Osaka's Best Restaurant and Bar Openings: Spring 2025

With Expo 2025 currently taking place in Osaka, there's a lot of focus on Japan's second city right now. With that in mind, we thought we'd take a look at some of the best bar and restaurant openings in the region this spring.
List of Contents:
Canes & Tales, Waldorf Astoria Osaka
Sonata Bar & Lounge, Patina Osaka
Sushidokoro Issekis ancho
The Stairs
Brasserie R égine, The St. Regis Osaka
Time Out Market Osaka
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Canes & Tales, Waldorf Astoria Osaka
Canes & Tales, Waldorf Astoria Osaka
An intimate 47-seat cocktail bar tucked away at the end of a dimly lit corridor, Canes & Tales is an extremely sophisticated place to drink inspired by the romance and mystery of the 1930s Golden Age of jazz. Located on the 28th floor of the Waldorf Astoria Osaka— a 252-room luxurious hotel blending New York glamor with Japanese design that opened on April 3 — it pays homage to the hideaway bars of Manhattan.
The opening menu at Canes & Tales is based on
Tales of the Jazz Age
, with the cocktails named after F. Scott Fitzgerald's collection of 11 short stories. This includes 'The Curious Case of Benjamin Button,' which invites customers to choose the age of their whisky. Other highlights are 'Porcelain and Pink,' which mixes vodka and coconut rum, and 'Mr. Icky,' featuring shochu and Campari. Food offerings range from Japanese oysters to a Coney Island hot dog.
See
here
for more information.
Sonata Bar & Lounge, Patina Osaka
Sonata Bar & Lounge, Patina Osaka
Another luxurious hotel that opened in the city this spring was Patina Osaka, which is where you'll find the one-of-a-kind space, Sonata Bar & Lounge. Located on the 20th floor of the building, it boasts stunning views of Osaka Castle, particularly from the terrace. There's a wide selection of classic and signature cocktails to choose from, such as Moonshot with miso, shiso, cardamom and soda. The creative cocktails pair nicely with bar snacks and pintxos.
In front of the bar is a large upcycled painting by Wataru Hatano titled 'Mud,' that incorporates soil unearthed during the construction of the hotel. What truly sets Sonata Bar & Lounge apart, though, is its listening lounge featuring a wall of Japanese-made vintage analog speakers. Every night, staff members take it in turns to play a selection of tracks from the bar's vast record collection, which includes jazz, soul and Japanese city pop.
See
here
for more information.
Sushidokoro Issekisancho
Sushidokoro Issekis
ancho
A three-minute walk from Shin-Fukushima Station, Sushidokoro is the newest branch of the renowned Tokyo-based Issekisancho restaurant group. The concept of the eatery is 'affordable luxury.' It can achieve this by purchasing large quantities of high-quality seafood directly from fishing ports rather than going through traditional markets. Guests can choose from four courses, all of which feature a range of sumptuous sushi plates as well as chawanmushi, assorted appetizers and milkshake shaved ice.
Tucked away in a back alley, the restaurant has a hideaway feel to it with an interior that's stylish yet cozy. Guests sit around the counter as the chef works his magic, incorporating subtle innovative touches to elevate the sushi plates. On June 22, the Issekisancho Club will open, transforming the sushi restaurant into a bar from 10 p.m. until 3 a.m. The menu will feature a variety of drinks, including original cocktails with plenty of seasonal fruits.
See
here
for more information.
The Stairs
The Stairs
Opened on April 3, The Stairs is a sophisticated rooftop bar in the upscale entertainment district of Kitashinchi, which is just a 10-minute walk from JR Osaka Station. With breathtaking views of the city skyline, it has quickly become a hot spot for visitors to the area. The bar was designed by Yasumichi Morita, a renowned interior designer known for his works all over the world, including in New York, London, Shanghai and Hong Kong.
The Stairs can be enjoyed as a shisha bar or as a setting for some casual drinks and a bite to eat. In addition to the various champagne options, highlights on the menu include the bar's signature cocktails, such as the Mexican Herb Squash with homemade herbal tequila, grapefruit juice and tonic water, and Kitashinchi Bijin with tea gin, chai syrup, shochu, lemon juice and egg white. There are four nightly piano performances, starting at 7:30 p.m.
See
here
for more information.
Brasserie Régine
Brasserie R
égine, The St. Regis Osaka
Opened on April 3, Brasserie R
égine
is a refined eatery with a classic Parisian ambiance. Housed within the elegant European-style hotel, The St. Regis Osaka, it features an open atrium, high ceilings and an impressive outdoor terrace. A restaurant that expresses the charms of both Osaka and Paris, it blends fine dining qualities with a more relaxed, accessible atmosphere, making it great for both special occasions and for casual dining experiences.
The menu is overseen by Ryuta Iizuka, who trained at Michelin-starred restaurants in France before opening Ryuzu in 2011, which also received two Michelin stars. His dishes at Brasserie R
égine
honor the soul of traditional French cuisine yet are arranged in a way to suit modern sensibilities. Highlights include pate en croute, beef cheek braised in red wine with roasted root vegetables and mousse de fromage blanc with strawberry coulis.
See
here
for more information.
Time Out Market Osaka | Kisa Toyoshima
Time Out Market Osaka
The Grand Green Osaka South Building, which houses 55 shops and restaurants, opened on March 21. It boasts some great dining options, not least on the basement floor where you'll find the world-renowned Time Out Market. A concept that started with a single market in Lisbon in 2014, Osaka is its 11th location globally and first in Asia. It spans a huge 3,000-square-meter space with 17 carefully selected kitchens and two bars offering premium alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages.
The market showcases Osaka's vibrant food culture. From Ayamuya — the first restaurant in the city to receive a Michelin star for its yakitori — to the Mexican fine-dining eatery, Saboten Taqueria, visitors have some amazing options to choose from, with dishes prepared by an all-star lineup of local chefs. Koala Shokudo, serving Osaka staples such as okonomiyaki and pork belly yakisoba, is another firm favorite. There are also regular events, such as Latin music nights every Friday.
See
here
for more information.
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Sulnoon: Serving Up the Authentic Flavor of Pyongyang Cold Noodles in Chiba

