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$$$ | Shimogyo-ku |
Popular Giro Giro has a lively atmosphere, excellent food, and great Takase-gawa River location. Sit at the counter to watch the busy chefs, many of whom have studied at the owner's Paris location, or grab a table upstairs. The set menu changes monthly to showcase seasonal ingredients. The chef's style has been described as "punk kaiseki ryori" cuisine; what this means is that you can have a multicourse, kaiseki-style menu without the strict convention. Expect an elaborate hassun (appetizer) tray followed by seven more courses. You will be hard-pressed to find a better high-end value than these meals. Giro Giro is easiest to find by walking the narrow lane along the Takase-gawa; look for the glow of the massive window a few blocks north of Gojo-dori.
420--7 Nanba-cho, Kyoto, Kyoto-fu, 602-8027, Japan
Known For
- Ever-changing menu
- Innovative dishes
- Convivial atmosphere
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: No lunch, Reservations essential
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$$$$ | Higashiyama-ku |
The care lavished on every aspect of dining is unparalleled here, thanks to the conscientious attention of Kikunoi's owner, Yoshihiro Murata, a world-renowned chef and authority on Kyoto cuisine. A lifetime study of French and Japanese cooking, a commitment to using the finest local ingredients, and a playful creative sense make every meal hum with flavor. Once seated in a private dining room, you are brought a small sakizuke, or appetizer, the first of a multicourse meal, all of whose selections are seasonal and decided by the chef. Each is exquisitely presented and unfailingly delicious. Dishes like cedar-smoked barracuda fillets, citrus-infused matsutake mushroom soup, or sashimi served on chrysanthemum petals keenly accord to the nuances of each new season. This restaurant is on the northern edge of Kodai-ji Temple. Lunch is about a third the cost of dinner.
459 Shimokawara-cho, Kyoto, Kyoto-fu, 605-0825, Japan
Known For
- French-influenced Japanese cuisine
- Innovative cooking
- Elegant service
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: Reservations essential
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$$$$ | Kamigyo-ku |
Since 1722 Mankamero's specialty has been yusoku ryori, cuisine intended for members of the Imperial Court. Every step of the meal is incredibly elaborate, down to the ceremonially dressed chef who prepares your dishes using specially made utensils. A dramatic if oddly named course is the "dismembered fish," in which each part of a single fish is prepared and served on pedestal trays, and prices reflect the aristocratic experience. A wonderful take-kago (bamboo box) lunch set contains a series of steamed surprises and is much cheaper than the full dinner. Mankamero is on the west side of Inokuma-dori north of Demizu-dori. Look for the white noren (short curtain) hanging in the doorway.
387 Ebisu-cho, Kyoto, Kyoto-fu, 602-8118, Japan
Known For
- Historic ambience
- Lively service
- Imperial cuisine
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: Reservations essential
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$$$ | Ukyo-ku |
If you visit Tenryu-ji at lunchtime, consider dining at Shigetsu, within the temple precinct. The tenzo, a monk trained to prepare Zen cuisine, creates a multicourse meal that achieves the harmony of the six basic flavors—bitter, sour, sweet, salty, light, and hot—attributes necessary to balance body and mind. Although you won't partake in the monk's daily helping of gruel, a salted plum, and pickled radishes, you will try vegetarian Zen cuisine at its tastiest. The price for lunch in the large dining area overlooking a garden does not include admission to the garden, however. Open from 11 am to 2 pm. Reservations are required and can be made online.
68 Susuki-no-bamba-cho, Kyoto, Kyoto-fu, Japan
Known For
- Wonderful hospitality
- Vegetarian and vegan dishes
- Advance reservations (made online) required
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: No dinner, Reservations essential
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$$ | Ukyo-ku |
This old-style soba noodle shop two blocks south of Tenryu-ji Temple sits right in the thick of things and has a splendid view of the river. Feel free to relax on a cushion and face the river while you recharge before visiting your next temple. The tempura comes highly recommended. An English menu is available.
3 Susukinobabacho, Kyoto, Kyoto-fu, 616-8385, Japan
Known For
- Tasty soba noodles
- Delicious tempura
- River views
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: No dinner
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Recommended Fodor’s Video
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$ | Higashiyama-ku |
On the road to Kiyomizu-dera, a wooden archway plastered with senja-fuda (name cards pilgrims affix on the entryways to shrines and temples) is the entry to this charming courtyard teahouse that opened in 1910. The specialties here are amazake, a sweet, nonalcoholic sake often served hot with a touch of ginger, and warabimochi rice cakes. The interior is adorned with an eclectic collection of kites and folk dolls.
