23 ืืงืืืืช, ืืืื ื ืืืช ื-WhereWe
Kyoto Eats ๐ฏ๐ต
ืืืช WhereWe (@wherewe)
Where to eat in Kyoto: kaiseki at Kikunoi and Hyotei, temple tofu by Nanzen-ji, ramen, soba and tempura, and the stalls of Nishiki Market.
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Kyoto, ืืคื23
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้ฆๅธๅ ด Narrow covered street of over a hundred food shops: pickles, tamagoyaki, tofu, tea and seafood. Go mid-morning, and eat at the stall, not while walking. Food market ยท Nishikikoji, Nakagyo ยท $ Good to know: Many shops close Wednesdays.
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้ณฅใใ ๆฌๅบ Chicken izakaya in a converted sake brewery in Fushimi, pouring fresh, unpasteurised sake from the Yamamoto Honke brewery. Closed Mondays. Yakitori & sake ยท Fushimi ยท $$ ยท Booking recommended
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ใใชใฟ Cosy, long-running spot for obanzai, Kyoto's home-style small plates, plus seasonal fish and local sake. Opens mid-afternoon; closed Wednesdays. Obanzai (home-style) ยท Kiyamachi Sanjo, Nakagyo ยท $$ ยท Booking recommended Good to know: Phone reservations 10:00-17:00.
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ๅคฉใทใๅ ซๅๅๅ Light, Kyoto-style tempura of seasonal vegetables and fish, fried course by course near Kennin-ji. Lunch is the gentler-priced way in. Tempura ยท Yasaka, Higashiyama ยท $$$ ยท Book ahead Good to know: Advance payment required.
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ๅไปฃใจใใใค ใใคใใ ไธๆกๆฌๅบ Crisp pork cutlets where you grind your own sesame for the sauce, with free refills of rice and cabbage. No reservations; expect a lunch queue. Tonkatsu ยท Sanjo, Nakagyo ยท $$
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่ๅฐ็ง ใฏใตใ ๆฌๅบ Cosy Western-style dining room for wagyu steaks and a famous beef-cutlet sandwich. Call ahead to order the sandwich to take away. Wagyu ยท Gosho-minami, Nakagyo ยท $$$ ยท Booking recommended Good to know: Closed Wednesdays.
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ไธๅถไบญ ๆฌๅบ Sukiyaki house open since 1873, where staff cook marbled beef at your table in a wooden building on Teramachi. Reserve and prepay online. Sukiyaki ยท Teramachi Sanjo, Nakagyo ยท $$$$ ยท Book ahead
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ๆฆๅบต ๆฒณ้ๅฑ Long-running soba house, now on Anekoji-dori, loved for hokoro: a table-cooked hotpot of chicken, yuba, vegetables and noodles. Lunch only. Soba ยท Anekoji, Nakagyo ยท $$ Good to know: Relocated to Anekoji-dori (2025). Closed Wed & Thu.
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ๆฅใฎๅบใใฉใ Tiny family shop near Nanzen-ji famous for thick, dashi-rich curry udon. Lunch only, cash only, and expect to queue. Curry udon ยท Nanzen-ji, Sakyo ยท $ Good to know: Closed Sundays and 1st/3rd Mondays.
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ใใใ ้้ฃๅฏบๆฌๅบ Hearty udon dipped in hot broth with a tray of seasonal vegetables and sesame, an easy lunch at the north end of the Philosopher's Path. Udon ยท Ginkaku-ji, Sakyo ยท $ Good to know: Irregularly closed Thursdays.
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ไบฌ้ฝ ไบ่ก Moody, dimly lit machiya ramen bar known for its smoky, scorched 'kogashi' miso broth. Walk-in only; good for a late dinner near Nishiki. Ramen ยท Yanaginobamba, Nakagyo ยท $
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้บบๅฑ ็ชไธ Refined ramen built on a clear seafood dashi with white or dark soy. Numbered tickets are handed out before opening, so arrive early. Ramen ยท Kawaramachi, Shimogyo ยท $ Good to know: Cashless payment.
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ๆฌๅฎถ ็ฌฌไธๆญ ใใใฐใๆฌๅบ Classic Kyoto pork-and-soy ramen a few minutes from Kyoto Station, served from early morning until late. Expect a line at peak times. Ramen ยท Kyoto Station ยท $ Good to know: Closed Thursdays.
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ใใฅ้ Old-school sushi shop facing Yasaka Shrine's gate, known for pressed mackerel sushi and inari. No reservations; mackerel isn't always available. Kyoto-style sushi ยท Gion, Higashiyama ยท $$ Good to know: Closed Wed & Thu.
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ๆพ็ฑๅบต Tofu and yuba courses in a secluded old villa above the Hozu River, reached by a riverside path from Togetsukyo. Dinner is served Friday to Sunday only. Tofu kaiseki ยท Arashiyama ยท $$$ ยท Booking recommended Good to know: Closed Wednesdays (except Golden Week and autumn).
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ๆณไป ๅคงๆ ้ขๅบ Vegetarian temple cooking served in nested red lacquer bowls inside a Daitoku-ji subtemple. Lunch only; pair it with the Zen gardens next door. Shojin ryori ยท Daitoku-ji, Kita-ku ยท $$ Good to know: Groups of 6+ should reserve.
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็ฏฉๆ Zen vegetarian temple food served on tatami inside Tenryu-ji. Lunch only, and the garden admission is charged on top of the meal. Shojin ryori ยท Tenryu-ji, Arashiyama ยท $$ ยท Booking recommended
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็ทๆฌๅฎถใใฉใใต ๅฅฅไธน ๅ็ฆ ๅฏบ Simmered-tofu set meals served in an old garden setting near Nanzen-ji, a Kyoto lunch tradition. Cash only; closed Thursdays. Tofu (yudofu) ยท Nanzen-ji, Sakyo ยท $$
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ใใใ ้ซ็ฌๅทไบๆก่ Kaiseki and Kyoto-style sushi in a historic estate with a large garden beside the Takase River; ask for a garden-view room. Relaxed by kaiseki standards. Kaiseki & Kyoto sushi ยท Kiyamachi Nijo, Nakagyo ยท $$$ ยท Booking recommended Good to know: Phone reservations only; 10% service charge on reservations.
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็ฅๅใใๆจ A lively kaiseki counter where the chef cooks right in front of you with real showmanship. Bookings are by phone in Japanese and open months ahead, so ask a concierge. Kaiseki counter ยท Gion, Higashiyama ยท $$$$ ยท Book ahead
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ไบฌ้ฝๅๅ ๅตๅฑฑๆฌๅบ Grand, formal kaiseki in tatami rooms facing the Arashiyama hills, a true special-occasion meal. Minimum two guests; no children under six. Kaiseki ยท Arashiyama ยท $$$$ ยท Book ahead
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็ขไบญ Centuries-old teahouse-restaurant beside Nanzen-ji, famous for its soft-boiled egg. Try the morning rice porridge: year-round in the annex, July-August in the main house. Kaiseki ยท Nanzen-ji, Sakyo ยท $$$$ ยท Book ahead Good to know: Annex closed Thursdays.
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่ไนไบ ๆฌๅบ Graceful seasonal kaiseki in private tatami rooms on a wooded lane below Maruyama Park. Book well ahead; overseas guests can reserve online. Kaiseki ยท Maruyama, Higashiyama ยท $$$$ ยท Book ahead Good to know: Closed 1st & 3rd Tuesdays.