Zelda Meets Delicious In Dungeon In Mouthwatering New RPG

Published Sep 12, 2026, 6:30 PM EDT Ben Brosofsky has been writing for Screen Rant since 2022 and editing since 2024. He graduated from Vanderbilt University with a Bachelor's in Cinema & Media Arts. Writing serves as a much-needed distraction from tackling a backlog of Steam games that will never be surmounted. Cooking has taken on a major role in The Legend of Zelda games, but it's still just one of many mechanics vying for players' attention. While throwing together ingredients to experiment with dishes can serve up helpful results in Breath of the Wild and Tears of the Kingdom, Link can just as easily ignore the system and proceed through the story without too many issues. If you've ever wanted to make that fantasy cooking concept a more central part of the experience, you're in luck. A new action RPG on Steam narrows the focus to fantastical cuisine, delivering a combination that fans of both Zelda and fans of the monster-cooking manga and anime Delicious in Dungeon might be ravenous for. Monster Cuisine Invites Zelda To The Tavern Announced this week, Monster Cuisine is an upcoming Steam game that promises the opportunity to "Best a beast and serve a feast." Rather than taking on the role of a typical adventurer, players will step into the shoes of a tavern keeper, whose excursions into a dangerous forest focus on finding ingredients for his hearty fare. The mechanics behind that concept look fairly robust, with the Steam page advertising everything from tavern management minigames to complex armor customization. The real draw, however, lies in the art, with detailed pixel graphics bringing both vividly detailed ingredients and the fearsome monsters that provide them to life. Monster Cuisine's press material is directly inviting to Zelda fans, with a cheeky line referencing the new Nintendo Direct showcases and asking if "Link and Zelda would come by the tavern if we served up some grilled Chuchus." Moonlighter and Dave the Diver also serve as points of comparison, emphasizing the loop of mixing adventure and management in a symbiotic relationship. This Could Be A Great Cooking RPG Monster Cuisine is being developed by Team Machiavelli, a studio that seems well-equipped for the task. In 2025, Team Machiavelli released Castle of Alchemist, which melded similar fantasy action RPG elements with a tower defense format. Castle of Alchemist received positive reviews overall, and Monster Cuisine should hopefully be able to build on its strengths while refining some of the action gameplay. Personally, I'm excited about Monster Cuisine's mix of cozy game elements and a somewhat darker atmosphere, a combination that I find a lot more compelling than unrelentingly cutesy worlds. This balance has been gaining more traction this year with the launch of titles like Welcome to Elderfield and the planned release of Grave Seasons, and leveraging that attention could help Monster Cuisine become a hit. At any rate, this is definitely one to keep an eye on, and those interested should consider signing up for future playtest access on Steam. Short of an official tie-in, this might be the closest thing to a proper Delicious in Dungeon video game. If Monster Cuisine can capture a proper sense of adventure, it could also be an equally good way to fulfill the fantasies of The Legend of Zelda players wondering just how far they can take their culinary abilities. Movie(s) The Legend of Zelda (Live-Action) TV Show(s) The Legend of Zelda Video Game(s) The Legend of Zelda, Zelda II: The Adventure of Link, The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past, The Legend of Zelda: Link's Awakening, The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time, The Legend of Zelda: Majora's Mask, The Legend of Zelda: Oracle of Seasons, The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past and Four Swords, The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker, The Legend of Zelda: Four Swords Adventures, The Legend of Zelda: The Minish Cap, The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess, The Legend of Zelda: Phantom Hourglass, The Legend of Zelda: Spirit Tracks, The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword, The Legend of Zelda: A Link Between Worlds, The Legend of Zelda: Tri Force Heroes, The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild (2017), The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom, The Legend of Zelda: Echoes of Wisdom, Hyrule Warriors, Hyrule Warriors Legends (3DS), Cadence of Hyrule, Hyrule Warriors: Age of Calamity First TV Show The Legend of Zelda First Game The Legend of Zelda Character(s) Link, Princess Zelda, Ganon The Legend of Zelda franchise follows the adventures of Link, an elf-like Hylian, and Princess Zelda as they protect the land of Hyrule from the evil warlord-turned-demon king Ganon. The series is known for its mix of action, adventure, and puzzle-solving elements, often revolving around the collection of the Triforce, a powerful relic left by the goddesses who created Hyrule.