UMEDA & THE OSAKA STATION AREA WITH KIDS

I LOVE Umeda and it’s my preferred place to stay in Central Osaka, actually. So central and so much to do.

If you are here simply for WHERE TO EAT WITH KIDS IN OSAKA recommendations, go straight to my blog post here. 

Here are our favourite things to do in Umeda (FYI Umeda is also right next to JR Osaka Station):

BREAKFAST IN UMEDA WITH KIDS
Bagels (within Osaka Station)
There are two Bagel & Bagel options on either side of Osaka Station (one is within the Lucua complex connected to the station.) They accept credit cards. Open 7am-10pm.

Egg dishes & Pancakes piled with whipped cream (8 mins walk from Umeda Station)
Eggs’n’Things is a Hawaiian restaurant built around the concept of “All Day Breakfast” ( a relatively new idea for Japan.)  It is light and bright and there are several of these restaurants around Japan but this is branch my favourite – mainly because of the space and shorter lines.   This restaurant is well-known for the mountain of whipped cream on their sweet pancakes. YUM!   They also have savoury options and a kids menu (egg and hamburger steak plate or fruit and cream pancakes with a chocolate pen to decorate).  They have high chairs and the staff are very welcoming when it comes to families. 　Some gluten free friends of mine have had luck eating here eating meat dishes but ordering rice instead of bread (and also showing a bilingual card explaining that they are gluten free.) However, please note that there is no official gluten free menu. 
This restaurant accepts most major credit cards and the entire restaurant is non-smoking.  Free colouring for kids too.

EGGS’N’THINGS UMEDA CHAYAMACHI
大阪市北区茶屋町1-45
1-45 CHAYAMACHI, KITA-KU, OSAKA
OPEN 9AM-8PM

Bills for an Aussie brekkie
Australian restaurant Bills can be found in Tokyo and also Osaka.
They are a great option for an Aussie style breakfast.

BILLS, OSAKA STATION
大阪市北区梅田3-1-33-1-3 UMEDA, KITA-KU, OSAKA
OPEN EVERYDAY : 8:30AM-10PM

THINGS TO DO IN UMEDA WITH KIDS
Starting with the newer side of the station, I would first of all recommend checking out Grand Front Osaka.( I wrote about the Grand Front Osaka in great depth here, actually.) 
It is a brand new shopping complex. It’s enormous and it’s so beautiful.
This is definitely the place to come for beautiful breastfeeding and baby change rooms. The whole building is immaculate.
Breastfeeding rooms, change tables, boiling water etc can be found on the basement 1 floor, 4th floor of the South Wing and the 4th floor of the North Wing.
There are coin lockers throughout the complex too.
The whole complex is smoke-free so makes for a really easy place to have dinner with the kids on the top restaurant floors. There is so many different kinds of restaurants to choose from.
On the 6th floor of the North Wing, some sections even have open seating so you can buy food from different restaurants and then eat together food court style – which is fantastic when you have fussy eaters or everyone wants to try something different.
I wrote about the Grand Front Osaka in great depth here.

GRAND FRONT OSAKA 
大阪市北区大深町4-1
4-1 OFUKACHO, KITA-KU, OSAKA
OPEN 10AM-9PM (RESTAURANTS OPEN: 11AM-11PM)

Extra services for those visiting Grand Front Osaka with children 
– Stroller rental ( in-house use only) between 10am -8:30pm from the information desks on 2F of the South Building or 1F of the North Building. Only for children under 4.
– Baby Rooms.  Umekita Hirobe in the Basement B1F,  4F of the South Building, 4F of the North Building. ( Breastfeeding spaces, Boiling Water, Change Tables, Juice Vending Machines)
– Places for kids to play or to sit down and have an bento together.  South Building Outdoor Water Space.  North Building Outdoor Water Space.  ” The Garden” outdoor space.

