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 and more modern places – in the time we have been here preparing for our pop-up.

Keep in mind, that the vast majority of restaurants in Kyoto are small, cozy spots which can consequently make it difficult to find space. A general rule of thumb is to make reservations before you go out when possible, lest you enjoy waiting. A second rule is that if you see a line (and it’s related to food), get in it! It will be worth the wait.

Each category of cuisine has hundreds if not thousands of shops which all mostly practice the same generational focus on their specialty (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.

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.

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Men-ya Inoichi 麺屋 猪一

Another one of our favorite ramen spots.

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Ramen Touhichi らぁ麺とうひち

Another great ramen spot with a bib gourmand. Known for their chicken shoyu ramen.

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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.

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Sambongi Shoten 三本木商店

Cozy izakaya with natural wines. Fun spot.

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Gihon Rohan 祇園 ろはん

A famous and popular izakaya amongst tourists. A la carte menu with very good, very consistent food.

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Tonkatsu

Karasemitei

Tonkatsu, aka breaded pork from different cuts with sauce and garnish.

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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.

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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.

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Pizzeria Napoletana Da Yuki

Popular pizza place for very good reason. Stone oven.

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Pizzeria da Ciro

Another great pizza option.

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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.

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Sanmikouan 三味洪庵 本店

Soba shop right by one of the tiny rivers in Gion. Known for your sudachi soba.

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Masutomi そば処 桝富

Right next door to Sanmikouan, but a bit more famous. They serve both hot and cold soba.

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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.

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Gyoza

Mister Gyoza ミスター・ギョーザ

Dumplings–the food of the gods.

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Ebisugawa Gyoza Nakajima 夷川餃子なかじま

More dumplings in a cozy setting.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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Chinese

Taiho

Sichuan Chinese spot. Casual and tasty with natural wines.

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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.

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Sweets

Hitsuji Doughnuts

Very popular spot for doughnuts.

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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.

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Rau

These pastries are small pieces of art!

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Wine

Deux Cochons

French, natural wine bar with smaller bites.

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Tarel

Small coffee spot and wine bar.

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Kumano Winehouse クマノワインハウ

Cozy natural wine bar with small plates that change daily.

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Ethelvine ワインショップ エーテルヴァイン

Natural wine shop for bottle takeaway.

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Dupree (デュプリー)

Gallic restaurant owned by the same owners of Ethelvine. Plenty of natural wine on the menu.

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Coffee

Weekenders Coffee Roastery

A beautiful setting for coffee. They are masters of their craft and are selecting coffee for noma.

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Weekenders Coffee Tominokoji

Another outpost for delicious coffee.

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Style Coffee

The hipster place in Kyoto. It’s small, so you might have to wait.

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Kurasu Kyoto Stand

Roasters and advocates of Kyoto coffee culture, their flagship store is 5 minutes from Kyoto Station.

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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.

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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.

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Art & Galleries

Robert Yellin Yakimono Gallery

Amazingly curated Japanese ceramics. Call ahead to make an appointment.

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Farmooon

This restaurant is open on weekends for tea, sweet and savory treats, with a gallery space on the second floor.

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Taka Ishii Gallery

Taka Ishii Gallery has just opened in Kyoto this April, restoring a 150-year old traditional townhouse to its original condition.

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Kawai Kanjiro’s House

The famous Kyoto-based potter Kawai Kanjiro’s private residence and studio, build in 1937, turned into a museum.

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日日 gallery nichinichi / 冬夏 tearoom toka

Gallery and tearoom with a curated selection of Japanese pottery, lacquer wear and art pieces.

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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.

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