Kyoto Restaurants: The Best Places to Eat in the Ancient Capital

Feast your way through the vibrant and ancient city of Kyoto, a captivating blend of tradition, refinement, ritual and innovation.

Kyoto is a seamless blend of old and new, and that duality is reflected in its food. Alongside centuries-old institutions, Kyoto has a growing crop of modern, chef-led spots reworking traditional flavours. Here, you can go from a quick noodle stop to a multi-course kaiseki dinner in Gion – often in the same day.

If you’re looking for the ultimate guide to Kyoto restaurants, you’re in the right place.

What makes Kyoto food different?

a Japanese lunch set in a Kyoto restaurant — Kyoto developed a more refined style of cuisine. (Credit: Getty/Michael Derrer Fuchs)

Kyoto stood as Japan’s capital for over 1000 years, and in that time became a hub of culture and politics. Its imperial status meant the city developed a more refined style of cuisine built on seasonality and presentation – after all, it had to appeal to the discerning tastes of aristocratic figures.

This is why Kyoto foods are typically delicate and balanced, with a special tradition known as kaiseki – multi-course haute cuisine that celebrates the seasons through meticulously crafted dishes.

What food is Kyoto famous for?

wagashi store in Kyoto — Wagashi is a must-try on your Kyoto adventure. (Credit: Getty/ LewisTsePuiLung)

Kyoto has a diverse and deeply traditional spread of foods, with famous specialties including kaiseki, yudofu and yuba (types of tofu dishes), kyo-yasai (certified heirloom vegetables), shojin ryori (Buddhist vegetarian temple cuisine), obanzai (Kyoto-style home cooking) and wagashi sweets. The city’s inland positioning also means ingredients like preserved fish and tofu are everyday staples.

Kyoto restaurants by cuisine

Kaiseki

Kaiseki is world-famous, and you’ll find plenty of exceptional spots to try it. 

●  Kikunoi Roan: Boasting two Michelin stars, this is the more approachable sibling to the three-star Kikunoi Honten, serving multi-course kaiseki at an intimate counter, where each dish is introduced as it’s plated

● Hyotei: This historic tea house sits amid the tranquil Nanzenji Temple gardens, serving season-driven kaiseki in a centuries-old teahouse overlooking the grounds.

● Guilo Guilo Hitoshina: If you’re after something more casual, visit this intimate spot for a more relaxed, counter-style take on kaiseki with a lively, slightly theatrical feel.

Tofu cuisine

a tofu dish from Kyoto, Japan — Sample soya-based tofu dishes. (Credit: Getty/Suebsiri)

 Soybean products are staple Kyoto foods, making them a must-try during your visit here.

● Tousuiro: Perched right on the picturesque Kamo River in a gorgeous old machiya townhouse, Tousuiro focuses entirely on tofu, from silky yudofu to multi-course tofu kaiseki.

● Okutan Kiyomizu: Dating all the way back to 1635, this is Kyoto’s oldest restaurant and the best spot to try yudofu – a regional specialty of silken tofu gently simmered in broth.

Ramen and soba

Ramen from Kyoto, Japan — Cosy up with a comforting bowl of authentic ramen. (Credit: Getty/holgs)

Noodles are a daily ritual in Kyoto, whether you’re grabbing a quick soba or settling in for a carefully composed bowl of ramen.

● Arashiyama Yoshimura: With sweeping views over the Hozu-gawa River and Arashiyama Mountains, this no-fuss noodle house makes soba from freshly hand-ground buckwheat.

● Men-ya Inoichi: With only 10 seats, you may have to queue for over an hour to nab a spot – but the wait will be worth it. Men-ya Inoichi serves up clear, umami-rich broths built on seafood stock.

● Kombu to Men Kiichi: You’ll find a modern spin on ramen at Kombu to Men Kiichi, a delicate bowl made with a unique kelp broth – a rare, completely fish-free approach that’s made it a standout for vegetarians. 

Sushi

Sushi is ubiquitous in Japan, but Kyoto has a style all of its own.

● Sushi Matsumoto: This Michelin-starred counter focuses on Edomae-style sushi, with each piece shaped and served one by one using top-quality seafood flown in daily.

● Gion zuju: Here, you can try Kyo-sushi (Kyoto-style sushi), including saba sugata sushi (whole mackerel sushi).

