Top Osaka Food Tours Worth Booking to Taste the Best Osaka Street Food! — *Takoyaki, the most iconic street food in all of Osaka*

Welcome to the Kitchen of Japan! If you’re planning a trip to Osaka, you’ll definitely heard that Osaka is hands down one of the best cities in Japan for food lovers, and if you’re anything like me, you’ll want to eat your way through every street stall and market for the best Osaka street food that you can find.

Kushikatsu, Takoyaki, Okonimiyaki, Unagi Grilled Eel, so much good food, so many options, and that’s kind of the problem isn’t it? Finding the very best Osaka stret food can be tricky when you don’t know where to start. That’s why I’ll always recommend joining an Osaka food tour. In this blog post I will share with you a handful of my personal recommendations for the best Osaka food tours that I’ve joined. So, let’s get eating!

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Why Take a Food Tour in Osaka?

After a day of exploring the famous sights of Osaka like the Osaka Castle or the menacing Namba Yasaka Shrine, you’ll want to slow down and explore the Osaka street food scene, after all, the city IS lovingly called the “Kitchen of Japan”.

From sizzling takoyaki to hearty okonomiyaki, the city is overflowing with street food stalls, local izakayas, and bustling markets. But with so many options, it can feel overwhelming trying to figure out where to eat and which spots are truly worth it. Places like Dotonbori and Kuromon Ichiba Market are famous for a reason, but the long queues and endless choices can make it tough to know if you’re actually getting the best Osaka street food experience. That’s why Osaka food tours are so great.

Booking an Osaka street food tour means you’ll have a local English speaking guide who knows exactly where to go and what to order. Instead of wasting time waiting in line at subpar tourist-heavy stalls, you’ll be taken straight to hidden gems and authentic eateries that only local foodies know. Plus, you’ll get to try a variety of dishes in one go like golden deep fried kushikatsu in Shinsekai to melt-in-your-mouth tuna sashimi at Kuromon Ichiba Market.

What to Look for in a Food Tour in Osaka?

There are plenty of Osaka food tours available for you to choose from but a lot of them vary in quality (and quantity in terms of food you get to taste). Therefore, it definitely helps to know what to look out for such as the types and amounts of foods on offer, whether it’s a group or private tour, dietary restrictions (especially seafood), location of the tour, etc…

Below, I’ll share some important details to consider when choosing an Osaka food tour.

What Foods are Included in the Osaka Food Tour?

One of the best things about booking an Osaka food tour is that you get to try a real variety of dishes instead of just sticking to one or two. A good Osaka street food tour will let you taste a mix of savory, sweet, and local favorites, giving you a full picture of what makes this city such a paradise for food lovers.

Here are some of the most iconic Osaka street foods you’ll usually get to try on a food tour:

Takoyaki - pancake-y octopus balls, crispy outside, gooey inside with octopus filling
Okonomiyaki - a savory Japanese pancake loaded with toppings
Kushikatsu - deep-fried skewers of meat, seafood, and vegetables, eaten with dipping sauce
Fresh seafood - grilled scallops, oysters, sashimi, grilled eel, anything from the ocean
Wagyu beef skewers - melt in your mouth slices of premium Japanese beef
Ramen or Udon - hearty bowls of noodles with a warm comforting broth
Taiyaki or Mochi - classic Japanese sweets, pancake with filling, rice cakes with filling

These are just some of the iconic eats you can find in Osaka, an I guarantee that you’ll get a chance to sample most if not all of these in the Osaka food tours that I picked out for you below. Check out my post on the Must-Try Osaka Street Foods if you want to go on the hunt for more delicious eats.

Oh, and with great food culture comes great drinking culture, and Osaka has no shortage of that ;) So with some of these tours you’ll also get the chance to dive into an ocean of sake and beer at some of the city’s many izakayas (Japanese style bars).

Dietary Concerns in These Osaka Food Tours

Something you need to be aware of before joining an Osaka food tour is that seafood is a huge part of Japanese cuisine and Osaka has A LOT of seafood. You’ll find plenty of dishes featuring octopus, shrimp, fish, crab, and shellfish. If you have allergies or simply don’t eat certain types of food, this can definitely be a challenge.

Usually the main dietary restrictions that these Osaka food tours DO NOT accommodate are:

Seafood allergies
Vegetarians or vegans
Gluten free
Dairy free

Another thing to keep in mind is that Japanese food culture usually doesn't take kindly to adjusting a dish’s ingredients the way you might be used to back home. You’ll likely be met with confusion from servers or disgruntlement from chefs if you ask for an ingredient to be changed or omitted. It’s part of their learnt behavioural culture and also street food and market stalls often prepare items in bulk, so it’s not easy to make changes.

That said, most Osaka street food tours are led by local guides who understand these concerns. So just in case, it’s always best to let your guide know about your dietary needs ahead of time, so in the best case scenario, they can usually find alternatives or help you avoid anything that might not work for you.

