Highlights
- Manga titles centered around food can blend genres and create entertaining and intricate stories.
- Food manga can be sophisticated and explore complex topics like wine.
- Food has the power to bring people together and create meaningful connections.
Regarding manga, there seems to be a genre for just about every topic, even those that most readers would find mundane. Just as most manga readers may like to read about a worldwide adventure or a romance between two or more characters, other readers may want to read about an unexpected but popular topic: food.
Be it food with enchanted powers or a group of characters coming together over a nice meal, there are many manga titles with food as a key story component. No matter where the story takes place or what events may happen, these manga titles are sure to give readers an equal dose of entertainment and food cravings.
Updated February 5, 2024, by Izabella Molina: With such a common topic as food, it may seem as if most manga surrounding it are formulaic, but that is far from the case. Several manga have shown that food manga can blend genres and create truly entertaining stories. But even without blending genres, readers can still find an enthralling story about how intricate and exciting the food universe can truly be. With that in mind, this article has been updated to include more manga titles surrounding food and those who have made it a pastime to enjoy it.
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14 Mysterious Dinner at Bistro Sangen-tei
Rated 4/5 on Book Walker
- Written by: Chiwa Saito
- Illustrated by: Memeta
- Genres: Mystery, Seinen, Slice of Life
Illustrated by the artist Memeta, Mysterious Dinner at Bistro Sangen-tei boasts mouthwatering depictions of the typical food found at any fine dining restaurant. Intriguing still is the titular bistro, whose clientele consists of eerie figures eagerly awaiting the food tailored to their palettes and preferences.
The main protagonist of Mysterious Dinner at Bistro Sangen-tei is Ryuichi Kamisaka, an aspiring actor who has not had much luck debuting in the industry. However, after a chance dinner at Bistro Sangen-tei with his sister Kyoko, Ryuichi is suddenly thrust into the waiter position in the world of Sangen-tei, which is chock-full of extravagant cuisine and mysterious characters.
13 Patisserie of the Inner Palace
Rated 4/5 on Book Walker
- Written by: Hikari Tsukino
- Illustrated by: Ryogetsu Saetoki
- Genres: Isekai, Shojo, Fantasy
A clear departure from the bistro setting of Mysterious Dinner at Bistro Sangen-tei, Patisserie of the Inner Palace takes place in feudal Japan; the manga’s art style reflects this period, as many characters, locations, and pastries look as though they have been intricately painted instead of drawn.
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The story of Patisserie of the Inner Palace features Kokoro Yuzuki, a present-day pastry chef who finds herself in Edo, Japan after falling down a flight of stairs. From there, however, Kokoro manages to resume her duties as a pastry chef for the Shogun, but she soon finds herself becoming embroiled in brewing conspiracies.
12 Specialty for the Fallen Knight
Rated 4/5 on Book Walker
- Written by: Yuchiba
- Illustrated by: K.K.
- Genres: Fantasy, Shojo, Magic
Much like Delicious in Dungeon, Specialty for the Fallen Knight takes place in a traditional fantasy setting; in particular, this setting is split into three kingdoms, each ruled by humans, beasts, and elves. Additionally, the art style, courtesy of the artist K.K., is far more dynamic and expressive, making the series far more casual.
In this manga, waitress Noelle is struggling to keep her father’s cafe from closing after his untimely death. But before her business can be sold off, she is visited by the Holy Knight Lancelot, who has recently awakened from a long sleep and currently mistakes Noelle for his lover from long ago after being fed scones.
11 The Drops of God
Rated 4/5 on Book Walker
- Written by: Shu Okimoto
- Illustrated by: Tadashi Agi
- Genres: Seinen, Mystery, Slice of Life
Not all food manga has to do with restaurants and home-cooked meals. As The Drops of God shows, food manga can be sophisticated when the situation calls for it. Much of the conflict within this manga involves wine, a drink that is far more sophisticated than most alcoholic beverages.
