2025 sure has been a year to remember for Willy Monroy. First the Colima-born chef brought his elevated taco game to our own Time Out Market Osaka with the opening of Saboten Taqueria, and soon after his fine dining establishment, Milpa, became the first restaurant in Japan to receive a Michelin star for Mexican cuisine.
More than deserving of the celestial accolade, Monroy has spent years elevating modern Mexican dishes rooted in indigenous ingredients and traditional cooking methods with a touch of Japanese influence and flavours. Formerly of Noma Kyoto, he travels effortlessly between culinary cultures, showcasing the rich history and regional variety of his home country’s cooking with a sensibility and meticulosity perfectly suited to Osaka’s dining scene.
Photo: Time Out Market Osaka
But what and where does the pioneering chef like to eat when he’s not busy pairing blue-corn tortillas with native Japanese herbs and Osaka seafood? We caught up with Monroy for a quick chat about his go-to drinking dens, favourite grocery stores, morning coffee habits and more.
Where do you go for breakfast on your day off?
Starting my day somewhere where I can feel near to nature soothes my soul. I like the cafés near Utsubo Park, for example.
So you like to go out for your morning coffee?
No – the coffee I make myself at home is the best.
How about a quick lunch?
Tonsoku no Kadoya in Namba. It’s a homey spot for all things pork that’s been keeping it real for a long time.
Where do you go to get fresh ingredients?
Big Beans. They have a wonderful selection of high-quality stuff, and it’s all really fresh.
And kitchen equipment – where do you get yours?
You can’t beat Doguyasuji, the ‘kitchen street’. The shops there have everything I need – knives, tableware, you name it.
What’s one ingredient or condiment you can’t live without at home?
I don’t cook at home that often, but I always make sure to have some chilli peppers handy.
Let’s talk nightlife. What do you drink after a hard day in the kitchen?
A highball. Every time.
What’s your go-to spot for a quick drink?
I love stand bars. Hirokawa Tailor in Yodoyabashi is a favourite, as is Kitahama’s Yacipoci. Those, along with Tonsoku no Kadoya I mentioned earlier, are also places I always take friends to when they come to visit me here. Hit them up for a taste of the real Osaka.
Check out Saboten Taqueria at Time Out Market Osaka
AloJapan.com