10 Great Oden Spots in Kobe! From well-loved places locals visit to hidden gems

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Sanuki Menbo Suzume is a place where you can enjoy sanuki udon (Sanuki-style wheat noodles) made by hand in the old fashioned way without leaving Kobe. Their self service oden (Japanese stew) and tempura are also popular.

The interior is clean and calm. The aroma of dashi (soup stock) fills the space, making it a relaxing place where you can feel at ease.

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The handmade udon noodles are said to have a chewy, springy texture and go down smoothly.

The photo shows kake udon. The flavorful dashi broth is just the right strength, and it pairs perfectly with the udon, which has a nice wheat aroma.

Photograph:ランチ会好き

While waiting for the udon noodles to finish boiling, you can enjoy oden (Japanese stew) from the self-service station.

The ingredients, well soaked with flavor, are all said to be excellent. The shiro miso (white miso) sauce is also tasty and goes perfectly with the lightly sweet dashi broth.

Daruma Shoten is a casual izakaya with great access from Kobe-Sannomiya Station. This popular spot is known for its Kyoto dashi (Kyoto-style soup stock) oden and house-made tsukune (chicken meatballs).

The interior is said to be a stylish space with a Japanese modern design. There are also Private rooms, so you can relax comfortably without worrying about the people around you.

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The broth for the oden (Japanese one-pot dish) has a refined taste, and people say they can keep eating piece after piece without getting tired of it.

Along with classic items like daikon radish and chikuwa (tube-shaped fish cake), they also offer plenty of unusual choices. Among them, the “Tomato Cheese” is said to pair the tomato’s tang and the cheese’s richness perfectly with the flavor of the broth.

The restaurant’s signature menu item, “tori tsukune (chicken meatballs),” comes in a wide variety, and people say it is hard to choose which ones to eat.

The photo shows the “Cheese,” “Grated Daikon with Ponzu,” and “Mentaiko Mayo.” Each one has a strong character, from rich flavors to light ones, and it is fun to compare them.

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Tabaru-zaka is an izakaya (Japanese pub) where you can enjoy unusual oden (Japanese one pot dish). The combinations of unique ingredients and dashi broth offer a taste you can only find here, and it is said to be so good that before you know it, you will be hooked.

The interior has a calm atmosphere with a traditional Japanese feel. It is also perfect for treating someone special.

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The restaurant's signature oden (Japanese hot pot items simmered in broth) is said to be excellent, with a bonito flake based dashi broth that pairs well with every ingredient.

The photo shows the popular "ebi-pan (shrimp bread)," one of the more unusual items. The fried bread soaks up the oden broth really well, making it so good that words cannot do it justice.

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They also offer creative dishes beyond oden (Japanese stew), and they are said to be full of ideas.

One dish with a surprisingly good combination of ingredients is "Kakuni (braised pork belly) with potato soup," which is well known for the great match between the sweetness of the kakuni and the sweetness of the potato.

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Shima Oden MIKE Kobe Ten is a popular creative izakaya where you can enjoy oden (Japanese hot pot dish) and à la carte dishes made with ingredients from Awajishima (Awaji Island) in Kobe.

They also Special select wines each season that pair well with the oden broth.

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The "kisetsu no shima oden (seasonal island oden)," made with plenty of ingredients from Awaji (Awaji Island), is said to be a fine dish that shows the chef’s careful work.

The oden broth is clear yet full of umami, and it soaks well into the ingredients. Among them, the "tori to renkon no tsukune (chicken and lotus root meatball)" is said to be especially good.

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Many people order the "tori paitan (chicken white broth) butter ramen" To finish.

The tori paitan soup, which clings well to the extra-thin noodles, has a creamy finish that brings carbonara to mind. The flavor of pepper also comes through nicely, and it is said to be excellent.

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Hiiragisou Honten is a Japanese-style izakaya with a hideaway feel, about a 7-minute walk from Sannomiya Station. You can enjoy oden (Japanese hot pot dishes simmered in broth) and a la carte dishes made with seasonal ingredients and carefully prepared dashi (Japanese soup stock).

They also have a wide variety of Japanese sake. They stock local sake from Hyogo as well as sake from around Japan, so it is also a great pick for people who enjoy drinking.

Photograph:きりんの気持ち

The oden is said to feature large pieces of each ingredient, with the broth flavor soaked in all the way through.

Among them, the "daikon radish" is simmered until it is meltingly tender, with a softness that is so good it would be hard to recreate at home.

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The beautifully presented sashimi is also one of the recommended menu items.

The “Omakase 4-kind assortment” in the photo includes four varieties: maguro (tuna), kanpachi (greater amberjack), beni toro salmon (rich fatty salmon), and kensaki ika (spear squid). The rich, fatty fish all have a plump texture and are said to be excellent.

