Osaka cafes for dessert lovers
Right after Tokyo, Osaka is one of Japan’s liveliest and most metropolitan cities with buzzing downtown areas, iconic sights and of course, lots of amazing food.
Aside from takoyaki, Japanese street eats and Butterbeer everything at Universal Studios Japan, Osaka’s dynamic cafe scene is definitely one to check out – especially if you love desserts. With all sorts of cafes clustered around Osaka’s urban hubs of Umeda and Namba, as well as tucked away in quieter corners of the city, there’s plenty to seek out if you’ve got a major sweet tooth!
Before you set off, here are some essentials for your Osaka adventure:
1. Wad Omotenashi Cafe
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Tucked away in the Minami district near Shinsaibashi, Wad Omotenashi Cafe is an oasis of calm in the midst of Osaka’s bustling urban downtown. This cafe serves traditional Japanese tea and sweets in a space that’s a mix of an industrial chic and traditional Japanese teahouse, with concrete walls and wooden shelves filled with tea drinking paraphernalia.
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Take your time with their brewed teas, which are all carefully and precisely prepared. For purists, the ceremonial whisked Matcha and robust Houjicha will definitely hit your benchmark. The Matcha Latte is excellent as well – with all the intensity of earthy ground matcha on a canvas of fresh milk, topped with a light foam cap.
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Regardless of your drink order, they all pair wonderfully with the selection of traditional Japanese sweets on offer, whether it’s the crispy-on-the-outside, chewy-on-the-inside Grilled Mochi with Sweet Soy Sauce, or the extremely popular Matcha Kakigori that’s just the right balance of sweet, bitter and refreshing.
Wad Omotenashi Cafe
Address: Japan, 〒542-0081 Osaka, Chuo Ward, Minamisenba, 4 Chome−9−3 2階
Opening Hours: Daily, 10am – 7pm
2. Dinner & Bar Tsukushinbo
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For stunning plated sweets made by pastry chefs, seek out Tsukushinbo in Namba. Look out for the narrow red door beside the always-busy Route 271 bakery, and head up the stairs.
The dessert to get is definitely the Princess Cake. Limited to only 10 sets per day, this pretty-in-pink creation comprises of piped pistachio and strawberry buttercream sandwiched between delicate macaron shell layers, with fresh strawberry slices and a dusting of icing sugar. Even though the flavors are light on the palette, the cake somehow remains very satisfying.
#KlookTip: Save a weekend to suss out this patisserie, as they only open on Saturdays and Sundays. make a reservation to secure a spot; their cake creations and bakes are very limited as well, so head down early if you can!
Dinner & Bar Tsukushinbo
Address: 2 Chome-3-2 Shibata, Kita Ward, Osaka, 530-0012, Japan
Opening Hours: Saturday and Sunday 11am – 6pm
3. LeBRESSO
Photo Credit: @lebresso.jp on Instagram
Bread lovers, this is your kind of heaven. Located in the Grand Front Osaka shopping centre, LeBRESSO is the place to go for solid espresso drinks and a wonderful variety of open-faced toasts.
Tall, puffy and incredibly fluffy on the inside, LeBRESSO’s freshly baked loaves can be purchased whole, but stop by for some of their Toasts. There’s something for everyone – simple classics like Honey and Butter, the uncommonly-seen Pistachio, as well as more innovative Sour Cream with Brûléed Honey Apple combinations.
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Released on 1 June this year, the Milk Fresh Fruit Toast is a feast for the eyes. A thick slice of buttery brioche is toasted till crunchy-edged, with a generous swipe of homemade whipped yoghurt cheese and a rainbow of sliced fruits. Tarty, creamy and refreshingly sweet, this toast is the perfect start to a summer day.
LeBRESSO
Address: Japan, 〒530-0011 Osaka, Kita Ward, Ofukacho, 4−1 グランフロント大阪うめきた広場 B1F
Opening Hours: 10am – 10pm
4. Gufo Groovy Ice Cream
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If you’re looking for something cold and sweet to beat the heat, Gufo Groovy Ice Cream will have you covered. Just a short 5-minute walk from Shinsaibashi, this soft serve ice cream cafe swirls out everything from basic waffle cones to layered parfaits in mason jars.
The seasonal flavours on the menu rotate frequently, and you can get your swirl of choice topped with biscuit crumble, cake crumbles, sauce drizzles and other toppings. They always have some seasonal special items as well – the current Rock Melon Ice Cream Float is extremely popular, and can be enjoyed to go as well!
Gufo Groovy Ice Cream
Address: 1 Chome-11-9 Kitahorie, Nishi Ward, Osaka, 550-0014, Japan
Opening Hours: Mondays, Tuesdays and Thursdays 12pm – 7pm; Fridays – Sundays 12pm – 9pm. Closed Wednesdays.
5. Satito’s Tableworks
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For a wide variety of rustic bakes with a homemade touch, head to Satito’s Tableworks. Entering the cafe feels as if you’re stepping into someone’s living room, with just a few tables filling the cosy space. Better head down early, as there can be a queue even before the cafe opens.
Photo Credit: @riopman9 on Instagram
The best part about Satito’s – especially if you always want EVERYTHING – is that you can choose between getting whole slices, or tasting plates with 4 mini portions!
Their menu is made up of all sorts of pastries and bakes, from delicate sauce-covered flans to rustic craggy-looking scones. Some crowd favorites to try are the Carrot Cake, Lemon Blueberry Cream Cheese Coffee Cake, Caramel Pudding Slice and Brownies. The Lemon Curd Cheesecake is a particular standout – a rich, silky cheesecake with just enough zest to cut its creaminess.
