11 Best Restaurants in Kobe, The Kansai Region

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 served with only 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 at bargain prices. The teppanyaki steak (broiled on a hot plate) is cooked in a marinade of spices, wine, and soy, smothered in grilled onions, and served with charcoal-grilled vegetables and crisp garlic potatoes. The "small" or "regular" version is enough to fill you up if you get the full course. 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. There's also a tiny, six-seat branch in Osaka if you don't have time to get to Kobe or can't get a reservation there.

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 its main branch a 10-minute walk north 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 doughnut-like snacks filled with a mild curry sauce. Or try the kureemu-pan (cream bread), a much sweeter cream-stuffed alternative.

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.

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.