373 Yasaka Uemachi Shimogawara-dori, Kyoto, Kyoto-fu, 605-0827, Japan
Known For
- Relaxing atmosphere
- Traditional sweets and desserts
- Authentic and historic setting
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: Closed weekdays
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$ | Higashiyama-ku |
In contrast to the expensive restaurants favored by tourists, residents seek out just-plain-folks places like this fun one. It's a late-night izakaya specializing in robata-yaki, which is to say it's a casual bar-restaurant with a charcoal grill and great selection of meat, poultry, and vegetable dishes. Here it's common to order several dishes to share. If no tables are available, find a seat at the long counter. The restaurant is two blocks north of Shijo-dori in the heart of Gion. Everything here is ¥390, even the drinks. The friendly men who work here enjoy using their broken English with tourists.
Sueyoshi-cho, Nawate-dori Shijo-agaru, Kyoto, Kyoto-fu, 605-0085, Japan
Known For
- Popular with tourists and locals
- Casual atmosphere
- Large à la carte selection
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: Closed Mon. No lunch
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$$ | Nakagyo-ku |
The estate of a former prime minister has been turned into a kaiseki (multicourse-meal) restaurant, and the stroll garden by landscape artist Ogawa Jihei ensures wonderful views by day or night. The century-old traditional structure, between the Kamo and Takase rivers, suits the delicate tasting courses served by kimono-clad women.
Kiyamachi-dori, Nijo sagaru, Kyoto, Kyoto-fu, 604-0922, Japan
Known For
- Garden setting
- Traditional cuisine
- Some Maiko performances
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$$ | |
Patrons enter this restaurant through a dark-blue curtain on the east side of Shinmachi-dori. The design inside is pure contemporary, minimalist, and sleek. The chef emphasizes Kyoto vegetables in many of the dishes. Because Izama is the restaurant attached to the Mitsui Garden Hotel-Shinmachi, three meals a day are served, and at reasonable prices. Breakfast, Japanese, and Western-style buffets, start at 6:30 am.
Rokkaku-dori Nakagyo-ku, Kyoto, Kyoto-fu, 604-8212, Japan
Known For
- Kyoto vegetables
- Fancy but affordable
- Modern decor
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$$$ | Kita-ku |
Vegetarian cuisine plays a part in all major Kyoto temples, and one of the most scenic restaurants in which to sample it is in the southwestern section of Daitoku-ji. The monastic shojin ryori cuisine here is served in luminous red-lacquer bowls at low tables in the temple garden (beware the mosquitoes in summer) or inside if the weather is inclement. Another branch of Izusen outside the east (main) gate serves the same excellent cuisine but has table seating.
4 Daitoku-ji-cho, Kyoto, Kyoto-fu, 603-8231, Japan
075-491–6665-Inside Izusen
Known For
- Relaxing setting
- Red-lacquer tableware
- Vegetarian dishes
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$ | Kita-ku |
Kazariya has been serving tea and aburi mochi—charcoal-grilled and skewered rice-flour cakes dipped in sweet miso sauce—for centuries. You can enjoy the treats under the eaves of 17th-century houses as you watch visitors proceeding to and from the Imamiya Shrine. Kazariya is just outside the shrine's eastern gate, northwest of Daitoku-ji.
96 Murasakino Imamiya-cho, Kyoto, Kyoto-fu, 603-8243, Japan
Known For
- Relaxation spot
- Rustic setting
- Traditional snacks
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: Closed most Wed.
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$$ | Sakyo-ku |
Tempura and tofu hot pots cooked at the table are staples at this attractive two-story restaurant along the tree-lined Philosopher's Path. Try the Kisaki nabe, which includes pork, chicken, beef, chrysanthemum leaf, shiitake mushrooms, and spinach. Though like the nabe some dishes include meat, this is essentially a tofu house whose cuisine is centered on fresh vegetables, including plenty of pickles and seaweed. The hospitable, English-speaking owner, Emiko, will cater to special requests.
19--173 Minamida-cho, Kyoto, Kyoto-fu, 606-8403, Japan
Known For
- Friendly service
- Fine tofu cuisine
- Peaceful surroundings
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: Closed Wed.
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$$$ | Uradeyama-cho |
The unpretentious vibe, the sense of adventure, and the superb cuisine—Japanese-based, with European and other Asian influences—have made Manzaratei a local favorite. Depending on the season, the ample menu includes handmade soba, oven-roasted chicken, or spring rolls with citrusy ponzu dressing. Outdoor dining in warm months and counter seating on both floors of the two-story town house facilitate mingling with other patrons; for a more intimate experience, ask for a table upstairs under the eaves. An English menu is available.
