Noma Kyoto Guide
Kyoto is home to hundreds of incredible restaurants. Our team has been exploring this amazing dining scene – from smaller, multigenerational restaurants to newer, more modern places – during our time in spring 2023 and again in the time we have been here preparing for our pop-up this autumn.
The list below is to help you explore the city through our eyes. Each category of cuisine has hundreds, if not thousands, of shops that mostly focus on their generational specialties (be it sushi, yakitori, ramen, soba, etc.). In the following list, we have gathered a few of our personal favorites, though it is by no means complete and there are plenty of places to explore.
Keep in mind, the vast majority of restaurants in Kyoto are small, cozy spots, which can make it difficult to find space. Two quick rules of thumb: First, we recommend you make reservations before you go out when possible, lest you enjoy waiting. Secondly, if you see a line (and it’s related to food), get in it! It will be worth the wait.
To help you navigate the city, below you can save our recommendations via the Google Maps, Apple Maps.
Getting ready for your trip? Order the full Noma in Kyoto journal from our webshop before your trip for a beautifully crafted guide to the city. Or, if you prefer, pick up a copy when you arrive in Kyoto at The Ace Hotel, where you’ll also find other flavors from Noma Projects. We look forward to greeting you in Kyoto.
Food
Ramen
Wajoryomen Sugari 和醸良麺 すがり
Fun, delicious, casual, hole-in-the-wall ramen joint that welcomes everyone, but you might have to wait in line. Known for tsukemen dipping noodles, beef, and pork ramen.
Men-ya Inoichi 麺屋 猪一
Another one of our favorite ramen spots.
Ramen Touhichi らぁ麺とうひち
Another great ramen spot with a bib gourmand. Known for their chicken shoyu ramen.
Hone Daiichi-Asahi ほね第一旭
Super delicious, fatty pork broth ramen; expect a very long line.
Vegan Ramen Uzu
Vegan ramen in a rather experiential setting. Reservations necessary.
Ramen Oyaji ラーメンおやじ
This very local spot opened in the late 70s. The family recipe is secret and well-protected. Order the Chashu-men.
Ramen Daiki ラーメン大樹
Old-school, well-respected.
Ramen Nishiki ラーメン錦
Small shop in Gion with sea bream-based broth.
Ramen Mugyu Vol. 2 Karasuma Takoyakushi
らーめんむぎゅ Vol. 2 烏丸蛸薬師
Down an alleyway, this ramen shop is known for its shio ramen and torisoba. A hidden gem.
Izakaya
Iso Stand イソスタンド
A cozy, two-floor izakaya right next to natural wine bar Deux Cochons. Great space, tasty food, delicious sake and natural wine. Get the clay pot rice and karaage. Call ahead for a booking.
Sambongi Shoten 三本木商店
Cozy izakaya with natural wines. Fun spot.
Gihon Rohan 祇園 ろはん
A famous and popular izakaya amongst tourists. A la carte menu with very good, very consistent food.
Washoku Haru 和食はる
10-seat kappo restaurant with a menu that balances signature dishes and seasonal selections. Strikes the perfect balance between rowdy izakaya and traditional kaiseki meal, and at a reasonable price point. A la carte menus are written in Japanese only; there is an omakase, as well. Reservations required.
Shokudo Miyazaki 食堂みやざき
A disciple of Shokudou Ogawa. Delicious and not impossible to get a booking.
Ninjo Aritsune 二条有常
A slightly more refined izakaya. The food is great and the atmosphere is lively.
Bingo ビンゴ
Very casual, small, with an energetic environment. Enjoy the fun vibes and good times.
TO.
Tiny neighborhood spot, serving an amazing mix of Italian and Japanese flavors. Great people on staff. The wings are insane, as is the risotto carbonara.
Shokudoi Ogawa 食堂おがわ
Counter-only casual restaurant that serves very high-quality food. Very difficult to book.
Sakaba Ikura Mokusai 酒場いくら木材
Super casual stand-up izakaya with incredibly tasty food.
Tsuneya Densuke 常矢伝助
Another more refined izakaya, with a Michelin Guide Bib Gourmand rating. Family-run operation with a large menu. Reservations are essential and well worth the effort.
