Osaka Breakfast: 7 Fantastic Restaurants in Osaka That Open Early

Osaka is Japan's famed gourmet kingdom, and many of its restaurants open early for locals and visitors alike to fill up on a scrumptious Osaka breakfast. Early risers can enjoy all manner of dishes in the morning, from standard breakfasts of toast and coffee to Japanese classics like sushi, chicken cutlet, udon noodles, and more. In this article, we’ll introduce our picks for the best Osaka breakfast spots to kick-start your day the right way!

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1. Endo Sushi [Tamagawa]

Endo Sushi, located in the Osaka Municipal Wholesale Market, is a sushi restaurant that offers the kind of fresh sushi you can only find at a market. Starting your day with the highest-grade sushi is no less than a true luxury! This restaurant is not just particular about their seafood, but their rice as well. It’s quite common for sushi rice to be molded and pressed quite firmly together as "nigiri sushi", but here you can enjoy "tsukami sushi", where the rice is only lightly molded so it stays fluffy and keeps its texture. The restaurant has over 30 seats, but even in the morning it fills up to capacity pretty quickly, so try to get there as early as possible!

Make sure to try the "omakase", a selection of the restaurant's daily recommendations. Leave it up to the professionals to bring you the very best! If there’s anything that you dislike or would like to leave out, don’t be afraid to let them know.

2. Isshin Chabo [Namba]

Isshin Chabo is a cafe built in a remodeled, old detached wooden house. The menu is centered around Japanese-style food, and they’re known for the comparatively large range of vegetables on offer. It’s the style of restaurant where you'll need to take off your shoes before entering. The inside is decorated in a traditional Japanese style, so there’s lots of Japanese furniture like chabudai (low tea tables). This is a space where you can really slow down and relax. 

For breakfast, you can choose between a Taiwanese breakfast or a Japanese breakfast. The Japanese breakfast consists of traditional Japanese-style fare plus miso soup and lots of okazu (small side dishes). The Taiwanese breakfast comes with dishes like soy milk soup. Both offer gentle flavors and are perfect for breakfast while you’re visiting Japan. 

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3. Cafe Tokiona [Tenjinbashi]

Cafe Tokona opens for business from 7:00 am. This cafe offers a wonderful atmosphere, with jazz music and a stylish interior. The shop has a variety of retro American-style furniture and decorations. Its wide variety of wooden furniture is another interesting characteristic.

Their Morning Set, which is available until 10:00 am, comes with thick toast, napolitan, a boiled egg, and salad. You’ll be particularly surprised at how thick the toast is! It’s fluffy and extremely delicious. Of course, it also comes with a drink. 

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4. NORTHSHORE [Kitahama]

Run by an Osakan greengrocer, NORTHSHORE offers a menu based off incredibly fresh fruits and vegetables. Blessed with a riverfront location, this cafe has an interior that is refined and stylish. The whole cafe has great air circulation, so it'll feel wonderful no matter where you sit. 

NORTHSHORE offers an extremely plentiful menu with offerings like such as Tuna Egg Sandwich and Acai Bowl. All of the dishes have a wonderfully bright appearance that perfectly matches the refreshing atmosphere of the cafe itself. Sandwiches are also available for takeout, which are perfect to take with you on a stroll along the river. 

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5. Mingus [Umeda]

Mingus is a curry shop conveniently located just outside the ticket gates at Umeda Station. You'll notice a scent of delicious curry wafting out from this shop. It only has counter seats, which are great for a solo meal in an easygoing, welcoming atmosphere.

The curry rice menu has various options like Chicken Cutlet Curry and Meat Patty Cutlet Curry. With plenty of hearty dishes on offer, this cafe is recommended for anyone who wants to start their morning on a full stomach. 

6. Yossha Shokudo [Izumisano]

Yossha Shokudo is a Japanese dining hall that has been in business for many years. Its popular menu full of common eats is a big part of its appeal. It is operated by a fishmonger, so the dishes made with fish are incredibly delicious. Particularly recommended is the Grilled Mackerel Set Meal, which is a simple, delicious dish that stays true to the basics. 

Visitors can also enjoy Japanese-style breakfast items like their enormous Dashimaki Tamago, a rolled omelette flavored with stock, and their Simmered Mackerel. Plus, the fact that they open from 4:00 am is amazing! This is a location where many fishermen go to eat after they finish work in the morning. 

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7. Naniwaya Shin-Osaka Branch [Shin-Osaka]

This restaurant is located within walking distance from Shin-Osaka Station. Naniwaya Shin-Osaka Branch is an udon specialty shop that is open for business from 7:00 am. In addition to udon, you can enjoy soba (buckwheat noodle) meals, donburi (rice bowls), karaage (fried chicken), and other dishes. All of the dishes get perfect marks for their reasonable prices and heartiness. You'll start your day on a full stomach!

Their Curry Soba, like the name suggests, is curry flavored soup with soba noodles. Just that alone is rich in flavor and delicious, but it also goes great with rice and karaage! Be sure to give it a try. 

This was an introduction to some restaurants where you can start your morning by eating your fill of delicious food. Although they all differ in menu and cuisine, these are all high-quality choices, so you know you'll be starting your day right. Be careful not to do overdo it, though!

 

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The information in this article is accurate at the time of publication.

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About the author

moot333
moot333
I live in Hokkaido, but I used to live in Tokyo, and would often travel around the Kanto region. I enjoy interesting townscapes and ancient culture. I love natural scenery as well!
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