Okonomiyaki (お好み焼き)

The name literally means "grill what you like." How is that not the best food philosophy ever written?

Okonomiyaki is a thick, savory pancake — cabbage and batter and pork and whatever else makes you happy — sizzled on a hot griddle, then painted with glossy brown sauce, zigzagged with mayo, and showered in seaweed and dancing bonito flakes. The smell of it cooking on a teppan is pure Osaka, pure festival, pure joy. And here's the secret that makes it special: there's a good chance you're the one cooking it, right there at your table, slightly nervous, completely delighted. Let me get you ready.

A pancake with a Portuguese great-grandparent

Okonomiyaki's roots wind back to the 16th century and Portuguese cooking, then through Tokyo's Meiji-era monjayaki and dondon-yaki. But it truly came into its own in early-Showa Osaka and Hiroshima, each city growing its own proud, distinct style — and a rivalry that's still very much alive.

Two cities, two religions

The big divide: Osaka (Kansai) style mixes everything into the batter and cooks it as one fluffy round. Hiroshima style layers everything — a thin crêpe, a mountain of cabbage, pork, and a nest of fried noodles, all stacked and flipped into a towering, glorious mess. Both start with cabbage and batter; both end in sauce, mayo, aonori, and katsuobushi. Pick a side, or wisely refuse to.

How it's made (Osaka style)

1. Mix flour, water, and egg, then fold in lots of shredded cabbage, green onion, and tenkasu
2. Lay slices of pork belly (or shrimp, squid) on top
3. Pour onto a hot, oiled griddle and cook both sides until golden
4. Finish big: okonomiyaki sauce, mayo, aonori, and a blizzard of bonito flakes

Before you go — cook it without fear

Your questions, answered honestly

"Do I cook it myself?" — Depends on the shop. Some cook it for you; many hand you the bowl and a spatula and let you have at it on the table griddle. If you're unsure, just ask — staff are used to coaching first-timers, and getting it a little wonky is part of the charm.

"Osaka or Hiroshima — which should I try?" — If you want fluffy and straightforward, Osaka. If you want a towering noodle-stuffed monster, Hiroshima. Ideally: both, on different days, then start your own argument.

"What's buta-tama?" — The classic order: buta (pork) + tama (egg). Simple, perfect, the one to start with.

"Sauce and mayo — how much?" — Generous on both. That sweet-savory sauce and creamy mayo crisscross is the whole point. This is not the moment for restraint.

What the staff will ask you

To order, just say "Buta-tama kudasai" (豚玉ください) — "Pork-and-egg okonomiyaki, please."

Where to eat it

• Osaka — the Dotonbori and Namba areas are packed with classic teppan spots like Mizuno and Chibo.
• Hiroshima — visit Okonomi-mura, a building stacked with floors of Hiroshima-style stalls.
• Summer festivals nationwide — okonomiyaki stalls are everywhere, sizzling away.

Hours and locations change, so check before you go — and don't panic at the griddle. You've got this.