Top-rated Restaurants

1. Junsei – Authentic Yudofu

Budget: 4,000 – 6,000 yen for night
Location: 60 Nanzenji Kusakawacho, Sakyo Ward, Kyoto
How to go: Take City Bus 5, get off at Okazaki Hosshojicho bus stop, and then you can get there by walking for 7 minutes.
Operation hours:
11:00 a.m. – 14:30 p.m. on Monday & Wednesday – Sunday
Closed on Tuesday
Branch store: Junsei’s branch store is located near Kiyomizu-dera Temple.
Junsei is rated one of the best places to taste authentic Yudofu in Kyoto. It has 2 different combos: Yudofu combo and Yuba combo. Each combo consists of fresh vegetables, seafood, and mellow Yudofu or Yuba.

2. Demachi Futaba – Wagashi

Budget: Within 1,000 yen
Location: Higashishiokojicho, Shimogyo Ward, Kyoto
How to go: Starting from Kyoto Station, walk for 4 minutes, and then you can get there.
Operation hours:
8:30 a.m. – 17:30 p.m. on Monday & from Wednesday to Sunday
Closed on Tuesday
Demachi Futaba, a hundred-year-old Wagashi (Japanese dessert) shop, enjoys a high reputation among local people. Its dessert bean rice cake can’t be missed: inside the black bean crust is the sweet red bean paste.

3. Kikunoi – Kaiseki

Budget: 20,000 – 30,000 yen
Location: Shimokawaracho 459, Higashiyama Ward, Kyoto
How to go: Take City Bus 202/206/207, get off at Higashiyama Yasui bus stop, and then you can walk to the restaurant in 8 minutes.
Operation hours:
11:30 – 13:30 a.m. & 17:00 – 19:30 p.m. Monday - Tuesday & Thursday – Sunday;
Closed on Wednesday
Branch store: Kikunoi Roan is located in Shimogyo Ward, Kyoto.
Kikunoi is a Kaiseki restaurant with more than 100 years of history. Its chef has work experience in both France and Nagoya, which can be demonstrated by its innovative dishes that do not lose the authentic taste of Kaiseki.

4. Hyotei Hon Ten – Kaiseki Restaurant with 400 years’ history

Budget: 30,000 – 40,000 yen
Location: 35 Nanzenji Kusakawacho, Sakyo Ward, Kyoto
How to go: Take Kyoto City Subway, get off at Sanjo Hiromichi Station, and then you can walk there in 5 minutes.
Operation hours:
12:00 p.m. – 13:00 p.m. & 17:00 p.m. – 19:00 p.m. from Monday to Tuesday & from Thursday to Sunday;
Closed on Wednesday
Hyotei Hon Ten is also a Kaiseki restaurant established about 400 years ago. The restaurant was once listed as a Michelin 3-star restaurant for years. Hyotei emphasizes the original taste of ingredients, which makes their dishes refreshing without the greasiness of various sauces.

5. Makamura Tokichi Honten – Matcha Dessert & Tea

Budget: 1,000 – 2,000 yen
Location: Ichiban-10 Uji, Kyoto
How to go: Take JR’s Nara Line, get off at Uji Station, and then you can walk there in 2 minutes.
Operation hours: 11:00 a.m. – 22:00 p.m. from Monday to Sunday
To taste the best Matcha drinks or Matcha desserts, then Makamura Tokichi Honten can be your first choice. This shop sells the pure Matcha tea drink, which tastes bitter with a hint of sweetness. In addition, abundant Matcha desserts including Matcha jelly, ice cream, and sundae are another highlight.

6. Sushi Matsumoto – Sushi

Budget: 20,000 – 30,000 yen
Location: 570-123 Gionmachi Minamigawa, Higashiyama Ward, Kyoto
How to go: Take Kyoto City Bus 202/206/207, get off at Gion bus stop, and then you can walk there in 5 minutes.
Operation hours:
Monday & Thursday – Sunday: 12:00 p.m. – 14:00 p.m. & 18:00 p.m. – 21:00 p.m.
Wednesday: 18:00 p.m. – 21:00 p.m.
Closed on Tuesday
Sushi Matsumoto aims to provide the best seafood in sushi. In the restaurant, you can also drink sake and wine.

7. Honke Daiichi Asahi Hon Ten – Ramen

Budget: 1,000 yen
Location: 845 Higashishiokoji Mukaihatacho, Shimogyo Ward, Kyoto
How to go: Walk from Kyoto Station and you can get there in 4 minutes
Operation hours: 6:00 a.m. – 1:00 a.m. the next day from Monday to Wednesday & from Friday to Sunday
Honke Daiichi Asahi Hon Ten is a ramen restaurant with more than 70 years of history. It provides various delicious ramen including special ramen priced at 1,140 yen, Char siu men priced at 1,090 yen, Mini ramen – 790 yen, and meatless ramen – 840 yen. Also, the restaurant sells dumplings.

8. GOKKEI Ichijojihonten – Chicken Ramen

Budget: 1,000 – 2,000 yen
Location: 29-7 Ichijoji Nishitojikawaracho, Sakyo Ward, Kyoto
How to go: Take Kyoto City Bus 31/65, get off at Ichijoji Kitaomarucho bus stop, and then you can walk there in 6 minutes.
Operation hours: 11:30 a.m. – 22:00 p.m. from Tuesday to Sunday; closed on Monday
It is also a popular ramen restaurant. Here, you can choose among ramen of different tastes like Extremely Rich Chicken, Extremely Red Chicken, Extremely rich chicken and fish. Among them, the most popular is Extremely Rich Chicken. Toppings include boiled eggs, chashu, and green onions.

9. Unagi Hirokawa – Hitsumabushi & Grilled Eels

Budget: 6,000 – 8,000 yen
Location: 44-1 Sagatenryuji Kitatsukurimichicho, Ukyo Ward, Kyoto
How to go: Take Kyoto City Bus 11/28, get off at Arashiyama Tenryuji-mae bus stop, and then you can walk there in3 minutes.
Operation hours:
11:00 a.m. – 14:30 p.m. & 17:00 p.m. – 20:00 p.m. from Tuesday to Sunday
Closed on Monday

Unagi Hirokawa is a Hitsumabushi restaurant in Arashiyama and it provides classic Hitsumabushi and various eel dishes like grilled whole eels without sauce, grilled eel wrapped in egg, and grilled fresh eel matched with sliced cucumber in vinegar.