Exploring Osaka!
Coffee shops and bakeries in the Nakatsu neighborhood

The Nakatsu neighborhood is located very close to Umeda (Osaka Station area). Next to the bustling big city feeling in Umeda, Nakatsu is comparatively quiet and relaxed. 
It’s so fun to step into the maze of streets and explore this residential neighborhood. Let me show you a few of my favorite cafes and bakeries in the Nakatsu area.

■ Asaura Coffee

This sleek cafe is small, with only 3 tables and counter seating. The atmosphere inside is quiet and relaxing, perfect for having a coffee by yourself or a quiet chat with a friend. They also do take-out!

▲Scones and lattes from Asaura Coffee. (Be warned, sometimes the scones sell out.)
The scones are simple, extra buttery, and served warm. They’re sure to put a smile on your face.
Served with a side of cream cheese and honey drizzled over top, the scones are heavenly. And the caffè latte is perfectly balanced and topped in thick foam.
They also serve an ice lemon coffee, which I can’t wait to come back and try!

▲Chocolate cake and black coffee from a previous visit. It was mellow yet bitter, the perfect combination for a chocolate lover.

■ Cante Grande Bakery

This bakery is located right next to Nakatsu Station on the Osaka Metro Midosuji Line.
You’ll find a variety of freshly baked breads in all different flavors, some savory and some sweet. The staff are constantly carrying out new trays of piping hot bread from the kitchen and refilling the store shelves. The prices here are also surprisingly low

Here’s my selection. I got a sausage roll, an orange-cream cheese-walnut bread, melon pan, and custard-filled bun.
They were all delicious, especially the custard bun! It seemed small, but they were generous with the custard and it was so fluffy and soft. I had to be careful not to squish it on the way home.

▲The baked goods here go fast! Some things had already sold out by early afternoon.

■ HOOD by Vargas

Behind Cante Grand Bakery down an alleyway, there is another really nice coffee shop called HOOD by Vargas.
It’s a little bit hard to find, even though I’ve been here a few times. Make sure to check your maps! It’s popular among cafe-goers because the coffee is delicious and sandwiches are nice too. And their signature tiramisu toast is divine!

The toast is topped with seasonal fruit and I made it just in time to try the strawberry tiramisu toast. I missed out last year, so I was glad to get a second chance. The mascarpone cream is sweet and compliments the strawberry tartness perfectly. The most surprising thing is the texture of the toast. It has a rich butter flavor and is still crunchy. Each bite is a little piece of heaven!

They also serve banana, mango, fig, and pear tiramisu toast. The seasonal fruit is something to look forward to when you visit.
It costs about ¥1,600, which is a bit pricey, but still definitely worth the price. It makes a nice treat. The toast is carefully prepared so this is something you’d want to order when you have time to relax

▲There’s a cute gallery and shared kitchen right cross from HOOD. It’s something to check out when you’re in the neighborhood.

■ HATSUTATSU

Finally, I’d like to show you one more bakery. I stumbled upon it by accident and literally followed my nose to the smell of freshly baked bread.

This bakery had a lot of hearty breads too and lots of variety! 
All the signs for baked items were hand-written and the names were creative, like “Butter is delicious, right!” Just reading the names is fun!


I got an almond croissant and one with a really cute name “This is a sweet bean paste and dango sandwich!”
The bean paste was pleasantly sweet and went well with the chewy dango. And the staff at this bakery are so friendly. They gave me great recommendations!

▼The Nakatsu Neighborhood

Apologies for the map being in Japanese, but here are all the bakeries and cafes I recommended marked with stars. They’re all really close to the two Nakatsu Stations (中津駅) and even within walking distance of the Osaka Station area pictured at the bottom of the map.

▼The surroundings


This neighborhood is also really fun to explore with a camera. There are lots of alleyways and quite a few overhead train tracks so you can play with the light and shadows. Have fun exploring and enjoy your coffee!

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