317 Nishi-iru, Nakagyo Ku, Kyoto, Kyoto-fu, 604-8155, Japan
Known For
- Friendly atmosphere
- Innovative cuisine
- Outdoor dining
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: No lunch, Reservations essential
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$$$$ | Nakagyo-ku |
Five generations of chefs have preserved the delicious sukiyaki recipe prepared since 1873 at this restaurant that was among the nation's first to serve beef. A kimono-clad attendant will serve and assist with the dishes cooked at your table. The beef dishes include sukiyaki, shabu-shabu, and oil yaki. All beef is of the highest quality and price, as shoppers buying from the associated shop nearby can attest. The Lunch Course is good value for such high-end dining.
405 Sakuranomachi, Kyoto, Kyoto-fu, 604-8035, Japan
Known For
- Vintage vibe
- Excellent beef
- Gracious service
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: Closed Wed., Reservations essential
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$$$ | |
A short walk west of Nanzen-ji's middle gate, Junsei specializes in yudofu (simmered tofu) served in the traditional Kyoto kaiseki style. The beautiful Edo-period building sits among wonderful sculpted gardens; entrance is slightly set back from the road, through a small gate with two lanterns hanging on either side.
60 Nanzen-ji, Kyoto, Kyoto-fu, Japan
Known For
- Beautiful setting
- Traditional cuisine
- Peaceful atmosphere
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$$$$ | Sakyo-ku |
Near Nanzen-ji Temple, Kikusui serves elegant kaiseki ryori (traditional cuisine) with an aristocratic flair. Dine on tatami mats at low tables or at table-and-chair seating, all overlooking an elegant Japanese garden. The subtle flavors of the set menus are embellished by the setting, where in spring a canopy of pink-and-white cherry blossoms accents a meal, and in autumn the fiery red-and-orange maples highlight the warm flavors. Kyo-no-aji, smaller versions of kaiseki ryori served for lunch, make it possible for you to savor Kikusui's elegant setting and fine cuisine for less than half the price of dinner. This restaurant seats 200, yet the serene garden view makes it feels cozy and intimate.
31 Fukui-cho, Kyoto, Kyoto-fu, 606-8435, Japan
Known For
- Beautiful setting
- Classic menu
- Intimate seating
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: Reservations essential
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$$ | Sakyo-ku |
The country-style exterior of this popular noodle shop near the Philosopher's Path echoes the hearty fare served within. Men means noodles; the O is honorific, appropriately so. The ingredients are served separately with a small bowl of fresh sesame seeds for you to sprinkle as liberally as you like. You can dine on stools at the counter, chairs at tables, or tatami mats. Reservations are accepted only on weekdays.
74 Ishi-bashi-cho, Kyoto, Kyoto-fu, 606-8406, Japan
Known For
- English menu with vegan options
- Variety of noodle dishes
- Rustic interior
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: Closed Thurs.
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$$ | Nakagyo-ku |
This branch of the famed soba noodle shop is convenient to the downtown shopping area, just across the river from Gion. It's a perfect place to drop in for a lunch of udon noodle soup with a liberal sprinkling of sesame seeds.
171--1 Kashiwaya-cho, Kyoto, Kyoto-fu, 606-8044, Japan
Known For
- Great service
- Large selection of noodle dishes
- Casual setting
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: Closed Thurs., Reservations not accepted
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$$$$ | Nakagyo-ku |
An adventurous menu sets this restaurant inside a 150-year-old town house apart from its competition. The chef here goes to the market daily and improvises based on what's fresh. Charcoal-color walls, wooden staircases, and a great view of the Kamo River provide an elegant setting for dishes like sea urchin in wasabi broth, grilled river fish, and the ever-popular kami-nabe, a hot pot made of treated paper and cooked on an open flame at your table: it's mesmerizing and tasty. Deck seating is an option during the summer.
137--4 Wakamatsu-cho, Kyoto, Kyoto-fu, 604-8011, Japan
Known For
- Stylish presentation
- River views
- Popular hot-pot dish
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: Reservations essential
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$ | Nakagyo-ku |
Nestled along the atmospheric Pontocho Alley, this establishment's black-and-white latticed storefront with a lantern above the door conceals a vegetable lover's paradise. The dining area is raised with sunken seating, allowing customers to view the busy chefs in the open kitchen. For a survey of typical Kyoto dishes, opt for the Obanzai course menu. The cooks here bring out the flavors of local organic vegetables, fish, and meats with a conspicuously restrained hand, creating flavors so light they seem to float in your mouth. Suishin, meaning "drunken heart," is a popular chain with other branches around the city.
181 Zaimoku-cho, Kyoto, Kyoto-fu, 604-8017, Japan
Known For
- Reasonable prices
- Local produce
- Comfortable setting