Indoor Playcentre
There is also a Kid o Kid large playcentre within the Grand Front Osaka complex.  The name of the centre is “Asobi no Sekai Grand Front Osaka “
***PLEASE NOTE THAT THIS PLAYCENTRE IS CLOSED FOR A FEW MONTHS AND WILL REOPEN APRIL 24, 2026. ****
It is on the 3rd floor.  Ive written in detail about it here.
is also a Kid o Kid large playcentre within the Grand Front Osaka complex.  The name of the centre is “Asobi no Sekai Grand Front Osaka “
It is on the 3rd floor.
There is a bay for strollers, breastfeeding rooms, change tables, juice vending machines and a special area just for little babies.
Kids from 6 months – 12 years are welcome (personally, I think that 5 years is the max though -they might think it’s a bit boring if they are older than that.)

If you decide that you like this brand of playcentre: you may like to visit their other branches all over Japan.
******PLEASE NOTE THAT THIS PLAYCENTRE IS CLOSED UNTIL APRIL 24, 2026***

Buy a decent supply of 551 Horai pork buns to take back to your hotel or to your next city
Sorry but this context is for the aussies – if your kids like steamed dimmies, they will like the shumai and most likely will like the pork buns too. You see so many domestic tourists with bags of these travelling back to other parts of Japan. To Japanese people, this brand of pork bun is synonymous with Osaka – so it makes it the best souvenir for friends or familly. If you are taking them away they will offer you ice-packs to keep them nice and fresh (and then you just need to microwave when it’s time to eat.)

A green space to play with fountains to splash about in
There is a lovely green space just next to JR Osaka Station and close to Umeda Station. It is a big grassy area and kids can play in the fountains here in summer months too. It is called Umekita Green Place. It is a great place for kids to have a play or just for everyone to sit and have a little picnic.
The fountains are popular for kids to splash in during the hot months.
Here are the rules at the fountains at Umekita Green Place:
-the fountains are just for splashing (kids can’t lie down and “swim”)
-no nudity or kids in diapers/nappies allowed
-the water isn’t for drinking
-Parents are to please remind kids that it can be slippery so no running
-no fingers inside the little fountain pipes

On the other, older part of the station, if you’re looking for a lovely area to walk around and take on of the most fashionable shopping and cafe districts near the station, I recommend a stroll around Chayamachi.

SUPERMARKETS NEAR OSAKA STATION / UMEDA AREA
Bio-Ral Supermarket Umekita branch (open 10am-8pm) sell lots of gluten free snacks and meals. For example: gluten free gyoza (freezer section) , whole bean flour Zen B bread, gluten free loaves of bread and rice flour brownies and cakes.  *This supermarket stocks a rice flour bread made by a company called “Happy Bakery.” From JR Osaka, take the Umekita underground walkway to get here.  There are also lots of delicious vegan soups here. They also sell Oat Milk chocolate.

The Ikari Supermarket at JR Osaka Station
As someone who lived in Kobe for a long time and often took the train to Osaka for work or play this Ikari at JR Osaka Station was the place I always grabbed a drink for the train or a salad or precooked bento for dinner later. It’s open 7:30am-10:30pm daily. It’s just opposite the JR Osaka Station Midosuji Exit ticket gates.

WHERE TO HAVE LUNCH IN THE UMEDA / JR OSAKA AREA WITH KIDS?
Also in Umeda is the Hankyu 32 Bangai Building (3 mins from Umeda Station) has family-friendly options on the 29th floor. The view of Osaka from up here is amazing!!

I, in particular, like eating at Kobe Motomachi Doria.  As you can guess from the name, it’s brand from Kobe – specializes in Yoshoku (which is retro Japanified “western” dining options.  These include hamburger steaks on hot plates, omurice and doria. Doria, if you’re not familiar, kind of looks like a shallow lasagna but is a bit more like a rice casserole. The bottom layer is rice and then another layer of protein such as meat or shrimp etc and veg and then the top layer is bechamel sauce and cheese.  It’s really really yummy. Comfort food, for sure.   Although Japanese people don’t call this “Japanese food” – I sure do.  It often appears on the weekly dinner menu in the homes of Japanese people too.
This restaurant is on the 29th floor of the Hankyu 32 Bangai Building.  They take reservations but you can always try for a walk-in.   If busy, I would just wait outside until a table becomes available the restaurant is full (eat before 12 or after 1:30pm if you can.). The restaurant seats 58 people so you shouldn’t be waiting too long.     I would budget approx 2000 yen for an adult meal here.  You can see pictures of the full Kobe Motomachi Doria Umedav menu here.  The full allergen menu list for Kobe Motomatchi Doria is here.   They have an english menu. 
They accept most major credit cards.  Children are most welcome here.  There is a kids menu – see pictures of the options here. They are so cute.  Kids meals are for children 10 years old and younger. Each meal comes with either orange or apple juice.  You can also order lightly seasoned potato wedges on the side.
The entire restaurant is non-smoking.
The menu is also displayed as wax models outside the shop so it’s super easy to see what you’ll be getting (and point at them to order.)
KOBE MOTOMACHI DORIA, HANKYU 32 BANGAI, UMEDA, OSAKA
大阪市北区角田町8-47 阪急グランドビル 29F
29TH FLOOR, HANKYU GRAND BUILDING, 8-47  KAKUTA-CHO, KITA-KU, OSAKA
OPEN 11AM-11PM
There is a baby change table in the toilets on this floor

