Updated September 15, 2022 by Ernie

Soooo, we’ll be looking at some of the best cooking anime out there. I know you guys love food, I mean, who doesn’t? You can’t survive without eating or maybe you are some alien who can.

Food in real life is one thing, but the way they animate food in anime is just something out of this world. Even if you don’t like a dish, you’ll love seeing it animated. If you’re the type of person who watches animated food videos on Youtube, then you’ll love all of these anime.

With any further ado, let’s get straight into the list. In case you are looking for some more recomms 35+ Manga About Cooking (Recommendations)

 

BEST COOKING ANIME

 

44-Doamaiger D

Title	Doamiger D
Genre	Action, Comedy, Gourmet
Type	TV
Studio	ILCA
Premiered	2015
Episode Count	13
Duration	2 min per ep

Doamaiger D is the next anime to feature on this list. We all have seen humans cooking, but have you ever seen robots preparing meals? I’m sure you haven’t!!

This show features the story of Kyougoku Daijirou. He is the owner of a sweets shop in Kyoto named Amashodou. On a not-so-normal day, Daijirou discovers a massive robot in the basement of his shop. This robot was named Doamaiger D.

After some time, monsters termed Mekaijuu started appearing in his town. Now, what will he do? He believes that it is his and Doamaiger’s duty to save everyone. But, here is a question!! From where does Doamaiger get his power? Well! The source of his power is food. Yess! You read that right, FOOD!! 

Even though the show was released in 2015, the animation is pretty bland and old-school. Still, it is a pretty enjoyable show.  It has a MAL rating of 5.31. 

 

43-Amazing Life of the Fast Food Grifters

Title	Tachiguishi Retsuden
Genre	Comedy, Gourmet
Type	Movie
Studio	Production I.G
Premiered	2006
Episode Count	1
Duration	1 Hr 44 Min

Tachiguishi Restuden is the next anime on this list. This show is about Food Drifters and the ever-changing Japanese food culture. 

We follow the story of  famous food Drifters in different eras. After world war 2, the legendary fast food Drifter, Moongaze Ginji appears. In 1960, a lady food grifter named Coxy Croquette O-Gin appeared and suddenly vanished. During the years of economic miracle, Crying Inumaru AKA the loser was the town’s talk, and the list continues…..

Ohhh! I forgot to mention what food drifters are. Food drifters are basically scammers. They are well-known for ruining the reputation of famous restaurants. I should mention that this movie was a flop. Even though it was directed by the infamous Oshii Mamoru. Still, if you’re into this kinda stuff, you should definitely give it a shot.

This show has a MAL rating of 5.43. Fans just can’t comprehend the fact that this movie was directed by Oshii Mamoru. The plot is just too boring, and the characters are also bland.

 

42-Sushi Police

Title	Sushi Police
Genre	Comedy, Gourmet
Type	TV
Studio	KOO-Ki
Premiered	2016
Episode Count	13
Duration	3 min per ep

Another youtube short, Ohhhh sorry! We are not talking about shorts in this blog, are we? It’s just that the episode lengths are so short, they remind me of Youtube Shorts! You’ll see a lot of anime like this here.

As you can already see from the title, this anime is about sushi. The Sushi Police has just one goal: to eliminate restaurants serving non-traditional sushi. I mean, it is a severe crime to serve unauthentic sushi. These people are WILD!!!

The Sushi Police have the license to travel anywhere in this world for their goal. It is to preserve Japanese culture. Just like you can’t add pineapple to pizza, you can’t change the original sushi. It is just crazy!!

The plot takes a serious turn, but I won’t tell ya about that. You gotta watch the show.

Sushi Police is one of the worst-rated anime of all time. It has a MAL rating of 4.64 which is quite justifiable in my opinion. I mean, the plot is a bit too bland.

 

41-Ben-To

Title	Ben-To
Genre	Action, Comedy, Gourmet
Type	TV
Studio	David Production
Premiered	2011
Episode Count	12
Duration	24 min per ep

Ben-To is the next anime featured on this list. You all know that bento in Japanese means lunch box, right?

Have you ever seen people fight for food? No? Well! This anime is about this topic. The MC of this show is You Satou. You are one of those people who want to take advantage of the sale at a supermarket. This is not any ordinary sale. People are crazy about it. 

There are winners and losers in this crazy battle. The winners are titled “Wolves” and the loser “Dogs”. An upperclassman of You sees him going into the battle. He invites him over to his house alongside another girl who was observing the fight from afar. Ohh! I forgot to mention, the upperclassman is a WOLF!!!

He tries to teach them the true meaning of Wolves and Dogs. This sounds pretty dumb, lol!

I really like the concept of this anime. The comedy is also top-notch. You should defo give it a shot. 

Ben-To has a pretty decent rating of 7.22, so why is it so low on this list? Well! The main concern of this anime is not cooking.

 

40-Fighting Foodons

Title	Kakutou Ryouri Densetsu Bistro Recipe
Genre	Adventure, Comedy, Fantasy, Gourmet
Type	TV
Studio	Group TAC
Premiered	2001-2002
Episode Count	26
Duration	25 min per ep

This anime is a bit similar to Toriko in terms of bizarreness. It features the story of an 11-year-old boy named Zen Makunouchi and his little sister Karen. Zen is a ferocious fighter who is up against an evil empire. What do they feed these 11-year-olds in anime? I mean, how are they sooo strong?

Now, here is a big question. How do they even fight? They use weapons made of food called  Foodons. These foodons are basically weird monsters having unique abilities. Only a few people can develop these foodons from complex food items. And our MC Zen has that ability.

This anime is basically for kids. If your kid is looking for an action anime involving food, then this is it. Let him watch this show. I’m sure he’ll love it.

This show has a rating of 6.01 on MAL. This anime can be called a cheap rip-off version of Pokemon. 

 

39-King of Sushi

Title	Shouta no Sushi: Kokoro ni Hibiku Shari no Aji
Genre	Gourmet
Type	OVA
Studio	Unknown
Premiered	1999
Episode Count	1
Duration	54 min

Shouta no Sushi follows the story of a teenage boy who wishes to be like his father who is a chef. A sushi chef to be specific. 

