Michelin Bib Gourmand Restaurants in Osaka (2024)

For some of the fanciest dining experiences in Japan, you only need to read through the latest Michelin Guide 2024 for Kyoto and Osaka, featuring irresistible Michelin-recognized restaurants in Kyoto and Osaka. 

But what about if you’re eating your way across Japan on a budget?

That’s where Michelin Bib Gourmand restaurants come in, allowing you to indulge in Michelin-recognized dishes without the hefty price tag. Discover Osaka’s most delicious, budget-friendly restaurants below…

1. Tonkatsu Fujii (Michelin Bib Gourmand)
2. Deli a Casa (Michelin Bib Gourmand)
3. Ricuperare Takuchi (Michelin Bib Gourmand)
4. Oudon Yomogi (Michelin Bib Gourmand)
5. Ishii Jr. (Michelin Bib Gourmand)
6. Macauda (Michelin Bib Gourmand)
7. Ramen Hayato (Michelin Bib Gourmand)
8. Au Soleil Couchant (Michelin Bib Gourmand)

Having a Bib Gourmand status for its tonkatsu (Japanese pork cutlets) says a lot, especially in a city already brimming with similar joints, but Tonkatsu Fujii stands out by its own merits. 

This is where French chef-turned-tonkatsu master coats pork like a Parisian baker and fries them with the precision of a haute cuisine expert. The store uses pork breeds from various regions, including Hayashi SPF (‘Specific Pathogen Free’) pork from Chiba Prefecture, Iwachu pork from Iwate Prefecture and the elusive Tokyo X. 

Occasionally, French technique becomes evident in the use of red wine for the tonkatsu sauces. The set menu includes rice and red miso, accompanied by rock salt, tonkatsu sauce and karashi (yellow mustard) for the proteins. 

Reserve a table at Bib Gourmand joint Tonkatsu Fujii!

A trio of deli, wine bar and cozy trattoria come together in one homey affair at Deli a Casa, the sister store of Il Centrino, a one-Michelin-star located on the same block in Osaka’s Kawaramachi area. 

The well-appointed ground floor becomes the takeaway bar with a lineup of pre-packed hors d'oeuvres and quiches, but head to the upper floor for the Michelin-approved breezy supper. Appetizers of cured meat, salad or ricotta puffs come in a single plate and precede authentic Italian pasta — think lasagna layered with Italian sausage and chestnuts and rigatoni with tomato sauce. 

Delicious natural wines and personable service complete the picture — just make sure to grab the piadina (Italian flatbread) from the deli downstairs before you leave.

Reserve a table at Michelin-approved Deli a Casa!

This vibrant joint near the National Museum of Art is yet another impressive venture from the Michelin-starred "Takeuchi" lineage and has quickly become one of Osaka's most exciting dining destinations. 

Ricuperare Takeuchi is where you go for some fire-fueled Italian grub — and where wood, charcoal and straws are used to cook the meat and vegetables. Diners sit around the counter, watching as the chef lights the firewood to grill Ezo deer loin or bake pistachio bread for bruschetta. 

Pork and beef achieve their ideal texture over the sustained heat of a charcoal fire, while tuna is delicately cooked over smoldering straws. Even the Italian pudding dessert carries a subtle hint of smokiness — the meal starts with fire and, unless you choose otherwise, ends with fire. 

Reserve a table for Italian fares at Ricuperare Takeuchi.

Proprietress and chef Miyamoto Yukiyo from the two-Michelin-starred Oryori Miyamoto always has an eye for the exquisite and delicate. In bringing her ambition to showcase the beauty of dashi, she opted for udon as her blank canvas and opened Oudon Yomogi in Minamimorimachi.

Konbu (dried seaweed), dried mackerel and round herring form the base of her stock, which she seasons only with light and dark soy sauce. Connected to the traditional dining space is the noodle dough maturation area, where Miyamoto and her staff make fresh batches twice a day.

