Destination
Type of Restaurant
Type of Meal
Editors Pick
Read More%Arabica Kyoto Higashiyama
Arabica Kyoto Higashiyama is an artisanal coffee shop with a few locations throughout Kyoto, but the one in the charming Higashiyama neighborhood is the most central. The hip café serves some of the best coffee in the city from a...
Read MoreBar K-ya
One of the best bars in Kyoto, Bar K-ya serves craft cocktails and has an impressive list of rare whiskeys. The dim, stylish bar has a traditional Japanese atmosphere and a great location in Kyoto’s downtown area.
Read MoreBar K6
Bar K6 is known for its cocktails and fine whisky. This dark, intimate spot draws a sophisticated crowd of both locals and tourists.
Read MoreBistro Cerisier
It is possible to have fabulous sushi in Paris, and by the transitive property, equally delightful French cuisine in Kyoto. This bistro specializes in classic French comfort food, and attracts an international clientele seeking a break from traditional Japanese cuisine,...
Read MoreFarmoon
Located in an old machiya (traditional wooden townhouse) and helmed by female chef Masayo Funakoshi, Kyoto’s Farmoon offers one of the most unique dining experiences in the city. The beautiful restaurant has an open kitchen and eating here feels more like...
Read MoreGogyo
Don’t be turned off by the fact that this ramen eatery is an offshoot of New York City's Ippudo—the specialty here is the burnt ramen, which is unique to this location. The charred, rich and smoky soup, which can be...
Read MoreHitomi
This small yakitori restaurant is beloved among locals and visitors alike for its delicious grilled skewers.
Read MoreHonke Owariya
Lauded for its Japanese soba noodles, Honke Owariya is a Kyoto institution and the oldest soba noodle restaurant in the city. First opened in 1465 as a confectionery, Honke Owariya started serving soba in the 1700s, and it is now...
Read MoreHyotei
The three-Michelin-starred Hyotei has been around since the early 1600s and it is one of the top places in Kyoto for an elevated kaiseki experience. Located in a traditional tea ceremony house, the restaurant has a garden and several tatami...
Read MoreIsoya
A short walk from the Ritz-Carlton, this izakaya (Japanese tapas) restaurant is true farm-to-table. The head chef has a farm outside the city from which he sources all the ingredients on this seasonal menu. While casual, this popular restaurant has...
Read MoreJiki Miyazawa
Located near Nishiki Market, Jiki Miyazawa is a kappō restaurant (in which guests are seated at a counter in front of the chef) that serves a spectacular, multi-course kaiseki meal.
Read MoreJunsei
Kyoto is known for its tofu—specifically yudofu (tofu cooked in a hotpot with dried kelp and served hot with Ponzu sauce)—and the best place to try it is Junsei. The traditional restaurant is located in a beautiful 19th-century building near...
Read MoreKentos
You can’t not have a blast at this American-retro themed night club where a live band entertains nightly. Revelers do the twist to '50s pop hits and slow-dance to '80s ballads. The typical crowd includes middle-aged locals letting loose, a...
Read MoreKikunoi
New York chef David Chang lived in Japan before launching his Momofuku empire, and considers this Kyoto kaiseke restaurant one of his world-wide favorites. There are two branches in Kyoto, run by the Murata family for three generations. This is...
Read MoreKyoto Kitcho Arashiyama
Located on the banks of the Katsura river near the famous Arashiyama bamboo grove, Kyoto Kitcho Arashiyama has three Michelin stars, and the family-run establishment is one of the most special venues in Kyoto. The set menu–only restaurant has tatami rooms, is...
Read MoreMikaku
Revered as one of the best Kobe beef restaurants in Kyoto, Mikaku is located on the second-floor of a building in Gion and has a small dining room centered around a grill. Patrons can watch the chefs cook the delicate...
Read MoreMisoka-an Kawamichiya
For over three hundred years the same family has served homemade soba noodles, attracting generations of patrons to revel in this warm comfort food. Misoka-an Kawamichiya is around the corner from Tawaraya Ryokan, and offers a short menu of hot...
Read MoreMonk
Tucked away a 10-minute drive from central Kyoto it perhaps it's most pioneering restaurant, Monk. Despite not being a Japanese restaurant, Monk serves some of the most spectacular cuisine in the city and is a must-visit for foodies. Helmed by...
Read MoreNakajin
My favorite meal in Japan was from the hands of soba and tempura master, Kazuomi Nakamura, at his intimate 10-seat restaurant. Generally I don’t like tempura, though my guide suggested we visit Kazuomi son for lunch, and was thrilled when...
Read MoreOkakita
Okakita is known for its excellent, authentic noodles. This popular spot serves udon (thick, long) and soba (cold and dried) noodles topped with meat, tempura or vegetables in simple, elegant surroundings.
Read MoreRoan Kikunoi
This is the inner-Kyoto branch of the famed Kikunoi kaiseke restaurant, a third-generation eatery steeped in tradition. Its ten bar seats and few small tables are almost always full, and reservations are required. In comparison to its more famous sister...
Read MoreShoraian
Located in Arashiyama, this memorable restaurant is set on the edge of a mountain, nestled into the trees overlooking the Hozu River. In fact, it’s so tucked away that you can’t reach it by car; guests must embark on a...
Read MoreSojiki Nakahigashi
True connoisseurs of Japanese cuisine (who have likely made many trips to the island nation) will arrange a reservation here before booking their flight. This highly-regarded two Michelin-starred kaiseke-style restaurant is located in a residential area of Kyoto near the...
Read MoreSushi Gion Matsudaya
The seven-seat, one-Michelin-starred Sushi Goin Matsudaya serves some of the best sushi in Kyoto. Located in Gion, the restaurant is known for its Tokyo- and Kansai-style sushi (sushi pressed into a box shape), which is offered in several omakase menus.
Courtesy Tempura YoshikawaRead MoreTempura Yoshikawa
Lovers of tempura will have some of the best deep-fried dishes of their life here. The batter is light and perfectly crisp, and it’s served kaiseki-style, meaning you will only have one or two of a particular item that’s spaced...
Read MoreTenyu
One of the top restaurants in Kyoto for tempura, Tenyu has a 20-seat dining area that serves light tempura made with cottonseed oil, which results in less greasy dishes. The best way to dine at Tenyu is to order the...
Read MoreThe Sodoh
Those in need of a break from Japanese food in Kyoto should head to The Sodoh, an Italian restaurant in a beautiful former mansion in the Higashiyama neighborhood. The dining room overlooks a serene garden and while the Sodoh only...
Read MoreYakitori Torito
Located in downtown Kyoto, Yakitori Torito is a stylish restaurant serving a casual Japanese specialty, yakitori (grilled skewers). Diners can sample lots of different skewers; standards including chicken meatball are on the menu, as well as more adventurous parts, such...
Read MoreYamamoto Menzo
The lively next-door-neighbor to Okakita is an equally popular noodle shop. Yamamoto Menzo sells the flavorful local speciality, udon, accompanied by delicious tempura and vegetables.
Read MoreYonemura
Expect a gastronomic journey at Yonemura, a Japanese restaurant with French flair, where the Kaiseki dishes range from the familiar to the innovative. Boasting one Michelin star, the delicious cuisine is prepared and served in view of the diners, who...
Read MoreYoramu
Yoramu is a petite sake bar is owned by a quirky Israeli who moved to Japan in 1986, when he claims there was not a single dedicated sake bar in the country. The establishment has no menu or pricing; instead,...
