Can You Stand The Heat In These Realistic Cooking Games?

For some people, cooking is just a part of life because we as humans need to eat, but for others, food is a passion, a skill, and an art! If your passion lies in the kitchen, you might find yourself craving a good cooking video game every now and then as well.

In this list, we’re serving up some of the very best cooking simulation games, from the classics on the menu to newer specials on the scene. You’ll find management simulation as part of most cooking games, too, but we’re looking expressly at the food preparation aspect of games!

Chef RPG

If you’re interested in cooking games that have a side of cozy life simulation game available, then look no further than Chef RPG! Offering exactly what it promises on the tin, you’ll be pursuing a life as a chef and leveling up strategically in this adorable pixel adventure.

You’ll need to head out and source your ingredients in the wild before you’re able to prep anything at your various restaurants in Chef RPG – talk about some real farm-to-table food! Gather what you can and head back to prep all kinds of delectable delights.

Venba

If you’re a sucker for a good wholesome story just as much as you are for cooking games that make you feel like you’re really in the kitchen, look no further than Venba, the tale of an immigrant family in Canada told through shared meals and recipe creation.

You’ll make all kinds of intricate Indian recipes throughout the story, teaching the Western audience not only more about Indian cuisine, but about how to make a good cooking game in the process. Venba is definitely one for fans of cozy games with a moral.

Waku Waku Sweets

If your kitchen cravings lie more in the sweets category than savory like most cooking games tend to focus on, then you’d do well to check out Waku Waku sweets, which sees you following your dreams and becoming a top tier pastry chef with your own shop.

It’s a cute visual novel that teaches you the ins and outs of baking, having you chat with more traditional visual novel characters and compete with them to see who can prepare the very best desserts. This is one sweet cooking game you won’t want to miss!

Good Pizza, Great Pizza

When you’re craving a good, cheesy pizza, there’s usually nothing else that will suffice. If you’re craving good pizza-based gameplay after you’ve wiped your saucy fingers, we’d recommend checking out Good Pizza, Great Pizza to keep on with the ‘za.

The game sees you opening a pizzeria in a town that really loves pizza – seriously, you start each day by watching a news show all about pizza. Each day, you’ll be tasked with talking to your quirky customer base and preparing all kinds of pies to keep them coming back for more.

Cooking Mama

Mama’s is one of the most iconic faces when it comes to the best cooking games, and anyone who loves to experiment in the kitchen and play games as well will be familiar with her sweet, smiling face. Mama has been in the game for ages – literally.

While you won’t often get too precise with your measurements, the games in the Cooking Mama series have always been rife with tons of recipes that’ll give budding chefs all kinds of inspirations. You’ll prepare each one step-by-step to really get into the hang of cooking.

Papa’s Games

Papa Louie as been in charge restaurants specializing in all kinds of cuisines over the years, offering things like pizzas, burgers, pancakes, ice cream, and so much more. If there’s a food you’re trying to make in a video game about cooking, we’re betting Papa Louie probably has a job for you.

You’ll start slow and learn the ropes of your establishment, upgrading equipment and unlocking new ingredients to offer on your goods to help bring in some extra cash. Take orders, prep foods, and deliver service with a smile.

Lemon Cake

Easily one of the most beloved cooking games and renowned with fans of cozy gaming as well, Lemon Cake is a baking simulation game that sees you taking over a previously abandoned bakery and restoring it to its glory with home grown sweets that are sure to wow.

You’ll need to be mindful of your skills with gardening as well, since you’re on the hook for all your ingredients in Lemon Cake. If you’re into cozy gardening games that offer plenty of options for cooking, this might be your next bite!

Cook, Serve, Delicious!

As you work long, tireless hours to perfect your dishes and make your restaurant what it’s always been meant to be, you’ll watch your rating skyrocket before long in Cook, Serve, Delicious! Offering a series of fairly involved recipes to prepare for your patrons, your cooking chops will be put to the test here.

You’re able to customize the menu you’d like to serve to ensure you’re prepping the dishes you feel most confident with, with things like events and weather conditions effecting the volume of your restaurant’s sales.

Cooking Simulator

Cooking Simulator is easily one of the most iconic cooking games on the market today, and whether you know it because your favorite streamer has played it for a joke or because you’re really into learning to cook, this game has you preparing food at almost every step of the recipe-making process.

From gathering, to measuring, to mixing, to cooking, to plating, to serving, you’re in charge of it all in this kitchen, so we’re hoping you know your way around a knife – you’ll be using them pretty often, and pretty precisely!

Chef Life

If you’re a big fan of cooking games, but you’re also trying to pick up some practical cooking skills that might translate well into the real world, look no further than Chef Life. You’ll once again be in charge of running your restaurant, but the dishes you’re making in this game are more involved than most other cooking video games.

The kitchen is massive, the recipes are through, and there’s plenty of work to be done for preparation before you can actually get to cooking in Chef Life, but you’ll get more out of it in terms of real cooking knowledge than any other game in our list.