20 Best Food Anime of All Time, Ranked

Summary Many anime series take inspiration from food to inform characters and create warm atmospheres.

Food anime can feature intense battles between chefs, but also focus on relationships and healing.

Unique food-related anime options include a female-led food isekai, a farm-focused series, and an entry in a long-running magical girl franchise.

Whether it be the soup and eggs in a Ghibli movie or an elaborate bento box-lunch from a slice-of-life series, few things look more appetizing than a good meal in food-related anime. Given this, it's no surprise that there is an abundance of quality food-related anime series. Many anime take inspiration from food to inform their characters, for example, Tokyo Mew Mew based its core characters on food items such as strawberries, lettuce, and pudding.

Like a lot of things in anime, cooking is often portrayed as a battle between rivals, competing to create the best dish that will literally knock the diner's socks off. However, some anime take it slow and focus on the relationships between the chefs and their customers, creating a warm and welcoming atmosphere in the show.

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20 Delicious In Dungeon Mixes Classic RPG Elements With Delicious Food

Directed By Yoshihiro Miyajima & Based on the Manga By Ryōko Kui

Delicious in Dungeon Cast Sayaka Senbongi , Kentarou Kumagai , Hiroshi Naka , Asuna Tomari Release Date January 4, 2024 Writers Ryoko Kui , Kimiko Ueno Directors Yoshihiro Miyajima

One of the most popular cooking anime series in recent history, Delicious In Dungeon is a great introduction for genre newcomers. Fantasy, adventure, and culinary delights come together in the series, with a surprisingly powerful exploration of family and friendship. The story has viewers following a somewhat stereotypical Dungeons & Dragons-style party, made up of a human adventurer, an expert Dwarven dungeoneer, a half-elf mage, and a half-foot rogue as they search for Falin, the cleric-equivalent who goes missing in the depths of the dungeon after being swallowed by a dragon.

One of the best things about the anime is how creative it gets with ingredients based on familiar monsters from classic RPGs

Cooking monster-based dishes in an informative and humorous way is all about what this anime is all about, displaying a wealth of creativity in the creature's designs and anatomy. One of the best things about the anime is how creative it gets with ingredients based on familiar monsters from classic RPGs, and the practicality behind the methods the cast use when preparing the unorthodox dishes.

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19 Bonjour Sweet Love Patisserie Shows Off an Adorably Sweet Romance

Directed By Noriaki Akitaya & Based on the ONA By Ryō Aoki

Bonjour Sweet Love Patisserie is an anime series that takes viewers on a tasty journey into the world of confectionery and romance. Set at the renowned Fleurir Confectionery Academy, the series follows Sayuri Haruno, a gifted and driven girl with a passion for confectionery. She gets a scholarship to the academy, hoping to become a master of the art of confectionery.

The animation, produced by Silver Link, is notable for its lively colors and intricate portrayals of appetizing desserts that feel too real to be trapped behind a screen. Each episode is a visual treat, showcasing the intricate details of the art of confectionery, from the smooth surface of a chocolate ganache to the delicate layers of a mille-feuille. The anime perfectly captures the spirit of youthful ambition and the sweetness of first love, making it an absolute delight to watch.

18 Cinderella Chef Follows a Time-Traveling Culinary Princess

Directed By Ni Jiafei & Based on the Donghua By Ziyi 281

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Ye Jia Yao is a modern chef with a passion for Chinese cuisine. She dreams of becoming the country's top chef. While experimenting with a recipe, she's suddenly catapulted back to Imperial China. In a classic Isekai scenario, she wakes up in the body of a magistrate's daughter, now named Ye Jin Xuan. Just as she's processing this, bandits raid her village and kidnap her.

In this intriguing setting, spectators are taken on a journey with the young cook, enhanced by excellent envinroment drawings and vivid portrayals of life in ancient China.

