Ranking
An editorial ranking: grades from A+ to F, price range, and the Tabelog score where one exists.
Places ranked: 188
Kyoto · Dessert Shop
A 17th-century teahouse on the approach to Kyoto's Imamiya Shrine, serving just one specialty: aburi-mochi. Skewers of mochi are grilled over charcoal and glazed with a sweet-savory white miso sauce.
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Kyoto · Dessert Shop
An 1804-founded confectioner in Kyoto's Kiyamachi district, celebrated for its exceptionally soft, melt-in-the-mouth warabi-mochi. A key destination for lovers of traditional Japanese sweets (wagashi).
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Kyoto · Dessert Shop
A legendary takeaway shop in Kyoto's Shimogyo ward, Imanishi Ken has specialized in just three types of ohagi since 1897. Visitors queue well before opening for its famously moist bean paste and perfectly textured rice.
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Kyoto · Dessert Shop
A takeaway counter for ajari-mochi, a famous Kyoto sweet. Located on the B1 floor of the JR Kyoto Isetan department store, it's the perfect stop for a last-minute, high-quality souvenir right at Kyoto Station.
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Kyoto · Dessert Shop
Founded in 1847, Ryokujuan Shimizu is Japan's only specialist maker of konpeito, a traditional sugar candy. Located in Kyoto's Sakyo ward, it's famed for its intense, natural flavours and is a top choice for a unique, beautifully packaged souvenir.
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Kyoto · Coffee Shop
A beloved retro café (kissaten) in Kyoto's Nakagyo ward, Kissa Madrague draws crowds for its legendary 'Corona' egg sandwich—a towering, fluffy omelette between toast. A must for its Showa-era atmosphere.
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Kyoto · Pâtisserie
A New York chocolatier in a renovated Kyoto townhouse (machiya) in the Nakagyo ward. Famous for its artistic ganaches and a photogenic café serving rich chocolate desserts, it's a popular stop for special gifts and indulgent treats.
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Kyoto · Coffee Shop
A beloved 1968 coffee shop (kissaten) in Kyoto's Nakagyo ward, Kissa Tirol is a destination for its retro mountain-lodge interior and two iconic dishes: a nostalgic Japanese curry and a famously thick egg sandwich.
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Kyoto · Specialty Coffee
The only Japan outpost of the famed Portland roaster, located inside Ace Hotel Kyoto. It's a go-to for reliable third-wave coffee, signature cold-brew soft-serve, and unusually spacious lobby seating.
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Kyoto · Fine Dining
A destination for modern Sichuan cuisine in Kyoto's Higashiyama district. Saika is a single-counter restaurant known for its signature abalone noodles and creative use of luxury ingredients, served with a view of a private garden.
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Kyoto · Fine Dining
At a 12-seat counter in Kyoto's Shimogyo ward, a single chef serves a creative omakase of small plates. It's known for elevating simple, seasonal ingredients with masterful cooking and for a theatrical, intimate dining experience.
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Kyoto · Fine Dining
A unique kaiseki restaurant in Kyoto, near Ginkaku-ji Temple, where chef Hisao Nakahigashi builds his menu around wild herbs and vegetables he forages himself. Go for a singular taste of Kyoto's seasons, culminating in a dramatic kamado-cooked rice…
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Kyoto · Fine Dining
In Kyoto's Gion district, Gibier Miyama offers a unique game-focused tasting menu. After four set dishes, guests can order unlimited small plates of bear, deer, and boar, all prepared before them at an intimate counter.
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Kyoto · Casual Dining
Famed for its uniquely thick and chewy udon noodles, Yamamoto Menzou in Kyoto's Okazaki district is a destination for noodle lovers. Expect generous portions and signature burdock tempura, but be sure to book ahead to dine in the main restaurant.
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Kyoto · Fine Dining
A six-seat counter in a restored 120-year-old Kyoto townhouse, serving a precise omakase of seasonal fish. The experience is famed for its exacting technique and a unique final tasting of rare mikan juices.
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Kyoto · Fine Dining
An intimate, 10-seat counter in Kyoto's Nakagyo district dedicated to a single omakase course of rare Kōsaka chicken. Go for the chance to taste this high-grade bird prepared in myriad ways, from sashimi to precision-grilled skewers.
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