wad

Wad has been my favorite café since 2018, and there’s truly no place like it. The moment you step inside, you’re enveloped in a sense of calm—the intentional decor, warm lighting, minimalist furniture, and delicate tea cups all come together to create a serene atmosphere. Every detail feels purposeful, from the thoughtfully curated menu to the meditative ritual of preparing tea right in front of you. I love that you get to choose your own matcha bowl, each one unique and full of personality. To be honest, the matcha isn’t the best I’ve had—it’s not the smoothest and leans slightly bitter—but I’d still come back again and again for the ambiance alone. Yes, it’s pricey, but once you’re there, you understand why. I love spending an hour or two here alone, soaking in the tranquility. It’s my perfect escape from the energy of Osaka, a quiet moment of peace in the midst of the city’s bustle.

Love this! The crystal clear ice and green tea were really delicious. I'll definitely come back when I visit Osaka again. The staff were very friendly/cute.

"You can have bad days so you can fall in love with the good days even more" - Izumi Miyamura If there's such a thing as a Boujee dessert spot... Wad Omotenashi Cafe is top shelf. On social media it is simply known as "WAD" and with the 500-reviews on Google hovering a near perfect 5-stars you know it got my attention. And if you're still not convinced it's also a Ceramics Art Gallery! My co-worker in Osaka invited me for lunch, so of course I offered dessert afterwards. We're both into high quality Matcha and I perused a cafe I haven't been to and "WAD" topped the list. Located in the Chuo Ward makes it easy to get to. Finding the doorway might be a chore. The signage is rustic and in a nondescript building, so tbh we passed by the first time. However, circling back I noticed a metal staircase, and yes, the self described "peaceful tearoom" is on the 2nd floor. As we entered we were warmly greeted, however was told there was a 30-minutes wait for a party of two. All good as it was a sunny autumn day to enjoy. We received the call 20-minutes later that our table was ready. Escorted to our table next to a large window and handed the menus. I already knew I craved Hikari Matcha and Traditional bite. My friend ordered the Shaved Ice with Matcha syrup, Condensed milk, and Azuki. Tea of choice. After ordering at our table, the bar area opened up for two, and my friend asked if we could be moved there. The server kindly relocated us so we were in the middle of it all with a macro view! I'm a regular at these types of Japanese tearooms so I knew about the preparation and precision for each order. It's truly a joy to watch... the dedication into each order simply unmatched! Service as expected and I do mean to perfection. After photos and giggles of my friend making her shaved ice, it was time to indulge every sip & bite. Hikari Matcha was sophisticated and paired well with Wadomonaka. Delicious! My friend really enjoyed her shaved ice and was kind to make a small portion for yours truly. I felt like Otōto! In the end, I highly recommend Wad Omotenashi Cafe in the quiet part of Chuo Ward. Each ceramic bowl or cup used can be purchased too, if so desired. Like I mentioned earlier , "Wad" is also a Ceramics Art Gallery, and explains why it's so aesthetically pleasing the moment you step in. Pls follow my adventures IG: @eric_travel_guru

Apparently, with timing and all, we ended up being there 7 minutes before the place was open, we felt very fortunate because I heard that on other days or time, there could be a queue. You can get authentic Japanese tea in traditional tea cups here, shaved ice with what looked like sugar cane syrup or choose matcha syrup - shaved ice is different from bingsu where it's really just ice and the specific syrup, it is served with hochi sth tea (I forgot the name). The matcha and other drinks are amazing too. They are served with dry fruit which complements the taste of the tea very well. (We ordered hot tea) The vibe is relaxing and there is a toilet, but there is limited table/seating so plan your time carefully. I think it's really worth the visit and will definitely come back again!

The vibe at this tea house in Osaka is truly unmatched! We tried two of their shaved ice flavours—hojicha (roasted green tea) and wakocha (black tea). Both perfectly balanced and not too sweet. The matcha latte came with a side of matcha syrup and a dusting of kinako (roasted soybean powder). While it wasn’t the strongest matcha we’ve had in Japan, it did the trick for us. We also gave their yaki mochi a try—simple, tasty, and the perfect little change-up. Overall, a must-visit for tea and dessert lovers. And if you’re into ceramics, you’ll love the unique tableware. They serve each drink and dish in one-of-a-kind pieces.

