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Iwao

Rice bowl · Marseille

The Japanese rice bowl in Marseille

The donburi is all the comfort of Japan in a single bowl: a bed of warm rice, a generous topping and a sauce that ties it together. At Iwao, every bowl is built to order facing the open kitchen, at 27 rue Sainte, steps from the Old Port.

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Japanese katsu don bowl with sliced breaded chicken coated in sauce, served at Iwao in Marseille
Japanese gyudon bowl with braised beef, soft egg and rice, served at Iwao in Marseille

The donburi

Rice, the base of every bowl

Donburi (丼) simply means 'bowl': well-cooked Japanese rice, neither dry nor sticky, topped with braised meat, golden tofu or glazed vegetables. The sauce runs down between the grains, the rice soaks it up, and every bite blends topping and grain. At Iwao, rice is never a mere side — it's the foundation of the dish, chosen and cooked with the same care as the rest.

The bowl families

A bowl for every craving

From the most comforting to the boldest, the donburi comes in as many characters as there are moods. At Iwao, you'll find the great Japanese classics, built to order and served piping hot, to discover Japanese rice as more than a plain side.

  • Katsu don

    A crisp breaded cutlet, sliced and coated in sauce, laid over rice with a silky egg.

  • Gyudon

    Thinly sliced, braised beef, tender and fragrant, slipped onto a bed of warm rice.

  • Plant-based

    Golden tofu or miso-glazed aubergine, for a gentle, meat-free bowl full of flavour.

The craft

Built to order, never in advance

A good donburi is not made ahead: the rice must be warm, the topping just seared, the sauce still glossy. At Iwao, every bowl leaves the moment you order it, facing the counter. Simmered curry, katsu breaded to the minute, crisp tofu: the gesture repeats every service, in the spirit of Tokyo's small addresses where you eat well, fast and without fuss.

Japanese katsu curry bowl with crisp breaded chicken, rice and soft egg, served at Iwao in Marseille

Our bowls

Three ways to savour rice

Three bowls with sharply distinct characters, to choose by the appetite and mood of the day.

Japanese bowl with crisp fried tofu coated in sauce, served at Iwao in Marseille

The crisp tofu

Golden fried tofu over a bed of noodles and rice, coated in a fragrant sauce — a plant-based bowl that gives up nothing on texture.

Bowl of Japanese aubergine glazed with miso sauce and sesame, served at Iwao in Marseille

The miso aubergine

Melting aubergine glazed with miso sauce and sesame, all gentle sweet-savoury balance, served warm over rice.

Japanese curry bowl with chicken katsu, rice and soft egg, served at Iwao in Marseille

The katsu curry

Crisp chicken katsu over rice coated in mild, round Japanese curry, with a soft egg to tie it together.

Good to know

Coming for a rice bowl at Iwao

Our tip

Both lunch and dinner fill up fast. Book online to be sure of your table, at the counter facing the open kitchen.

Interior of the Iwao restaurant in Marseille with a Japanese-alley setting and red lanterns

Good to know

Coming for a rice bowl at Iwao

Both lunch and dinner fill up fast. Book online to be sure of your table, at the counter facing the open kitchen.

Explore

Also worth a look

Japanese rice from every angle, and the rest of the house.

FAQ

Frequently asked questions

What is a Japanese rice bowl (donburi)?
A donburi is a bowl of warm rice topped with a filling — braised meat, breaded cutlet, tofu or vegetables — bound by a sauce that soaks into the grains. It is a complete, comforting dish, emblematic of everyday cooking in Japan.
Which rice bowls can I find at Iwao in Marseille?
Several donburi, from katsu to gyudon to plant-based versions with tofu or miso aubergine. Each bowl has its own topping and sauce; the team will guide you in the dining room.
Do you offer a vegetarian rice bowl?
Yes, plant-based bowls are on the menu, such as golden tofu or miso-glazed aubergine. Allergens are flagged and the team will advise you on suitable options.
Are the bowls prepared to order?
Yes, every bowl is built the moment you order it, facing the open kitchen: the rice is warm, the topping just seared and the sauce still glossy.
Do I need to book to eat a rice bowl at Iwao?
It is strongly recommended, especially at lunch and in the evening when the room fills quickly. You can book online through the dedicated tool or by phone.
Where is Iwao in Marseille?
At 27 rue Sainte, in the 1st arrondissement, a few minutes’ walk from the Old Port and the Opéra district.
Lucky daruma having its second eye painted

Stage clear — table booked

Book your table

The counter and dining room fill up fast, at lunch and dinner. Book in seconds and come taste our Japanese rice bowls.

Continue → book your table

Or by phone: +33 4 91 54 08 27