Izakaya/ Obanzai: casual Japanese tapas bar

Izakaya are the Japanese version of a pub but with a lot more emphasis on the food. Obanzai are similar but with a bit more of a focus on "home cooked" tastes. You can try several small dishes and the custom is to share everything with the people present so that you can try lots of bites of different tasty goodness. There is a range of izakaya and they often specialize in one thing but serve a little of everything. Usually the atmosphere is casual and people enjoy laughing and chatting but it can be a cheerful and friendly place too. 

Gion Sho 

This is a personal favourite of mine as the food is super tasty and we can even book a private room all to ourselves with comfy sofa chairs. Choose from a huge range of fish, meat, vegetables and more. Sashimi, Tempura, grilled and fried foods and one of my favourite "Wagyu" beef salad! 

Price is very reasonable too at about 5,000 yen-7,000 / person including drinks. 

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Kyoya Kiyomizu

This is a lovely place with high quality yet casual dishes of tempura, sashimi, beef and more in an obanzai restaurant. The setting is an old machiya townhouse. Nothing fancy but the food does the talking! 

​Budget: 5000-9000 yen per person including drinks

Yakitori: chicken skewers & more

Similar in style to izakaya dining is the yakitori restaurant. Also more of a pub like atmosphere, except these places specialize in chicken skewers. For the more adventurous you can also get chicken hearts, livers etc. but I usually stick to the delicious chicken leg and breast cuts. They also have lots of vegetable dishes and salads on offer. Goes well with a beer or a sake!

Kyoasobi: Yakitori

A new favourite of mine right in the heart of Gion. Lots of delicious chicken options, but you can also get wagyu beef, tons of vegetable options and a decent drink list too. A great option for groups as we can all order our favourite thing. 

Teppanyaki & Japanese "wagyu" beef

Try teppanyaki for a more upscale experience and watch the chefs carefully prepare your dishes. Most teppanyaki serve beef, seafood and grilled vegetables all with the best ingredients. Japanese beef has an amazing reputation for it's marbled melt in your mouth quality. Kobe beef is considered the Rolls Royce of beef but there are lots of other great cuts from around the country too. We can even go to a "yakiniku" BBQ for the chance to eat delicious beef in a more casual setting where we grill the beef at our own table top BBQ. A fun way to have great tasting beef without breaking the bank. 

Itoh dining: Wagyu Teppanyaki

Ask any concierge in town for a recommendation for teppanyaki and many will send you to Itoh dining and it does not disappoint. Enjoy fine cuts of Wagyu and even the top rated Kobe beef. There are lots of options including courses with seafood too. A great location right next to the Shirakawa river makes it one of the best places to dine in the heart of Gion too. 

Budget: 7000-18,000 yen per person 

Toku: Wagyu Yakiniku 

A yaki-niku BBQ place with great views out the window to the Kamo River. We can even book a private booth for groups of four or more. Choose from several cuts of beef from all over Japan and enjoy grilling them at your table. Fun and casual way to enjoy delicious "wagyu"

Budget: 5000-10,000 yen per person 

Sushi

No visit to Japan is complete without trying the sushi and although Kyoto being a little ways from the sea, we still get fresh fish shipped in daily and there are plenty of great places with top sushi chefs serving up one of Japan's signature foods. The sushi bar experience can range from a detailed course with all the prices clearly shown to an adventure where you don't know what you are getting or how much it will cost either! There are are also more casual places which serve up sushi as a quick and tasty treat and are very cheap too. It's worth it to try both styles for sure. 

Tatsumihashi: sushi bar

In a lovely minimalist style sushi bar you can enjoy some great tuna, shrimp and all the seasonal fish too. They also have tempura and other cooked dishes too. The staff are nice and it's a welcome atmosphere too. 

Budget: 8,000-12,000 per person 

Kaiseki: refined Japanese cuisine

Kyoto was the centre of the imperial court for over a thousand years giving it the heritage of bringing the best of Japan both in ingredients and the skills of the chefs. This legacy has endured with the development and fostering of the "kaiseki" Kyoto cuisine. Here the dishes are creative, delicious, delicate and beautiful too. Dishes are sophisticated and can be more a feast for the eyes than for the stomach but the whole experience is definitely one you should try at least once during your trip. 

Kyotomi: Kaiseki Cuisine 

Kaiseki cuisine is not just a meal it's an experience and this little place does not disappoint. The only tricky part is getting a reservation as it's a very popular place. The menu is fixed after the chef visits the market in the morning and sees what is fresh and ready to serve up. You will go a bit of a culinary adventure so not ideal for picky eaters or people with food restrictions. Remember your camera though as the dishes are a delight to look at before you devour them.

Budget: 8,000-10,000 per person

Another C: NYC inspired kaiseki

This is one of my favourite places and a great place to try kaiseki for the first time as the price is very reasonable and the tastes are more in tune with what you might find in a top Japanese restaurant abroad. In fact the chef who grew up in New York but trained in Kyoto. He also offers great wine pairings to go with his creations based on the freshest things in season. 
​Budget: 18,000-25,000 yen per person

European influenced cuisine

The Japanese are known for having amazing native cuisine but even the locals like to try some occidental from time to time. Luckily, the hard working chefs of Japan have a habit of spending apprenticeships in the top culinary schools of Europe and come back with the balance of Japanese focus on fresh ingredients and quality of work with flavours we know and love. 

The Sodoh Higashiyama: Italian

Set in a lovely old mansion this is a great setting to enjoy Japanese atmosphere blending with the refined European dining culture. They have delicious dishes and course start from 5000 yen. Great place to enjoy a Japanese take on Western cuisine. 

Budget: 5,000-9,000 yen

Ikariya 523: Casual French

A personal favourite for me has to be Ikariya, one of a growing trend in Japan the casual French dining restaurant. Enjoy delicious dishes inspired by France but put together with local ingredients often with a Japanese twist. With a decent selection of wine and good prices too you can have a delicious meal here without spending too much either. 

Budget: 3500 - 5000 yen with drinks.

Vegetarian friendly 

With Japan being a buddhist country, there was even one point when the whole country abstained from eating meat but nowadays it's rare even amongst the clergy. That said, there are quite a few places specializing in tofu cuisine and other restaurants which serve dishes for both carnivores and those who want something vegan or vegetarian. 

Tousuiro Gion : tofu specialty restaurant

 This is a place that takes the simple tofu to a whole new level. Enjoy classic dishes from Kyoto with the option to go full vegetarian or add some sashimi or cooked fish to the menu as well. Note that some dishes contain "dashi" the soup stock used in a lot of cooking which has fish flakes as the base so you will need to specify if you do not eat any animal products. If you love tofu it's the place for you. 

​Budget: 5,000-8,000 yen per person

Local eats

The best thing about Japan is that besides the high end restaurants, there are plenty of small hole in the wall noodle shops and other local specialties that can be had for less than 1000 yen which are both delicious and a fun way to be among the locals. Okonomiyaki is one of the regional specialties of Western Japan and is tasty and filling too and is grilled on a big hot plate. 

Manryu: Casual Teppanyaki

Enjoy this casual restaurant with lots of dishes available. Fried noodles, okonomiyaki which is kind of like a savoury pancake, grilled meats and fish and vegetables too. A real local experience and great for a quick bite. 

​Budget: 2000-3000 yen per person with drinks

Itsuwa: ramen & more

No trip to Japan is complete without a bowl of ramen. It's tasty, filling and warms the soul too. We know lots of great ramen restaurants all over the city and several in the Gion area too. Istuwa makes a tasty bowl and has a couple other options like gyoza and fried chicken too. 

​Budget: 1000-2000 yen per person