In the evening, the menu expands beyond udon into a wider variety of Japanese-style dishes and hassun (Japanese seasonal appetizer) platters. 

Reserve a seat for Michelin Bib Gourmand Oudon Yomogi. 

Three local chicken breeds from Kumamoto, Wakayama and Akita Prefectures form the backbone of the ever-busy kitchen at Ishii Jr., the laid-back yakitori sibling of the Michelin-starred Torisho Ishii in Osaka. 

The man behind the grill is none other than the skilled apprentice of Yoshitomo Ishii. Michelin-approved omakase-style chicken skewers in the evenings get fervent approval from the late-night crowd. 

Perfectly grilled skewers arrive in well-timed intervals, featuring highlights like liver with black pepper, chicken breast with wasabi, and chicken tail. And just wait until you see the mouth-watering chicken burgers…

Reserve a seat for Michelin Bib Gourmand Ishii Jr! 

Chef and owner Hamaguchi Akihiro strikes a chord with Puglian and Sicilian cuisine at Macauda, Osaka’s quintessential Michelin-featured Italian spot. Tucked away in a back alley of Honmachi-dori, diners flock here for its affordable lunch sets featuring handmade pasta varieties. 

In the evening, Akihiro prepares batches of handmade noodles using just flour and water, true to southern Italian tradition. The next day, these noodles are drenched in sauce and tossed with seafood, such as paccheri (long-tubed pasta) with yellowfin tuna. 

True to southern flavors, the dishes incorporate plenty of fresh tomatoes — used to craft the kind of classic red sauces that immediately come to mind when thinking about Italian cooking.

Reserve a seat for Michelin-approved Italian at Macauda!

Arguably serving some of the best miso ramen in Osaka with a Michelin stamp of approval to back the claim, the line at Ramen Hayato’s storefront often attracts a mix of out-of-town folks and locals. 

Owner-chef Ishigaki Naoto, who honed his craft in Sapporo, established this cozy seven-seater shop with a straightforward menu featuring three types of ramen: shio (salt), miso and shoyu (soy sauce). The miso broth is particularly noteworthy, enhanced with Sichuan peppers for an extra layer of complexity. Each bowl is generously topped with stir-fried bean sprouts and two types of chashu: thick, fatty slices and tender pork cubes.

Note: Reservation is not available from Ramen Hayato. The store closes as soon as stock runs out, so come here earlier in the day than later. 

Just east of Tanimachi-Suji Shopping Street, the France-trained couple who run this Bib Gourmand eatery work to a daily chalkboard menu of part Auvergne-Bouchon repertoire, part bourgeois classics — and a bit of other regional delights. 

The chef oversees the kitchen, while his partner manages the dessert and table service. Hefty servings of seasonal vegetables from the farmer’s market always accompany appetizers of fresh wild amberjack carpaccio, quiche lorraine and smoked salmon rillettes. 

Mains of Basque-style Oyama chicken and pan-fried Spanish mackerel cater to Japanese palates while still reflecting the couple’s love for French cuisine. Dining here is a warm embrace from Normandy.

Reserve a table at Au Soleil Couchant!

Now that you’ve got a taste for the finer things, take your taste buds on a journey of Osaka’s best restaurants, including Michelin Star restaurants in Osaka and Osaka’s 2024 Michelin Guide restaurants!

The Michelin Guide is a prestigious restaurant and hotel rating system created by the French tire company Michelin. It highlights restaurants that are going above and beyond within their chosen cuisine.

A Michelin Bib Gourmand is a restaurant that’s been recognized for high-quality ingredients and standards, yet still retains affordable prices.

A restaurant can receive a maximum of three Michelin stars. Each star signifies a higher level of culinary mastery and overall dining experience.

Restaurants are recommended to the Michelin Guide each year. These restaurants are then visited by official Michelin inspectors, who assess whether a restaurant is worthy of a place in that year’s Michelin Guide.