7 Best Restaurants in Kyoto, Japan

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.

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.

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.

Imported spices and very fresh vegetables are the secrets to this second-floor Indian restaurant's success. Dishes may not be as spicy as you would expect, but the spinach, lamb, and chickpea curries—also the tandoori chicken—are deeply flavorful. The house special chicken Kerala curry is the most popular dish. The evening set courses are reasonably priced, though lunch is better value. The furnishings are on the tatty side.

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.

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.

Amid Arashiyama's lush bamboo forests, this quiet retreat offers a fine example of hot-pot tofu yudofu cooking. The set meal includes delicacies such as abura-age (fried tofu with black sesame seeds), tempura vegetables and shrimp, and Kyoto's famous Morita tofu. The service is leisurely and elegant, and most tables have garden views. Both floor and chair seating are available. The owner is an enthusiast of the bamboo shakuhachi flute. Its dulcet tones accompany meals.