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After the prominent wine critic Yutaka Kanzaki passes away, his wine container, which contains the fabled Drops of God wine, is up for inheritance. This sparks a bitter feud between his two sons, Shizuki Kanzaki and Issei Tomine, for the valuable container and the highest quality vintages, which are dubbed The Twelve Apostles.
10 What Did You Eat Yesterday?
Rated 4/5 on Book Walker
- Written by: Fumi Yoshinaga
- Illustrated by: Fumi Yoshinaga
- Genres: Seinen, Yaoi, Slice of Life
What Did You Eat Yesterday features its main couple bonding over preparing meals for each other during their time outside of work. Unlike the casual, sudden nature some manga romances, the main couple in this manga is far more mature. Both men have a lot of experience in both work and romance.
What Did You Eat Yesterday revolves around lawyer Shiro Kakei and his hairdresser boyfriend Kenji Yabuki, who find solace in their meals together after dealing with their jobs and families. Shiro cooks meals for himself and Kenji after their long shifts at work, but Kenji also tries his hand at cooking when Shiro is not around.
9 Delicious in Dungeon
Rated 4.5/5 on Book Walker
- Written by: Ryoko Kui
- Illustrated by: Ryoko Kui
- Genres: Seinen, Fantasy, Adventure
Though some readers may be turned off by the simplistic art style, Delicious in Dungeon is by no means a title to look down upon, excelling in its story, themes, and implementation of food in its universe. In particular, this title is especially appealing to fans of dungeons, dragons, and traditional fantasy, all of which this title delivers in spades.
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The story revolves around Laios, a knight who leads a party that has recently lost a member in a treacherous, dragon-inhabited dungeon. Though the party is horribly low on supplies and especially food, Laios comes up with an idea to make up for their lack of preparedness: eat the dungeon’s enemies!
8 How to Grill Our Love
Rated 4.5/5 on Book Walker
- Written by: Shiori Hanatsuka
- Illustrated by: Shiori Hanatsuka
- Genres: Seinen, Romance, Comedy
Food often has a way of bringing people together, as shown by the main relationship in How to Grill Our Love. In this case, however, what starts as mutual gushing over barbecue turns into a true test of commitment when things start to get serious between the two lead characters.
How to Grill Our Love stars Keita Fukuyama, a master barbecue chef who yearns to get married, but has had very little success until he meets fellow barbecue lover Chihiro Yamaguchi. After starting a relationship with Chihiro, Keita suddenly finds himself getting transferred to a new job. This prompts Chihiro to propose marriage, so they may stay together.
7 Let’s Buy The Land and Cultivate It in a Different World
Rated 4.5/5 on Book Walker
- Written by: Rokujuuyon Okazawa
- Illustrated by: Jun Sasameyuki
- Genres: Shonen, Fantasy, Adventure
Though it may seem similar to other titles in the isekai genre, Let’s Buy The Land and Cultivate It in a Different World can best be likened to farming simulators such as Stardew Valley and Sun Haven. This fact alone makes this title one of the most unique in the food genre due to how the overall universe is set up.
In this title, after being ostracized by a kingdom due to his useless skills, Norio Itonami instead decides to cultivate his land and live a secluded life, free from the toil of his corporate job in his original world. However, due to his skill in fully utilizing the tools at his disposal, Nori finds himself at the center of some odd shenanigans, namely getting a dragon to help with his cooking and having a mermaid as his bride.
6 Restaurant to Another World
Rated 4.5/5 on Book Walker
- Written by: Junpei Inuzuka
- Illustrated by: Yamizawa and Morozawa
- Genres: Fantasy, Seinen, Comedy
Though the official art style and artwork are colorful and vibrant, the first few moments of Restaurant to Another World start out like something in a typical adventure-style anime; this may give off the wrong idea for some readers. But in a few short moments, the setting takes a turn for the better when the protagonist, Sarah Gold, stumbles across the secluded titular restaurant.
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In this manga, adventurer Sarah Gold meets the waitress Aletta and her chef, both of whom offer her a famed minced meat cutlet that was once eaten by her grandfather. As time passes, however, Sarah soon learns the restaurant’s secret: it is only open every Saturday and hosts many fantastic customers looking for delicious Western food.
