Food tour of Osu, Nagoya! 12 recommended local specialties and latest gourmet foods to try while sightseeing or going out

*Prices include tax.
*Please refrain from eating while walking, eat in designated areas, throw away your food in the trash, and follow the rules.
*The information in this article is current as of August 2025. Please check the official website for the latest information.

Nagoya Osu Food Walking Map

Perfect for a quick bite to eat and a drink. International and Nagoya specialty cuisine.

Osu is home to a variety of unique restaurants, from Nagoya specialties to international cuisine. We've picked out some popular restaurants that you should try first when you're in Osu. We'll introduce you to a variety of dishes that will satisfy your hunger or are perfect for a quick drink.

Small size but big impact! "Rockin' Robin"

First, let us introduce you to the photogenic hamburgers at Rockin' Robin Laboratory.

This shop is a takeout specialty store of the American diner "Rockin' Robin" that has branches in Nagoya City. Its pop exterior is particularly eye-catching. Its filling hamburgers made with domestic beef are very popular.

A popular snack for those eating on the go is the "Taberu Aruki Sliders" (3 for 1,750 yen), which are mini burgers about 6cm in diameter placed on top of fries. The toppings are very simple, consisting of just a patty and cheddar cheese. The patty has a strong meaty flavor, and the homemade brown sauce and tartar sauce add richness.
The mini burgers can be ordered individually, making them the perfect size for when you're feeling a little hungry.

Rockin' Robin Laboratory

Aosan's: A restaurant that focuses on local flavors

For those who want a hearty meal, we recommend banh mi, a sandwich that originated in Vietnam.

Ao San's, located west of the intersection of Honmachi-dori and Akamon-dori, is a banh mi specialty restaurant that opened in 2017. The owner, who trained in Vietnam, opened the restaurant with the desire to let people experience the taste of street food, and recreates the authentic taste by using pork liver, a staple in the country.

This is the "Homemade Vietnamese Ham & Pork Liver Paste - R size" (880 yen). The Vietnamese ham is made with three different types of homemade pork ear and tongue ham, pork roast pork, and minced meat "char ua," each with its own unique texture. Crunchy vegetables and coriander add a nice accent.

At first glance it looks voluminous, but the ham is light and the liver paste has no strong flavor, so you can eat it all in one go. The sweet and spicy soy sauce, made by boiling sweet Vietnamese soy sauce, garlic, and sugar, brings out the best in each ingredient. You can customize it to your liking, such as leaving out coriander, so whether you like ethnic food or not, be sure to give it a try.

Blue Suns

"Baobaotei" is a satisfying dish overflowing with juicy meat.

Bao Bao Tei, a baked baozi and dumplings restaurant, is one of Osu's famous gourmet restaurants. It was opened as a sister store by the owner, who trained for a year and a half at the Taipei food stall Da Shanghai Shengjian Bao.

It's a popular restaurant that always has a line, so make sure you leave with plenty of time.

The classic "Roubao" (250 yen) looks like a Chinese steamed bun at first glance, but the key point is that it is cooked on a hot plate and then slightly steamed. It can be said to combine the best of both Chinese steamed buns and Xiaolongbao. The meat bun is wrapped in a thick, chewy skin, and when cooked, it also has a crispy texture that can be enjoyed at the same time.
The meat is packed with flavor and so juicy that the juices spill out, so be careful how you eat it, such as by soaking up the juices first. We also recommend comparing it with "Cui Pao," which uses vegetable filling.

Baobaotei

An evolved and rich lineup: "Gochisou Yakimusubi Onimaru"

The rice balls from Gochisou Yakimusubi Onimaru are your ally when you feel a little hungry.

This is the first Japanese food specialty store opened by Pizzeria Marino, an Italian restaurant chain with branches mainly in the Chubu region, and it is known for its Japanese and Western-style onigiri rice balls.

The rice used is Koshihikari Koshihodama, a large-grain rice that has been carefully selected to be perfect for onigiri. After cooking in a large pot, the rice and side dishes are grilled together. The rows of onigiri rice balls vary in shape and how they are wrapped in seaweed, giving each one a unique character.

This is the most popular dish among women, "Grilled Cod Roe and Camembert" (388 yen). It is a combination of cod roe and camembert sandwiched between rice and an egg. The rice is slightly browned and fragrant, and the crunchy texture and saltiness of the cod roe and the melting camembert go perfectly together. The addition of shiso leaves gives it a refreshing aftertaste. You'll find yourself eating more than one, and it's easy to find yourself eating more than one.