17 Bartender: Glass of God Masterfully Escapes Conventionality

Directed By Ryōichi Kuraya & Based on the Manga By Mariko Kunisawa

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An anime in anthology form, each episode of Bartender focuses on Ryu Sasakura trying to discover the favorite drink of the customers and guests of the Cardinal Hotel. He, of course, always manages to serve the perfect drink that gets to the core of each of his guests, their personalities, and experiences. It's a great option for anime fans who want to see something a bit different from the conventional approach to a culinary-focused anime.

The drinks served aren't just beverages, they're symbolic keys that unlock deep, introspective journeys, giving viewers a reflective experience that is surprisingly profound. Bartender: Glass of God isn't just about cocktails; it's about the human connections forged over a shared drink, the solace found in a quiet moment, and the stories that unfold in the warm glow of a well-loved bar. For those seeking a series that offers more than just entertainment, this anime is a testament to the healing power of a well-crafted drink and a listening ear.

16 Toriko Throws Punches For Precious Ingredients

Directed By Akifumi Zako and Hidehito Ueda & Based on the Manga By Mitsutoshi Shimabukuro

Originally created by the controversial Mitsutoshi Shimabukuro, Toriko is an excellent anime with a different approach to a culinary-themed series. While most shows depict everyday challenges faced by chefs and everything in between, Toriko follows the titular Toriko, a hulking "Gourmet Hunter", who's hired by these same cooks to seek out the rarest and most exotic ingredients from around the world.

The anime series is filled with plenty of exciting shonen action and adventure, great fight scenes, and some really original creatures. It's a very different take on most cooking anime, and it's a great place to start for anyone who's even a little bit interested in the genre.

15 Yumeiro Patissiere is the Best Kind of Shojo Fluff

Directed By Iku Suzuki & Based on the Manga By Natsumi Matsumoto

Release Year 2009 Number of Episodes 63 + OVA Studio Hibari, Pierrot Where to Stream It HIDIVE

Amateur chef Ichigo transfers to the prestigious St. Marie Academy to become a patissiere. Despite her clumsiness and inability to get along with her upper-class classmates, Ichigo proves to be a baking prodigy and stuns everyone regularly with her incredible bakes.

Ichigo means strawberry in Japanese, which is why the fruit is featured so prominently throughout the series.

Ichigo works hard at improving her skills, practicing throughout the night to get certain recipes right. While she has an innate gift, her friends and the Sweet Spirits that watch over the campus help her enormously, giving her tips and supporting her as she surpasses many people who initially looked down on her. Though the series is full of classic Shojo tropes, Yumeiro Patissiere's undeniable sweetness and good heart earn it a place among the best food-related anime.

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14 Ramen Fighter Miki Combines Food, Action, & Comedy

Directed By Nobuo Tomisawa & Based on the Manga By Jun Sadogawa

Release Year 2006 Number of Episodes 12 Studio Telecom Animation Film Where to Stream It Crunchyroll, Tubi

Ramen Fighter Miki is about a young girl named Miki who works for a ramen restaurant and frequently finds herself involved in over-the-top incidents involving her job. As the title suggests, Miki's antics frequently involve her getting into fights, ultimately adding a bit of action to this gag comedy series.

This combination of action, comedy, and, of course, food gives Ramen Fighter Miki a unique edge in terms of its contemporaries. While it is a relatively simple series, that simplicity is often comforting in the same way that a homemade dish is, making Ramen Fighter Miki one of the best food anime.

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13 Ristorante Paradiso is Comfort Food at its Finest

Directed By Mitsuko Kase& Based on the Mang By Natsume Ono

Release Year 2009 Number of Episodes 11 Studio David Production Where to Stream It Crunchyroll

Ristorante Paradiso follows Nicoletta, a young woman who travels to Rome to confront her mother for abandoning her. Finding that her mother has started a new restaurant, Nicoletta agrees to stay in Rome and live in an apartment nearby the restaurant. The show has tons of drama packed into its short runtime, with relationship problems and endearing characters keeping the audience entertained throughout.

Related 10 Best Time Loop Anime Ever Time loops have become significantly more popular in anime. The trope has the ability to add intense mystery and higher stakes to a story.