Berangkat ベランカット
Super cool little eatery with a Michelin Guide Bib Gourmand rating that serves Japanese ingredients, but with a little more spice than you’d expect.
Tonkatsu
Karasemitei
Tonkatsu, aka breaded pork from different cuts with sauce and garnish.
Katsukura Tonkatsu Sanjo Main Store
Great little shop in the Sanjo Meiten-gai Shopping Arcade. You make your own dipping sauce in a small mortar and pestle at the table.
Gyukatsu Kyoto Katsugyu Kawaramachi
Kyoto-style beef tonkatsu. Get there early; there is always a line.
Tonkatsu Ichiban
South of the center, but one of the best tonkatsu in the city; has a Michelin Guide Bib Gourmand rating. Well worth the time.
Tamagoyaki Sando
Momoharu
Tiny café serving Tamagoyaki Sano (aka Japanese omelet sandos). The French toast is incredible too. Right next door to a hamburger shop.
French
Le 14E
Outstanding, extremely tiny French bistro with a Michelin Guide Bib Gourmand rating. Go here if you are craving a good steak. Excellent wine selection as well. Reservations are essential.
Le Bouchon
Another French bistro with delicious, classic French fare.
Le Deux Cochons
Natural wine bar with small bites.
Italian
Osteria Il Canto Del Maggio
It seems strange to add Italian offerings to a list of Kyoto recommendations, but sometimes it’s nice to mix things up from soy sauce-based flavors. Del Maggio is a tiny hole-in-the-wall Italian place. The chef does everything himself. Only 16 seats, so reservations are essential.
Pizzeria Napoletana Da Yuki
Popular pizza place for very good reason. Stone oven.
Pizzeria da Ciro
Another great pizza option.
Salsiccia! Deli
A little artisanal sausage shop where you can eat a hearty meal on weekends with great wine. Salsiccia does everything himself. His Instagram is worth following for the sausage illustrations alone.
Cenci
Tasting menu in a beautiful cavernous space, unlike any other in Kyoto, that blends Italian and Japanese cuisine—what’s not to love? There is a great tea pairing for those interested, and otherwise a very good wine list. Also has a Michelin Guide Bib Gourmand rating.
Chinese
Taiho
Sichuan Chinese spot. Casual and tasty with natural wines.
Din Tai Fung
The legendary Taiwanese dumpling spot. It’s in a mall on the 3rd floor behind ladies garments. Known for their a la minute soup dumplings.
Cantonese Restaurant Hosen
Very popular Cantonese spot with a line out the door almost all the time. Plan ahead.
551 Horai
Insanely delicious steamed buns, always a line.
Xuemeihua Saikontan
The Xiao Long Bao, black wood ears, hot pot, almond pudding are not to be missed here.
Bakeries & Cakes
Maison de Frouge
A small patisserie in the Nakagyo Ward which focuses on strawberry-based desserts. They have a small strawberry farm in Fukuoka.
Kurs
Small bakery run by a couple who used to bread for events and flea markets. They had an incredibly popular stand in the markets, so they decided to open a shop themselves.
Slō Kyoto
Great sourdough…but more importantly, great sandwiches.
Dough
Just south of the Imperial Palace park. Well-baked sourdough, if you are missing your gluten fix.
Malebranche Kyoto
A confectionary shop with a few locations around the city; known for their fluffy cheesecake.
Soba
Juu-go
Right on the Philosopher’s Path is the six seat counter soba restaurant Juu-go. The chef farms his own buckwheat a little outside of Kyoto, grinds the flour and make the dough and soba noodles to order.
Sanmikouan 三味洪庵 本店
Soba shop right by one of the tiny rivers in Gion. Known for your sudachi soba.
Masutomi そば処 桝富
Right next door to Sanmikouan, but a bit more famous. They serve both hot and cold soba.
Teuchisoba Kanei 手打ち蕎麦 かね井
Lunch only soba shop a little outside of the center of Kyoto. This place also has a bib gourmand.
Sobatsuru
Run by three jolly siblings, this place has excellent soba but don’t miss all the other great small dishes on the menu. They excel at providing hot sake to heat you up when it’s cold outside–and if that is not enough, ask for some sobayu (the cooking liquid) to warm up your hands.