Knowledgeable and English Speaking Tour Guides

You’ll be happy to know that all of my recommended Osaka food tours below all have incredibly English speaking tour guides. While Osaka is an incredibly welcoming city with friendly people, not every street food vendor or izakaya owner speaks English. With a guide, you don’t have to worry about language barriers, they’ll handle the communication, explain each dish, and share the cultural background so you actually understand what you’re eating.

A good Osaka street food tour guide does more than just translate. They’ll point out details you might miss on your own, like the history of a dish, the story of a family-run stall, or even tips on how locals eat certain foods.

I remember on my first Osaka street food tour, our guide took us to a tiny kushikatsu shop in Shinsekai. Before we even started eating, she told us about this “double-dipping hack” for the dipping sauce where you use a piece of cabbage to apply the sauce like a brush to your kushikatsu. Little moments and fun tidbits like that make the tour so much more than just eating.

Private vs. Group Osaka Food Tours

And finally, group size can make a huge difference when you’re on eating along in Osaka food tour. Large tours with 20 or more people will definitely feel rushed, and it’s easy to miss the charm of smaller stalls and tastings simply because it’s a hassle to herd around large groups of people.

Small group tours, on the other hand, will definitely give you a more personal experience, you can ask questions, linger over stalls and dishes, and really soak in the atmosphere of Osaka’s bustling food streets.

You’ll be glad to know that all of the tours I recommend in this article are private or small group Osaka street food tours, usually capped at a maximum of 9 people. This means you get plenty of time at each stop, a closer connection with your guide, and a chance to savor each amazing dish without feeling rushed. For me, this is the best way to experience Osaka’s food scene, intimate, relaxed, and full of authentic flavors that make the city so famous.

Recommended: 13 Delicious Dishes Osaka Food Tour

13 Delicious Dishes Osaka Food Tour takoyaki dotonbori — *Those garlic chips are really the icing on the cake for these takoyaki octopus balls*

Without a doubt, my favorite Osaka Food Tour has to be this 13 Delicious Dishes Tour which actually got the 2024 Winner of Viator's 10th Best Experience in the Whole of Asia Award. This 3-hour evening tour (maximum 9 people) takes you off the beaten path to explore the Shinsekai district. where you’ll spend the next few hours eating a variety of tasty dishes with your very knowledgeable English speaking tour guide.

You’ll visit five different places, ranging from hidden backstreet stall to a standing bar, some have even been featured in the critically acclaimed Netflix show “Somebody Feed Phil” When I went I got to try 13 dishes (as the name suggests) such as Takoyaki, Kushikatsu, Kitsune Udon, Nikudofu, Yakitori, Tebasaki, Tonpeiyaki, Oden, and many many MANY more… What’s even better is that 2 alcoholic drinks are included like Sake and Shochu.

I love this Osaka food tour so much, our guide Hochiko, was so passionate about sharing his knowledge and passion for the city with us. While we were walking from destination to destination he even indulged us in some fun trivia. We even got opportunities to interact with local vendors and shopkeepers thanks to Hochiko. This was such a memorable food tour and I honestly couldn’t recommend it enough, and wait until I talk about the price.

13 Delicious Dishes Osaka Food Tour Price and Value

$90 USD per adult. That’s right under $100 and you’d get to sample 13 of the best Osaka street foods, not only that, you get to interact with locals, learn about the history of Osaka, and drink some damn good sake all accompanied by some of the friendliest and funnest tour guides you’ll ever meet. It might sound like I am getting paid to say this but honestly guys I am not. This is such a great tour and I cannot recommend this 13 Delicious Dishes Osaka Food Tour enough.

Makes sense how they won 10th place in Viator’s 2024 Asia Experiences.

Book the 13 Delicious Dishes Osaka Food Tour now!

Deep Backstreet Osaka Tours

For the more adventurous souls amongst us, this Deep Backstreet Osaka Food Tour will bring you on a 3 hour evening tour through lesser-known neighborhoods of Osaka. This is an award-winning tour (ranked the No. 1 walking tour in all of Japan in 2019/2020) available on Viator, and it’s one of the most fun I’ve been on.

This unique Osaka food tour will bring you to eat at 2 family run street food stalls, explore bizarre and outlandish shops in the Osaka retro zone, go on a little urban exploration to abandoned houses and places of worship, and explore the historical ghettos and red light districts that has ties to the Yakuza.

If the 2 food stalls seem a little too light for you then there is an optional dinner upgrade available where the guide (ours was Sasha) will bring you to a local Izakaya to indulge in some amazingly tasty Japanese “soul food”, dishes like Tonpeiyaki (grilled pork and cabbage omlette), Kaarage (fried chicken), Nikudofu (braised beef and tofu), and Yakitori (grilled chicken skewers).