Korean-style cold noodles is a familiar dish in Japan, where it is known as reimen . Brought by Korean immigrants in the 1950s, the chewy noodles in chilled broth are relished as a cooling treat during the warmer months and other times of the year. Moon Yeon-hee takes the cuisine back to its northern roots at her restaurant Sulnoon with a recipe for Pyongyang cold noodles that has been in her family for generations. The tradition of making the noodles started with her grandmother, who operated a restaurant specializing in raengmyon , the North Korean variation of the dish, in Haeju in South Hwanghae Province. Her mother also served up bowls as a cook at one of the best hotels in Pyongyang and taught the technique to Moon, who now carries on the culinary tradition. Moon followed a circuitous route to Japan after fleeing her homeland when she was 25. Wanting to share the traditional flavors of her home with Japan, she opened Sulnoon with her Japanese husband in the prefectural capital of Chiba in March 2024. The restaurant's name means 'New Year snow' in Korean, carrying with it an auspicious connotation of good things to come. A bowl of Pyongyang cold noodles at Sulnoon. (© Gomi Yoji) Pyongyang cold noodles are made primarily from buckwheat flour, giving them a distinct fragrance and dark tint not unlike Japanese soba. The dish dates from around North Korea's founding in 1948. It first appeared at stalls and restaurants in the capital and quickly proved a popular favorite, with connoisseurs even purporting that the flavor would haunt the dreams of anyone who had eaten a bowl. The dish has deep cultural and social importance as the culinary symbol of the North Korean capital. When South Korean President Moon Jae-in met his counterpart Kim Jong-un for a historic summit in 2018, the leaders famously dined on raengmyon prepared by a chef from the iconic Pyongyang restaurant Okryugwan, sparking interest in the noodles in the south. Moon notes that most renditions of cold noodles enjoyed today have changed from the original form of the dish. In North Korea, for instance, starch is commonly added to noodles to make them chewier, and chicken is the norm for making the broth rather than pheasant meat, which was used early on. Toppings typically include generous helpings of sliced cucumber and pear along with boiled eggs. In South Korean, too, the dish has taken on a distinct local flair as Pyongyang cold noodle restaurants, most of which were opened by northerners who came around the Korean War (1950–53), have adjusted their offerings to match local tastes. Japan's Morioka reimen is another regional rendition that features wheat noodles stiffened with starch and a soup made from beef, pork, and chicken topped with a hardy serving of kimchi to add a touch of heat and sourness. At Sulnoon, though, Moon recreates the authentic taste of Pyongyang's beloved dish. She makes her noodles in the traditional style with buckwheat flour and uses beef, pork, chicken, and all-natural seasonings to create her stock, making certain to carefully skim off any impurities for a clear broth rich in flavor. Customers who prefer more of a kick can ask for red chili paste, but the clear soup is the best way to experience the original flavor of raengmyon . Moon Yeon-hee at her restaurant Sulnoon, near Keisei Inage Station. (© Gomi Yoji) Whispers from the Outside Moon was born in the eastern port city of Wonsan in 1991, where lived until her parents moved to Pyongyang when she was in junior high. However, her family roots are in the south of the Korean Peninsula and Japan. In the 1930s, her grandparents left their home on Jeju Island and settled in Asakusa in Tokyo, where they served in the leadership of Chongryon (the General Association of Korean Residents in Japan). When North Korea called on Zainichi Koreans (ethnic Koreans living in Japan) to return during the repatriation movement (1959–1984), her grandparents along with her mother and father, who were still children at the time, were among the initial wave of the some 93,000 people who eventually relocated from Japan. Boats moored at a port in Wonsan, North Korea. (© Pixta) Moon's family was well off by North Korean standards. When famine ravaged the country in the mid-1990s, they received financial support from connections in Japan and were mostly untouched by the calamity, although the hordes of orphaned children called kotjebi who roamed the streets in search of food served as a stark reminder of the disaster. Although among the privileged class, Moon began to harbor doubts about her homeland. In high school she witnessed the public execution of a friend who had been caught selling pirated DVDs of South Korean dramas, a shocking event that struck her as inordinately cruel. Having connections with Japan made her and her family members the brunt of discrimination and claims of having been 'poisoned' by capitalist ideas. Moon's skepticism grew, and seeing no future for herself in North Korea, she made the decision to flee to the south. A Treacherous Journey Getting out of the country was an arduous