The adaptation of this anime does not follow the manga. Originally, the show was supposed to be more about the fighting nature of our boy and his dream. However, it leaned more towards the difficulties of farming, fishing, and other political stuff.

As the anime was financed by the Agricultural Ministry, it was kinda expected. Still, the show is a decent watch. I’d recommend reading the manga, cuz it is a lot better.

Shouta no Sushi is one of the few shows that aren’t rated on MAL. 

 

38-Pororo To The Cookie Castle.

Title	Pororo Daemohoem
Genre	Adventure, Cooking
Type	Special
Studio	Unknown
Premiered	2004
Episode Count	1
Duration	1 hour 11 min

Another interesting show on the list is Pororo Daemohoem. It is another one of those 3D kids’ shows that is surprisingly considered ANIME!!

It features the story of a penguin named Pororo and his friends who are getting ready for the upcoming Christmas. However, there is a slight problem. Santa Claus fell ill and won’t be able to transport cookies to the “Candy Castle.” 

So, he asked our MCs to help him out and deliver these cookies to the castle. Why are these cookies essential? These cookies are to be delivered to children all around the world. If they aren’t delivered, the children would get sad, which would be terrible. 

Is pororo up to the task? Can he deliver the cookies on time? If you’re looking for something light-hearted, then this show is a decent watch.

Another show that hasn’t been rated on MAL. 

 

37-Cooking’ Idol Ai! Mai! Main

Title	Cooking’ Idol Ai! Mai! Main
Genre	Comedy, Gourmet
Type	TV
Studio	Studio Deen
Premiered	2009-2013
Episode Count	305
Duration	6 min per ep

The title of this anime is quite interesting and so is the anime. This show is basically for children who want to learn cooking. MAIN is the MC of this show who teaches viewers how to cook. 

She makes some really interesting dishes while teaching them to the kids. There is another interesting fact about this anime, the voice actor of MAIN, Fukuhara Haruka, is also a part of the show. Her segment comes after the anime where she tries to recreate the dishes made by MAIN by following her instructions. 

It is a really wholesome show. If you are a kid, you will definitely enjoy this one. The characters feel too cartoonish. 

This show is rated 6.26 on MAL. Well! This rating is pretty justified considering that this show is for kids and has no actual plot.

 

36-Chocolate Underground

Title	Chocolate Underground
Genre	Comedy, Adventure
Type	ONA
Studio	I.G Production
Premiered	2008
Episode Count	13
Duration	5 min per ep

I have a question for y’all. What if the government bans chocolate and sweets? That’d be terrible, right? 

This is what happens in this anime. The new government bans sweets and chocolate. However, all of these things are available to the army. Kinda unfair, right? 

Now, this is where everything changes. Two boys, Smudger and Huntley, decided they wanted to taste and enjoy chocolate too.  Soon, they discover underground chocolate smugglers. After a few years, they managed to create their own chocolate agency that distributes chocolate to everyone.

What will the government do? This anime is a pretty decent watch. The plot is pretty unique and the characters are also enjoyable. As there is no real cooking in this show, it is rated pretty low.

This show has a MAL rating of 6.11. The plot of this show is just too bland. Some scenes don’t even make sense. 

 

35-Miracle! Mimika

Title	Miracle! Mimika
Genre	Gourmet, Slice of Life
Type	TV
Studio	Digital Media Lab
Premiered	2006
Episode Count	225
Duration	10 min per ep

We finally have an anime that is solely about cooking. Miracle! Mimika follows the story of a teenager Himeno Mimika. She is the daughter of a well-known master chef, and Mimika also has an immense talent for cooking. 

To fully utilize this talent, she wants to attend a cooking school named the Miracle academy. This cooking school has students from all around the world. It is not easy to make a mark there. However, Mimika never loses hope and keeps working hard. She faces many challenges in the form of talented rivals and even politics. 

This show is pretty underrated as it doesn’t even have a rating on MAL. You should definitely give it a shot.

 

34-Solitary Gourmet

Title	Kodoku No Gourmet
Genre	Gourmet, Slice of Life
Type	ONA
Studio	None
Premiered	2017-2018
Episode Count	10
Duration	4 min per ep

Kodoku No Gourmet is the next anime to feature on this list. This show is about a lone food critic, Inogashira Gorou. Gorou’s day is full of eating at ramen shops and other restaurants. He wanders around the city to discover new food places.

He can be called a lone wolf. He loves eating by himself. This way no one can judge him. He does not abide by the social restrictions. He just enjoys himself. Even though he is a critic, he is extremely polite. 

Some critics do this work to make money. However, Inogashira is not like them. He loves his job. He considers it his duty. You don’t see many people like him in this world.

Kodoku no Gourmet is one of the very few anime that aren’t rated. Its manga was pretty decent and has a MAL rating of 7.54. The anime aired in 2017 and is criminally underrated.

 

33-Kiyo in Kyoto: From the Maiko House

Title	Maiko-san Chi no Makanai-san
Genre	Comedy, Gourmet, Slice of Life
Type	TV
Studio	J.C.Staff
Premiered	2021
Episode Count	12
Duration	25 min per ep

Most cooking anime have a pretty short play-time. There are only a few having an average play-time of 25 min.

This anime features the story of two friends, Sumire and Kiyo, who wish to become maikos. However, dreams don’t always come true. Fate had something else written for Kiyo as she became the house’s cook. 

However, Sumire still pursued her dream and was on her way to becoming a successful maiko. There are some other characters in the anime as well. But, I won’t spoil everything.

Now, the real show stealer is Kiyo’s culinary skills. Her dishes are just scrumptious. I wanna try them in real life. If you’re a fan of slice-of-life anime then you’ll love this show.

This show’s rating of 7.00 is justifiable. I mean, there is no real plot in this show. And ofc cooking is not the main concern here. So yeah! You shouldn’t be surprised to see it this low on the list.

 

32-Ms. Koizumi Loves Ramen Noodles

Title	Ramen Daisuki Koizumi-san
Genre	Comedy, Gourmet, Slice of Life
Type	TV
Studio	Studio Gokumi
Premiered	2018
Episode Count	12
Duration	22 min per ep

As you can already see from the title, Koizumi-san is a huge fan of ramen. She can eat ramen the whole day and not get tired. And guess what? Koizumi is a high school student.