The Deep Backstreet Osaka Tour is a private tour up to a maximum of 15 people, erring on the side of a large but still ok.

Deep Backstreet Osaka Tour Price and Value

With dinner included, this tour is $72 USD per adult which I think is an incredible deal, especially that you get to explore the lesser known and seedier side of Osaka, that’s an experience that I’ll remember forever. Of course the food is also delicious too, especially with the added dinner option. I definitely consider the value of this Deep Backstreet Osaka Tour to be worth the price!

Book the Deep Backstreet Osaka Tour Now!

Absolute Osaka Food Tour

osaka food tour beer and sushi miso soup — Beer, miso soup, edamame beans, and salted mackerel sushi, what could be better?

For a straight forward Osaka food tour that immerses you in the city's vibrant culinary scene, the Absolute Osaka Food Tour is what I would recommend. This 3-hour evening 5:00PM tour is led by an English-speaking guide who takes you off the beaten path to explore hidden alleys and local eateries in the bustling Dotonbori area.

Starting at the iconic neon lit Glico Running Man sign, the tour will bring you to taste delicious Osaka street foods at 4 different stops. You’ll have the chance to enjoy Kushikatsu (deep-fried skewers), Michelin-rated takoyaki (octopus balls), and a traditional Japanese dessert to round off your meal. The tour also includes a drink, allowing you to pair your food with a refreshing beverage.

This is a private tour with a group size of a maximum of 10 people. From my own experience on this tour, Junko was our guide and they brought us to some very interesting parts of Osaka and as well as doing a great job at sharing some of its history. I had the chance to sample some dishes that I would have never ordered on my own. It was a really lovely tour overall and it felt like a local friend showing me around rather than a typical tourist experience.

Absolute Osaka Food Tour Price and Value

While the Absolute Osaka Food Tour is on the shorter side of only 3 hours, I think that it’s well worth the price coming in at $231 USD per adult, we got to spend a good amount of time not just eating at the 4 spectacular restaurants and street food stalls, but we also toured Osaka’s other landmarks and attractions like the Sennichimae Doguyasuji Shopping Street and the Hozenji Temple, sort of like a mini city tour paired with out Osaka street food adventure. So with that in mind, good price to value proposition.

Book the Absolute Osaka Food Tour Tour now!

Bonus: Osaka Backstreet Night Tour

Osaka Backstreet Night Tour osaka street food sake alcohol shochu umeshu japanese izakaya pub — *Alright sir! Gimme some zest with my alcohol!*

Ok this bonus Osaka food tour is more on the side of drinks! After all, Osaka also has a huge drinking culture to pair with all that amazing Osaka Street Food. This night time Osaka Backstreet Night Tour takes you into the backstreets of the Namba and Shinsaibashi district, where the locals actually go to eat and drink.

In this private 8 person tour, your knowledgeable English-speaking guide will take you to hidden izakayas and cozy bars where you’ll try Japanese pub favorites like yakitori (grilled chicken skewers) and takoyaki (octopus balls). And to make things even better, this Osaka food tour includes four drinks in the price, so you can sip on sake, beer, or cocktails as you snack your way through Osaka’s best nightlife spots.

You’ll also have some time to snap a few pictures at iconic Dotonbori landmarks like the Glico Running Man. This Osaka Backstreet Night Tour is perfect if you wanna focus more on Osaka’s drinking culture and experience the true local Izakaya experience.

Osaka Backstreet Night Tour Price and Value

Coming in at $113 USD per adult, I personally think this is a great valued tour, 4 drinks are included, as well as an Izakaya dinner. Though not as varied as the other Osaka food tours on my recommended list, the deeper focus on Japanese pub culture is what makes this tour worth it.

Book The Osaka Backstreet Night Tour Now!

Tips for Eating Street Food in Osaka

If you’re joining one of my recommended Osaka food tours above then you’ll be in good hands and the tour guides should provide helpful information on the etiquette of eating street food in Osaka. However, just in case there are a few things to keep in mind and knowing how to eat like a local will make your experience smoother and more enjoyable.

Here are some practical tips to help you get the most out of Osaka’s street food scene:

Don’t walk while eating - Generally, doing this in Japan is considered rude and unsanitary as bits of food can fall on the floor, it’s also just for you enjoy your food without being in a hurry.
Bring cash - Many street food stalls don’t accept credit cards, so small bills and coins are essential.
Expect queues - Japanese people have no problem waiting for long periods of time. Popular spots, especially in Dotonbori can have long lines, especially at night.
Watch for food waste bins - Bins are notoriously hard to find out in public, Some stalls provide bins, but not all do, so keep an eye out for proper disposal spots. Don’t just litter like a A-hole.
Look out for seasonal dishes - Japanese cuisine revolve heavily around seasonal availability of ingredients, so be on the lookout for some special dishes or snacks that is only available during certain times of the year.

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