Take a break and sit on one of the chairs in front of the store to enjoy the flavors.

Gourmet Yakimusubi Onimaru Osu Branch

Perfect for a quick drink! The rich flavor of "Old Yabatan" loved by locals

If you want to enjoy a drink during the day, we recommend stopping by "Old Yabatan." Run by "Yabaton," famous for its miso katsu, this restaurant is set up to resemble the original store when it was founded in 1947. It's easy to find, as it's located at the entrance to Kannon-dori, right next to Osu-kannon Station.

The "Mukashi Set" (640 yen) is a great value, with four skewers of kushikatsu. The freshly fried kushikatsu is made with juicy pork from southern Kyushu and is thoroughly drenched in a secret miso sauce. The crispy batter gives it a light texture. The rich, full-bodied kushikatsu is the perfect accompaniment to beer. This is a restaurant worth visiting while sightseeing in Nagoya.

Old Yabatan

Tebasaki Musume: A new soul food sensation that even Nagoya residents recognize

If you're looking to try chicken wings, one of Nagoya's specialties, in Osu, we recommend the chicken wing specialty restaurant "Tebasaki Musume."

At the Tebasaki Summit 2022 held in June 2022, they sold out 11,000 winglets in three days and won the gold medal as voted for by visitors. Due to its popularity, they have attracted attention and opened a store in Osu in August 2022 where customers can dine in.

Usually, most restaurants serve chicken wings that are shaped like a "L" and then broken off to eat, but here they take the time and effort to dismantle each wing one by one, creating a shape that allows you to eat it with one hand while minimizing the chance of getting your hands dirty.

By the way, it was named "Tebasaki Musume" (Chicken Wing Girl) because the meat part of the character looks like a dress.

Take-out orders can be made for three or more skewers, and at the time of this article, we chose three popular varieties out of the 14 available. From the left, they are the "Original" (180 yen), a must-try when visiting Tebasaki Musume, which allows you to enjoy the sweet base sauce directly, the "Terimayo Garlic" (180 yen), with its appetizing garlic, and the fragrant "Green Onion, Salt, and Sansho Pepper" (190 yen).

Deep-fried twice, once in low-temperature oil and once in high-temperature oil, the skin is crispy and the meat is plump and firm.

There are several seating areas inside the shop, making it a comfortable atmosphere even for solo diners. Try changing the flavor with the condiments on each table while finding your favorite flavor.

Tebasaki Girl

From the latest trends to long-established shops! Amazing sweets to fill your stomach!

We will introduce a variety of exquisite sweets to choose from depending on your occasion and mood, including Nagoya specialties, perfect final dishes, and welcome gifts.

Amazing elasticity! The deliciousness of freshly pounded rice "Osu Tokugawaan"

Osu Tokugawaan, a sweet shop where you can eat freshly pounded rice cakes, is a popular shop that has been featured on television and in magazines many times.

Located in Osu Shopping Street, the shop's shop curtain decorated with a family crest and its Japanese appearance are its landmarks.

The standard menu item, "Kinako (2 pieces)" (550 yen), uses an original kinako blend of several types, including Hokkaido's Tamahomare. It is luxuriously sprinkled with smooth kinako that has a strong aroma and sweetness. When you lift the mochi, you can taste the deliciousness that only freshly made mochi can offer, with its soft, stretchy texture and springy elasticity. It is also heavy and satisfying to eat.

You can also make your own "original mochi" by adding espuma cream or vanilla ice cream, or adding red bean paste or smooth bean paste. You can share one set between two people, or order the "two-color mochi set" where you can choose two types of mochi you like and compare them.

Osu Tokugawaan

The festival staple "ar." has been made even cuter

At "ar.", a candy apple specialty store from Nagoya, you can now enjoy candy apples, a festival staple, on a daily basis. The first store opened in Osu, and in less than two years, it has opened stores in Amemura, Osaka, and Matsuyama, Ehime, and is becoming a hot topic, especially among young people.

There are seven flavors of candy apples, including pure cocoa and Uji matcha. I chose the classic "Plain Candy Apple" (M 690 yen). They use seasonal apples, and at the time of this interview, they were the highest-grade "Sun Fuji" apples from Aomori Prefecture.