She even travels for miles just to eat ramen, she waits for hours even if she has to stand in the scorching heat. Now, this is where the fun begins. Her classmate, Yuu Oosawa develops a huge crush on her. And she knows how to get close to her, and that is RAMEN!!!!

She accompanies Koizumi in her ramen adventures so that she can somehow steal her heart. 

Like other anime foodies, Koizumi too has a huge appetite. Yuu always wonders how she can eat soo much. And she doesn’t get fat, lol!

Once again, the main concept of this anime is food and not cooking, so the ranking is a bit low. The cooking is there but not that much. There are some mouth-watering ramen cooking scenes.

This show has a MAL rating of 6.53. Well! There is no actual plot in this show. The characters are also a bit bland, and it seems like the author never intended to make this show enjoyable. The only good thing about it are the Ramen scenes.

 

31-Drifting Dragons

Title	Drifting Dragons
Genre	Cooking, Adventure, Fantasy
Type	TV
Studio	Polygon Pictures
Premiered	2020
Episode Count	12
Duration	23 min per ep

Now, the title of this anime doesn’t seem like that of a cooking anime, right? Well! This anime features actual dragons that rule the skies, and are a source of food for humans who hunt them.

The plot of this anime follows a group of friends who travel on their ship “Quin Zaza” in search of dragons to hunt. Their survival depends completely on these dragons as they gain food, medicine, and even oil from them. 

Where is the cooking in this show? Well! After hunting dragons and collecting their meat, the crew has to cook it as well. Trust me! You can make some mouth-watering dishes with dragon meat. I am not even kidding!! This show has some exquisite animation. You are wasting your time not watching this show. 

Drifting Dragons has a MAL rating of 6.99. Why can’t it be 7? Lol! It has some exquisite animation and the characters are also enjoyable, so why is it rated low? Well! Most people just don’t like seeing people hunting and eating dragons!!

 

30-Sushi and Beyond

Title	Eikoku Ikka, Nihon wo Taberu
Genre	Comedy, Gourmet, Slice of life
Type	TV
Studio	Fanworks
Premiered	2015
Episode Count	24
Duration	19 min per ep

Sushi and Beyond is the next cooking anime on this list. This anime is adapted from a book composed by a British food traveler and expert.

In this show, we follow the adventures of Michael Booth and his family as they travel around Japan and discover its food. You’ll see plenty of mouth-watering dishes in this anime. The animation, however, is not that great. 

It is still an enjoyable show, if you’re not bothered by the animation.

Sushi and Beyond is rated 6.33 on MAL, which is pretty decent in my opinion. There is no real plot in this show and the animation is not good enough. Still, it is a decent show if you want to explore Japanese cuisine.

 

29-Grade Schooler Lives Alone

Title	Hitorigurashi no Shougakusei
Genre	Comedy, Gourmet, Slice of Life
Type	ONA
Studio	Signal.MD
Premiered	2017
Episode Count	10
Duration	3 min per ep

This amazing anime follows the story of a 9 year old girl named Suzune Rin. Rin’s family used to run a restaurant. However, after her parents’ death, she has to run this restaurant all alone so that she can earn some money to pay for her education and food. Pretty sad, right?

She knows that she cannot cook that well. But, she still tries her best and the people of her town still come to her restaurant to supporther. She even gets bullied at school for being bullied. 

This anime is just sooo sad and wholesome at the same time. I believe it is really underrated. The characters are just soo adorable. This anime is a masterpiece in my opinion. You should definitely give it a shot.

This show has a MAL rating of 6.50 which is definitely low for a gem like this. Well! It is ranked low on this list because it lacks cooking, however, it should be rated a bit higher than 6.50. It has a fantastic cast and great animation. It is literally perfect!!

 

28-Fully Cooked For You

Title	Fully Cooked For You
Genre	Gourmet
Type	Movie
Studio	Tokyo University of Arts
Premiered	2011
Episode Count	1
Duration	4 min

I know y’all love your moms cooking. I mean, who doesn’t? For me, my mom is the best chef in this world. 

This anime is about a mother cooking for her family. Her child is watching her as she is cooking probably the best meal of his entire life. Now, here is an interesting thing. The ingredients are portrayed as animals. There are peas, carrots, konjak, and burdock root as animals. 

My guess is that the kid is seeing the vegetables as animals. What do you guys think? The show has a watch time of just 4 mins. You should definitely give it a shot!!

 

27-JK Meshi!

Title	JK Meshi!
Genre	Comedy, Gourmet
Type	TV
Studio	Kyotama
Premiered	2015-2016
Episode Count	26
Duration	3 min per ep

Studying can get a bit boring, right? I mean, you cannot just study the whole day. Our MCs, Reina, Ruriko, and Ryouka have managed to find a way to kill their boredom. During their free time, they cook B-class dishes called JK Meshi! 

And believe me, these dishes are not easy to make. It takes a lot of time and talent to prepare a JK Meshi and DAMN they look tasty. There is nothing else in this anime. Well! The episodes are just 3 mins long. What can you expect?

If you are looking for a quick show to relieve your nerves, then this one’s for you. It is pretty wholesome and cute. 

JK Meshi has the worst MAL rating of all time. YES! THE WORST!! It has a rating of 4.20. Why is it this low? Well! There is no entertainment value in this show. The episode duration is short, the characters are bland, and there is no plot whatsoever. It is about 3 girls discussing some random questions. After that, they prepare some food and then eat. 

What’s worse is that the questions aren’t even interesting. It seems like they are aimed at elementary schoolers.

 

26-Dagashi Kaashi

Title	Dagashi Kaashi
Genre	Comedy, Gourmet
Type	TV
Studio	Feel Animation
Premiered	2016
Episode Count	12
Duration	24 min per ep

There are a lot of short anime on this list, so it feels kinda weird to see an anime with an average run-time of 24 mins, lol!

What if you decide to ditch your family business and do something else? I’m sure your dad will be pissed. Something similar in this anime. The MC, Kokonotsu Shikada, decided to become a manga artist even though his family runs a popular sweets shop. 

