ひろ作 at Umeda, Osaka

A tiny eight-seat mom-and-pop izakaya in Shin-Umeda Shokudogai dishing up handmade obanzai and winter oden.

Hiro-saku is a snug, eight-seat izakaya in the Shin-Umeda Shokudogai alley, run single-handedly by a friendly 'mama' whose homemade cooking and warm welcome are the whole appeal. The menu centres on hand-prepared obanzai - Kyoto-style home cooking - with the winter oden a particular draw when the season turns. The room is small and unhurried, cash-only and walk-in only, which keeps the atmosphere intimate and local. It is the kind of place where regulars settle in for a quiet drink rather than large groups arriving to celebrate, so it suits solo drinkers and pairs looking for a genuine, low-key evening. The Go Umeda team has a soft spot for these one-person kitchens - they are the soul of the Umeda food alleys. Find a seat at the counter, let mama pour you something, and you will taste exactly the kind of home cooking we love to share.