Where is the best food in Osaka?

I want to find really good restaurants in Osaka, close to Kansai Airport if possible. I have eaten at alot of restaurants but everyones opions would be appreciated.

There are a few restaurants in Kansai Airport on the 3rd floor. Most are good and the prices are normal(not the usual airport prices). The hotel (Nikko) just past the JR and Nankai train stations also has a few places to eat. Sorry, not sure of the prices and the food. Landside of the airport there is Rinku Town. They have a Outlet shopping mall there. Then there is a AEON shopping mall just past Rinku Town with the usual shopping mall type eating places. Both shopping malls have buses that run to and back from Kansai Airport, every 30 mins and about 300 yen each way.

If you know anything about Osaka, the BEST food is found at food stalls. These food stalls are usually found in and around the alleys and back alleys of major stations. IE, therefore, they are found within the Osaka Loop Line...not necessarily near the airport.

Don`t settle for the obvious...there is a lot more choice out there.

Are you referring to roadside stalls?
I was warned when I visited HK not to get food from roadside stores (ie people that sell food on the mobile carts) because of the hygiene. IS this a problem in japan?

The food stalls are called yattai. They are like traveling food venders. They don't have the best reputation when it comes to cleanliness, but the food is good and reasonable, and the atmosphere is very Japanese. It's kind of like the food venders at flea markets or street fairs. I have eaten at several yattai in different regions and have never gotten sick. I have never heard of anyone else getting sick either.

Kansai airport is an artificial island far from downtown Osaka. Local people go to Minami(also known at Namba). Walk around the pedestrian streets: there are hundreds of restaurants of all types. In Osaka Kita there is a huge underground mall called the Hankyu sanban gai. The main entrance is between the Hankyu hotel entrance and the departure lounge for the airport buses. On the second basement level there are at least a hundred restaurants, coffee shops etc. not too many tourist go there as it is quite a maze. Best food is hard to define as people have different tastes.

In response to the question regarding Hong Kong vs. Japan food stalls, I consider the Japan ones much safer.

I am actually from Hong Kong and would not advise any foreigner to eat at an HK food stall.

But use your common sense and look before you eat blindly.