On the same floor of Hankyu 32 Bangai, is an okonomiyaki restaurant called Tsuruhashi Fugetsu.  You cook your own okonomiyaki on a hot plate at your table (don’t worry – the staff will help you if you don’t know what to do.) You can also make yakisoba.  This is a great option for kids as they can get involved AND they can decide exactly which ingredients go in their meal.  See my tips here on how to order a vegetarian okonomiyaki.  You can ask your hotel to make a reservation for you or you can just try for a walk-in.  The restaurant seats 122 people so, hopefully, you won’t wait long if you just line up.  This restaurant is non-smoking.  They accept most major credit cards.   See the full Tsuruhashi Fugetsu menu in English here.   There is a really nice view of Osaka from this restaurant.  They have space for you to enter with a stroller.
This restaurant is 3 mins walk from Umeda Station or 10 mins walk from JR Osaka Station. 

TSURUHASHI FUGETSU, HANKYU 32 BANGAI BUILDING
大阪市北区角田町8-47 阪急グランドビル 29F
29TH FLOOR, HANKYU GRAND BUILDING, 8-47  KAKUTA-CHO, KITA-KU, OSAKA
OPEN 11AM-11PM
There is a baby change table in the toilets on this floor

A gluten free AND vegan restaurant that does Okonomiyaki & Takoyaki
Less than 5 mins walk from Osaka Station. I have copy and pasted the directions from the Vegan & Gluten Free Osaka website.
From JR Osaka station(Central entrance)
Go through the central exit on your right and 7-Eleven on your left. Daimaru Department Store will be on your left, walk further and exit. There is a large crosswalk, so cross it. If you go straight for about 200 meters through the passage on the right side of Hanshin Department Store, you will see the Osaka Ekimae Building 4 on your left. There is an elevator when you enter from the side of Kotaro Pharmacy（yellow sign）. Go down to the 1st basement floor and our store is next to the escalator.
You may want to search for this place using the address as the name is so random and descriptive that google, naturally, gets confused.
Order the okonomiyaki! See here for the full Vegan & Gluten Free Osaka menu. They also serve gluten free beer. Please note that this restaurant is a walk-in restaurant only so you may have to wait and it can be hard with a big group.

VEGAN & GLUTEN FREE OSAKA
北区梅田1-11-4大阪駅前第4ビルB1-14
BASEMENT FLOOR 1, NUMBER 14, OSAKA EKI MAE DAI BUILDING 1-11-4 UMEDA, KITA-KU
OPEN 11AM-10PM (LAST ORDERS 9:30PM)
CLOSED WEDNESDAYS (ALSO CLOSED JAN 1-3 FOR THE NEW YEARS PERIOD)

Crepes
Another suggestion while around Umeda Station.  How about a fancy, fancy crepe? This store is called “Yorkys” and is located in the B2 floor of the Umeda Foothill inside the Hankyu Sanbangai Department Store, North Building.
I recommend the Creme Brulee option – oh and the matcha!

