Few things look more delicious than a good meal in food-related anime, whether it be the soup and eggs from a Ghibli movie or an elaborate bento from a slice-of-life series. Given this, it's no surprise that quality food-related anime series are plenty abundant, and some of the best ones are plenty worth highlighting.

Like many 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 takes it slow and focus on the relationships between the chefs and their customers, creating a warm and welcoming atmosphere in the show.

30 Flavors of Youth

Original Film Produced By CoMix Wave Films and Haoliners Animation League

Flavors of Youth is a short anthology film produced by the same studio as Your Name that features three different stories about the melancholy and nostalgic memories of childhood. The first of these stories showcases a young man returning to his old town, showing a fascination for the dish he used to eat during his childhood and whose narration also serves to show the perspective of those who emigrate and how everything changes with the age of time and the arrival of adulthood.

Flavors of Youth was able to depict food as visually captivating as those in Studio Ghibli's films, which makes it impossible to not want to eat something after watching it. However, the film also strikes a chord by awakening memories of those good moments that people associate with food, which could make viewers shed a few tears.

29 Gourmet Girl Graffiti

Anime Series By Shaft; Based On The Manga By Makoto Kawai

Gourmet Girl Graffiti follows Ryou, who doesn't enjoy the taste of the food she prepares until her cousin Kirin goes to live with her on the weekends, and thanks to her, she begins to rediscover what cooking is about. The anime takes such an everyday act for many as preparing and consuming food and gives it a much greater meaning, highlighting the importance and joy of sharing a nice meal with someone else.

Gourmet Girl Graffiti has excellent animation with attractive dishes and fanservice in the way the characters enjoy the food that might remind viewers of Food Wars, but it is a simple, quiet, and unpretentious series about family and friendship as well as overcoming grief without intense developments or emotional twists, but ideal for those who want to spend some time relaxing watching cute girls eating delicious-looking food.

28 Red Cat Ramen

Anime Series By E&H Production; Based On The Manga By Angyaman

While it might not have the best visuals most of the time, especially compared to E&H Production's other works, Red Cat Ramen still more than succeeds at having an entertaining and often goofy take on a simple premise, and it's always fun to watch because of that. It's a cooking anime that never pretends to be more than what it is, and overall, it more than succeeds because of that.

27 Bonjour Sweet Love Patisserie

Anime Series By Silver Link & Connect; Directed By Noriaki Akitaya

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 ion 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.

26 Cinderella Chef

Anime Series By Wawayu Animation; Based On The Novel By Ziyi 281

Ye Jia Yao is a modern chef with a ion 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.

25 Kakuriyo: Bed and Breakfast for Spirits

Anime Series by Studio Gonzo; Based on the Light Novel Series by Midori Yūma & Laruha

Kakuriyo is an anime that unites gastronomy with the supernatural and follows Aoi Tsubaki, a university student whose world changes when she discovers an outstanding debt owed by her grandfather, decides to work at Master Odanna's inn, and cook in a restaurant for ayakashi to avoid having to marry him in compensation. This way, Kakuriyo is the perfect anime for fans of Kamisama Kiss, as it is also a slow romance where a human girl who finds herself surrounded by beings from Japanese folklore, however, focuses more on highlighting the food, showing how Aoi prepares different dishes for ayakashi.

Aoi is always thinking about food, creating new recipes, and looking for ingredients, and the anime does a great job describing what each dish has, the most interesting being the different twist to cooking animes, since, for these natural beings, human food is exotic. Furthermore, Kakuriyo: Bed and Breakfast for Spirits has a sequel confirmed, so it’s a great time for shojo fans to catch up before its release.

24 Bartender: Glass Of God

Anime Series By Liber; Based On The Manga By Araki Joh & Kenji Nagatomo

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.

23 Dagashi Kashi

Anime Series By Tezuka Productions; Based On The Manga By Kotoyama

Tezuka Productions' Dagashi Kashi does a great job of making the obscure world of Japanese confectionery entertaining with things like great visuals and the same clever writing that made the author's second series, Call of the Night, just as much of a hit. There are few food anime as funny and clever as Dagashi Kashi, and that makes it plenty worth watching, even for those unfamiliar with the subject matter.

22 Toriko

Anime Series By Toei Animation; 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.

21 Yumeiro Patissiere

Anime Series By Pierrot & Studio Hibari; Based On The Manga By Natsumi Matsumoto

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 ing her as she sures 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.