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Osaka is one of the best foodie destinations in the world! And to make sure you get to taste the best this city has to offer, here are the best food tours in Osaka.
While sometimes overlooked, Osaka is one of the top places to visit in Japan for first-timers, and especially for foodies.
As soon as you set foot in Osaka, it becomes obvious that food plays an important role in this city’s life.
The streets are packed with small, crowded eateries everywhere, filled with locals eating, drinking, and laughing.
I loved spending three delicious months slowly wandering my way through the food scene, finding the best cheap eats in Osaka, trying snug udon restaurants, and joining the local crowds at beloved neighborhood takoyaki stands.
It was glorious!
However, I’m fully aware that not everyone can spend three months eating their way around Osaka. So, the best way to get a condensed version of that is by joining a food tour, where you get to try various local dishes in the company of a local guide.
What I love about food tours is that you get a lot of insightful information about the city, while exploring it on foot, AND you get to try the local food.
It’s informative, you get to do sightseeing, and get fed, all in one convenient package!
So without further ado, here are the best food tours in Osaka:
- Disclaimer: I have not personally taken any of these tours myself, as I fully enjoyed discovering the city and the food scene at my own pace while living there.
- These tours have all been chosen based on their excellent reviews, and these are the ones that I would take myself if I were looking for one.
5 Best Food Tours in Osaka: Takoyaki, Kushikatsu, and More Local Dishes
Osaka: Shinsekai Food Tour with 13 dishes at 5 eateries
After meeting with your tour guide at the Dobutsuen-mae Station, this Osaka food tour takes you through the retro streets of Shinsekai, where you will visit five different little eateries.
Shinsekai is a vibrant district in Osaka packed with small restaurants, dive bars, and lots of history, which you will also learn about as you make your way to your next foodie stop.
This Shinsekai food tour takes you off the beaten path to discover Osaka’s authentic delicacies, from the iconic takoyaki to flavorful yakitori, the local kushikatsu, and much more.
Stopping by five different types of snug local restaurants, this is one of the best food tours in Osaka to get a taste of the local dishes while exploring with a knowledgeable guide, making for the perfect introduction to this incredible foodie city.
This is also one of the most popular food tours in Osaka, with a very high rating and a high number of reviews.
Overview Osaka: Shinsekai Food Tour with 13 dishes at 5 eateries
- Rating: 4.8/5 stars ⭐ (1,568 reviews)
- Departure Time: 5:30 pm
- Duration: 3 hours
- Group size: 9 participants
- Price: $88 per person
- Includes: Food at 1 stall, 1 gastrobar, 1 classic eatery, 1 izakaya, and 1 specialized restaurant (13 dishes in total), plus two drinks (alcohol and non-alcoholic).
Check availability for one of the best food tours in Osaka here:
Osaka: Guided Food tour of Shinsekai with 15 dishes
This next Shinsekai food tour takes you through this vibrant district, stopping at five different eateries where you’ll get to try everything from tasty udon and crunchy karaage to the unmissable takoyaki.
Different from the previous Shinsekai tour, this one features 15 dishes, so two more than the last.
With their experienced guides, this Osaka food tour will take you to visit some hidden gems in the fun Shinsekai neighborhood, where you will learn more about the area as you get to try various dishes in snug local eateries.
This is the perfect tour for foodies and adventurous travelers, as you deep dive into Osaka’s street food scene with a side of history and insider knowledge for a well-rounded tour.
This guided food tour of Shinsekai has a higher rating than the previous but a smaller number of reviews, so it kind of evens out. I don’t think you can go wrong with either of them.
Overview Osaka: Guided Food tour of Shinsekai with 15 dishes
- Rating: 4.9/5 stars ⭐ (666 reviews)
- Departure Time: 5:30 pm
- Duration: 3 hours
- Group size: 8 participants
- Price: $88 per person
- Includes: Food at 1 izakaya, 1 stall, 1 standing bar, and 2 restaurants (up to 15 dishes in total), plus two drinks (alcohol and non-alcoholic).
Check availability for one of the best food tours in Osaka here:
Osaka Izakaya Bars Guided Walking Tour
This is more of a casual bar-hopping tour with a guide, where you’ll get to explore some locally loved spots in the buzzing Dotombori and Uranamba.
Starting later than the other tours, this Osaka food tour allows you to see the city come alive at night, with locals meeting at the snug eateries and tiny bars that you’ll explore with your guide.
You’ll start the tour in the heart of Osaka, in the Dotombori area, where your guide will first show you around some temples and hidden alleys before you start your foodie adventure in Uranamba.
In this Osaka tour, you will get to try local beers, spirits, Japanese sake, and some small local dishes at the izakaya bars.