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Minasama Shokudo is a casual diner with a warm atmosphere, operating under the railway tracks near Sannomiya Station.

Every dish is home-style cooking, and people say the food has a comforting feel that helps you relax. It is lively with regulars, but first-time visitors are also welcomed kindly.

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The "oden (Japanese one-pot dish)" at this restaurant is known for its jet-black broth, built up over time.

The soy sauce based broth is said to have a well balanced taste, without leaning too salty or sweet. The flavor soaks well into every ingredient, and the daikon radish and atsuage (deep-fried tofu) are especially great.

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The concept behind the food at this restaurant is “an extension of home cooking.” Along with flavors that feel somehow familiar, the dishes also pair well with beer.

The photo shows the "Omurice," with a nostalgic look that instantly draws you in. You can also choose a Large size, so it is a good pick when you want a hearty meal.

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Motomachi Parlor Yokoyama Jokura is a standing izakaya (Japanese pub) in Kobe Motomachi with a casual, easygoing atmosphere that makes it easy to drop in. Its specialty is a wide variety of oden (Japanese one-pot dish).

The menu changes with the seasons, so it is said to have an appeal that keeps people coming back without getting bored.

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The "oden (Japanese hot pot dish with simmered items)" is said to be a standout dish, with careful preparation you can really taste, and it has a reputation for hitting the spot on cold days.

The uniquely named "negi bakudan (green onion bomb)" is an oden item with an aburaage pouch stuffed full of green onions. The moment you bite into it, the oden broth flows out, and it is said to taste amazing.

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The striking look of the “Shikkoku no... Oki na Ebi Mayo,” with its big visual impact, immediately catches the eye. It uses squid ink, which makes the mayo sauce jet black.

The shrimp are nice and plump, and people say it is so good that you will want to keep eating even if it gets around your mouth.

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Nanten is a restaurant built around the concept of local production for local consumption, using plenty of fresh fish from Akashi and Awaji and homegrown vegetables. They also offer a wide selection of local sake from Hyogo.

The interior has a calm atmosphere and is well regarded as a place where you can relax and take your time. They also have Semi-private room seating, making it ideal for hosting someone special.

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The "oden (Japanese hot pot with assorted ingredients)" here has even earned reviews calling it "the best I’ve had in my life," and each ingredient is cooked to what many say is its ideal doneness.

The daikon radish in particular is said to be irresistibly good, tender enough to fall apart while still holding its shape.

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The beautifully presented sakizuke hassun (appetizer assortment) is said to lift your mood just by looking at it. You can enjoy a wide variety of snack dishes, including satsuma-age (deep-fried fish cake) made with Akashi tako (octopus from Akashi) and house-made karasumi (dried mullet roe).

It is said to pair perfectly with both beer and Japanese sake, making it ideal when you are in the mood for a quiet drink.

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"Udon Senmonten Hachiken-gura" is a udon restaurant that focuses on additive free noodles and dashi (Japanese soup stock). Their udon with beef tendon and curry udon are especially popular.

Inside, they simmer oden (Japanese stew) in a large pot, and the aroma of the broth fills the whole restaurant. Some seats even look out onto a bamboo grove, so it seems like a nice place to enjoy a relaxed meal.

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The restaurant’s specialty, “sujikoro bukkake udon,” is a dish topped with beef tendon, green onions, and tenkasu (crispy tempura bits).

The noodles have a nice firm bite, and the dashi broth is said to be rich and full-bodied. If you mix in the raw egg that comes with it, you can also enjoy a milder taste.

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Many people order oden (Japanese simmered one-pot dish) as a side with their udon, and it is said to be tasty, with the flavor well soaked into every ingredient.

The "assortment" comes in 3, 5, and 8 kinds, so it is nice that you can choose based on how hungry you are.

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Takadaya Kyo Ten is a famous oden restaurant that has been operating for many years in Kobe's Shinkaichi area. It is known for its excellent shiro miso dare (white miso sauce), which is served alongside the oden.

The interior has a homey feel, with an atmosphere like a casual izakaya. The staff are said to be lively and friendly, giving the place that energetic Kansai feel.

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The "oden set meal" is perfect for lunch, with an assortment of popular oden items like chikuwa (tube-shaped fish cake), egg, and konnyaku (yam cake), served with rice and miso soup.

The flavor of the dashi broth slowly soaking in pairs perfectly with the rich white miso sauce, according to reviews.

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The grilled items, which are cooked slowly and served with care, are also said to be excellent and come in a wide variety.

The photo shows the "yakitori assortment." It is said to be grilled juicy and pairs perfectly with beer.