● Den Shichi: The quality of the seafood at Den Shichi is hard to beat, with top-quality fish served simply and a focus on balance and knife work. Just don’t be surprised if you have to queue for a seat! 

Matcha

Matcha is a Kyoto icon, thanks to the city’s status as the birthplace of Japanese tea culture.

● Tsujirihei Honten: In a classic teahouse setting in serene Japanese gardens, Tsujirihei Honten is a go-to for authentic matcha drinks and a full lineup of matcha desserts, from parfaits to soft-serve.

● Nakamura Tokichi: With a convenient location inside Kyoto Station, you can easily stop by Nakamura Tokichi for a quick matcha latte or dessert parfait en route to one of your next stops.

● Gion Tsujiri: In the heart of the historic Gion district, this institution is a must-visit for experiencing Kyoto’s ancient matcha traditions, with a well-stocked store for picking up keepsakes of your trip.

Wagashi

These traditional Japanese sweets are a must-try on your Kyoto adventure.

● Kagizen Yoshifusa: With multiple locations across Kyoto, sample one of the delicate, artful or classic sweets from Kagizen Yoshifusa.

● Toraya Ichijo: Try yokan, manju and seasonal confections at this historic shop before wandering over to the nearby Kyoto Imperial Palace.

● Demachi Futaba: The mochi here is a local standout, but the many other sweet treats – including daifuku and rice cakes – are absolutely worth trying.

Best Kyoto restaurants by neighbourhood

Kyoto’s neighbourhoods are as diverse as its food, with each area home to its own culinary highlights.

Gion

a traditional tea ceremony in Kyoto, Japan — Join a tea ceremony in one of the traditional tea houses in Gion. (Credit: Getty/redonion1515)

Gion is the focal point of Kyoto’s historic geiko and maiko culture, marked by its laneways, tea houses and centuries-old wooden buildings.

● Gion Sasaki: It’s notoriously hard to book, but if you get a seat, expect a tightly paced kaiseki progression where each course is introduced at the counter and built around what’s in season that week.

● Chidoritei: This family-run sushi joint is popular for its Kyoto-style sushi – think pressed sushi, mackerel and pickled flavours.

Nishiki Market area

skewered meats in Kyoto, Japan — Make a beeline for skewered meats and grilled seafood. (Credit: Getty/y-studio)

Nishiki Market is in itself a destination well worth visiting, a hub for fresh produce, street food, snacks and more, but there are great spots around it, too.

● Kyoto Engine Ramen: Expect rich, slow-simmered broths and a surprisingly strong lineup of vegan ramen, with options built on soy milk and vegetable stock rather than pork.

● Onimaru Kyoto Shijo Kawaramachi: This unassuming spot does creative onigiri (rice balls) with less typical fillings like seasoned beef, pickled veg and rich egg yolk.

Weekly travel news, experiences
insider tips, offers, and more.

Arashiyama

a Bento breakfast box in a ryokan — A traditional bento breakfast in a ryokan in Arashiyama. (Credit: Getty/Mixellany)

In the far west of the city, Arashiyama is a peaceful pocket of temples, shrines and a sprawling bamboo forest.

● Kitcho Arashiyama: The set menus at this riverfront institution are meticulously paced and season-driven, and one of Japan’s most exclusive restaurants. From 40,000 to 50,000 yen per head, it’s great for a special occasion.

● Shoraian: Set within a peaceful riverside forest in Kameyama Park, Shoraian is equal parts scenic and serene. Come for the tofu-based sets, which focus on tofu in many different forms.

Central Kyoto

spicy tsukemen noodles with soup — Enjoy a bowl of spicy tsukemen-style noodles. (Credit: Getty/Zoie Chow)

The centre of Kyoto is a busy commercial core and transport hub, where modern development sits alongside restored machiya townhouses.

● Mishima Tei: This iconic restaurant specialises in beef, hand-selecting the finest cuts and serving them in an array of rich dishes.

●  Wajoryomen Sugari: Housed in a converted townhouse, Wajoryomen Sugari serves richer, more modern ramen – think thick tsukemen-style noodles with deeply flavoured dipping broths built on pork and seafood.

Kyoto’s Michelin-starred restaurants

a kaiseki dinner in Kyoto, Japan — Every Kaiseki meal is a multi-sensory experience. (Credit: Getty/kendoNice)

With such a depth of high-quality food and refined experiences, it’s little surprise Kyoto boasts so many Michelin stars.

