Kyoto Restaurants(874)
COURSE MENUTendan Saiin
For a taste of Kyoto-style yakiniku, Tendan has been serving perfectly grilled cuts of meat in Kyoto’s characteristic dashi-like sauce for almost 60 years. The Saiin branch’s location makes it popular with sightseers en route to northern Kyoto.
COURSE MENUSukiyaki Gyunabe Chikarayama Shijo Kawaramachi
Kansai-style sukiyaki and shabu-shabu with A5 wagyu cuts in varying thicknesses — this venue honors the marbled meat with the respect it deserves.
COURSE MENUYujufudan
This neo-izakaya in Shijo Karasuma is rewriting Kyoto’s bar scene with creative seafood and small-plate dishes that combine Japanese ingredients with Italian recipes.
COURSE MENUTakoyakushi Furukawa
A hidden, Michelin-featured kappo restaurant inside a diner, an evening at Takoyakushi Furukawa unfolds with a tasting of the key ingredient that drives its menu: dashi soup stock.
SEAT RESERVATIONKichi Kichi Omurice
Arguably one of Kyoto’s most viral restaurants, Kichi Kichi Omurice’s owner Yukimura Motokichi flips a runny omelet onto a bed of ketchup-flavored rice, then slices it open — voila.
COURSE MENUROKU KYOTO TENJIN Chef’s Table
This intimate dining experience led by executive chef Akira Taniguchi features 13 counter seats surrounding an open kitchen, which acts as a stage for the chef’s culinary performance. Taste heirloom Kyoto vegetables, prepared with French techniques.
COURSE MENUGanko Kyoto Station
Transport yourself into the past at this Kyoto Station fixture, which has an eye-catching facade straight out of the Edo period. Popular with commuters looking for a quick bite, it’s also known to be excellent for sukiyaki or kaiseki courses.
COURSE MENUYakiniku Toraji Kyoto
The yakiniku in this traditional Kyoto kyomachi-ya checks both the quality and quantity boxes. In true Toraji Group style, every cut of beef here is gorgeously marbled and cut thick for maximum enjoyment of both flavor and texture.
SEAT RESERVATIONSushi Tempura Gion Iwai
Sushi Tempura Gion Iwai offers a combination rarely found in Kyoto; crunchy tempura with traditional Edomae-style sushi. The head chef uses decades of experience to plan menus that delight the palate with varying textures and flavors.
COURSE MENUWashoku Uoman (Miyako Hotel Kyoto Hachijo)
In a movement that calls to mind the historic convergence of northern and southern ingredients on the capital, the finest ingredients from all over Japan, like Omi wagyu beef from Shiga, are combined here into traditional kaiseki course menus.
SEAT RESERVATIONKyo-Suiran
Embark on a culinary journey that intertwines cultural heritage, creative cuisine, and the beauty of nature in Arashiyama, Kyoto. Traditional Kyoto cuisine and French gastronomy combine for an unforgettable dining experience.
SEAT RESERVATIONBar Agiyao
Sip French white wines and savor seafood at Bar Agiyao in Kyoto, a small izakaya with a big heart for Kyoto's food culture. Anticipate sophisticated ambience, 18 wine varieties, and a menu blending French and Spanish cuisine.
SEAT RESERVATIONRokujo Kawarain San
Storytelling, tradition, and artistry underpin meals at Rokujo Kawarain San, a top-tier kaiseki venue with reasonable prices and seasonal menus.
SEAT RESERVATIONGion Nanba
Tradition at its finest. Secreted within Kyoto’s traditional district, Gion Nanba offers Michelin-quality kaiseki courses, featuring the best quality produce from all over Japan.
SEAT RESERVATIONJikishinbou Saiki
At this kappo restaurant near Yasaka Shrine and the iconic Kiyomizu-dera Temple in Kyoto, elegance and traditional Japanese aesthetics meet to create dishes guaranteed to awaken all five senses.
COURSE MENUMinokichi Takeshigero Hotel Granvia Kyoto
The Hotel Granvia Kyoto plays host to one of Kyoto’s most historic kyo-kaiseki restaurants, with over 300 years of history serving freshwater fish and other traditional dishes.
COURSE MENUSumibi Kazuya
Fresh seafood and Kyoto heirloom vegetables grilled over a charcoal flame evoke both tradition and play at this secreted izakaya in Kawaramachi.
