Grand Front Osaka is the huge retail, restaurant, and office complex that opened in 2013 on the north side of Osaka Station, and it anchors the redeveloped Umekita district. Two towers and a connecting block hold hundreds of shops and a long run of restaurants — the upper-floor dining floors are a reliable place to eat, with everything from Osaka okonomiyaki to ramen, izakaya, and international chains.
The ground-level Umekita Plaza and the canal-side terraces make it a pleasant place to sit, and the Knowledge Capital section has showrooms and interactive technology exhibits. It connects directly to the station and the underground walkways, so it is hard to avoid passing through — and on a wet day it is a useful refuge.