YORKYS CREPERIE, UMEDA STORE
大阪市北区芝田1-1-3阪急三番街北館B2F UMEDA FOOD HALL
UMEDA FOOD HALL, B2F, HANKYU SANBANGAI, NORTH BUILDING, 1-1-3 SHIBATA, KITA-KU, OSAKA
OPEN 10AM-9PM

 

For a really fun and trendy cafe vibe in Chayamachi, I recommend Wired Cafe Umeda NU Chayamachi. 
Lunch sets at Wired Cafe Umeda NU Chayamachi are pasta, salad or rice dishes and come with a small drink and a dessert for around 1300 yen. For dinner I would budget around 3000 yen per adult.
They do accept reservations & accept most major credit cards.   The entire restaurant is non-smoking.   Wired Cafe Umeda Nu Chayamachi also have space to store strollers while you dine.
WIRED CAFE UMEDA NU CHAYAMACHI
大阪市北区茶屋町10-12 NU 茶屋町 2F
2ND FLOOR, NU CHAYAMACHI, 10-12 CHAYAMACHI, KITA-KU, OSAKA
OPEN 10AM-11PM

Just 10 mins walk from Wired Cafe Umeda Nu Chayamachi or 11 mins from Umeda Station, is Gluten Free Cafe & Shisha Bar Anosaki Konosaki.  This entire cafe is gluten free. Meal options include hamburger steaks and fried chicken and dessert options such as cheesecake or waffles.There is additional seating upstairs.
GLUTEN FREE CAFE & SHISHA BAR ANOSAKI KONOSAKI 
GROUND FLOOR, 1-2-5 NAKAZAKINISHI, KITA WARD
CHECK THE ANOSAKI KONOSAKI INSTAGRAM PAGE FOR OPEN HOURS BUT USUALLY OPEN DAILY 11AM-11PM

If it’s greens and vegetables you’re craving, I recommend Cosme Kitchen Adaptation in Umeda. 
It is located next to the Hanshin Umeda Station but is only 3 mins walk from JR Osaka.   Lunch sets are around 2000 yen and dinner more like 3000 yen. They accept most major credit cards and the entire restaurant is non-smoking.  You can sit indoors or out on the terrace.  They have an English Menu available and an allergen friendly menu.  They also have a kids menu and space to store strollers while you dine.
Please note that many meals here may seems like they are vegan but they aren’t always – so please check and ask for an ingredient list – same goes for gluten free options.  This restaurant welcomes children, has space to store strollers while you dine, accepts most major credit cards and also accepts reservations.   All customers are asked to order a meal when they dine (ie. you can’t just come in for a drink.) 

COSME KITCHEN ADAPTATION
北区梅田1-13-13 阪神百貨店梅田本店3F WELLNESS SQUARE
3F WELLNESS SQUARE, HANSHIN HYAKKATEN (DEPARTMENT STORE) UMEDA MAIN BRANCH, KITA-KU, UMEDA 
COSME KITCHEN ADAPTATION MENU HERE

A HEARTY MEAL WITH ALL YOU CAN EAT BREAD OR RICE!
A fabulous lunch or dinner option for kids (and parents) who want a really hearty meal,I recommend Bakery & Restaurant Saint Marc.
This is a restaurant where you order your meal and also enjoy all you can eat bread (or switch bread for rice if you prefer!)
This restaurant accepts most major credit cards. They have a place to store your stroller while you dine.
There is also a kid’s menu that includes options like a kid’s Japanese curry, macaroni gratin or children’s doria with potato wedges, broccoli and tomatoes, mini hamburgers served with wedges and salad and also a kid’s bento plate that has a piece of chicken, a burger patty, some broccoli, tomato and corn with wedges with some small jellies.   Kids meals are all under 1000 yen.
The meals for adults are mostly steaks and hamburger steaks served on sizzling hot plates or pastas or salads and main dishes can come as an all you can eat bread or rice set.  You can also pay a few hundred yen extra and make use of the all-you-can-drink soft drink and juice bar.
This restaurant is 4 mins walk from Umeda Station.
Here is the Bakery& Restaurant Saint Marc full allergen menu list. 

