Gion Senryu

Located along a street of antique shops on Shinmonzen-dori Street in Kyoto, Gion Senryu’s traditional facade blends into the surrounding architecture, but the treasures inside Gion Senryu are flavorful selections from the sea and field. Proprietress Yamada Aki established Gion Senryu in 2023 and earned a spot in the Michelin Guide the following year. Her claim to fame is a deep knowledge of produce and a course system that blends a la carte options with an omakase experience. Each meal starts with four seasonal dishes of the chef’s choice and is followed by guests’ fried-to-order selections. Tempura features as many as 20 seasonal ingredients, ranging from popular shishamo and summer ayu fish to selections of Kyo-yasai, or Kyoto’s regional heirloom vegetables. Live kuruma ebi, or tiger prawns, are prepared to order, capturing the perfect freshness in a flash-fry of tempura oil and light batter. Glossy, slightly sweet Nanatsuboshi rice from Hokkaido is cooked in a traditional pot, serving as the base for the tendon drizzled with the in-house sauce or as a tencha (tempura rice bowl) poured with dashi soup. The venue only accommodates counter seating, from which guests can look into the kitchen and enjoy watching every step of the cooking process. Guests are encouraged to indulge in sommelier-selected white wines from Bourgogne or a wide variety of sake. The light-as-air tempura served by Yamada with an equally light touch crosses the barrier between the kitchen and counter. Michelin Guide accolades: 2024 - Michelin Selected