His father was finding it difficult to convince him. However, everything changes as a young lady tries to hire his father to join her company. His father put forth a certain condition. He asked her to knock some sense into his son and convince him to continue their family business. And if she succeeds, he will happily join them. 

If you’re a fan of sweets, then this anime is a must watch.

Dagashi Kashi has a MAL rating of 6.61 which is pretty low. And I think it is understandable. This show is nothing more than an advertisement for Dagashi. You’ll only find it intriguing if you are interested in the culture and daily life of Japanese people.

 

25-Isekai Izakaya: Japanese Food From Another World

Title	Isekai Izakaya: Japanese Food From Another World
Genre	Fantasy, Gourmet
Type	TV
Studio	Light Novel
Premiered	2018
Episode Count	24
Duration	14 min per ep

Isekai Izakaya is the next anime to feature this list. A lot of people compare it to Isekai Shukodou. But, believe me, they are a lot different.

Nobu ,a seemingly ordinary restaurant run by a famous chef Nobuyuki Yazawa and a waitress Shinobu Senke. Despite its simple appearance, the restaurant is somehow connected to an inter-dimensional city called Aitheria. 

People of Aitheria just love Yazawa’s cooking. It became so popular that people from different dimensions come to Aitheria just to enjoy its mouth-watering cuisine. 

This anime has 24 episodes, and is a must-watch. If you’re looking for a light-hearted show with amazing animation, then I’d definitely recommend this one. Having amazing animation, the show is rated pretty high up on this list.

 

24-Ippon Bouchou Mantarou

Title	Ippon Bouchou Mantarou
Genre	Gourmet
Type	OVA
Studio	J.C.Staff
Premiered	1991
Episode Count	2
Duration	46 min per ep

This anime is the only one with “Gourmet” as its only genre. This means, that this anime is solely about cooking, nothing else. It is really a hidden gem.

I seriously don’t want to spoil this show. It has just 2 episodes and there’s a lot to explain. I guess we should start with the name of the MC first. Mantarou is the protagonist of this show.

It is unlike other cooking anime. The way it portrays characters emotions as they are cooking is magnificent.

As it is a bit old school, the animation might be a bit lacking. But believe me, this show is still one of the best out there.

Ippon Bouchou Mantarou is criminally underrated. It has a MAL rating of just 6.02. The only thing bad about this show is its lacking animation. However, it is not that bad in my opinion. This show deffo deserves more attention.

 

23-Oh! My Konbu

Title	Oh! My Konbu
Genre	Comedy, Gourmet, Slice of Life
Type	TV
Studio	Unknown
Premiered	1991
Episode Count	22
Duration	25 min per ep

Oh! My Konbu is the next addition to this list. This anime is also a hidden gem in my opinion, it is one of those anime that are solely about cooking. 

The MC of this show is named Nabeyama Konbu. Konbu’s father owns a restaurant. He helps his father after school. The thing here is that Konbu’s father knows nothing other than cooking, he is an experienced cook but a failure in real life. 

Sooo, Konbu helps him in dealing with things like dealing with customers, deciding the menu, and other stuff. Even though this anime is a bit old, it is still quite enjoyable. The animation is quite decent as well. 

You should deffo give it a shot. Oh! My Konbu is one of the unique shows that aren’t rated on MAL. Why? Well! It is pretty old, being aired back in 1991. It has no actual plot or anything, and the primary target audience are children.

 

22-Cooking Papa

Title	Cooking Papa
Genre	Gourmet, Slice of Life
Type	TV
Studio	Eiken
Premiered	1992-1994
Episode Count	No Information
Duration	25 min per ep

Cooking Papa is another old-school cooking anime that aired back in 1992. This show is about a perfect father and a perfect husband. Mr. Araiwa is the protagonist of this amazing show. Even though he is not a househusband, he still cooks for his wife and son.

His wife works as a full-time journalist. He considers it his duty to provide maximum comfort for his wife as she works really hard. Araiwa has had a great passion for cooking ever since he was a child. And MAN!! His dishes are exquisite. If he were to open a restaurant, he would be declared a master chef.

But, he prefers to keep his expertise reserved for his family. This anime is just tooo wholesome. It could have been higher if not for lacking animation. You know peeps prefer animation over story these days.

Cooking Papa is one of the most underrated shows I’ve ever seen. It has a MAL rating of just 6.62 which is quite low in my opinion. However, as I’ve already said, people prefer animation over plot these days.

 

21-Wakako-Zake

Title	Wakako-Zake
Genre	Gourmet, Slice of Life
Type	TV
Studio	Office DCI
Premiered	2015
Episode Count	12
Duration	2 min per ep

Wakako-Zake is the next cooking anime to feature on this list. This anime is about the daily life of an office worker named Murasaki Wakaku. This anime thoroughly explores the concept of a lone foodie.

Whenever Wakaku feels overwhelmed by her work or other responsibilities, she goes out to eat and drink. She tries a new restaurant every time. She has this weird habit of saying “Pshuuu” whenever she discovers a fantastic food and drinks combo, and we think it is pretty CUTE!!!!

You might think that isn’t it kinda boring to watch a single woman eat food? Well! It is the main concept of this anime. We follow the everyday life of Wukaku as she discovers new food and enjoys it. You should definitely give it a shot. It’s a pretty short anime with each episode only 2 mins long.

It is this low on this list because of the episode length and the lack of cooking in it. You mostly see cooked food on the table. 

Wakako-Zake has a MAL rating of 6.63. There is no plot in this show. The episode duration is pretty short, and the characters are not interesting. The only good thing about this show is that it introduces us to several unique Japanese dishes. Even if you live in Japan, you still wouldn’t have heard about at least 2 or 3 of them. Pretty hilarious, right?

 

20-Bartender

Title	Bartender
Genre	Cooking, Food
Type	TV
Studio	Palm Studio
Premiered	2006
Episode Count
Duration	23 Min per Ep

Bartender is the next anime to feature this list. This anime is not about food. It is about DRINKS!!! 

Ryuu Sasakura is the protagonist of this fantastic show. No! Ryuu is not on an adventure to discover drinks or smth!! He is just a bartender. Ryuu works at a bar in Eden Hall. He is one of the best bartenders out there. Why is he so special?