An example of a kid’s meal at Bakery & Table Restaurant Saint Marc

BAKERY & RESTAURANT SAINT MARC, OSAKA STATION CITY
16TH FLOOR, OSAKA STATION CITY SOUTH GATE BUILDING, UMEDA, KITA-KU, OSAKA
OPEN 11AM-10PM 

A Casual Italian Restaurant just 2 mins walk from Umeda Station
Pizzeria Porchetta is casual (diner/coffee house vibes) and so family friendly.  It is located inside Yodobashi Umeda on the 8th floor. This restaurant accepts most major credit cards.  For adults, I would budget approximately 2000 yen for a meal here.   They do accept reservations and walk-ins.  The entire restaurant is non-smoking. Although the website is in Japanese,  you can see pictures of all of their pasta and pizza options here (use google translate for the descriptions too.). All pizza and pasta dishes are between 900-1500 yen.   Pizzeria Porchetta also serve fries.
PIZZERIA PORCHETTA, UMEDA LINKS
大阪市北区大深町1-1 LINKS 梅田8F
8TH FLOOR, LINKS UMEDA, 1-1 OFUKACHO, KITA-KU, OSAKA
OPEN 11AM-11PM  

Tonkatsu
In the same complex is casual tonkatsu restaurant Tonkatsu Wako.  They have high chairs here.
They do accept most major credit cards.
See the full Tonkatsu Wako menu in English here.  And the adorable kids menu plates here.  Each kids meal comes with a small toy.

TONKATSU WAKO, UMEDA LINKS
大阪市北区大深町1-1 LINKS 梅田8F
8TH FLOOR, LINKS UMEDA, 1-1 OFUKACHO, KITA-KU, OSAKA
OPEN 11AM-11PM (LAST ORDERS AT 10PM) 

 

And on the same floor of Yodobashi Umeda is Hawaiian Pancake Factory, Umeda.  As the name suggests, this restaurant serves Hawaiian food and pancakes.   This is a walk-in restaurant only (the restaurant does seat 54 people so even if you have to wait, it hopefully won’t be for too long.)  Hawaiian Pancake Factory accepts most major credit cards.  I would budget around 2000 yen for an adult meal here.   The entire restaurant is non-smoking.
HAWAIIAN PANCAKE FACTORY, UMEDA
大阪市北区大深町1-1 LINKS 8F
8TH FLOOR, LINKS UMEDA, 1-1 OFUKACHO, KITA-KU, OSAKA
OPEN 11AM-11PM (LAST ORDERS AT 10PM) 

Also 2 mins walk from Umeda Station and also in the Umeda Links Building, is Kobe Motomachi Doria.  Also on the 8th floor. As you can guess from the name, it’s brand from Kobe – specializes in Yoshoku (which is retro Japanified “western” dining options.  These include hamburger steaks on hot plates, omurice and doria. Doria, if you’re not familiar, kind of looks like a shallow lasagna but is a bit more like a rice casserole. The bottom layer is rice and then another layer of protein such as meat or shrimp etc and veg and then the top layer is bechamel sauce and cheese.  It’s really really yummy. Comfort food, for sure.   Although Japanese people don’t call this “Japanese food” – I sure do.  It often appears on the weekly dinner menu in the homes of Japanese people too. 
This restaurant is on the 8th floor of the Umeda Links building.  They take reservations but you can always try for a walk-in.   If busy, I would just wait outside until a table becomes available the restaurant is full (eat before 12 or after 1:30pm if you can.). The restaurant seats 58 people so you shouldn’t be waiting too long.     I would budget approx 2000 yen for an adult meal here.  You can see pictures of the full Kobe Motomachi Doria Umedav menu here.  The full allergen menu list for Kobe Motomatchi Doria is here.   They have an english menu. 
They accept most major credit cards.  Children are most welcome here.  There is a kids menu – see pictures of the options here. They are so cute.  Kids meals are for children 10 years old and younger. Each meal comes with either orange or apple juice.  You can also order lightly seasoned potato wedges on the side. 
The entire restaurant is non-smoking. 
The menu is also displayed as wax models outside the shop so it’s super easy to see what you’ll be getting (and point at them to order.)
KOBE MOTOMACHI DORIA, UMEDA LINKS
大阪市北区大深町1-1 LINKS 8F
8TH FLOOR, LINKS UMEDA, 1-1 OFUKACHO, KITA-KU, OSAKA
OPEN 11AM-11PM (LAST ORDERS AT 10:30PM)

 

