One Piece: Grand Gourmet review – bon appétit

I’m surprised it’s taken this long for One Piece to get a game that revolves around cooking, what with Sanji’s exemplary culinary skills, but at least we finally have one in the form of One Piece: Grand Gourmet. When it popped up during a Nintendo Direct earlier this year, I knew I had to join the Straw Hats on yet another journey, one that’s starkly different from Odyssey and World Seeker.

I couldn’t stop smiling as soon as the game loaded up, showing the Straw Hat crew and some of my favorite One Piece characters (looking at you, Boa Hancock) in an adorable pixelated art style. The premise is simple: you create an original character who works with Luffy and Sanji to open a new restaurant that can move from place to place.

The setup is simple: Sanji is in the kitchen, and you take orders from your valued customers, learning new recipes to create stunning set menus that will please recognizable faces from every era of the franchise. Naturally, the game starts in the East Blue, allowing you to meet Buggy, Kuro, Koby, and a bunch of other familiar faces. As you progress through the areas, you meet even more characters and try your darndest to turn them into fans of your restaurant, either by making sure their favorite dish is on the menu or by giving a thoughtful gift.

To get the presents and the ingredients you need, you can send the crew out to explore iconic locations like Syrup Village and Loguetown in the East Blue, with places such as Alabasta following later in the game. At first, you can only send Luffy on these errands, since he and Sanji are separated from the rest of the crew before the game begins. Don’t worry, though; your loyal customers just might know where your friends are. As you find more Straw Hats, you can assign them different jobs and get benefits that fit their character.

Franky, for instance, can help you expand your restaurant, while Nami can ensure you get a 50% discount on any purchase once a day. You have to spend money to make money at the end of the day, especially if you want to entice more and more people to your establishment. You also get to decorate your restaurant, place tables, set up shops, and more. While the customization isn’t as robust as what you see in games like Animal Crossing, it’s still good enough to help ensure your restaurant is different from what your friends might create.

I’m not usually one for games like Grand Gourmet, but I’ll try any One Piece game that comes my way (still waiting on Pirate Warriors 5 and a true open-world RPG), and 2026 is proving to be a surprising year for me when it comes to games. Moonlight Peaks forced me to love a farming sim, and Grand Gourmet is giving me a deep appreciation for restaurant sims.

Performance-wise, I can’t fault Grand Gourmet on Nintendo Switch 2. I’m yet to encounter a single bug, and with the ability to enjoy it on the big screen and on the go, I think this is the best platform to play it on. Grand Gourmet is perfect for travel and easy to pick up for short bursts. Plus, it looks adorable. Aesthetically, this is right up there among my favorite anime games.

All in all, whether you’re a One Piece fan or merely after a restaurant sim, One Piece: Grand Gourmet will scratch that itch. It has enough depth to keep things interesting for fresh players, while giving fans like me a chance to gush over all the nods to the manga and anime.