He knows which drink to serve that will lift the spirits of his customers. Hundreds of people come to his bar daily. Some of them are happy, and some are sad and depressed cuz they had a fight with their wives. He serves them drinks according to their taste and mood and listens to their stories.

This anime is a fantastic watch if you’re looking for something light-hearted to watch. I’m sure you’ll love it as much as I do.

With a MAL rating of 7.35, Bartender is pretty high on this list. Still, I think that the rating should’ve been higher. This show’s rating is low because it is a bit slow. For most people, it is a relaxing show. However, for others, it is too dull.

Peeps should watch more shows like this one. It really heals your soul and mind…

 

19-Ristorante Paradiso

Title	Ristorante Paradiso
Genre	Drama, Gourmet, Romance, Slice of Life
Type	TV
Studio	David Production
Premiered	2009
Episode Count	11
Duration	22 min per ep

This anime is based in an Italian restaurant, ofc it will be good. Ristorante Paradiso follows the story of a teenage girl named Nicoletta. She had a rough childhood. Her mother abandoned her and went to Italy to marry another man.

When she got older, she decided to trace her mother and get revenge. She traveled to Italy as she discovered that her mother worked in a restaurant there. After entering the restaurant, all her thoughts of revenge disappeared. She was mesmerized by Italian cuisine. Even the waiters were exquisite. She decided to become a chef there as well.

After that, she fell in love with Claudio, a staff member. Now, she has a new goal: becoming a master chef. Can she achieve her goal? I’m pretty sure she can. She was able to find her mother with enough determination. 

The anime aired in 2009, so the animation is pretty decent, and the characters are also quite enjoyable. I’m sure you’ll love it. 

Ristorante Paradiso has a MAL rating of 7.33, which is pretty decent in my opinion, considering that it aired in 2009. The thing people don’t like about this show is the slow pacing. You know that people make an opinion about a show after watching the first 2 eps. The first 3 or 4 eps of this show are pretty bland and slow, making it a hard watch for some people.

 

18-How About a Coffee?`

Title	Coffee Ikaga Deshou
Genre	Gourmet, Slice of Life
Type	ONA
Studio	Asura Film
Premiered	2018
Episode Count	30
Duration	53 sec per ep

Coffee Ikaga Deshou is another anime about beverages, specifically coffee. I know y’all love coffee. I also use black coffee as a pre-workout drink lol!! 

This anime revolves around a coffee brewer named Hajime Aoyama. He runs a small coffee truck. . Most road food services are quick and the food quality is usually not that good. However, Aoyama is different. His coffee is special. The way he brews the coffee specifically according to the customer is unparalleled. 

He knows exactly how his customer is feeling and makes the coffee according to their situation. This alone makes this anime a must-watch. The ranking could’ve been much better if the episode duration was a bit long. 

Coffee Ikaga Deshou is one of the few anime that are rating-less. Well! It is pretty underrated and people are genuinely missing out on it. There are no reviews about it on MAL, so ofc no one will watch it.

 

17-Bonjour Sweet Love Patisserie

Title	Bonjour Koiaji Pâtisserie
Genre	Gourmet, Romance, Slice of Life
Type	ONA
Studio	SILVER LINK
Premiered	2014-2015
Episode Count	24
Duration	5 min per ep

Have you heard of the term “Reverse Harem”? I’m pretty sure you have, right? In case you haven’t, I’ll tell you a bit about it. Reverse Harem is the opposite of traditional Harem. In this genre, multiple boys fall in love with a single girl.

The concept of a reverse harem is used in this anime a lot. Well! The cooking is also there. Our MC Sayuri Haruno wanted to become a pastry chef. For this reason, she got admitted into a prestigious cooking school. 

This school is full of gorgeous boys. Each one of them has his own specialty. It was really hard for Miyuri to survive in this school. There is just so much talent. It is MIND BLOWING!!! The school even has foreign students. You can just imagine the competition.

Bonjour has a MAL rating of 6.10, which is pretty low in my opinion. It is apparently a cooking show, but the premise leans more towards the reverse harem genre. You might think it must be an excellent reverse harem anime, right? However, it even failed in that aspect. The plot is also a bit bland, and the characters are not enjoyable at all. 

Sooo, why is it soo high up on this list? Well! If we’re talking about cooking anime, this show has some really appetizing scenes, and the animation is also pretty good.

 

16-Restaurant to Another World

Title	Isekai Shokudou
Genre	Fantasy, Gourmet, Slice of Life
Type	TV
Studio	SILVER LINK
Premiered	2017
Episode Count	12
Duration	23 min per ep

Isekai Shokudou is the next anime to feature this list. Have you ever heard of a restaurant that serves customers from other dimensions? I mean you haven’t, cuz it doesn’t exist or maybe it does. Who knows!!!!!

This anime features a restaurant named Nekoya. It may seem like a normal restaurant, but believe me, it is not. During the day, it serves normal humans from our dimension. However, during the night, beings from other dimensions come here to eat the delicious food.

Elves, dragons, monsters, and even dwarves travel from their dimensions just to eat the scrumptious food of this restaurant. The chef is a genius. He knows exactly what to serve. He can make literally every dish, and each one of them is mouth-watering. 

This anime is a masterpiece in my opinion. The concept is really unique. It really deserves this spot on the list.

Isekai Shokudou has a MAL rating of 7.38. As you know, the Isekai genre is loved by fans all over the world. So, why is this show’s rating on the lower side? Well! Some fans did enjoy the idea of cooking Ft. Isekai, while for others it is a stupid idea and it would just ruin the cooking genre. You should also look at these  10+ BEST Cooking Donghua (Recommendations)

 

15-Yuru Camp

Title	Yuru Camp
Genre	Slice of Life
Type	TV
Studio	C-Station
Premiered	2018
Episode Count	12
Duration	23 min per ep

Well! This entry is a bit surprising. Yuru is not your typical cooking anime. However, it has some really wholesome and mouth-watering cooking scenes.

Rin Shima is not your ordinary teenager. While others wish to enjoy their free time with their family, Rin wants to enjoy this time in solitude. As she was spending her days at a campsite in Mount Fuji, she meets Nadeshiko Kagehamara. Nadeshiko got separated from her family after she fell asleep in the middle of a hike. 