● Mizai (3 stars): Mizai offers an ultra-refined kaiseki experience with just a handful of seats, where each course is served in sequence and built entirely around the day’s best ingredients.

● Ogata (2 stars): Ogata strips kaiseki back to its essentials, focusing on minimal, seasonal dishes where the quality of each ingredient does the heavy lifting.

● Cenci (1 star): At Cenci, Japanese ingredients meet Italian technique – like handmade pasta paired with local seafood and seasonal vegetables in a light, produce-driven menu.

Best budget restaurants in Kyoto

a Kyoto-style Beef Tofu Udon — Slurp soft udon noodles. (Credit: Getty/ken6345)

Unassuming these eateries may be, but they’re no less delicious.

● Chao Chao Gyoza: True to the name, gyoza are the specialty here – and they’re crispy-bottomed with a huge range of fillings. Try everything from classic pork to creative variations, and soak up the fun, casual atmosphere.

● Omen: Udon noodles are Omen’s specialty, served hot, cold and alongside a selection of seasonal dishes.

● Musashi Sushi: Musashi Sushi is a chain, but that doesn’t mean it’s average. Come here for affordable sushi served conveyor belt-style.

Tips for dining in Kyoto

Tonkatsu group dining in Japan — Be sure to sit, as walking while eating on the streets of Kyoto is considered rude. (Credit: Getty/primeimages)

● The reservation struggle is real: Some high-end restaurants don’t accept reservations from first-time customers unless they have a connection with a regular, a practice known as ichigen-san okotowari. Having your hotel concierge make the booking on your behalf can improve your chances of scoring a seat.

● Learn proper etiquette: With so many ancient spaces and customs, it pays to understand the local rules. Remove your shoes at the entrance or when required, and place them neatly at the entrance. You’ll be on tatami mats in some traditional spots, so decent socks are a must.

● Practice good table manners: Some of the essential customs include saying itadakimasu before eating, using chopsticks correctly, not sticking them upright in rice and avoiding passing food chopstick-to-chopstick.

After youth-led protests in 2025, this year Nepal elected a 35-year-old former rapper as Prime Minister. In a country where tourism is its biggest industry, what’s next for travellers?

In 1986, Nepal changed its clock. It had used India Standard Time since 1920 so, to differentiate, it wound its clock 15 minutes ahead of, not behind, its big-brother neighbour. Boss move. “Nepal is strongly opposed to the idea that our identity is connected to India,” says Community Homestay Network (CHN) guide Bikal Khanal.

Tharu dance is traditionally set to hand drums. (Credit: Kate Lewis)

Today, Nepal is the only independent country with a 45-minute deviation to universal time; an oddity that’s become a symbol of national pride. The quirk is nearly as endearing as Kathmandu’s Tribhuvan airport where carved varnished wood and shiny red bricks rule. One sign points to a ‘Travelator’ and another to a ‘Grievance Handling Desk’ while visas are noisily stamped at customs for US dollars, cash only. When am I?

Spot the endemic Nepal gray langur. (Credit: Simon Urwin)

The 15 or 45 minute anomaly sees me tap out completely on timezone calculations. Why bend my brain calculating if it’s quarter to or quarter past elsewhere when I’m in the honking here and now of Kathmandu where the air is high-altitude crisp, the prayer flags flutter and the street dogs howl?

How tourism is changing in Nepal

Bardiya National Park is rich with wildlife. (Credit: Simon Urwin)

India is not the only association many Nepalis would like to shake. With eight of the world’s 10 tallest mountains, including Mount Everest and Annapurna, Nepal has long attracted mountaineers and trekkers, and expedition numbers are continuing to rise.

Tourism is one of the country’s biggest sources of foreign currency, so this growth is not negative, per se. But according to Ang Tshering Lama, who co-founded Phaplu Mountain Bike Club, being reduced to a mere trekking destination is limiting.

“Trekking is just one layer of our identity,” says Ang. “When it becomes the dominant narrative, it limits how we’re seen and how we see ourselves.” Nepal’s recent success, however, in diverting trekkers to less-trafficked areas such as Manaslu mofuntain, where visitor numbers rose by 117 per cent last year, offers hope that tourism can diversify even more radically.