This is the perfect tour if you maybe don’t want to commit to trying too many unknown dishes, you still get an informative tour, and get to try some small snacks and drinks to get a taste of the Osaka nightlife.
The groups are small, and the bills get split at every stop, so make sure to bring cash with you.
Overview Osaka Izakaya Bars Guided Walking Tour
- Rating: 4.9/5 stars ⭐ (271 reviews)
- Departure Time: 8:00 pm
- Duration: 3 hours
- Group size: 8 participants
- Price: $40 per person
- Includes: Local guide and walking tour.
Check availability for one of the best food tours in Osaka here:
Osaka: 2-Hour Kuromon Market Walking Street Food Tour
Explore Osaka’s famous street food scene with this 2-hour Kuromon Market tour, where you will get to wander through the buzzing food market accompanied by a local guide.
Kuromon Market is also known as the “Kitchen of the Nation”—aka, a foodies dream—an important culinary center in Japan, with most of the stands still being family-owned businesses.
This locally beloved market can be a daunting place to explore as a lonely tourist, so the best way to venture into the market is with an experienced local guide who can help you navigate and taste some of Osaka’s famous dishes.
In this Osaka food tour through Kuromon Market, you will get to try Osaka’s iconic takoyaki, smoky yakitori, grilled scallops, and more—so make sure to come hungry!
As you wander from one stall to the next, your guide will share with you insights into the culture as well as the fascinating history of this iconic market.
Overview Osaka: 2-Hour Kuromon Market Walking Street Food Tour
- Rating: 4.6/5 stars ⭐ (233 reviews)
- Departure Time: 11:00 am
- Duration: 2 hours
- Group size: 8 participants
- Price: $51 per person
- Includes: 5-6 food samplings, tour with a certified local guide.
Check availability for one of the best food tours in Osaka here:
Osaka: Small group, big flavors and hidden local secrets tour
If you’re looking for an Osaka food tour that takes you off the beaten path, then this small group tour is the one for you.
Together with your guide, you will explore Osaka’s Tenma and Kyobashi food scene, where you will get a more authentic side of the city away from the Dotonbori crowds.
In this off-the-beaten-path Osaka food tour, you’ll get to taste 15 local dishes that highlight the city’s food heritage, all paired with the perfect drink for a well-rounded foodie experience.
This tour is great for the traveler with a bit of extra time to spend in Osaka, or a second-time visitor, as it allows you to deep dive into lesser-known areas of the foodie city.
In Tenma, your guide will show you hidden gems, historic landmarks, and charming traditional shops while stopping to taste some local dishes.
Arriving in Kyobashi, you’ll notice how different the vibe is between these neighboring areas, with Kyobashi’s more eclectic vibe, while keeping a very local feel to it.
What I love about this tour is that, besides focusing on the food, the purpose is to take the traveller through an immersive and local experience of Osaka, in unique neighborhoods normally left unvisited by the passing tourist.
Overview Osaka: Small group, big flavors, and hidden local secrets tour
- Rating: 4.8/5 stars ⭐ (249 reviews)
- Departure Time: 6:00 pm
- Duration: 3 hours
- Group size: 6 participants
- Price: $99 per person
- Includes: A full dinner’s worth of food, 3 restaurant visits, up to 3 drinks, and train fare (a short 4-minute ride).
Check availability for one of the best food tours in Osaka here:
Final thoughts on the best food tours in Osaka
While these are all great options for discovering Osaka’s food scene, I think this is the best way to decide which Osaka food tour is right for you:
| Food Tour | Type of Traveler |
|---|---|
| ⭐️ Osaka: Shinsekai Food Tour with 13 dishes at 5 eateries | First-time traveler to Osaka wanting to cover the essentials. |
| ⭐️ Osaka Izakaya Bars Guided Walking Tour | Already made plans for the day, but want to add a fun activity at night. (More bar-hopping, less foodie than other tours) |
| ⭐️ Osaka: Small group, big flavors, and hidden local secrets tour | Off-the-beaten-path traveler or second-time visitor to Osaka, ready to explore more local neighborhoods. |
| ⭐️Osaka: 2-Hour Kuromon Market Walking Street Food Tour | Lunch time food tour for the traveller wanting to sample the essentials, and then keep going on with their itinerary. |
With so many incredible dishes to try in Osaka and an endless amount of little stalls and street food stands to explore, doing it all with a guided tour is the best and most efficient way to fit as much as possible into a probably already packed itinerary.
This way, you get to sample all the unmissable local dishes while also learning more about the culture, the city, and Osaka’s iconic culinary scene.
I hope that this guide to the best food tours in Osaka helps you on your search for the next activity to add to your Osaka itinerary, and I hope you love this foodie city as much as I do.
Which food tour do you think is the right one for you? Let us know in the comments.