Suba Soba
Suba Soba only serves hot soba in a no-fuss setting between the Kamo and the Takase River.
Gyoza
Mister Gyoza ミスター・ギョーザ
Dumplings – the food of the gods.
Ebisugawa Gyoza Nakajima 夷川餃子なかじま
More dumplings in a cozy setting.
Gyoza Chaochao
This is part of a chain, but the gyoza get the job done: quick, cheap, and tasty.
HAAAN!
More of an izakaya with a strong focus on dumplings. Open late, with plenty of cold beer.
Obanzai
Okuzuya Ishikawa
Tranquil and traditional, this is a fantastic spot for obanzai in Shimogyo Ward.
Oryori Menami
An 80-year-old restaurant focusing on home-style cooking, with a Michelin Guide Bib Gourmand rating. The people are always smiling.
Unagi
Unagi Sora
Contemporary unagi house close to Nishiki Market. Reservations are recommended, especially if you want to try wild (as opposed to farmed) unagi. Lunch sets are reasonably priced, and they do accept walk-ins, with the risk of a brief wait.
Kyo Unawa Honten
Traditional unagi spot situated in an old Kyoto home. Expect a bit of a wait, but you will be rewarded with warm service and a delicious meal. Has an English menu; walk-ins accepted.
Yakitori
Yanagi Koji Taka
Tiny, fun, and lively yakitori spot. Incredible vibe.
Mihana
Such a warm and inviting yakitori spot. Great natural wine selection, and Mika is such a wonderful host. Reservations are a must.
Chabuya
Lively yakitori in a wonderful setting. It fills up quickly, so go earlv or make reservations.
Hitomi
Cozy yakitori spot with a Michelin Guide Bib Gourmand rating, just over the Kamo River. A favorite of many on the noma staff.
Yakitori Nishino
South of the center, but one of the best tonkatsu in the city; has a Michelin Guide Bib Gourmand rating. Well worth a visit.
Yakitori Kaminari
Many businesses in Kyoto are small, but this one is particularly tiny. One man with tons of personality runs the show. You will smell of delicious smoke after a meal here.
Kaiseki
Kikunoi Honten 菊乃井 本店
Old school, ultra traditional Japanese. There are a few of these around which are impossible to get into–and others that are barely possible to get into, but this is the best.
Isshisouden Nakamura
Founded 180 years ago, the legendary three-Michelin star chef Motokazu Nakamura is the sixth-generation owner.
Miyamaso
OA bit out of the city, but a truly nature-driven experience, with two Michelin stars.
Hyotei
In a 450-year-old building and run by the same family for 15 generations, this three-Michelin- starred kaiseki restaurant is about as traditional as you can get.
Tominokoji Yamagishi
Chef Takahiro Yamagishi is a master of kaiseki and one of the best in Japan.
Kyoto Kitcho Arashiyama
Third-generation owner Tokuoka Kunio is a legendary chef who has influenced many Europeans.
Kyoto Kitcho Arashiyama
Third-generation owner Tokuoka Kunio is a legendary chef who has influenced many Europeans.
Soujiki Nakahigashi
In a legendary spot next to the start of the Philosopher’s Path, chef Nakahigashi comes from a long line of chefs (his brother runs Miyamaso). He is very much driven by foraging: every day he picks food from the land. Reservations are a must.
Yukifuran Sato
It’s hard to put this restaurant in a category because it’s not a traditional or formal kaiseki set-up. It is a tasting-menu format: chef Koichi Sato decides what to cook in the moment while you sit at the counter. Very hard to book, not listed in many guides, extremely good.
Jiki Miyazawa
Fantastic kaiseki meal by chef Takatomo Izumi, who also knows a thing or two (or three) about natural wines and sakes. One Michelin star.
Kinobu
Traditional one-Michelin star kaiseki from chef-owner Takuji Takahashi.
Ogata
Possibly the hardest kaiseki reservation in Kyoto. With two Michelin stars it is considered one of the best in Asia right now.
