Downtown Kyoto
This welcoming neighbourhood favourite specialises in obanzai-ryōri – a type of home-style cooking using seasonal ingredients – done creatively and served…
Must-see restaurants in Downtown Kyoto
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Downtown Kyoto
This is the place to go for delectable tempura with a daily changing menu. Attached to the Yoshikawa ryokan, it offers table seating, but it’s much more…
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Downtown Kyoto
Set in an old sweets shop in a traditional Japanese building on a quiet downtown street, this is where locals come for excellent soba (buckwheat-noodle)…
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Downtown Kyoto
Giro Giro takes traditional kaiseki and strips any formality so you're left with great food but in a boisterous atmosphere and with thousands more yen in…
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Downtown Kyoto
As the name suggests, books line the walls of this cool cafe located in a converted machiya attracting a mix of locals and tourists. It’s a great place to…
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Downtown Kyoto
Roan Kikunoi is a fantastic place to experience the wonders of kaiseki. It's a lovely intimate space located right downtown. The chef takes an…
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Downtown Kyoto
This popular restaurant is a good place to try unagi (eel). You can choose to either sit downstairs with a nice view of the waterfall, or upstairs on the…
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Downtown Kyoto
Decked out in replica swords and armour, this restaurant might not strike you as a place dedicated to world peace, yet the young owner here is passionate…
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Downtown Kyoto
Across from Takashimaya department store, this long-standing Kyoto restaurant serves approachable kaiseki in a variety of rooms, both private and common…
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Gyoza Chao Chao Sanjo-Kiyamachi
Downtown Kyoto
In the heart of Kyoto's bar scene, it's no wonder Chao Chao draws long queues for its crispy gyōza (dumplings) – great as a pre-drink dinner, even better…
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Downtown Kyoto
This is one of the best reasonably priced sushi restaurants in Kyoto. It’s a classic: long counter, bellowing sushi chefs and great fresh fish. The lunch…
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Downtown Kyoto
You will be amazed by the variety of dishes that can be created with tofu at this specialist tofu restaurant. It’s got traditional Japanese decor and in…
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Downtown Kyoto
Above the mumokuteki shop in the middle of the downtown area, this popular cafe is a lifesaver for many Kyoto vegetarians. The food is tasty, varied and…
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Downtown Kyoto
If you’ve never tried a kaiten-sushi (conveyor-belt sushi restaurant), don’t miss this place – most dishes are a mere ¥146. Not the best sushi in the…
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Downtown Kyoto
Located diagonally across from Nakagyō post office, this is a favourite of Kyoto vegetarians, serving à la carte and daily sets with dishes such as deep…
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Downtown Kyoto
There are countless places in Kyoto to be restrained with your matcha and sweets...this teahouse isn't one of them. Roll up your sleeves, loosen your belt…
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Downtown Kyoto
This giant four-storey dining hall is part of Kansai’s biggest sushi chain. The ground floor is the sushi area, with a long sushi counter and plenty of…
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Downtown Kyoto
This is the downtown branch of the famous Ginkaku-ji noodle restaurant. It serves a variety of healthy set meals and, of course, the signature omen udon…
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Downtown Kyoto
Not far from the Sanjō and Kawaramachi intersection, this popular ramen specialist welcomes foreigners with an English menu and friendly staff. It's got…
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Downtown Kyoto
Nishiki Warai is a great place to try okonomiyaki (savoury pancakes) in casual surroundings. Non-smokers might find it a bit smoky at times, but it’s a…
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Karafuneya Coffee Sanjō Honten
Downtown Kyoto
This coffee and dessert cafe is smack in the middle of Kyoto's main shopping district. In a country famous for its plastic food models, Karafuneya takes…
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Downtown Kyoto
This elegant restaurant on a scenic stretch of Kiyamachi-dōri is an excellent place to try kaiseki. The modest but fully satisfying food is beautifully…
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Downtown Kyoto
With its relaxed bohemian feel and Pan-Asian menu, Mew'z cafe-restaurant is a great place to break up bouts of shopping on Teramachi-dōri. Drop in for a…
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Downtown Kyoto
Located beneath a gallery, this cool subterranean cafe offers a range of snacks, meals and drinks, including craft beer, coffee and cocktails, in a…
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Downtown Kyoto
A short walk from Nijō-jō, this homey cafe is a great spot to lunch on mainly vegan and vegetarian homemade food, from veggie burgers with salad to vegan…
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Downtown Kyoto
Mishima-tei, around since 1873, is a good place to sample sukiyaki (thin slices of beef cooked in sake, soy and vinegar broth, and dipped in raw egg) as…
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Downtown Kyoto
This is one of the easiest places for non-Japanese to enter on Ponto-chō, a street where many of the other restaurants turn down even unfamiliar Japanese…
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Downtown Kyoto
This convenient downtown branch of the original favourite Papa Jon's serves its excellent New York cheesecake, as well as breakfast sets, quiche, soup and…
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Downtown Kyoto
This is an upmarket branch of the Ganko chain that serves sushi and simple kaiseki sets. There’s a picture menu and you can stroll in the stunning garden…
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Downtown Kyoto
Drop in for one of its filling sandwiches and an Ethiopian coffee or stop by to knock back craft beer at this cool basement bar-cafe with a laid-back…
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Downtown Kyoto
Ootoya is a clean, modern Japanese restaurant chain that serves a range of standard dishes and set meals at good-value prices. It’s popular with Kyoto…
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Downtown Kyoto
Tempura is one of Japan's tastiest dishes and this friendly downtown restaurant is a great place to try it. It's a tiny family-run joint with a welcoming…
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Downtown Kyoto
For casual French fare at reasonable prices, Le Bouchon is a great choice. Like a good Parisian bistro, it's got old-school charm and tends to be…
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Downtown Kyoto
There’s a reason that there’s usually a line outside this place: the ramen is fantastic and the bite-sized gyōza are to die for. The gyōza set meal (from …
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Downtown Kyoto
On the basement floor, next to Daimaru department store, this simple sushi restaurant serves excellent sushi. You can order a set or just point at what…
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Downtown Kyoto
Settle into this dimly lit classy Italian-inspired cafe-bar with a an Aperol or glass of Prosecco paired with a decadent lobster pasta or pizza. It's on…
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Gyoza Chao Chao Shijo-Kawaramachi
Downtown Kyoto
This branch of Gyoza Chao Chao is convenient for a quick bite when hitting the shops downtown. It has a range of interesting vegetarian gyōza (dumping)…
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Downtown Kyoto
This casual restaurant in the Sanjō covered arcade serves a variety of soba and udon (thick white wheat noodles) dishes. It can get crowded at lunchtime…
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Downtown Kyoto
This tiny joint serves more than just the dal bhaat (rice and lentil curry) that most people associate with Nepalese cuisine. In fact, the fare (good…
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Downtown Kyoto
Kyoto's best Indian restaurant is a narrow upstairs unflashy spot on Kawaramachi-dōri. The lunch set menu is a good deal, dinners run a little pricey but…