Although the show may be slow-paced, Ristorante Paradiso's cast of characters and delicious food scenes make up for it, propelling the show along with a delightfully sophisticated atmosphere, making it very different from the usual battle-style food anime seen in series like Food Wars.

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12 Campfire Cooking in Another World Proves Fantasy & Food Just Go Together

Directed By Kiyoshi Matsuda & Based on the Light Novel By Ren Eguchi

Campfire Cooking in Another World With My Absurd Skill (2023) Cast Yuma Uchida , Satoshi Hino , Hina Kino , Maaya Uchida , You Taichi , Yuhko Kaida , Saho Shirasu Release Date January 11, 2023 Seasons 2 See at Crunchyroll

The "my useless skill is secretly overpowered" subgenre of isekai has never been more popular, which is why it's a surprise that a series like Campfire Cooking in Another World can still find room to make the concept fresh. One of the best isekai anime of all time, Campfire Cooking sees a group of Japanese people given magical powers as they're transported a fantasy world so they can aid a kingdom under siege from demons. The main character, Mukohda, is given the strange power of Online Supermarket which allows him to conjure food from the real world.

In addition to the incredible depiction of food, Campfire Cooking is also just a good fantasy story that uses its premise well. As Studio Ghibli proved, food and fantasy go well, which is why Campfire Cooking in Another World ranks among the best food anime.

11 Wakakozake Proves the Healing Power of a Good Meal

Directed By Minoru Yamaoka & Based on the Manga By Chie Shinkyu

Release Year 2015 Number of Episodes 12 Studio Office DCI Where to Stream It Crunchyroll

Gag series are usually aimed at a younger generation of anime fans, which is why Wakakozake so surprising. The series follows a young salary worker named Wakako who likes to unwind after a tough day at work with food and booze at various locations. Helping sell the jokes related to food and alcohol is Wakako's unique character design which always enhances the comedy of any situation she's in.

Unlike most food-related anime, Wakakozake isn't necessarily about the cooking or production of food, but instead about the healing power of eating it, making the series quite a unique food anime.

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10 Sweetness And Lightning is One of the Most Adorable Food Anime

Directed By Tarou Iwasaki & Based on the Manga By Gido Amagakure

Sweetness and Lightning (2016) Cast Yuichi Nakamura , Rina Endô , Saori Hayami , Yuko Hara , Komugi Kuga , Saaya Ando , Haruka Tomatsu , Tomokazu Seki Release Date July 4, 2016 Seasons 1 Creator(s) Gido Amagakure

Sweetness And Lightning follows a teacher, Inuzuka, whose wife has recently died, and he must step into the role of primary caregiver for his daughter, Tsumugi. However, Inuzuka has a hard time providing adequate meals for his daughter, who prefers home cooking over fast food, and he realizes that he must learn how to cook properly.

Inuzuka would do anything for his daughter, and watching their bond grow makes this one of the sweetest anime in a very long time.

Sweetness and Lightning an absolutely adorable time, with the heart of the story belonging to the relationship between Inuzuka and Tsumugi. Inuzuka would do anything for his daughter, and watching their bond grow makes this one of the sweetest anime in a very long time.

9 Bartender Has an Unbeatable Atmosphere

Directed By Ryōichi Kuraya, Based on the Manga By Araki Joh & Kenji Nagatomo

Release Year 2006 Number of Episodes 11 Studio Liber Where to Stream It Crunchyroll, Roku, Freevee, Tubi

Sasakura is a bartending prodigy who can make the best cocktails ever seen. He opens his own bar, Eden Hall, which is super exclusive and requires an invitation to be let in. Characters appear at the bar and are treated to a drink, unloading their problems onto Sasakura and trying to find the best way to deal with their issues.

Sasakura helps people throughout the show via his drinks, for example saving a young woman from a con-man by guessing the name of the con man's drink. However, rather than alcohol, Bartender focuses more on honesty and creating a good atmosphere to have a conversation, helping people to slow down and consider their options before doing something rash.