Satito’s Tableworks
Address: Japan, 〒540-0031 Osaka, Chuo Ward, Kitahamahigashi, 2−17 artagito1961 1FA号
Opening Hours: Friday – Sunday 12pm – 6pm. Closed Monday – Thursday.
6. JTRRD Cafe & Season0
Photo Credit: @dan_fooday on Instagram
Think smoothies are basic? Not at JTRRD Cafe & Season 0. Known for their insanely photogenic Fruit Smoothies, these might just be the prettiest breakfast drinks you’ll ever come across.
There’s no set menu at JTRRD Cafe since they only use fresh fruits that are in season at the time. In line with their aesthetic-centred concept, you order by telling the server what flavours you’d like in your smoothie, and they’ll create it for you! Don’t worry about the smoothies being all style and no substance – they come with layers of chia pudding and greek yoghurt to fuel you till your next meal.
Photo Credit: @yukico_twingram on Instagram
Smoothies aside, you can find a stunning selection of pastries and mini-cakes too! Get a couple of these to-go and have them for later if you’re filled up from the (natural) sugars in all that fruit.
JTRRD Cafe
Address: Japan, 〒540-0032 Osaka, Chuo Ward, Tenmabashikyomachi, 1, 1番1号
Opening Hours: Daily, 10am – 9pm
7. Fukushima Sugar
Photo Credit: @masumi_3pics on Instagram
Cloistered at the corner of an alleyway 15 minutes from Umeda station, Fukushima Sugar makes French-style Japanese pastries that taste just as good as they look. This cosy patisserie has just a few seats lined up by the window.
Head over to the counter for a selection of the day’s bakes. Their Strawberry Shortcake is excellent – delicate vanilla sponge layered with snowy fresh cream and sweet strawberry slices that have a slight tartness to balance out the cake.
It’s hard to find good eclairs, with many mediocre eclairs turning out one-dimensional and much too soft. In contrast, the Eclairs here have a beautiful golden-brown choux pastry shell with that desired crisp exterior, which pairs wonderfully with the piped filling on the inside.
Fukushima Sugar
Address: 6 Chome-22-11 Fukushima, Fukushima Ward, Osaka, 553-0003, Japan
Opening Hours: Wednesday to Sunday 1pm – 7pm. Closed Monday and Tuesday.
8. Eggs ‘n Things
Photo Credit: @masumi_3pics on Instagram
If you’ve been craving for a Hawaii vacation but still haven’t made it there yet, Eggs ‘n Things Shinsaibashi can tide you over till then. The Osaka outpost of the popular Waikiki cafe serves American-style diner classics, but with a Japanese twist.
Definitely get their Pancakes when you drop by. Unlike the usual plate-sized diner-style pancakes drowned in maple syrup and butter that would likely put you to sleep, the pancakes here are smaller and lighter and come in more interesting variations. If you love strawberries and all things pink, the Strawberry Pancakes come with a fluffy mini-mountain of strawberry-infused pink whipped cream. You can even swap the maple syrup out for Guava Sauce!
Eggs ‘n Things Shinsaibashi
Address: Japan, 〒542-0086 Osaka, Chuo Ward, Nishishinsaibashi, 2 Chome−10−2 CriceNikko西心斎橋1階
Opening Hours: Daily, 9am – 10pm.
9. Kohoro
Photo Credit: @mimi_cafe_ on Instagram
For a more classic Japanese coffeehouse experience, head out to Kohoro out in Yodobashi. This quiet coffeehouse is just the place to escape the afternoon summertime heat, and for a satisfactory coffee fix.
You can’t go wrong with their Iced Lattes and Blacks. For something a little more refreshing with a kick of caffeine, the Coffee Jelly served with whipped cream and a pot of syrup checks all the boxes.
Get the Cheesecake Pudding A la Mode if you’re craving a more decadent dessert. Cheesecake and pudding sound intense put together, but the fresh sliced fruit lightens up the dessert considerably!
Kohoro
Address: 3 Chome-2-2 Imabashi, Chuo Ward, Osaka, 541-0042, Japan
Opening Hours: Daily, 11am – 7pm
10. Tonton Cafe
Photo Credit: @mimi_cafe_ on Instagram
For desserts almost too cute to eat, Tonton Cafe is worth the trip out to Nakatsu Station. Tucked away on the 3rd floor, Tonton Cafe serves adorable animal-themed ice cream parfaits with all kinds of colorful toppings – just the thing to beat the summertime heat. One of the most popular items is of course, the Pig Parfait, but do look out for their seasonal special parfaits as well!
Tonton Cafe
Address: 3 Chome-17-2 Toyosaki Kita-ku Ōsaka-shi Ōsaka-fu
Opening Hours: Wednesday – Monday, 11.30am – 7pm. Closed Tuesday.
Take your cafe adventures to Osaka this Summer
Set off to Osaka this summer for the food adventure of a lifetime. Don’t forget to save some extra luggage space for these amazing Osaka Food Souvenirs to take back to your friends and family!
Get a head start on your Osaka summer plans with our Klook Birthday Sale!
For a limited time only, Klook is offering up to RM140 off your holiday activities and experiences. Enjoy 10% off your purchases on Klook with a minimum spend of RM88, capped at RM100 when you key in the promo code “WAHBDAY10”, and 5% off your purchases on Klook with no minimum spend, capped at RM40 when you key in the promo code “WAHBDAY5”.
The Klook Birthday Sale will run from until 30 June 2019, and is valid for one-time use per user only.