The story
On the second floor of a busy Shinsaibashi building, Yoshitaka (由堂) is a quiet, 11-seat oden and washoku restaurant that earned a Michelin Recommended nod for 2026. The space, with seven counter seats and one table for four, feels personal and unhurried — the kind of place where the cooking itself sets the rhythm of the evening.
The philosophy here is patient and exacting. Ingredients for the oden are chosen by the chef's own eye, from trusted suppliers. The katsuobushi used for dashi is coarsely shaved and fresh-ground, so its fragrance holds even after heating. Items that need deep flavor — daikon, tofu — are cooked, then cooled, then steeped individually for at least three days. Each order is finished in its own small pot just before serving. You wait a little, but the depth of flavor is the point.
Standouts include a four-day egg and a three-day daikon. Summer brings tomato and corn oden, a lighter take that pairs well with a cold drink.
While the oden simmers, the kitchen sends out two or three seasonal appetizers. A sashimi platter (from 2,500 yen) pairs seasonal fish with high-quality bluefin tuna. Grilled eel (4,000 yen) is thick, meaty, and crisped on the outside until the skin shatters. Autumn might bring matsutake mushrooms, summer the delicate hamo (pike conger) — the menu shifts with the calendar.
The sake list is a point of pride: twelve varieties meant to be enjoyed at room temperature or warmed, chosen by the chef after visiting the breweries themselves. There are also six chilled sakes, plus shochu, whiskey, and sour cocktails.
The room is small and calm — suited for a solo dinner, a quiet date, or a small celebration. The chef works at the counter, and the intimacy of the space lets the food speak without interruption.
Yoshitaka is open from 18:00 to 23:00 (last order 22:00), closed Mondays. Reservations are made via Instagram message or phone. The restaurant is a short walk from Shinsaibashi Station on the Midosuji Line.
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