Hey there, foodies and manga lovers! Are you tired of the same old recipes and cooking shows? Do you yearn for an adventure in a magical culinary world? Then, I have got a recommendation for you—isekai cooking manga!
For those not in the know, isekai is a genre of Japanese fiction where a character is transported from the real world to a parallel universe or fantasy world.
Isekai cooking manga combines the best of both worlds—mouth-watering recipes and fantastical adventures. You’ll follow the journey of talented protagonists who are transported to a new world, where they use their cooking skills to win the hearts and stomachs of locals and conquer culinary challenges.
From making curry that can fly to baking bread that can heal, there’s no limit to the delicious and creative dishes you’ll find in these manga series. So, grab your apron, sharpen your knives, and get ready to dive into a world of culinary delights and magical ingredients!
16. I Decided to Cook Because the Losing Potion Was Soy Sauce
- Status: Ongoing
- Genres: Adventure, Cooking, Fantasy, Josei
Meet a 30-year-old housewife who got divorced and found herself in a new world. She gets introduced to a new job in the potion field by an old adventurer who claims to be an S-rank adventurer.
While harvesting potions, she discovers that the useless soy sauce potion can be used for cooking and imbues dishes with a correction effect. This realization leads her to embark on a slow life journey of cooking potions and leveling up as an adventurer.
15. I’m Not The Saint, So I’ll Just Leisurely Make Food At The Royal Palace
- Status: Ongoing
- Genres: Cooking, Fantasy, Shoujo, Romance
Rina got summoned to another world to be a Saint, but the food there was straight-up terrible. Even the royal palace couldn’t get it right! So, she’s like “I’ll do it myself, gimme your kitchen!”
Long story short, she ditches her Saint duties and starts cooking up a storm that leaves the nobles drooling for more. Rina’s food is so good, she wins ’em over with every bite!
14. The Banished Villainess! Living the Leisurely Life of a Nun Making Revolutionary Church Food
- Status: Ongoing
- Genres: Comedy, Cooking, Fantasy, Shoujo, Slice of life
Yuka Sawatani was an event planner who worked herself to death. But her story doesn’t end there.
She’s reborn into an Otome game as the villainess Elizabeth, and what’s more, she remembers her past life. Elizabeth tries to change the course of her fate in the game, but it’s no use. She’s banished just like in the original story.
What makes this manga unique is the twist on the typical Otome game genre, where the protagonist is usually the heroine trying to win over various suitors. Instead, Yuka finds herself in the shoes of the villainess, trying to navigate a world where she’s destined to fail.
13. The Coffee Shop in a Different World Station
- Status: Ongoing
- Genres: Comedy, Fantasy, Romance, Shounen, Slice of life
Takumi and Nyaachi are transported to another world and find themselves living and working at a station building. They decide to renovate a corner of the building and open a coffee shop called “Swallow”. The shop serves a classic breakfast in the mornings and three lunch sets in the afternoons.
Fans of isekai cooking anime will love this manga for its focus on food and the unique setting of a coffee shop in a station building in another world. The special cinnamon coffee they offer is a treat for both the characters and the readers. 🤤
12. I Opened Up A Cafe In A Different World
- Status: Ongoing
- Genres: Fantasy, Shoujo, Slice of life, Supernatural
Lisa’s just a regular office worker who’s a pro in the kitchen. But one day, she wakes up in another world with a tiny spirit freaking out over her! She’s stuck there with no way to get back to her old life.
Luckily, she’s taken in by a rich couple and her little spirit friend, who treat her like a queen. But there’s a problem: the food in this world sucks!
However, Lisa saves the day by cooking up a storm and impressing everyone. And just like that, she knows what she has to do: open a cafe and feed the masses!
This manga’s perfect for foodies who love isekai and want to see some tasty treats in a magical world. It’s all about Lisa’s journey to becoming a successful cafe owner, with some cute spirits and romance thrown in for good measure.
11. This “Summon Kitchen” Skill is Amazing!
- Status: Ongoing
- Genres: Comedy, Fantasy, Shoujo
Isarai Shiina is an office lady who somehow got dragged into another world along with a high school girl. Unlike the lucky Saintess who got a warm welcome, Shiina’s stuck in a dusty old corner of the royal palace. But she’s got a secret weapon: the “Summon Kitchen” skill!
Apparently, if Shiina cooks with her skill, she can earn points and level up her kitchen. And let’s face it, she’s got nothing else to do in this strange new world, so she might as well work towards her dream kitchen!
But there’s a catch: Shiina’s guardian knight, Hurst, wants her to keep her skill a secret for some reason.
10. Gourmet in Different World.
- Status: Ongoing
- Genres: Shounen, Comedy, Fantasy
Craving some succulent dragon streak served up by a cute demi-human chick? Then we have just the thing for you!
One day, Shunichirou suddenly transferred to a different world. His reason for living in this different world… to see, touch, and smell, -eating unknown food! Along with Sylphin, a Beastman Maid, they have an adventure eating fantasy gourmet in a different world!
(Source: Manga Updates)
9. Mazu Rice Elf and Nomadic Life
- Status: Ongoing
- Genres: Comedy, Fantasy, Isekai, Shounen
Most cooking manga series just focus on the food, but Mazu Rice Elf and Nomadic Life has an intricate world that makes you feel like you’re only seeing the tip of the iceberg.
The art is consistently fire, and the story keeps evolving with the help of the world and characters.
The manga starts with the protagonist Saburou messing up his arm playing baseball and having to give it up. Luckily, he finds a new passion in cooking.
One day, however, he gets zapped to another world full of wide-open spaces and gets taken in by a tribe of nomad elves. Problem is, their food tastes like crap! So, Saburou uses his cooking wizardry to whip up some delectable meals and teach them how real food should taste!