Local men in Bhada village. (Credit: Simon Urwin)

The founder of CHN, Shiva Dhakal, wants that change. “The whole idea of the Community Homestay Network is to promote experiences outside of trekking,” he says. “Community tourism changes lives and helps kids stay home instead of coming to the city or migrating to the Middle East.”

Ang grew up seeing people leave, “not because they wanted to but because there weren’t enough opportunities to stay”, he states. Yet from remote villages to living traditions; food, art, music and emerging subcultures, “there’s so much that’s not being seen.”

CHN is opening some of those doors. It doesn’t own, or fund, any homes. Rather, it promotes homestays to travellers on a single, slick platform, while fostering entrepreneurship in places where women, marginalised castes, Indigenous people and the youth stand to benefit the most.

A new generation demanding more

Dalla Town Hall, where volunteers discuss anti-poaching tactics. (Credit: Bheem Thapa)

The future prospects of next-gen Nepalis can no longer be ignored. On a Kathmandu tour with 33-year-old guide Monica K.C, we pass buildings torched in the September 2025 ‘Gen Z protests’, including the Supreme Court and Parliament House. Seventy-two people died. “They were anti-corruption protests,” says Monica. “Politicians’ children are living a lavish life but the airports are crowded with youngsters leaving to find work.”

We stop in ‘little Tibet’ at the wondrous sixth-century Boudha Stupa. “The wheel of life is Buddhism in a nutshell,” says Monica. “Things such as hate, ignorance and anger keep you rotating around the wheel, so you must follow the principles of Buddhism to detach. If you can’t, there’s no nirvana for you.”

Boudha Stupa's prayer wheels — Boudha Stupa’s prayer wheels are used to recite Buddhist prayers. (Credit: Kate Lewis)

In a sun-drenched twist to the usual temple visit, we ascend the stupa’s sloping plinth and roam its whitewashed dome. Tendrils of diaphanous prayer flags stream from a steeple-like structure where the Buddha’s unblinking eyes stare out. No nirvana for you…

bouda stupa prayer flags — Tibetan-style prayer flags embellish the whitewashed dome of Bouda Stupa, a Buddhist temple. (Credit: Kate Hennessy)

The dome is delightfully free of guard rails or chiding from security. There is, however, a stern ‘No TikTok’ sign, perhaps in response to the youth’s newly flexed power. The booted-out Prime Minister, K.P. Sharma Oli, was replaced in a resounding election victory in March by 35-year-old Balendra Shah of the Rastriya Swatantra Party (RSP) – a former rapper and mayor of Kathmandu. The RSP’s manifesto indicates tourism is a priority, and that Nepal’s cultural identity in areas such as gastronomy will be strengthened.

Boudha Stupa vendors — Vibrant souvenir shops and cafes around Boudha Stupa. (Credit: Kate Hennessy)

A more confronting stop awaits at Pashupatinath Temple. Today is Bala Chaturdashi, a Hindu festival where thousands of devotees gather to honour their dead ancestors. Vendors hauling foam mattresses do a lucrative trade as people set up for a night of vigil. This includes burning the bodies of recently deceased relatives on bamboo pyres in the Bagmati River, which flows into the sacred Ganges.

A woman at annual Hindu festival Bala Chaturdashi, in Kathmandu. (Credit: Kate Hennessy)

Wrapped in a shroud, the bodies are positioned with their heads facing north to the Himalayas where Lord Shiva resides. They’re covered with flowers and straw and set alight by male family members.

Hours later, the ashes are swept into the river where devotees will take a holy dip the next day. As much as Monica assures us it’s not voyeuristic to watch, I struggle to do so. “Here you see the reality of life because everyone ends up there,” she says, gesturing to the river.

Life unfiltered in the Terai region

tharu woman — Tharu woman and master weaver Parbati Chaudhary in Bhada Village. (Credit: Bheem Thapa)

The reality of life needs processing time, which the western Terai region delivers in spades. The Terai is largely separated from India by the Karnali River and Bardiya National Park, where elephants, rhinos and the elusive Bengal tiger roam.

Once a nomadic tribe, the Indigenous Tharu people are now the largest ethnic group here. “They didn’t know their daily life was interesting for international travellers but they’re starting to understand now,” says CHN founder Shiva.

Take a Jeep safari through Bardiya National Park. (Credit: Bheem Thapa)

We fly Buddha Air to Dhangadhi airport and drive five hours to stay in Tharu homes. The journey to Bhada village is a blur of roadside fruit stalls, traffic-stopping sacred cows and fields sown with wheat, rice, mustard, spinach, cauliflower and potatoes. Nepal’s agriculture feeds only Nepal.

