There comes a time when a traveler to a foreign land (or an expat living in one) has eaten their fill of the local cuisine. Delicious and healthy though it may be, it needs to be balanced with a full on serving of their favorite comfort food. That’s pizza for me, and that can be hard to find in Japan. For pizza made the New York way (i.e. the way it should be done) and served by the slice there’s Rocco’s Pizza in Tokyo. But what is one to do if they’re in say, Osaka? Slices!
A change of careers and a move to Kansai had me looking forward to the opportunity of exploring Osaka and, with any luck, locating a pizza place to satisfy my needs. A chat with a fellow foreigner armed me with the intelligence and location of a place in Namba and come the weekend I hit the… Kintetsu Railroad.
I located Slices Café and Bar easily in the logical north-south east-west grid of Namba. The red floor to ceiling entrance doors were thrown wide and allowed a cool breeze into the dim chill-out-and-relax interior. I hadn’t even taken a seat before, pleasant surprise of pleasant surprises, I saw Slices’ large craft beer menu. Craft beer in hand it was business time with the pizza. Slices serves pizza... by the slice (from ￥500 a slice), or as a lunch set that sees the slice of your choice accompanied by a salad, gyoza, soup, a couple of small pieces of moist and juicy chicken, and a drink (￥900). There are also pasta (￥1000), bagel and wrap sets (￥900). The pizza did not disappoint, and all the toppings and topping combinations one expects to find at a pizza place were accounted for. My wallet was in for another drubbing on account of the tapioca bubble teas that are popular in Osaka (no regrets just a warning to go prepared so that you can indulge fully). I elected to have a chai bubble tea. I will be hard pressed to try something different on Slices’ varied menu because of how good the chai was.
In addition to the pizza, craft beer and bubble tea, Slices has a full bar stocked with everything one needs for drinks on a weekend night out, coffee, milkshakes, smoothies and a space for live music events. It’s the perfect place to go for lunch or start a night out in Osaka. The menu is bilingual as is the staff so there are no worries about communication. Slices is nearest exit 24 of the Namba Subway Station. Head north on the main road across the Dotonbori River to the Korean Consulate and turn left (there are always a few police/security officers here identifying where you need to turn) and walk a block and a half to the west. Slices is on the left across from a Mini Stop convenience store. Good slices can be found in Osaka at Slices… Happy travels!
