The Michelin Guide 2024 for Kyoto and Osaka was just announced, and we’re here to add a few more unforgettable dining experiences to your Osaka and Kyoto itineraries.
We’ll be telling you about Osaka’s Michelin star restaurants here, but if you’re craving Michelin star Kyoto cuisine, these Kyoto restaurants are for you!
Notable Osaka restaurants recognized or added to the Michelin Guide 2024:
1. Matsuzushi (One Michelin Star)
Matsuzushi, with its intimate atmosphere and eight counter seats, has been a must-go spot for sushi in Osaka for over half a century. When Tanigawa Yohei took the reins, he led the restaurant to its first Michelin star with his unique Edo-style sushi.
He uses red vinegar for the sushi rice, complementing the toppings with a sweet, mellow flavor. His fresh fish comes directly from Osaka Bay, allowing seasonal changes to inspire dishes like white shrimp seasoned with konbu, risotto-style steamed shirako (milt) sushi, oyster chawanmushi, and brown sea snail sushi.
Book a table for Michelin star sushi at Matsuzushi!
2. Kushin Garando (One Michelin Star)
Recognized as U Garando in the Michelin Guide, the recently renamed Kushin Garando earned its Michelin star with the bold flavors and innovative Chinese-Japanese fusions of Osawa Hiroaki, an Osaka native who honed his craft in Shanghai.
Alongside traditional, ornate decor, each dish will transport you to a world that blends old-world China with modern Japanese twists. Indulge in char siu melon bread with actual diced melon, Peking duck and clay pot rice that hides underneath kuruma prawn from Kumamoto Prefecture, and so much more.
Book Michelin star Chinese-Japanese fusion food at Kushin Garando!
3. Kashiwaya Kitashinchi (One Michelin Star)
Kashiwaya Kitashinchi comes from the creative mind behind the Michelin-recognized Osaka-based restaurant, Kashiwaya Senriyama. Opened in 2022 in the vibrant entertainment neighborhood of Kitashinchi, this restaurant is all about putting elevated kaiseki cuisine on display, giving you a front-row seat at their single Hinoki cypress counter. For traditional Japanese cuisine at its finest, this is the place to be.
Book Michelin star kaiseki cuisine at Kashiwaya Kitashinchi!
4. Ryoriya Inaya (One Michelin Star)
At Ryoriya Inaya, you’ll get to experience the craft of owner-chef, Inaya Hiroki, a master of Japanese cuisine who sharpened his skills with years at the two-starred Michelin restaurant Uemura in Kobe. His signature dish is earthenware-pot-cooked rice, but seasonal ingredients influence the menu, so you’ll never know what flavors will greet you when you arrive for your memorable evening of Michelin star dining.
Relish Michelin star kaiseki dishes at Ryoriya Inaya!
5. Sawada (One Michelin Star)
Sawada is the Michelin-recognized kaiseki restaurant of Sawada Toshimitsu, known for crafting multi-course dining experiences at their finest. Take a seat at the hinoki cypress counter and prepare for a show — you’ll soon be in awe as you watch Sawada’s Michelin-star-winning dishes come to life, embracing the changing seasons with an ever-changing menu that only accepts the freshest local ingredients.
Reserve your table for Michelin star dining at Sawada!
6. SINAE (One Michelin Star)
SINAE comes from the philosophy behind this Michelin-recognized restaurant: simple, natural, and essence. Applying classic French techniques to local Japanese ingredients to create something entirely new, it’s no wonder dishes like Omi beef tartare, red snapper risotto, and Kumamoto pork shoulder loin earned SINAE a place in 2024’s Michelin Guide.
Reserve your seat at SINAE for Michelin star French cuisine!
7. Le Pont De Ciel (One Michelin Star)
It may not be the newest kid on the block, but forward-thinking Le Pont De Ciel is still as exuberant and steadfast as ever. Nestled within Osaka’s commercial precinct, the French restaurant unveiled a fresh look with a new counter-seating format for its 50th anniversary.
A massive, U-shaped counter surrounds the expansive steel kitchen island, where the executive chef Osamu Ogusu and his team craft a French-rooted, smoke-kissed menu in precise, choreographed movements. Cooking is done on firewood when possible, like the smoked monkfish, grilled seasonal vegetables and roasted lambs. Dine here for assured service, one of the prettiest dining rooms in Osaka and the complete one-Michelin-star culinary experience.
Reserve for Michelin-starred French cuisine at Le Pont De Ciel.
Still craving more Michelin star restaurants in Japan? Explore all this country has to offer, from more Michelin star restaurants in Osaka and affordable Michelin Bib Gourmand restaurants in Kyoto to Tokyo’s best Michelin star spots for foodies.
Osaka Michelin Guide 2024 FAQs
How many restaurants were added to the Kyoto and Osaka Michelin Guide in 2024?
Of the 440 Kyoto and Osaka-based restaurants that were recommended in 2024, 138 were selected, 90 of which were new.
Awarded Michelin stars included:
- Three Michelin Stars: 8
- Two Michelin Stars: 27 (1 new)
- One Michelin Star: 50 (17 new)
- Michelin Green Star: 11 (2 new)
- Bib Gourmand: 117 (8 new)
How does a restaurant get a Michelin star?
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.
Potential Michelin awards include:
One star: “A very good restaurant in this category.”
Two stars: “Excellent cooking that’s worth a detour.”
Three stars: “Exceptional cuisine that’s worth a special journey.”
Bib Gourmand: A restaurant that’s been recognized for high-quality ingredients and standards, yet still retains affordable prices.
Michelin Green star: A restaurant that has been recognized for its eco-friendly and sustainable practices.
