世界の酒 北京 at Umeda, Osaka

A 1950 standing bar in Shin-Umeda Shokudogai famed for its warm egg and a world of foreign spirits.

Pekin is one of the original standing bars of Shin-Umeda Shokudogai, the labyrinthine food alley that opened its doors in December 1950, and the shop's first owner is even said to have inspired the district's distinctive shokudo (food way) name. Despite the Chinese-sounding sign, this is not a Chinese restaurant but a standing bar built around beer and foreign spirits, a pivot made years ago when Japanese sake drinkers drifted away. Its signature dish is simply called the egg - a couple of raw eggs warmed in a purpose-made ceramic egg baker until they turn softly half-cooked, then savoured with a dash of soy sauce in a characterful corner-counter space run by the okami (proprietress). Beyond the famed egg, the menu lists small sake snacks and a hand-picked selection of wines and spirits from around the world, and the bar trades on a cash-on basis, so you pay as you go - a relaxed, old-Osaka ritual that suits solo drinkers and bar-hoppers exploring the alley. The warmly lit, counter-only room and the okami's welcome make it a comfortable stop even on a first visit, and it pairs well with the neighbouring standing bars of this historic quarter. Pull up a spot at the curved counter and let the okami pour you something unexpected - then raise a glass the way Osaka does best. Go Umeda loves a corner bar with a story, and Pekin has been pouring one since the very first days of Shin-Umeda Shokudogai.