and dangerous task. The first leg of her journey was a 12-hour car ride from Pyongyang north to the border town of Hyesan. There she paid a Chinese broker $3,000 to facilitate her escape. On a dark, rainy May night, she crossed the swollen river dividing North Korea from China alone and spent the next two days waking nonstop without food or water to evade Chinese authorities. Over the next three weeks she made her way by train and car to Laos, where she charged into the South Korean embassy and asked for asylum. A truck crosses from China to North Korea over the Tumen Border Bridge in 2009. (© Jiji) Having made her escape, Moon settled into a new life in South Korea. She initially relied on government support provided to those who had defected from the north, which included a monthly stipend, a one-room apartment, and basic necessities. She found work and studied to become a certified bookkeeper She felt immense gratitude for being welcomed into South Korean society and took citizenship after about a year—she remembers tears welling up in her eyes the first time she looked at her new passport. Her mother and younger brother had also defected, and in 2019 the three opened a Pyongyang cold noodle shop in Seoul. Recreating the Flavor of Home Running her restaurant, it was obvious that her beloved raengmyon was in decline. North Korea was still shut to foreigners due to the pandemic and many of the Pyongyang cold noodle restaurants in China and Southeast Asia had been forced out of business by UN sanctions. In Japan, too, the dish had changed to fit local tastes, making an authentic bowl almost impossible to find. It was around this time that Moon met and married her Japanese husband Katsumata Shigeru. Looking at the state of raengmyon and hearing stories from her parents' time in Asakusa, she was inspired to come to Japan and open a restaurant specializing in cold noodles based on her mother's recipe. When the couple opened Sulnoon, Moon's story drew the media's attention, bringing with it a steady stream of customers eager to try 'real' Pyongyang cold noodles. The cozy shop quickly gained a reputation as a must-try place, and it still enjoys a steady stream of weekend foot traffic. Dappokusha Support Network Moon is among some 200 North Korean defectors, known as dappokusha in Japanese, who have settled in Japan. Most, like Moon, are from long-established Zainichi Korean families. South Korea, by contrast, has around 33,000 North Korean defectors, to whom the government provides training programs and other assistance to aid in adjusting to life in the country, which has enabled many to forge successful careers in fields like journalism, politics, and business. Japan, on the other hand, lacks a well-established support system for dappokusha . The Korean Residents Union in Japan (Mindan) offers some assistance, but the amount is far below what most recipients need to become fully independent. Subsequently, many dappokusha are forced into insecure jobs in construction or the night entertainment industry just to make ends meet. Dappokusha are stigmatized in Japan, but Moon is open about being from North Korean and readily shares about her life and experiences in the country as well as her escape. She is aware that some people are prejudiced toward Koreans, but she is undaunted by such views, declaring that 'I want to show what life is like for North Koreans. It's a dark reality, but by being frank and upfront about it, I want to change people's perspective for the better.' Looking Back, Looking Forward Japan has proved to be different from what Moon initially expected. 'In South Korea, I often heard that Japanese can be quite cold and distant,' she says. 'But nothing could be further from the truth. Everyone has been so incredibly kind and supportive.' She looks forward to interacting with her customers each day, some of whom have traveled from as far away as Hokkaidō and Okinawa just to taste her Pyongyang cold noodles, and takes great pleasure in hearing their satisfied exclamations after a meal. The homemade kimchi she serves at the restaurant has been especially well received, and Moon's next ambition is to establish a factory to up production, confidently declaring, 'I've set myself a goal of five years.' Moon packs her homemade kimchi. (© Gomi Yoji) Moon has big dreams, including opening restaurants in other areas of Japan. As she plans for the future, she takes strength from her memory of crossing the swollen river at the North Korean border on that dark, rainy night. 'Nothing compares to the fear I felt at that moment,' she says, a smile spreading across her face. 'Not even close.' The interior of Sulnoon. (© Yamashita Tatsuo) Sulnoon 2-5-27 Chitose Building 1F, Inage Ward, Chiba, Chiba Prefecture Tel.: 043-216-2866 Open 11:30 am to 2:30 pm for lunch, 5:00 pm to 9:00 pm for dinner (except on Tuesdays) Closed Wednesdays and the second and fourth Tuesday of each month (Originally published in Japanese. Banner photo: Moon Yeon-hee and her husband Katsumata Shigeru; Sulnoon's specialty, Pyongyang cold noodles. © Gomi Yoji.)