After meeting Rin, she decides to spend the night with her. Even though they were strangers, they had a good time together. They enjoyed some ramen besides the campfire. After Nadeshiko’s sister picked her up, they started pondering about maybe another camp together??

I just love this show, it is soooooo wholesome. The characters are just adorable. You just can’t hate this anime. It deserves this spot in my opinion.

Having a MAL rating of 8.27, I think this show’s ranking is entirely justified. You’ll see that some shows above it have a lower rating than this one, so why are they higher up? Well! The main concern of Yuru Camp is not cooking, which is why it is placed low.

 

14-Yotsiruo Biyori

Title	Rokuhou-dou Yotsuiro Biyori
Genre	Gourmet, Slice of Life
Type	TV
Studio	Zexcs
Premiered	2018
Episode Count	12
Duration	23 min per ep

Finally!! An anime with a typical run-time. Most anime on this list feel like youtube shorts, lol!

I gotta admit it, I have fallen in love with Japanese-style cafes and restaurants. I mean, they are just so aesthetic. I wanna visit one so bad!!!

The MC of this show, Kyosui Tougoku inherited a Japanese style cafe Rokuhoudo from his grandfather. He was already working there, so he knew how to handle everything. Alongside him were his trusted comrades. 

Unrivaled hospitality was their main weapon. With this, they’d turn any new customer to a regular. Everything was going smoothly until something bad happened? No bruh!! Their customers just flourished multiple times. Now, they have to work even harder. But, they are determined more than they ever were.

I just love this show. It showcases multiple aspects of Japanese culture beautifully. The animation is also gorgeous. It believes it deserves this spot.

Yotsirou Biyori has a MAL rating of 7.62. Pretty decent, right? But it could’ve been even higher. There is a line between being boring and being a relaxing show. This anime is at the borderline of both. Some fans find it wholesome, while others find it a bit boring. Well! It is a bit boring and bland in the beginning. However, as the series progresses, the plot unravels, and it gets a lot more interesting.

 

13-Ramen Fighter Miki

Title	Muteki Kanban Musume
Genre	Cooking, Martial Arts, Slice of Life
Type	TV
Studio	Telecom Animation Films
Premiered	2006
Episode Count	12
Duration	24 min per ep

Well! This show is a parody anime. It means that it copies the action sequences of other anime like Dragon Ball Z, Naruto, and ofc One Piece. What? You want to know the English title of this show? It translates as “The Unbeatable Delivery Girl.” The title pretty much sums up the show, right?

Miki Omimaru works as a delivery girl in a Chinese restaurant owned by her mother. The restaurant has amazing food and a great reputation. However, the only downfall is MIKI!!!

Being the delivery girl, she sometimes annoys the customers. Some peeps might like her energetic behavior, others don’t.

She even gets into trouble for this. The comedy in this anime is really something else. As I’ve already told you, it is a parody anime, so you’ll see a lot of action scenes from other anime. The cooking aspect is also there. There are some exquisite mouth-watering cooking scenes. 

Apart from comedy, this anime really has nothing else to offer. That’s why it is this low on the list.

Muteki Kanban Musume has a MAL rating of 7.10, which is pretty decent considering that it is usually referred to as a comedy show. You might be wondering why it is so high on this list. Well! This list is about cooking anime, and this show has some of the most mouth-watering scenes. 

 

12-Kakuriyo: Bed and Breakfast for Spirits

Title	Kakuriyo no Yadomeshi
Genre	Drama, Gourmet, Romance, Slice of Life
Type	TV
Studio	Gonzo
Premiered	2018
Episode Count	26
Duration	23 min per ep

Have you ever seen a spirit? No! I am not talking about ghosts here. There are some good spirits as well.

Aoi Tsubaki has had the unique ability to see spirits ever since she was a child. After her mother left her, she was picked up by her grandfather, who also had the same ability. He taught her many things about these spirits. 

After his death, Aoi decided to use her cooking skills and make peace with these spirits. After sharing her lunch box with spirits, she got teleported to the world of spirits. There, she meets the Ogre king, Oodana. He told her that her grandfather had left a debt of 100 million yen. 

Aoi decides to pay this off by opening a hotel at Oodana’s place without asking him, lol!

This marks the beginning of Aoi’s adventure. This anime is pretty underrated, in my opinion. I’ve rated it high cuz I want more people to give it a shot.

With a MAL rating of 7.53, this show is pretty high on the list. Its ranking is pretty justified as it correctly depicts the importance of food in our lives. For some fans, it is a bit disappointing, while for others, it is the sole reason for watching this show.

 

11-Oishinbo

Title	Oishinbo
Genre	Comedy, Gourmet, Slice of Life
Type	TV
Studio	Shin-Ei Animation
Premiered	1998
Episode Count	136
Duration	23 min per ep

This anime is also about Food critics. The MC of this show is a well-known food critic, Shirou Yamaoka. He is known for his honesty. People even wait for his review about a restaurant before trying it out.

The manga of this anime was pretty famous back in the 1990s as it was even mentioned in a live cooking show called “Iron Chef”. The MC of this show is an absolute badass. You’ll love him.

There are some really mouth-watering moments in the show. You’ll get to see some exquisite dishes and their reviews. This anime is rated pretty high up because of its fantastic cast and some really appetizing scenes.

Oishinbo has a MAL rating of 6.82. In my opinion, this rating is pretty decent for a show that aired back in 1988. And it has an episode count of 136. Series having episodes over 100 are usually rated low. Why? Well! Some fans rate the anime after watching the whole show, while others rate it just after 10 eps cuz they didn’t enjoy it, and ofc they rate it low.

 

10-Piacevole: My Italian Cooking

Title	Piace: Watashi no Italian
Genre	Comedy, Gourmet, Slice of Life
Type	TV
Studio	Zero-G
Premiered	2017
Episode Count	12
Duration	4 min per ep

This anime is about a teenager looking for a part-time job. We all know how summer breaks can get a bit boring. So, it is good to find a part-time job and kill some time. 

Our MC Morina Nanase manages to find a waitress job at an Italian restaurant. She immediately fell in love with Italian cuisine and her new job. The staff of the restaurant is a bit crazy but it doesn’t stop her from working there.

