01 / Gion · BREAKFAST
Choshoku Kishin
A rice-centred Japanese breakfast, built around freshly cooked rice and carefully prepared accompaniments. Reserve a morning sitting and make it the first stop of a Gion day.
Kyoto / CITY GUIDE
Food & drink
Find somewhere that fits your day. Filter by area and food type, then choose a place to see its location.
Vegan options: please confirm current ingredients, stocks, sauces and preparation with the venue before ordering. Menus can change; this filter is a starting point, not a certification.
30 places
02 / Gion · UNAGI
Gion Uokeya U
Come for charcoal-grilled eel and rice. The house’s wooden-bucket presentation makes this a particularly enjoyable lunch to share; check the available portions and reserve directly if it is an essential stop.
03 / Gion · TEA & SWEETS
Gion Komori
A good reason to slow down in the Shirakawa part of Gion: matcha sweets, parfaits and warabi mochi in a traditional setting.
04 / Gion · VEGAN / VEGETABLE PLATES / GION
ZIRAEL Vegan Restaurant
Vegetable-led vegan plates in Gion, with Kyoto produce at the centre. Limited daily servings can sell out.
05 / Higashiyama · UDON / NEAR GINKAKU-JI
Ikazuchi Udon
A small udon lunch near the northern university district. Choose a bowl of noodles before continuing towards Ginkaku-ji; the restaurant’s own listing is the best place to check its current opening days.
06 / Higashiyama · VEGAN / JŌDO-JI
Kousagisha
Vegetable-led cooking above the gallery in Jōdo-ji, with a seasonal plate that makes lunch feel like a proper part of the day.
07 / Higashiyama · OKONOMIYAKI / NEAR EIKAN-DŌ
Okonomiyaki Zen
A sit-down okonomiyaki lunch near Eikan-dō and the southern end of the Philosopher’s Path.
08 / Higashiyama · SEASONAL JAPANESE / SHIRAKAWA
Tan
Seasonal cooking beside the Shirakawa canal. A good choice when you want breakfast or lunch to have its own place in the itinerary; check the current sittings.
09 / Higashiyama · A DRINK / HIGASHIYAMA
wine & beer ESTRE
An evening drink near Higashiyama Station, in Minamisaikaishichō. Keep it for the end of an Okazaki or central Higashiyama day, with enough time to settle in.
10 / Higashiyama · BAKERY / HIGASHIYAMA
Le Bac à Sable
Pick up breakfast or pause for something baked before heading into the temple district.
11 / Higashiyama · A CONSIDERED MEAL / MARUTAMACHI
/s/ Kawahigashi
Keep this for a meal near the river before or after exploring Yoshida. Confirm the current menu and reservation arrangements directly.
12 / Higashiyama · TOFU / PHILOSOPHER’S PATH
Yudofu Kisaki
Yudofu—gently warmed tofu—makes a fitting lunch near the Philosopher’s Path. Kisaki also serves sesame tofu and other accompaniments.
13 / Central Kyoto · BREAKFAST
M&Maison
A Japanese breakfast built around rice, soup, fish and seasonal side dishes.
14 / Central Kyoto · COFFEE
GOODMAN ROASTER
A coffee stop to build into a browsing day, especially if you enjoy paying attention to the beans and roast. Keep a little time to sit rather than taking the whole day at shopping speed.
15 / Central Kyoto · CURRY
Spice Chamber
Make the keema curry the reason for lunch. This is a focused curry stop near Shijō/Karasuma rather than a broad restaurant menu; leave room for a queue and check the shop’s current announcements.
16 / Central Kyoto · VEGAN RAMEN & ART
Vegan Ramen UZU
The best vegan ramen I’ve had, and a distinctive experience in its own right. The Kyoto restaurant combines plant-based ramen with a setting that includes a teamLab work.
17 / Central Kyoto · LOCAL FOOD
花芭蕉 — Hanabashō
A personal pick for local comfort food near the southeastern corner of the imperial gardens. Curry, miso-based dishes and a more everyday setting give you a different kind of meal from formal Kyoto dining.
18 / Central Kyoto · CHEESECAKE & COFFEE
Papa Jon’s Rokkaku
New York-style cheesecake and coffee on Rokkaku. The Kyoto business began serving its family-recipe cheesecake in the 1980s; this branch makes an easy pause between central shops.
19 / North Kyoto · BURRITOS
Que Pasa
My old favourite spot—say hi to Ryota. Go to the Marutamachi location for a burrito and a casual meal near the imperial gardens; there is also a separate downtown branch.
20 / North Kyoto · EVENING DRINKS & FOOD
Demachi Stand
An evening stop near Demachiyanagi for food and a drink after a river walk. It opens later in the day, so keep it as a finish rather than a lunch stop.
21 / North Kyoto · COFFEE ROASTERY
Café Verdi
The Shimogamo coffee roastery is a destination in its own right. Choose a coffee and give yourself time to sit; it fits a northern Kyoto day particularly well.
22 / North Kyoto · VEGAN RAMEN
Towzen
Vegan soy-milk ramen in Shimogamo, with a rich broth that makes this a meal to seek out. Combine it with the shrine or botanical gardens, checking the restaurant’s current booking and service arrangements.
23 / North Kyoto · VEGAN / JAPANESE / NISHIJIN
ITADAKIZEN KYOTO
A plant-based meal in the Nishijin area. Build it into a northern Kyoto day and check reservations before setting off.
24 / Arashiyama & West Kyoto · BREAKFAST / ARASHIYAMA
MUKU
The restaurant at YADO Arashiyama makes dashi and rice the focus of breakfast. Reserve and start the day south of the river before walking towards the temple district.
25 / Arashiyama & West Kyoto · CAFÉ / SAGANO
The Yellow Deli
A sit-down café stop for a longer Sagano walk. Use it to break up the route beyond central Arashiyama.
26 / Arashiyama & West Kyoto · COFFEE / WEST KYOTO
Globe Mountain Coffee
Coffee around Nishioji Oike: useful when your western Kyoto route brings you through this more everyday part of the city. It is a separate stop from the Arashiyama riverside.
27 / Arashiyama & West Kyoto · PORTUGUESE BAKING / KITANO
Castella do Paulo
Portuguese cakes and baking beside the Kitano district. A fitting pause after the shrine, and a reminder that Kyoto’s food story also includes encounters from beyond Japan.
28 / Arashiyama & West Kyoto · IZAKAYA / KITANO
Ichikaraju
旨い処 一から十 is a neighbourhood izakaya at 349 Wakamatsuchō. Build in an evening around Kitano for a relaxed meal here after the shrine and the streets nearby.
29 / Fushimi & South Kyoto · SOBA / FUSHIMI INARI
Kanoko
Tea soba is a natural lunch after visiting the shrine. This family-run restaurant near Inari uses Uji tea in its noodles; sit down and recover from the climb rather than immediately boarding another train.
30 / Fushimi & South Kyoto · JAPANESE DINNER / KYOTO STATION
Kashin
A Japanese dinner just south of Kyoto Station, in Higashikujō.
Check the linked venues for opening days, menus and dietary requirements. Restaurant queues and sold-out items can change the timing of your day.