7. Restaurant to Another World
- Status: Completed
- Genres: Seinen, Comedy, Demons, Fantasy, Magic, Slice of Life
Restaurant to Another World is among the most popular isekai cooking manga. The light novel of this series even got turned into an anime back in 2017 by SILVER LINK.
So what can you expect from it? When we say Restaurant to Another world, we really mean it. After all, it’s a restaurant that teleports to different worlds on the weekends, serving up delicious dishes to all kinds of creatures.
The main chef is a boss who knows how to make anything taste good, and the regular customers are all legends in their own right.
The concept of a restaurant that transports to different fantasy worlds is unique and exciting, and the diverse cast of characters and their reactions to the mouth-watering food make it a fun and enjoyable read.
Additionally, the stunning illustrations of the dishes are visually pleasing and add to the overall appeal of the manga.
Overall, it’s a great blend of fantasy, cooking, and adventure that appeals to a wide audience.
6. Different World Hospitality Meals
- Status: Ongoing
- Genres: Isekai, Seinen, Slice of life
Honestly, what is it with office workers getting transported to a fantasy world and cooking yummy meals?
While I can’t say the premise of this manga is original, doesn’t really matter because it’s still enjoyable and wholesome.
There is no harem, no OP abilities, and no stress. Just kick back, take a breath, and dive into this manga full of tasty and comforting meals!
5. A Chief of Nobunaga
- Status: Ongoing
- Genres: Comedy, Historical, Seinen
A Chief of Nobunaga is a hidden gem manga that’s seriously underrated. The story’s so gripping, you’ll feel like you’re living in that time period for real.
Now, if you’re looking for some basic shonen about friendship or some generic high school comedy, this isn’t for you. But if you want some lit history fiction that mixes isekai, action, and lots of flavorful food, then you gotta read this manga.
The protagonist is a young chef named Ken, who gets transported to the Sengoku period and loses most of his memories. He finds himself smack dab in the middle of a battle between soldiers, and both sides think he’s a spy, so they’re after him.
Luckily for him, he meets a badass blacksmith girl named Natsu while he’s on the run. And here’s the kicker: Ken’s cooking skills are so next-level that even Oda Nobunaga himself wants him as his personal chef!
4. I’m In Another World and I’m Growing Monsters.
- Status: Ongoing
- Genres: Action, Comedy, Drama, Fantasy
One day, Kyouji Himuro is chilling at home, and out of nowhere, he’s teleported to another world. Sounds cool, right? Well, not exactly. Poor dude has no fighting skills, no cash, and worst of all, no food.
But, he doesn’t give up! He gets the bright idea to grow his own food with some seeds he found. However, his plans change when he realizes that these seeds grow monsters.
I’m In Another World and I’m Growing Monsters. is not your typical isekai with a badass hero who can defeat any enemy. Kyouji is just a regular guy trying to make it in this strange world.
And the monster food angle? It’s something you don’t see every day. It’s a unique twist on the usual isekai cooking manga.
So, if you’re looking for something fresh and different, give this one a shot!
3. Cooking with Wild Game
- Status: Ongoing
- Genres: Action, Adventure, Comedy, Isekai, Fantasy, Romance
Not every iskeai needs to be an overpowered hero. Our hero Asuta Tsurumi doesn’t have any crazy powers or a mission to save the world.
Instead, this manga is a down-to-earth tale of a chef who ends up in a palace with no real culinary culture and decides to teach the locals about the joys of good food.
If you’re into isekai manga with tons of action, this one’s not gonna cut it. It’s more of a laid-back, slice-of-life story with a heavy focus on cooking. The main guy’s a chef and he sticks to that role, no surprises there.
The side characters are pretty solid and the worldbuilding is pretty detailed. Oh, and there’s a lil’ bit of ecchi art thrown in, just FYI.
All in all, it’s a pretty decent manga if you’re into isekai and cooking with a side of drama.
2. Campfire Cooking in Another World with My Absurd Skill
- Status: Ongoing
- Genres: Adventure, Comedy, Fantasy, Gourmet
If you’re a fan of isekai anime like me, you might have heard that Campfire Cooking in Another World with My Absurd Skill got an anime adaptation in 2023, and it’s being produced by the well-known studio MAPPA.
However, if you also happen to be a manga reader who enjoys both cooking and isekai, then Campfire Cooking in Another World with My Absurd Skill is definitely worth checking out.
The main character of this story is accidentally summoned to a fantasy world where he is gifted with a seemingly useless skill called “Food Menu.” While this skill may not be able to save the kingdom, it doesn’t stop him from embarking on exciting adventures, making new friends, and whipping up some yummy meals that will leave everyone speechless!
1. Otherworldly Izakaya “Nobu”
- Status: Ongoing
- Genres: Seinen, Comedy, Cooking, Fantasy, Isekai, Slice of Life
Reading an isekai cooking manga can be a soothing and therapeutic experience. And I can vouch for it because I’ve read Otherworldly Izakaya Nobu, which is the perfect example.
If you’ve never heard the word izakaya, it’s a casual Japanese bar that offers drinks and snacks.
“Nobu” is a contemporary Japanese izakaya run by just two peeps: the master chef, Nobuyuki Yazawa, and the server, Shinobu Senke. But don’t let its small size fool you: this izakaya has a secret entrance that leads to an ancient world!
Now, the customers that walk through the door are straight-up wild. We’re talking palace guards, undercover clergymen, and even the Waterworks Guildmaster. But once they get a taste of Nobu’s alcohol and dishes, they’re hooked. They forget all their worries and just chill, calling out for another round!
Nobu’s the kind of place where you can just sit back and enjoy yourself with some of the finest grub you’ve ever had. So why don’t you come through and see for yourself?