She also learns there is much more to Italian cuisine than pizza, spaghetti, and macaroni. We get to see some mouth-watering dishes such as Caponata, Penne arrabbiata, and tiramisu. The names are a bit difficult to pronounce, but you’ll get used to them. 

Follow Morina’s story as she falls in love with Italian food and gets used to her new job as a waitress. Being a waitress isn’t that easy. It requires a lot of patience and determination.

This show is rated this high up because of its excellent cast of characters and an adorable MC.

Now, here is a surprise for y’all. Piace has a MAL rating of 5.87. Pretty low for an anime this high up on the list, right? Where is the issue? Well! There are certain factors here. Firstly, the episode duration is just 4 mins, and because of this, the story is quite rushed. Multiple things aren’t explained. Fans expected a lot more from this show, but it was a disappointment for most peeps.

 

09-Mister Ajjiko Special

Title	Mister Ajikko
Genre	Comedy, Gourmet
Type	TV
Studio	Sunrise
Premiered	1987-1989
Episode Count	99
Duration	24 min per ep

Have you ever wondered what was the first cooking anime? Well! Here is your answer. Yess! Mister Ajikko is the FIRST EVER COOKING ANIME!!

This OG anime features the story of a teenager named Ajiyoishi Yoichi. Yoichi’s mother was a chef who runs a restaurant. Ajiyoshi was not interested in cooking. He just served the customers food. However, being the son of a master chef, people thought that he was a prodigy.

Now, this is where things get heated up. A food critic came to their restaurant. Ajiyoshi serves him a dish made by him, and that critic fell in love with his food. He took him to a competition against an Italian chef. Ofc Ajiyoshi lost. Well! This sparked something inside him.

This marked the beginning of his cooking journey. As the show is pretty old, the animation is a bit lacking. Other than that, everything is perfect!!!

This show has a pretty decent MAL rating of 7.08, considering the fact that it aired back in 1987. Well! It just shows you that plot>>>>animation. Most people still don’t know about this gem, otherwise its rating could’ve been even higher.

 

08-Toriko

Title	Toriko
Genre	Action, Adventure, Comedy, Gourmet
Type	TV
Studio	Toei Animation
Premiered	2011-2014
Episode Count	147
Duration	23 min per ep.

Another pretty unique show to feature on this list is Toriko. It is one of the most popular cooking anime out there. 

The plot of Toriko is pretty simple. The world in which our MC lives is full of food. Yess! FOOD!! There are ice-cream mountains, cheese lava, and even clover hamburgers. These things are pretty common in this world.

The gourmet age is going on and there are gourmet hunters that hunt unique ingredients. Toriko is another gourmet hunter. He is responsible for 2 percent ingredient discovery. He is regarded as one of the best gourmet hunters. 

He has a goal. He wants to achieve the “Full Course of Menu” achievement. Can he do it? 

His journey would not be easy. He has to fight monsters, evil organizations, and sometimes food as well. 

Looking at the plot, I think you can guess why this anime is this high up on the list.

Toriko has an MAL rating of 7.52. In my opinion, it is a bit low considering the plot and everything. It has some of the best characters and pretty decent animation. The thing is, despite its serious plot, some fans just think of it as a comedy anime. 

 

07-Cooking Master Boy!

Title	Chuuka Ichiban!
Genre	Cooking, Food, Adventure
Type	TV
Studio	Nippon Animation
Premiered	1997-1998
Episode Count	–
Duration	23 Min per Ep

Chuuka Ichiban! AKA Cooking Master Boy! Is the next anime to feature on this list. The plot of this show is based in China so some peeps think of it as a Donghua. But, it is an anime!

This anime is a classic of this genre. It aired from 1997-1998 and is considered a literal masterpiece. It features the story of a teenager named Liu Maoxing. Liu’s mother was a master chef. She was considered the best chef in all of China.

Liu wanted to follow in her mother’s footsteps. He even won a championship. However, he thought it was too early for him to stop. So, he decided to travel across China along with his friends. He faced a lot of difficulties along his journey and learned a lot. 

He even faced off against an underground cooking society. His culinary skills improved after every challenge he faced. He even got hold of the 8 legendary cooking tools.

Being one of the most popular anime, Chuuka Ichiban! Is rated 7.60 on MAL. I must say that the ranking is a bit lacking. I guess it is because of animation. Most new peeps just care about animation. Indeed, they’ll rate such a gem low. If it gets adapted in the new animation style, it’ll sure be above 8.5…..

 

06-Yakitate!! Japan

Title	Yakitate! Japan
Genre	Comedy, Gourmet
Type	TV
Studio	Sunrise
Premiered	2006
Episode Count	69
Duration	24 min per ep

This anime is about bread. Yess! You read that absolutely right, BREAD!!!

The MC of this show Kazuma Azuma is a bread specialist. He has a unique goal. He wants to make bread that is found only in Japan. Other countries like Britain, Germany, and the US have bread that is unique to their country. 

Japan is yet to become a member of this unique group. Kazuma has the unique ability of “warm hand” that allows him to speed up the fermentation process of bread. With this power, he can create different types of bread. However, he needs experience. For this purpose, he works at multiple bakeries all over Japan. During his journey, he makes some really good friends and some enemies as well.

This anime would’ve been higher up if it had better animation. Besides animation, everything is almost perfect.

Yakitate!! Japan is another show that is rated pretty high on MAL. Its rating is 7.92, even higher than the top 5 anime on this list. Since we are not establishing the ranking of this list on the basis of MAL, this show is a bit low on the list. All because of its animation. Well! It makes sense as it aired back in 2006

 

05-Dream Colored Pastry Chef

Title	Yume-iro Patissiere
Genre	Gourmet
Type	TV
Studio	Studio Pierrot
Premiered	2009-2010
Episode Count	50
Duration	23 min per ep

If you’re a fan of sweets, then this anime is for you. Yume-iro Patissiere features the story of a teenager named Ichigo Amane. Amane is a huge fan of sweets. She can eat cakes all day long. And now, she wants to bake them herself. 

However, baking cakes is not that easy. One day, she meets a popular patisserie named Henri Lucas. Lucas acknowledged her cake-tasting skills and recommended her to the prestigious St.Marie Academy. 

