsuruhashi Fugetsu” are sold. You can buy and use them while staying in the hotel with kitchen facilities or purchase them for souvenirs.

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B-grade gourmet (which means cheap and nice food), okonomiyaki, originated in Osaka.

It is famous now as one of Japanese food getting popular overseas. Please try such okonomiyaki in its home, Osaka.

Here restaurants only in Dotonbori area are on focus, but there are countless okonomiyaki restaurants in Osaka as its battle field. Okonomiyaki served at those battle-winning shops are all great.

Since each restaurant has own commitment or specialty, it would be a good idea to visit different places to compare one another.

While writing this article, I am getting hungry. Okonomiyaki would be my lunch tomorrow.☆

*The information herein is as of March 2020.