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8 Yakitate!! Japan is One of the Most Intense Food Anime

Directed By Yasunao Aoki & Based on the Manga By Takashi Hashiguchi

Release Year 2004 Number of Episodes 69 Studio Sunrise Where to Stream It Crunchyroll

This innovative anime follows Kazuma Azuma as he attempts to create a national bread dish for Japan, since many other countries have one, intending to call his dish "Ja-Pan" (pan being the Japanese word for "bread"). Kazuma's Solar Hands allow him to ferment bread faster, aiding his technical skills to let him create some brilliant bread throughout the series.

The intensity of Yakitate!! Japan helps to sell the strange premise, as audiences literally watch characters argue over croissants. This anime might be perfect for fans of The Great British Bake Off, due to its lively characters and the weirdly high stakes involved in a single loaf of bread.

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7 True Cooking Master Boy's Gorgeous Animation Makes it a Must-See

Directed By Itsuro Kawasaki & Based on the Manga By Etsushi Ogawa

Release Year 2019 Number of Episodes 24 Studio Production I.G. Where to Stream It Crunchyroll

Set in 19th Century China, and a fictitious era called "The Cooking Wars," Mao attempts to become a Super Chef to take over his late mother's restaurant. Mao travels around China learning different techniques and ways of cooking, expanding his skills, and meeting various lively rivals along the way. The series was initially released in 1997 and continued for 52 episodes. True Cooking Master Boy was released in 2019, continuing the story from Mao's completion of the Guangzhou Special Chef Trials. Mao is the youngest Super Chef in history, and his cooking skills are of an entirely new level.

With gorgeous animation courtesy of Production I.G. and a compelling plot that highlights the art and craft of cooking, True Cooking Master Boy is an incredible series for any fan of anime about food.

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6 Delicious Party Pretty Cure is One of the Best Food Anime For Kids

Directed By Toshinori Fukazawa & Based on the Franchise Created By Izumi Todo

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Release Year 2022 Number of Episodes 45 Studio Toei Animation Where to Stream It Crunchyroll

Part of the immensely popular Pretty Cure franchise that just celebrated its 20th anniversary with Soaring Sky! Pretty Cure, Delicious Party Pretty Cure is the rare fusion of magical girl and food anime. The series follows the titular magical girls known as Pretty Cures who team up with four fairies to stop a group of thieves who are attempting to hoard the secrets of cooking all for themselves.

The Pretty Cure franchise currently sports 20 anime series and 18 movies.

Perfect for younger fans of anime with an interest in all things sugary and sweet, Delicious Party Pretty Cure takes all the bright colors and themes of friendship innate to magical girl anime, and mashes it together with some incredibly delicious-looking meals.

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5 Isekai Izakaya is the Female-Led Food Isekai Fans didn't Know They Needed

Directed By Katsumi Ono & Based on the Light Novel By Natsuya Semikawa & Kururi

Release Year 2018 Number of Episodes 24 Studio Sunrise Where to Stream It Crunchyroll

Nobuyuki and Shinobu open Izakaya Nobu on their own terms having turned away from their mysterious past. However, after praying to the shrine in the restaurant, their door suddenly opens up to a parallel fantasy world full of medieval soldiers and giant monsters. Each episode ends with a live-action cooking lesson from Nobu Plus, showing the audience how each dish featured in the episode is made.

The cast of fantastic characters is certainly enough to distract the audience from the obvious product placement and advertisement that the show is trying to sell. The waitress Shinobu often steals the show, becoming one of the best female Isekai protagonists in Nobuyuki's absence, and sometimes saves the day simply by being kind to people.

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4 Restaurant To Another World is the Perfect Chill Food Anime

Directed By Masato Jinbo, Based on the Light Novel By Junpei Inuzuka & Katsumi Enami

Restaurant to Another World (2017) Cast Christopher Sabat , Jill Harris , Charles C. Campbell , Monica Rial , Caitlin Glass , Tyson Rinehart , Jeremy Inman , John Swasey Release Date July 3, 2017 Seasons 2 See at Crunchyroll

Western Restaurant Nekoya opens its doors to a parallel world once a week, on a Saturday. Its patrons range from lion-men to demons to dragons, but everyone agrees that Nekoya has the best food in the world. The story mainly follows the demon girl Aletta who, after being rejected from human society, finds a safe place and employment at the Isekai restaurant. This isn't the funniest Isekai anime, but it has some heartwarming and hilarious moments.

