10 great places to eat in Kyoto
Ramen Sen-no-Kaze
らーめん 千の風 京都
This is my favourite ramen place. Tried it several times whenever in Kyoto and is consistently amazing! Unfortunately, it's not a secret so there is usually a lineup but, you can get your number in line and maybe visit some nearby shops at Teramachi Shotengai while you wait. Looks to be a family run shop. Very popular with tourists since I think it's rated pretty highly on sites like Trip Advisor.
Tiger Gyoza Hall
タイガー餃子会舘
The best gyoza that I've had. I believe we had the pan fried, "plump" pan fried and the gyoza stuffed with greens pictured here. Would suggest trying at least a few different gyoza. They have bar seating where you can see the food being made or additional 2nd floor seating. We weren't sure if this was Chinese or Japanese but, delicious nonetheless.
Matsunosuke
カフェ 松之助
This is one of our favourites in Kyoto. The cranberry scones are a must try with the jam and cream. I would suggest being seated there and having with a hot latte. Usually busy although never had to wait too long to be seated. They also have some nice breakfast sets and pies. They also offer baking classes although I haven't tried them. More about Matsunosuke
Men-ya Inoichi
麺屋 猪一
Another great ramen place in Kyoto. The bar seating gives you a good view of the ramen being made. We lined up a bit before opening when we last visited in November 2021 and didn't wait long but, waits are likely longer now since they're now on a Michelin list.
Smart Coffee
スマート珈琲店
This was one of our goto places in Kyoto located at the Teramachi Shotengai. Would recommend getting the french toast with vienna coffee. We picked up some whole bean coffee and a cute tin container last time we were there as a souvenir. This kissaten has been around since 1932.
Honke Owariya
本家尾張屋
Honke Owariya has a history dating back to the 15th century. I've tried the soba with tempura here a few times and is delicious. It's a short walk from the Karasuma Oike subway station.
Kushikura
焼き鳥 串くら
This yakitori restaurant is located on a quieter street in the Nakagyo ward in Kyoto. It has a traditional feel and we had a nice view of the yakitori being made. Customer service was excellent. More about Kushikura
LaJolla
ラホヤ
This was an unexpected find in the Nakagyo ward in Kyoto. I would describe this as California style Mexican food. We couldn't resist getting the nachos and chips and guacamole whenever we went so were often full by the time we got our tacos or burritos. We found it was usually frequented by foreigners rather than locals. More about LaJolla
Grandir
グランディール
A friendly Kyoto bakery that we visited often. It's takeout only and they offer bagels, sandwiches and more. I especially liked the brownies they had. It's just across the street from the Teramachi Shotengai.
Nakamura General Store
A small, friendly bakery in a residential area with some good blueberry cream cheese scones. It's a short walk from the Karasuma Oike subway station.