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Thanks to its history and unique culture, the Kansai region offers an unparalleled variety of Japanese cuisine. In addition to the local specialties of Osaka, Kobe, and Nara, Kansai has the same inexpensive chain restaurants as Tokyo and a good variety of international food. Outside tourist areas, restaurant staff may not speak English but often exhibit Kansai’s signature friendliness, going out of their way to help.
Japan's first steak house is famed for its superb, hand-fed Kobe beef from a single farm in the nearby city of Sanda. The melt-in-your-mouth sumiyaki (charcoal-broiled) steak is worth its weight in yen and is only served with mustard and pepper. (Don't even think about asking for other condiments.) The dining room's dark-wood paneling and lovely chandelier give it a European air. Be prepared to spend some yen; main courses are phenomenally expensive.
At this elegant dining room, the excellent Kobe beef is sliced thin and cooked before you on a teppanyaki grill along with fresh vegetables and served with pepper, mustard, and soy sauce for dipping. Wakkoqu uses meat from three-year-old cows that have never been bred, which is said to be the reason for its unbelievable tenderness. Lunch set menus are available until 3pm.
With a relaxed atmosphere, A-1 is known for serving thick slices of Kobe beef. The teppanyaki steak (broiled on a hot plate) is cooked in a marinade of spices, wine, and soy and served with charcoal-grilled vegetables and crisp garlic potatoes. The "small" version is enough to fill you up. Four branches are scattered about town, but the main one is conveniently west of Hankyu San-no-miya Station, across from the B-Kobe hotel.
This lively café offers above average French cuisine that you can enjoy on an outdoor terrace—a true rarity in Japan. The menu covers all the bases, ranging from couscous to bouillabaisse. Midway up the hill on Kitano-zaka, it's great for people-watching and is a good stop while cruising the Kitano district. Lunch and dinner sets are reasonably priced.
Housed in the former Kobe Union Church, this café exemplifies Kobe's relaxed beauty. High ceilings, arched windows, and white walls give the dining room a bright, airy feel. It's the perfect place to take a rest from exploring the Kitano neighborhood. The kitchen serves tasty salads and sandwiches, and the bread is baked fresh next door.
Kobe has many excellent bakeries, but this one, a Kobe institution since 1946 with a branch just west of San-no-miya Station, is notable for its fine selection of Japanese-style pastries and breads. Among its most popular items are the kare-pan (curry bread); crispy donut-like snacks filled with a mild curry sauce. Or try the kureemu-pan (cream bread), a much sweeter cream-stuffed alternative.
Even among Kobe's many excellent bakeries, Le Dimanche stands out. The owners bake some of the city's best artisanal bread, seamlessly integrating Japanese and European elements. Unique specialties include the renkon (lotus root) tartine, crème brûlée croissant, and signature viennois aux airelles (Viennese cranberry roll). The second-floor café is bright and airy, with rustic hardwood floors and tables. It's the perfect spot for a light snack while browsing the many boutiques along Tor Road.
The mellow atmosphere at Raja is matched by the delicious Indian food. The restaurant is now in its second generation; the friendly owner-chef is the son of the reputed first Indian chef in Kobe. Among the home-style curries and samosas, vegetarians can find something delicious. Raja attributes the excellence of the tandoori chicken to using the highest-grade charcoal available in Japan. It's on the west end of Chinatown, near Moto-machi. Lunch is cheaper, but dinner sets are reasonably priced.
Onishi has a well-deserved reputation, both with Japanese locals and longtime foreign residents, for serving fine Kobe beef. Steaks are cooked by master chefs in the middle of an enormous counter around which diners sit. Baseball players and sumo wrestlers are among the celebrity patrons.
This place has been famous since 1945 for its Peking duck, flown in fresh from China (it's not cheap). Built at the turn of the 20th century, Totenkaku is in one of Kobe's historic homes. With tall ceilings, red carpets, luxurious curtains, and artwork from China, the dining room itself is worth a look. You can keep the price down by ordering one of the reasonably priced noodle specialties, or by enjoying a set lunch menu.
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