Osaka has a reputation as Japan's food city — the phrase "kuidaore" (eat until you drop) is the local motto. The city has its own set of specialities: takoyaki (grilled octopus balls sold from street stalls), okonomiyaki (a savoury pancake cooked at the table), and kushikatsu (breaded and deep-fried skewers, eaten standing at the counter). Osaka-style sushi (oshi-zushi, pressed in a box) is also distinct from the nigiri sushi of Tokyo.
Dotonbori and the lanes around it are the most concentrated eating area, though prices are higher here than elsewhere. Shinsekai, the old entertainment district south of Namba Station, is cheaper and more local in character — try the kushikatsu bars on Jankoken-dori.