milpa

I cannot recommend this restaurant enough. From the very beginning we were welcomed into a warm environment that was such an incredible blend of both class and comfortability.

I’ve had Michelin experiences before where I feel intimidated, like I have to be extra careful not to step on anyone’s toes. This experience was NOT that. I very quickly felt like I belonged from start to finish, when the staff all signed cards for my friends and I - such a beautiful, personal touch.

The server carried himself professionally but not overly serious. He was enthusiastic but tame, and very clearly passionate about his work and his drink paring selections. His support staff were also totally on the ball. My water glass was never empty, my finished dishes were cleared in a timely manner. The moment I’d push my chair back to stand up the staff were already holding the bathroom door open for me…And I pooped like 3 times because I’m lactose intolerant and forgot my pills, so I felt bad but I was impressed.. haha! Not to mentioned each time I returned to the bathroom, there toilet paper had a nice fold, the hand clothes were replenished and everything was perfectly reset.

The staff, the atmosphere, and everything surrounding the meal wrapped up and put a bow on top of what was truly the best meal I have ever enjoyed. Chef Willy and his sous chef have beyond impressed me and my friends with some of the most immaculate flavours that have ever blessed my pallet. I tasted real treasures in that restaurant that were close to bringing tears to my eyes. The open concept kitchen allowed us to see the passion from behind the scenes, and the passion was clear in Every. Single. Bite.

If you’re in Osaka, I urge you to go try Milpa. If you’re not in Osaka, I urge to visit Osaka to try Milpa. If you’re not in Japan, fly there, visit Osaka, and try Milpa.

Milpa!
What the chefs do here is really special. Every single dish had extremely complex flavor profiles, yet were refined and impactfully simple. Mexican dishes are of course, masterfully blended spices and ingredients that mend together to something uniquely special and that’s exactly what they deliver. What makes this place unique is their locally sourced Japanese ingredients and subtle influences. I won’t go into detail on exactly what is served because it absolutely should be something experienced first hand. The alcohol pairings are so thoughtfully picked and really do partner every dish uniquely. It is so plain that the Chef and the team exudes pride in the cultural blend here, and it is an experience you will not find elsewhere. It is easily the most memorable meal I had on my travels and that is saying something in a place with so many beautiful restaurants. Humble pricing considering it was very generous portions of both food and beverages. I tried three lovely restaurants on the Michelin guide while in Japan and while all were exceptional, this would be my recommendation to anyone and everyone looking for a special experience.

Willy Monroy and his incredible team— Thank you for having me!

Hands down the best meal we’ve ever had! My husband and I debated this as we spent our anniversary here, but each bite was absolute perfection. This had never happened to us!

We’re so incredibly grateful we were able to come and enjoy this food. We will not only be back but we will remember this for the rest of our lives! Stunning food and hospitality ♥️♥️

Chose to eat here because it was a new restaurant with a very fast Michelin star. Can honestly say the food blew me away. The best meal we ate in our 3 week japan trip and equivalent in quality, thoughtfulness and execution to other meals I’ve eaten at double the price throughout France and New York.

Only area of improvement to get to 3 star would be the wine and drink availability. There is no cocktail or wine list. The sommelier obviously has a good supplier/importer of wines and has some small, but high quality producers available, but I would have loved to select something myself from a bigger collection.

Again- awesome food. I will definitely make my way back at some point in my life, no doubt it will be much more difficult to book and probably cost me more than I paid tonight as it gains more popularity. Well done.

Quite simply one of the best meals I have ever eaten. The concept of fusing traditional Mexican dishes with Japanese influences and ingredients is wonderful, and every course was excellent. The service was incredibly friendly, from the host to everybody in the kitchen (all of whom were friendly and happy to have a chat about the dishes). I opted for beer rather than either of the drinks pairings but based on other review those would have been great too. Highly recommended.