You can choose between the classic skewered style candy apples or the cut style that is easier to eat. You can enjoy the crispy texture of the candy and the crunchy texture of the apple at the same time. You'll be surprised at how much apple juice fills your mouth. The balance of sweetness and sourness is excellent.

As this shop is popular, if you want to avoid waiting in line or want to be sure to get your hands on one, you can make a reservation via DM on their official Instagram. Please note that reservations cannot be made on the day.

ar.

Nagoya specialties arranged in an exotic style: "Meet Fresh Senimosen Nagoya Osu Branch"

In Nagoya, you can enjoy the classic Nagoya cafe dish of bean paste and butter at a Taiwanese sweets specialty shop. MeetFresh Shen Yu Shen has over 800 stores around the world, mainly in Asia. They offer a wide variety of sweets, including colorful and chewy sweet potato dumplings called "Imoyuan," a dessert made from Taiwanese immortal medicine called "Xiancao," and douhua, carefully crafted from soybeans.

When the Osu store opens in 2022, they will be adding hot sandwiches that are only available in Japan. The most popular item is the "Sweet Potato Bean Paste Butter Hot Sandwich" (495 yen).

The toast is generously spread with butter and is stuffed with sweet potato, red bean paste, and cream cheese. It is tightly pressed so you can hold it in one hand, making it perfect for eating on the go. The lightly sweet red bean paste, fluffy sweet potato, and fragrant butter go perfectly together, and the cream cheese enhances the flavor.

If you enjoy it with a drink such as tapioca, you can experience the flavors of Nagoya and the local area all at once.

MeetFresh Senimosen Nagoya Osu store

"Shinjyume Honten" - a happy sweet treat available for 100 yen a piece

The specialty of Osu Shopping Street is the dango from "Shinjyume Honten." It has been loved by people of all ages and genders for a long time.

It's so popular that long lines form on weekends. There are two types of dumplings, mitarashi and kinako, both of which cost 100 yen each. Some people order both to enjoy the two-sword combo.

They will hand it to you as soon as you order, so it will go smoothly if you have the exact change ready.

The Mitarashi Dango comes with five small dumplings, each perfectly browned. They are dipped in a secret sauce that has been handed down for 50 years, and the lightly sweet soy sauce flavor is hearty and delicious. You won't believe it's only 100 yen, as you'll be satisfied.

Once you've finished eating, throw the skewers away in the skewer case next to the entrance.

Shinjaku main store

A treat to enjoy at night: "Ice cream at 9pm"

Next, we will introduce the "night parfait" style. "Ice at 21" is a night parfait specialty store that is a hot topic in the Kansai region, and opened in Osu in 2022. As the name "21" suggests, the store is open at night.

The parfait menu, which mainly uses Hokkaido milk soft serve ice cream, has a wide variety of flavors, including simple normal, Mont Blanc, chocolate, and fruit flavors, so you're sure to find one that suits your taste. You can also arrange how you eat it by adding your favorite toppings.

The most popular item since the shop's founding has been the "Rich Nama Chocolate" (800 yen). The rich chocolate is not too sweet, and when combined with the soft serve ice cream, it melts in your mouth, filling you with a sense of euphoria. Sweets are a separate stomach! This is the perfect dish to finish off a meal.

It's perfect for eating out, or as a reward after a hard day at work. It's sure to make for a special night out.

Ice cream at 9pm

Recommended drinks for a short break

If you get thirsty while eating your way around, why not take a break? Here are some recommended drinks that are perfect for your tired body after a long day of walking.

"LEMOTTO" - an exquisite combination of sweet and sour flavors

How about a refreshing lemonade to wash down your palate after eating your way around? "LEMOTTO" is a popular lemonade specialty store with a cute package located along Shintenchi-dori.

The "Lemonade Small (ICE)" (400 yen) is served in a unique pouch-like container. It has none of the bitterness that is characteristic of lemons and has a clean aftertaste. The reason for this is that the lemons are peeled by hand, one by one, with a thicker peel. Another key point is that the juice is extracted using a cold-press method that does not destroy the nutrients.

There are a total of 11 other varieties available, including freshly squeezed lemonade with an exceptionally fresh fruit flavor, and flavored lemonades made with strawberry and peach.

LEMOTTO Osu store

Osu is a place where various cultures mingle, with the latest trends and unique styles. If you drop by after sightseeing or shopping, be sure to enjoy a satisfying meal tour.

Originally posted: January 30, 2023
*Some content was updated on August 22, 2025.

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