Organic Cafe
This cafe Natural Kitchen Medaka Ni-goten has amazing lunch sets and there is also a kids menu.  The menu changes daily but always has a protein with a side of 2-3 vegetable dishes.
This restaurant does accept reservations.   There is also a small vegetarian menu in English.  Popular menu items include the vegetable curry and the salad bowls.
Please do note that, although this restaurant’s menu is filled with lots of beautiful, organic vegetables – it is not a vegetarian restaurant so please check and ask for a meat-free meal if you are vegetarian.
There are often 1 or 2 vegan options here AND gluten free meals- best to have your hotel call and confirm ahead of time.
Natural Kitchen Medaka Ni-goten is 11 minutes walk from Umeda Station.   Please note that this restaurant is cash only. The entire restaurant is non-smoking and has free wifi.

NATURAL KITCHEN MEDAKA NI-GOTEN
大阪市北区兎我野町3-20 雁木ビル 1F
GROUND FLOOR, GANGI BUILDING, 3-20 TOGANOCHO, KITA-KU, OSAKA
OPEN EVERYDAY  11AM-8:30PM (LAST ORDER AT 8PM) 

Please see my article here on how to go about making a reservation for a restaurant in Japan when the website doesn’t have an English website option. 

“Australian” Steak and Seafood
Hate to break the hearts of Americans that love the Outback Steakhouse – but it isn’t even a little bit “Australian” to me.  I am partial to a “bloomin’ onion” from here though. I really like it here – especially when dining with kids.  The portions are generous and it’s very kid friendly. They even have high chairs.  It is 10 mins walk from Umeda Station or 2 mins walk from Nishi-Umeda Station. They welcome children- they have a kids menu and space to store strollers while you dine.  Please note that a 10% service charge is added to your bill when you dine here.  They do accept most major credit cards. I recommend budgeting 2000 yen for an adult lunch meal and more like 4000 yen at dinner time. This restaurant is completely non-smoking. See the full Outback Steakhouse menu here.    You can make a reservation on the Outback Steakhouse website.  The bread rolls here are good – and also good to put in a ziplock bag to heat up in the morning for breakfast too (yes I’m THAT lady.)
If it’s your birthday, these guys can do a dessert with a candle, sing you happy birthday and do a commemorative photo. See all the Outback Steakhouse birthday details here. They also have two birthday cakes available for purchase.
OUTBACK STEAKHOUSE
大阪市北区堂島1-6-20 堂島アバンザ B1F
B1F, DOJIMA AVANZA, 1-6-20 DOJIMA, KITA-KU, OSAKA
OPEN WEEKDAYS 5PM-10PM (LAST ORDERS 9PM)
OPEN WEEKENDS 11:30AM-10PM

Really yummy ramen
Inside Kitte Osaka (3 mins walk from Nishi-Umeda Station) is Komugi Megami.
Each menu option is under 2000 yen. They accept most major credit cards. You can walk in but also can make a reservation (probably a good idea if there are more than 3-4 of you!) They welcome children.

KOMUGI MEGAMI RAMEN
大阪市北区梅田3-2-2 KITTE大阪 4F
4F KITTE OSAKA, 3-2-2 UMEDA, KITA-KU, OSAKA
OPEN 11AM-9PM (LAST ORDERS 8:30PM)

An indoor arcade, sports and amusement centre
Round1 Umeda
Another great activity option with kids is Round1 in Umeda. This is a whole amusement, arcade, karaoke and sports centre in the middle of Umeda. It is 3 mins walk from Umeda Station and 7 mins walk from JR Osaka Station.

SEE HERE FOR STEP-BY-STEP INSTRUCTIONS ON TAKING KIDS OUT TO KARAOKE IN JAPAN.

ROUND1 UMEDA
4-16 KOMATSUBARACHO, KITA-KU, OSAKA
OPEN 24 HOURS A DAY (ARCADE SECTION CLOSED BETWEEN MIDNIGHT AT 6AM, KIDS CAN ONLY ENTER AFTER 7PM IF WITH A PARENT OR GUARDIAN AND MUST LEAVE BY 10PM)


The Pokemon DX Store for shopping
Just above JR Osaka Station is the Pokemon DX Store (on the 13th floor.)