It was like a dream come true for Amane. She was even made a member of the ‘Sweet Princess” (An elite group of students). She met a lot of talented patisserie in this academy. Each one of them specializes in a different category. Some have the aptitude for decoration, while others are adept at baking. 

The animation of this show is pretty neat and the characters are just too adorable.

Yume-iro Patissere is rated pretty high on MAL. Its rating is 7.84, which is pretty decent for a cooking show that aired back in 2009. You might be thinking that it should be a bit higher on this list, right? However, this show is a bit lacking animation-wise. 

 

04-Gourmet Girl Graffiti

Title	Koufuku Graffiti
Genre	Comedy, Gourmet, Slice of Life
Type	TV
Studio	Shaft
Premiered	2015
Episode Count	12
Duration	24 min per ep

The next anime to feature this list is Koufuku Graffiti. This anime is about a teenager who wants to improve her cooking so that she can get married. Pretty weird, right?

Ryou Machiko was told by her grandma that she has to become a great chef to find a good husband. Ryou started practicing her culinary skills. However, there was no one there to test it. Looks wise, her food was really exceptional, however, the taste was not that good.

Now, this is where everything changes. Ryou’s cousin Kirin Morino started living with her. This provided her a chance to test her food. This improved her cooking a lot and she even became a master chef. This anime has an actual hidden meaning if you look close enough.

Even though this anime is relatively new, the animation is not that great. The food animation is OKAY, I’m talking about the other scenes. Still, it is a great watch. 

On MAL, this show is rated 6.79. Kinda low, right? There’s no big reason for this. It’s just that fans expected a lot more from it and were disappointed. If you search for this show on MAL, you’ll not see the tag “FOOD”. I mean, this is kinda ridiculous. The main concern of this show is food. This is another reason fans were disappointed.

 

03-Today’s Menu For Emiya Family

Title	Today’s Menu For Emiya Family
Genre	Comedy, Gourmet, Slice of Life
Type	ONA
Studio	Ufotable
Premiered	2018-2019
Episode Count	13
Duration	13 min per ep

Today’s Menu For Emiya Family is the next cooking anime to feature on this list. Well! This one is an ONA series of the Fate Series. I guess you can already guess that from the title.

Even though the world is at the risk of another Great Holy Grail War, our MCs have managed to find some time off the battlefield. Emiya Shirou has discovered that he has a knack for cooking. He gathers ingredients with the minimum budget he has and cooks for his family. Saber is also a member of his family ofc.

You may not believe it, but Shirou really is a genius. The way he utilizes unique ingredients is just exceptional. He makes some really unique dishes including Cheesy Bamboo Shoot Gratin and Steamy foil-baked salmon.

Sometimes guests like Rin Tohsaka also arrive as a challenge for Shirou. However, his culinary skills win every time. Well! This anime was animated by the infamous Ufotable, so you can expect some amazing things from it.

This show is rated 7.80 on MAL. You can definitely see a pattern here. This anime is rated higher than both Sweetness and Lightening and Food Wars! The primary genre of this show is shounen, and you guys know shounen fans! They just love fan service. So, it’s no surprise that it has a decent rating. 

This OVA can be considered fan service. Another reason here is its exquisite animation. Ufotable has definitely set a pretty high standard for animation. 

 

02-Sweetness and Lightening

Title	Amaama to Inazuma
Genre	Comedy, Gourmet, Slice of Life
Type	TV
Studio	TMS entertainment
Premiered	2016
Episode Count	12
Duration	24 min per ep

This wholesome anime is about a single dad trying his best for his daughter. Kouhei Inuzuka became quite devastated after the death of his wife. Now, he had to take care of his daughter, Tsumugi, all alone. He had to manage his job and cook for her as well.

After some time, he realized that he was only feeding ready-made food to his daughter which is not good. One day, his student Kotori Iida invited him for dinner at his family restaurant. Kotori also lived alone as her mother used to work. 

Kouhei realized that this is the perfect opportunity to make everyone happy. From then on, Kouhei and Tsumugi started eating at Kotori’s place. No, no, no!! They were not eating for free lol! Kouhei also started learning cooking. And Kotori found a new family. 

The main thing about this anime is the excellent cast of characters. If you are tired of shounen and want to take a break, then this show is perfect for you!! The animation is also pretty neat. In my opinion, this anime deserves this spot. 

Let’s talk about the rating of this show! This anime is rated 7.53 on MAL. Even though it is rated lower than Food Wars! It is in second place. Well! You can already see from the premise of this show that the main concern here is not cooking, then what is it? It is the adorable relationship between a father and his daughter. 

 

01-Food Wars!

Title	Shougeki no Souma
Genre	Cooking, Food, Ecchi
Type	TV
Studio	J.C.Staff
Premiered	2015
Episode Count	24
Duration	25 Min per Ep

Food Wars! Is one of the most popular anime out there. No, I’m not talking about just cooking anime, I’m talking about anime in general. It has been ruling this particular genre ever since it premiered.

This anime features the story of Souma Yukhira. Souma is the son of a Master Chef. After beating him in a cooking contest, he wanted to take over his father’s restaurant. 

However, his dreams were shattered when his father closed the restaurant and sent him to a culinary school. Souma was tooo proud to attend a cooking school. He thought only amateurs would attend it. However, his viewpoint quickly changed as he encountered some exceptional rivals.

This anime has some ecchi scenes as well. If you have no problem with that, then you should definitely give it a shot. It’s a great watch indeed. This anime is at this rank because of its unique characters and a great cast of versatile characters. 

Food Wars has a total of 5 seasons. Like any other cooking anime, this show has some exquisite animation. Despite being this popular, its overall rating on MAL is not that high. It is rated just 7.32. Why? Well! Most of it is because of the ecchi scenes. Some fans find this thing disturbing for an anime centered around cooking. 

Still, if we are talking specifically about the cooking genre, then no other anime comes near it….

I sincerely hope that you’ll love it.

 

Conclusion

Sooo, here is the list fellas. There are the top cooking anime out there. There are some shows I haven’t included some shows such as Silver Spoon as they are not concerned with cooking. 

Hopefully, you’ll love all the anime on this list. Sayonara!!

You might also want to look at these….35+ Best Food Anime (RECOMMENDATIONS)