Marigolds are an important part of Hindu rituals. (Credit: Simon Urwin)

“The only thing we export is young people,” says our guide Bikal. As the light dims and we plunge evermore rural, mysterious mounds of compacted hay – some house-sized – loom like the creatures from Where The Wild Things Are. Even our trusty driver gets flummoxed by a dirt road that abruptly ends and we find ourselves hurtling across a paddock.

On arrival, some are ferried to mud-walled cottages greened by gourd creepers, with thatched roofs and rustic-chic mosquito nets. Myself and two others are ushered to the home of corner store owner, mechanic and mushroom farmer Man Kumar Chilaruwa and his wife Rajkumari.

community homestay entrance — A warm welcome at a community homestay. (Credit: Simon Urwin)

They escort us to a bunker-esque back building with steel doors and a folding security gate, behind which is gleaming linoleum, dolphin-printed tiles and a shower cavity that must be gingerly stepped through to reach the toilet.

The ceiling lights emit a rainbow of colours (the bathroom light gets stuck in, frankly, a quite frightening red). We’re nevertheless touched that our hosts invested in all this bling when the average salary is around $275 a month.

In the coming days, we participate in Tharu traditions such as making moonshine, dancing, weaving straw handicrafts and gold-panning. We’re fed well with staples of rice, mustard greens, lentil pancakes, daal, curried chicken and tomato chutney served on antibacterial saal leaves.

food at community homestay — Dig in. (Credit: Kate Hennessy)

Sonara community homestay president Indradevi Tharu tells us river snails are often served, and the boiled and pickled flesh of rats hunted in the rice fields. “Perhaps next time?” we say and all have a laugh.

The power of community homestays

community homestay owners in Nepal — Barda community homestay owners Parbati Chaudhary and Ram Krishni Devi Chaudhary. (Credit: Simon Urwin)

Immersing Western visitors in foreign cultural practices is not new. But with the Tharu, I never get that uneasy sensation that I’m being performed for. Despite being the only tourists, there’s no ‘othering’; just warm, composed and ultra-dignified welcomes. Like we’ve always been here.

“I love to have travellers in my village so I can see the world,” says local woman Parbati Chaudhary. “Why would I travel the world when the world comes to me?”

The graceful acceptance the Tharu offer, as well as the slow pace, works miracles on my frazzled nervous system. One day I even take a nap on a vacant homestay bed.

Sonara community room — An authentic stay in the Sonara community. (Credit: Kate Hennessy)

Roosters strut and goats bray as we sit on the ground in al fresco kitchens, rolling rice flour into cylinders steamed to make dhikri (dumplings). When water is needed, we fetch it using a hand-operated pump as a family of ducks strolls by, side-eying us like curious neighbours.

Animal lovers will delight in Tharu villages. Kind and resourceful inventions are everywhere, such as snacking stations where two posts lean together, with leafy boughs dangling on rope for baby goats to forage from.

CHN’s CEO, Aayusha Prasain, nods knowingly when one in our group says she cried when she left her host, Shayam Chaudhary, in Bhada. Shayam’s 17-year-old son, Prashant, had translated, which deepened the connection.

“Community tourism turns travel into a relationship, not a transaction,” says Aayusha. “It places decision-making power in the hands of local communities, especially women and youth.” Since 2018, CHN has hosted more than 4000 travellers from 52 countries in 408 households, and estimates women’s participation has increased by 381 per cent.

In the Bardiya community, where vexing human-animal conflict has been a balancing act for decades due to elephants raiding crops, long-time homestay operator Salik Ram Chaudhary says young people keep the older ones on their toes.

“We can’t keep homestays stagnant,” he says. “We have to upgrade our service and redefine our product or young people won’t see it as an attractive business. If we can keep evolving with this travelling trend we’re confident the youths will stay and continue it.”

Back in Kathmandu, Monica explains that after the deaths of young protestors in September, a determination had spread to not let their sacrifice be in vain. “We want to keep holding the government accountable,” she says. “We don’t know what situation we’re facing, but we’re ready to face it.”

Interested in Nepal but prefer to experience it in total comfort? Read our guide to luxury travel in Nepal.

Kyoto restaurants: the best places to eat in the ancient capital