Restaurant to Another World is also one of the most laid-back and adorable animes, with sweet characters that all have weird and wonderful backstories that inform their actions.

3 Laid-Back Camp is Like Sitting Around a Campfire With Good Food

Directed By Yoshiaki Kyōgoku & Shin Tosaka, Based on the Manga By Afro

Laid-Back Camp (2018) Cast Yumiri Hanamori , Nao Tôyama , Aki Toyosaki , Sayuri Hara , Rie Takahashi , Akio Otsuka , Katelyn Barr , Morgan Laure Release Date January 4, 2018 Seasons 2 See at Crunchyroll

A female-led anime that passes the Bechdel Test with ease, Laid-Back Camp follows a group of girls in the Outdoor Activities Circle who love to go camping together. The anime is wholesome and adorable, often featuring the girls cooking together, as delicious food is one way to make camping fun.

The recipes that the girls of Laid-Back Camp make are easy and use few ingredients, as it would be difficult to transport lots of different ingredients and utensils to a campsite. One of the tastiest-looking dishes in the show is a medley of steamed vegetables cooked in tin foil over a campfire, which converts a group of disinterested teens into camping enthusiasts. Laid-Back Camp truly is the perfect anime for fans suffering from winter blues, earning it a high rank among the best food-related anime.

2 Silver Spoon Shows the Realities of Farming With a Goofy Edge

Directed By Tomohiko Itō & Kotomi Deai, Based on the Manga By Hiromu Arakawa

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Year Released 2013 Episodes 22 Studio A-1 Pictures Where to Stream it Funimation

While plenty of anime are about cooking food, and a few are even about eating food, there are relatively few series about the process of making the raw ingredients. Silver Spoon breaks that trend with a hilarious and often heartwarming story about a city boy named Yuugo Hachiken who enrolls in an agriculture school after failing out of his high school entrance exams.

Though Silver Spoon is available to stream through Funimation, the service is unfortunately shutting down in early April. It is unknown at this time whether Silver Spoon and other anime currently exclusive to Funimation will make the leap to Crunchyroll.

What makes Silver Spoon so remarkable is how true to life it is. Silver Spoon and Fullmetal Alchemist creator Hiromu Arakawa grew up on a dairy farm (which is probably why her author avatar is a bespectacled cow), and that real-life history shines through quite well in Silver Spoon, making it one of the best food anime ever made.

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1 Food Wars: Shokugeki No Soma is the Best Food Anime

Directed By Yoshitomo Yonetani, Based on the Manga By Yūto Tsukuda & Shun Saeki

Food Wars!: Shokugeki No Soma Cast Blake Shepard , Stephanie Wittels , Jad Saxton , Joanne Bonasso , Scott Gibbs , Luci Christian Release Date April 4, 2015 Creator(s) Yūto Tsukuda , Shun Saeki See at Crunchyroll

A show that has become synonymous with both food and shonen anime, Food Wars follows Yukihira as he reluctantly enrolls in Totsuki Culinary Institute to become a chef capable of running his father's diner. Yukihira struggles to fit in amongst the high-class chefs at the institute, who find his past at a diner to be beneath them. However, through food battles (known as shokugekis), Yukihira rises through the ranks to become a top chef.

Yukihira's rivalries are fun to watch because we see the rivals' struggles as well, enabling us to understand them despite wishing for their downfall.

Food Wars has some incredible and intense episodes, as well as endearing characters that make the audience root for them right from the start. Yukihira's rivalries are fun to watch because we see the rivals' struggles as well, enabling us to understand them despite wishing for their downfall. Given the high-intensity action and the superb animation that always makes dishes appetizing, there truly is no better food-related anime than Food Wars.