COURSE MENUTenpu Tempura and Wine Shijo Karasuma
Is it a wine bar? A tempura shop? A Japanese washoku restaurant? Serving creative tempura that goes well with wine, Tenpu Tempura and Wine in Kyoto is all of this and more.
COURSE MENUIbushigin Kazuya
Choose from an expansive 120 bottle sake collection with varieties from every prefecture of Japan at this Kyoto izakaya in the lively Nakagyo district. Savor each cup of sake alongside an assortment of their specialty smoked dishes.
COURSE MENUUosaburo
Once the site of a historic battle between samurai and pro-Imperial lords, the 260-year-old Uosaburo continues its founder’s legacy by serving exquisite kaiseki powered by Seto Inland Sea fish, Kyoto heirloom vegetables and Fushimi’s pure well water.
COURSE MENUUme no Hana Kyoto Karasuma-dori
A tofu specialist restaurant located in the heart of Kyoto’s Karasuma-dori shopping district. Here, tofu is prepared in all manner of different ways, including fried, boiled or even as shumai dumplings.
COURSE MENUWamon Kyoto Station
Located in front of Kyoto Station, Wamon is a modern Japanese-style izakaya that serves up creative kushiage skewers and reimagined Kyoto dishes, all focusing on bringing “everyday luxury.”
COURSE MENUTo To Seven Kyoto Station
Bottomless fruit cocktails, Tsumoto-style aged fish from Miyazaki Prefecture and a stylish fit-out make this chic izakaya one of Kyoto’s most exciting late-night spots.
COURSE MENUTo Shijo Karasuma
This modern Japanese izakaya in Kyoto offers picture-perfect favorites like oden potato salad, pot-cooked rice and lemon sours, all set in a dazzling new space.
COURSE MENUTagoto Honten
The essence of Kyoto cuisine lives on at Tagoto Honten, where tradition flows seamlessly into a sublime, season-focused kaiseki experience set in a tranquil dining space.
COURSE MENUKeisuke Kyoto Station
From affordable alcohol to winter-exclusive hot pots, this Japanese restaurant and bar delivers a multi-faceted spot for fun group dining late into the night.
COURSE MENUFULLMOON Kyoto Kawaramachi
Sequestered in Kyoto’s charming Kawaramachi district, FULLMOON brings together the genuine spin on Italian pizzas and signature beef rump steak, elevated with a subtle touch of luxury.
COURSE MENUPREMIUM ROBATA SANDA
Experience the thrill of live robatayaki and straw-grilling at PREMIUM ROBATA SANDA in Kyoto. Watch flames rise as chefs craft exquisite Japanese dishes in a refined, theatrical setting.
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Reserve Restaurants in Kyoto
Unprecedented in quality, every Kyoto restaurant incorporates the best of local produce and seasonal offerings into fresh, immersive Japanese food menus. Culinary creativity runs through the city like its waters. In fact, you can dine in the open air over Kyoto’s rivers in summer or lose yourself for a night dining in the converted wooden machiya buildings of downtown Pontocho. Somewhere tucked away in the grid of Kyoto’s backstreets, family-run restaurants greet strangers and regulars alike, offering unique dining experiences. Side street shop fronts steam with ramen broth and specialty tofu dishes. High-caliber kaiseki dining experiences await in Kyoto’s many Michelin-starred restaurants, serving experiential feasts celebrating ingredients of the season. Even Kyoto's most well-known geisha district, Gion, is home to restaurants with some of the best fares in town.
Holding tradition and craftsmanship at the city’s core, restaurants in Kyoto always offer an unforgettable atmosphere and high-quality Japanese cuisine to match, whether that's seasonal produce or beautifully marbled wagyu beef. Marvel at the exquisite textures and stunning aesthetics evident in even the finest culinary details. Kyoto restaurants arrange their food on their plates just so; beautifully and crafted with skill like edible art. Discover some of the best food in Kyoto when exploring this cultural hub, bursting with its own regional food. Feast upon local cuisine known as Kyo-ryori, made from the freshest seasonal produce, or taste vegetarian Buddhist cuisine when you sit down to an authentic shojin ryori meal.
Fine Kyoto cuisine can be found at its beautiful restaurants, and there are wonderful culinary surprises in every bite. Exploring Kyoto’s backstreets and buzzing markets mean that you might stumble upon the city’s best restaurants.
Don’t miss a thing; see more of the city’s best restaurants during a Kyoto food tour, or settle in for a memorable dining experience in Kyoto by booking ahead of time on byFood.