5 Sweet Reincarnation
Rated 4.5/5 on Book Walker
- Written by: Nozomu Koryu
- Illustrated by: Seriko Iida
- Genres: Isekai, Fantasy, Shojo
Sweets are a popular food constantly portrayed in manga and anime, and Sweet Reincarnation is no exception to this trend. For readers with a sweet tooth, this manga may be of great interest, for this title is as cute as it is wholesome in terms of artwork, premise, and main protagonist.
After a freak accident involving one of his famed desserts, a pastry chef is reincarnated as a nine-year-old boy named Pastry Mille MorteIn, whose only goal is to make the best apple pie ever. However, Pastry soon realizes that if he wants to achieve his goal, he will first have to wield his newfound manga to rid the land of Mille MorteIn of bandits that wish to raze the land’s foodstuffs.
4 The Devil is a Part-Timer!
Rated 4.5/5 on Book Walker
- Written by: Satoshi Wagahara
- Illustrated by: Akio Hiiragi
- Genres: Shonen, Fantasy, Comedy
Already a popular isekai anime and light novel series in its own right, The Devil is a Part-Timer is a prime example of a reverse isekai series, in which a fantasy character or creature is transported to the present day. Naturally, this means the characters in question must explore what the present day has to offer, which includes trying this era’s food.
In this case, the former demon lord Sadao Maou and his lackey Shiro are transported to the present day after being defeated by a hero in their world. To make matters worse, the pair must also deal with the typical financial stressors that one may experience in the present, prompting Sadao to take up a job at a fast-food restaurant to pay his expenses.
3 Campfire Cooking in Another World With My Absurd Skill
Rated 5/5 on Book Walker
- Written by: Ren Eguchi
- Illustrated by: Akagishi K
- Genres: Fantasy, Isekai, Comedy
In a similar vein to certain isekai series, Campfire Cooking in Another World With My Absurd Skill sees its protagonist transported to a fantasy world out of nowhere and with a seemingly useless and strange power. But as it turns out, what starts as a strange power ends up being the main protagonist Tsuyoshi Mukouda’s saving grace.
After finding himself in a traditional fantasy world, Tsuyoshi is suddenly tossed into a dangerous mission despite his horrid strength and stats; he is tasked to defeat a Demon Lord and save the kingdom of Reijseger. His only true skill is to order food from his old supermarket, a skill that ends up satiating the Demon Lord’s stomach so much he starts asking for more.
2 Hakumei & Mikochi: Tiny Little Life in the Woods
Rated 5/5 on Book Walker
- Written by: Takuto Kashiki
- Illustrated by: Takuto Kashiki
- Genres: Seinen, Fantasy, Slice of Life
With two cutesy characters and a larger-than-life setting in the most literal sense, Hakumei & Mikochi is a must-read for both food lovers and readers who are fond of the chibi art style. Set in a forest where the animals are larger than normal, this manga makes even a walk through the woods seem like a life-changing adventure.
The manga stars the titular pair, Hakumei and Mikochi, lifelong best friends who are obsessed with food and everything related to it. While their days usually consist of playing games and collecting food, things take a shocking turn when Conju, a known traveling bard, is suddenly abducted amid a series of other sudden events.
1 She Loves To Cook and She Loves To Eat
Rated 5/5 on Book Walker
- Written by: Sakaomi Yuzaki
- Illustrated by: Sakaomi Yuzaki
- Genres: Slice of Life, Yuri, Josei
Cooking is one of many ways people can relax, and no manga proves this to be true more than She Loves To Cook and She Loves To Eat. Set in the present day, this manga not only shows off delectable foods cooked by someone truly passionate about cooking, but it also shows how food can help create relationships between other people.
Nemoto is a contract worker who dreams of experimenting with her cooking by making foods derived from video games and bigger portion sizes. Unable to eat that much food herself, however, she invites her neighbor Kasuga to have dinner with her, thus starting a romantic relationship between the two women.
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