Israeli food is often interpreted as Middle Eastern food in Japan. That means homogenized Turkish-ish Japanese doner kebab could represent Israeli food and all the other cuisines surrounding it.
Turkish-ish Japanese doner kebab, the combination of ketchup, mayo, and cumin, seems to rule the idea of Middle Eastern food in Japan. (Who can win ketchup and mayo anyway.)
Below are the three unequivocal Israeli restaurants that are ketchup & mayo-free, tahini-adopted, and well-independent in the land of Osaka in Japan.
Rudy’s Club Delicious / ルディーズ クラブ デリシャス
Rudy’s Club Delicious is by far the most famous Israeli restaurant in Osaka and the entire Kinki region (including Osaka, Kyoto, Hyogo, Nara, Mie, and Shiga).
The B2 level of the gargantuan Osaka Station 3 Building (大阪駅前第3ビル) crammed with 114 eateries and stores is Rudy’s Club Delicious (68 on a map).
Rudy’s Club Delicious is where a cozy Japanese dive bar meets a drop-dead good local Israeli eatery.
L’chaim (cheers / 乾杯) for Rudy’s Club Delicious’s Israeli-style hummus and falafel, Israeli Goldstar beer, seemingly Israeli Arak, and all.
Rudy’s Club Delicious (ルディーズ クラブ デリシャス) | Osaka Station 3 Building, 1−1−3 Umeda, Kita Ward, Osaka, 〒530-0001, Japan
Falafel Sababa / ファラフェル サババ
Falafel Sababa is an offbeat falafel stand in Osaka’s dopest neighborhood Amerika-Mura (アメリカ村). Falafel Sababa’s extra creamy hummus is almost Tel Aviv (Tokyo of Israel) style. Very sababa (“cool / סבבה” in Hebrew).
Falafel Sababa (ファラフェル サババ) | 2-17-13 Nishishinsaibashi, Chuo Ward, Osaka, 〒542-0086, Japan
Falafel Time / ファラッフェルタイム
Family-owned Falafel Time in a quiet neighborhood Tsukamoto (塚本) is homespun. It’s such a promised land for Israeli comfort food.
Falafel Time (ファラッフェルタイム) | 3-chome-12-10 Kashiwazato, Nishiyodogawa Ward, Osaka, 〒555-0024, Japan
3 other almost Israeli restaurants
A falafel sandwich at Gold Falafel.
L&L near Falafel Sababa is an Israeli-owned cafe that discreetly serves Israeli comfort food. Cafe ABSINTHE is a posh cafe with Israeli hummus and falafels. Gold Falafel (ゴールド ファラフェル) is a Lebanese-Swedish inspired, European falafel sandwich (with Israeli pita) specialty shop.
To consider the best falafel sandwich in Osaka, Gold Falafel wins the gold medal. It’s like, Caitlyn Jenner annihilating all the casts from My Unorthodox Life. Balagan (בלגן)!