Kyodo News

16 hours ago

• Kyodo News

Kyodo News Digest: June 21, 2025

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Asahi Shimbun

17 hours ago

• Asahi Shimbun

VOX POPULI: It's never too late to learn as I'm happily finding out late in life

When I was in senior high school, there were two tricks I relied on to help myself get through boring classes. One was to look at an atlas and go on an imaginary trip, riding trains freely and travelling upriver. Another was to open my copy of 'Kokugo Binran' (Japanese literature handbook), a hefty reference book that contained facial photos of famous authors, a chronology of literary history, and so on. On a bald portrait of poet Masaoka Shiki (1867-1902), I once used a pencil to give him long tresses. On another occasion, I kept gazing at a 'pike and shield' diagram of ancient China. Although I used the handbook only once or twice for schoolwork, I always kept it handy during Japanese class. 'Karaa-ban Shin Kokugo Binran' (Revised edition of Japanese literature handbook in color), published by Daiichi Gakushusha Corp., is registering unprecedented sales among adults. The book sold out after it went viral on social media in late March. When it was reprinted and sold by online lottery, the ratio of lottery winners against applicants exceeded 1 to 10. I was finally able to get a copy the other day. Jogging my memory and feeling nostalgic, I have been poring through it ever since. It has a relationship diagram of characters in 'Genji Monogatari' (The Tale of Genji), and a special feature on 'war and literature.' There is even a guide on how to make a presentation, which seems to be indicative of the present day. Re-reading the book for the first time in ages, I was surprised by the sheer richness of the information contained in just one volume. A spokesperson for the publisher noted, 'Because most purchasers were women at first, we presumed they were fans of games and manga featuring famous literary greats. More recently, however, the book seems to have caught the interest of more readers across generations.' My desire to learn again has been fired up, too. In the margin on one page of the book, I came across this gem that goes to the effect, 'Learn when young, and you will achieve great things in your prime. Learn in your prime, and your mind will not decline in old age.' There is no time like the present. When learning is involved, I am sure there is no such thing as 'too late.' --The Asahi Shimbun, June 21 * * * Vox Populi, Vox Dei is a popular daily column that takes up a wide range of topics, including culture, arts and social trends and developments. Written by veteran Asahi Shimbun writers, the column provides useful perspectives on and insights into contemporary Japan and its culture.