Amazing tea room, the atmosphere is unmatched. Kind and attentive service, great vibe and views within the city. I had the shaved ice with matcha and it was delicious. The tea options are various and yummy as well. Highly recommend🫶🏼

Came here twice during my trip. Great place for a Japanese tea and a little dessert. Also a great place if you love ceramics, it has so many lovely handmade cups and pots that you can experience with your order. Each of them are unique. I’d recommend sitting at the bar tables for a more immersive experience as you can see the chef preparing everyone’s drinks.

This place serves amazing matcha, with a hint of geisha like coffee notes, bold and strong with light tea like hints. The wafer dessert with freeze dried strawberry and roasted rice was amazing on the side, delicate and bursting with flavour.

I arrived at this cafe and had a hard time reserving a spot (which I'm not sure if you could have done beforehand) but the hostess helped get me on the list. I had to come back 1.5hrs later but this was honestly one of my favorite cafes I went to in Japan, one of my favorite things in Osaka. There are so many different types of tea and I got the roasted oolong which can be steamed up to 5-6 times. They ran out of the matcha latte, which is what I wanted to try, so will have to return for that. The red bean cracker was light and a great addition to the tea. The barista was fluent in English which was convenient and that's how I learned that the cafe does collaboration events with local artists, particularly for pottery. The aesthetic is great and the tea was wonderful--can't wait to go back!

This is hands down the best cafe that I visited in Osaka (maybe even all of Japan!) The interior design is exceptional, and it seems that all the drinkware are unique handmade ceramics. The matcha here changed my life - I got an iced latte and it came with little bites to enhance the flavor of the matcha (dried pineapple, tomato, nuts) Usually I'm not the biggest matcha fan, but the flavor here is insane - super rich and deep. The bingsu like dessert that they have is also not to be missed

I am so excited I found this place! It's a quiet and calm place to enjoy some fantastic tea. They have several options, but I had the houjicha (my favorite), which was prepared perfectly and had all the right notes of roastedness, but not bitterness. It paired extremely well with their monaka (red bean sandwich sweet) because their monaka contains genmai (roasted rice) and has a bit of that roasted flavor as well. They are pretty well known for their shaved ice, and that delivered on its promises, too. It was fluffy and delicious with condensed milk. The service was fantastic, very attentive and friendly and professional. The space is rather barren and doubles as an art/ceramics gallery, but it's still comfortable enough to spend some time in. I will come back here every time I visit the city.

This cafe is a wonderful place to have a nouveau Japanese tea experience. They have matcha, which will allow you to choose which handmade ceramic bowl they serve it to you in from a picturesque selection on the wall. I had a green tea with multiple steepings. They recommended anywhere from 3-5 for the tea leaves I chose. The first steeping is 60 degree water and it gradually increases to extract new aromas and flavors. A unique piece of this service is that at the end you get to eat the tea leaves. The shop is a small work of art and the ceramics and other crafts available are worth investigating. I was a big fan of the ambience and the relaxed pace of the place. Come for the tea and, if necessary, stay for the dessert. Their shaved ice comes out looking quite dapper!

Visited this place while I was in Osaka on vacation and it was definitely one of the best spots I went to in Osaka. Trust me. The wait staff all speak amazing English and they have an English menu, though even if they didn't you should definitely still visit. This is [I think] a ceramics gallery and tea cafe. Their tea is literally next level. It is exactly how god wanted you to drink tea when [s]he put the idea of tea in the minds of humans. I actually got a matcha latte in stead of one of the many teas they brew, because I'm uncultured but it was really really good and I would do it again.. My sister got their hoji-chai and I even purchased some loose leaf to take home with me as gifts to my friends. We also ordered the shave ice, which seemed really popular because a lot of people around us were ordering it. Shave ice all around Japan is pretty good, but the way they present really any of their dishes here was superb. Their tea selection is vast, so you're bound to find something that you like. The people that work here also know so much about tea and could provide some assistance if you're feeling overwhelmed by all the options. If you're in the area (which you probably will be if you're a tourist) definitely check this place out. It's a great place to take a break from walking around. The tea is fantastic, the people are nice, and in general it's just a super cute place to be in. If I'm even back in Osaka I would come back here in a heart beat.