Fine Dining
Monk
A fantastic experience. It sits right on the “philosopher’s path”. If you haven’t watched his episode on Chef’s Table, you should. It’s a tiny place and hard to get into, but worth the effort.
Tempura Matsu
Despite the name “tempura”, this is not a tempura restaurant. It’s a very Japanese, informal setting, but with high quality cooking by a young chef that has just taken over the property from his late father a few years ago. Absolutely delicious.
Lurra°
A small, fantastic Michelin-starred counter restaurant helmed by former noma intern Jacob Kear that focuses on live-fire cooking. Don’t miss the Sunday brunch when it happens! The omelet is outrageously good.
Sushi
Sushi Saeki
A warm and inviting sushi counter with an incredibly talented young team. Reservations are essential.
Azuma Sushi
Sushi counter near Toyokuni-jinja Shrine. Japanese fluency is useful here, but they do have set menus to make it easier.
Sushi Suzuka
Husband and wife team, seven- seat counter, incredibly kind people despite. Limited English. The entrance is a polished and brushed copper door.
Sushi Sakai
Hidden behind Nishiki Market, this tiny five-seater sushi counter owned by a couple feels like an Alice in Wonderland experience. There are no business signs, not even a very noticeable door, but inside is the warmth and wisdom you feel when stepping into your grandparents’ home.
Sweets
Hitsuji Doughnuts
Very popular spot for doughnuts.
Gion Manju
Tiny mochi shop that always has a line. Everything is handmade, and they only produce a limited number each day. Right next door to Masutomi soba.
Rau
These pastries are small pieces of art!
Kashiyanona Wagashi
Confectionary shop in Shimogyo Ward specializing in mochi.
Damachi Futaba
Exquisitely textured mochi with red beans. A local favorite northeast of the Kyoto Imperial Palace.
Kameya Kiyonaga
A confectionary shop in the same family for 17 generations, in Gion near the Yasaka Shrine, known for wagashi mochi.
Ichimonjiya Wasuke
Bask in the history: this is a 25th-generation confectionary shop just north of Daitoku-ji Temple. Enjoy tea and aburi-mochi just as it was more than 1,000 years ago.
Kazariya
Across the street from Ichimon- jiya Wasuke and comparatively younger—it was founded in 1637—Kazariya also specializes in aburi-mochi, which is mochi on a stick that has been grilled and dipped in a sweet white miso sauce. The lines are always long at both shops.
Wine
Deux Cochons
French, natural wine bar with smaller bites.
Tarel
Small coffee spot and wine bar.
Kumano Winehouse クマノワインハウ
Cozy natural wine bar with small plates that change daily.
Coffee
Weekenders Coffee Roastery
A beautiful setting for coffee. They are masters of their craft and are selecting coffee for noma.
Weekenders Coffee Tominokoji
Another outpost for delicious coffee.
Style Coffee
The hipster place in Kyoto. It’s small, so you might have to wait.
Kurasu Kyoto Stand
Roasters and advocates of Kyoto coffee culture, their flagship store is 5 minutes from Kyoto Station.
Kurasu Ebisugawa
Kurasu’s sister cafe space is designed to emulate a domestic kitchen. It offers a wide variety of home brewing equipment, in addition to coffee to stay or to go.
Clamp Coffee Sarasa
A little cozy café where you can also get some breakfast-like lunch. Next to it is a little antique store and a flower shop.
Art & Galleries
Robert Yellin Yakimono Gallery
Amazingly curated Japanese ceramics. Call ahead to make an appointment.
Farmooon
This restaurant is open on weekends for tea, sweet and savory treats, with a gallery space on the second floor.
Taka Ishii Gallery
Taka Ishii Gallery has just opened in Kyoto this April, restoring a 150-year old traditional townhouse to its original condition.
Kawai Kanjiro’s House
The famous Kyoto-based potter Kawai Kanjiro’s private residence and studio, build in 1937, turned into a museum.
日日 gallery nichinichi / 冬夏 tearoom toka
Gallery and tearoom with a curated selection of Japanese pottery, lacquer wear and art pieces.
Kyotographie 2023
This yearly international photography festival takes place in Kyoto from April 15th to May 14th, featuring 15 different artists across multiple locations and gallery spaces around the city.