Grigio E Ao

Located to the North of Osaka in the Nose mountain area is this lovely Italian restaurant called ‘Grigio e ao’ which is a combination of Italian and Japanese meaning ‘grey and blue’. The restaurant that is run by a friendly couple and is situated in a 70 year old kominka that the owners renovated into a restaurant.

The outside has been mostly left untouched and looks a little shabby with parts of the wall broken but don’t let looks deceive you. Once you walk through the door you will find a very cozy and stylish Japanese modern style interior.

Its a spacious interior with a large kitchen right in front of the entrance that has counter seats. To the left is a table near the entrance and then there are three tables in the Japanese style room that still features a tokonoma.

The restaurant has a simple menu with a lunch course and ala carte. For the lunch course you can choose between a pasta or pizza and includes a dessert and a drink. You can choose from the following pizzas: “margherita, marinara, 5 types of cheese, cabbage or shiitake mushroom & mozzarella pizza”. The pizzas are baked in a kiln and all the products use locally sourced fresh fruits and vegetables from the Nose area. The presentation looks great, especially the appetizer but the food is absolutely fantastic and arrives quite quickly after you order. Counter is recommended if you like to see the preparation.

It’s located a bit far from Osaka and can only be reached by car or bicycle. Next to the restaurant is parking space for up to eight cars as well as bicycle parking.

Grigio e ao is a lovely restaurant in the middle of the Osaka countryside with absolutely delicious food made with local ingredients and a stylish interior that is a must visit.