Kyoto Bike Tour Restaurant Recommendations

 

Enjoy a good meal after a great day out with Kyoto Bike Tour! Here are some of our favorite places in Arashiyama and the greater Kyoto area. Click on the restaurant name for more information.

 

ARASHIYAMA AREA

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• Arashiyama Yoshimura - popular soba restaurant near Togetsukyo Bridge (map)

• Pizzeria Lugara - The best pizza in town made by an Italian native! (map)

• Yudofu Sagano - enjoy chunks of tofu simmered in a tasty broth (map)

• Shigetsu - traditional ‘shojin-ryori’ (buddhist meal) located in Tenryuji Temple (map)

• Ozuru - udon noodle shop; quick and perfect for a budget lunch option (map)

• Hiranoya - beautiful 400 year old teahouse; famous for ayu (sweet fish) kaiseki (map)

• Unagi Hirokawa - Michelin star grilled eel restaurant; reservations required (map)

• Kijurou - the turn to for wagyu in Arashiyama (map)

 

GREATER KYOTO AREA

 

Japanese Beef

• Gion Mikaku - very high end Japanese Beef restaurant in Gion. Prepare to spend! (map)

• Yakiniku Hiro - high quality beef you grill yourself at an affordable price. Eight locations in Kyoto. (map)

• Aje - very popular with locals for beef and ‘horumonyaki’ (grilled organ meat, giblets, offal). (map)

• Tendan Gion - traditional restaurant with great meat and grilled seafood. (map)

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Japanese Craft Beer

• Craft House Kyoto - newly opened in a spacious 100 year old renovated Machiya townhouse; great food and opens from 11:00am. (map)

• Kyoto Beer Lab - small local brewer that produces their own ‘Cha-Beer’ series, beer infused with tea grown outside of Kyoto. (map)

• Spring Valley Brewery - great brewery restaurant downtown off of Nishiki Market (map)

• Beer Komachi - small beer pub on shopping arcade; always have a good variety of 7 craft beers on tap. (map)

• Kyoto Brewing Company - brewery opened by 3 foreigners in Kyoto; Taproom only open on weekends from 12 noon to 6:00. No food served. (map)

 

Sushi

• Kappa Sushi - high quality sushi and sashimi on the famous Pontocho alley; outdoor seating overlooking the Kamo River in summertime. (map)

• Sushi Iwa - very high end sushi restaurant; was Steve Jobs favorite sushi place in all of Japan. (map)

• Sushi Tetsu - very affordable sushi also on Pontocho alley near Sanjyo side. Ask for the chef ‘Frankie’ and tell him that Peter sent you! (map)

• Sushi no Musashi - probably the best quality conveyor belt sushi in town. Cheap and delicious. Also located in Kyoto Station on the south side. (map1, map2)

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Izakaya

• Kyogoku Stand - incredibly cheap and incredibly local! You will share tables with locals and make new friends; open from 12 noon! (map)

• Gion Yuuki - a very local Kyoto-style izakaya with an excellent selection of Japanese sake. (map)

• Tengu -  affordable izakaya located downtown; also have an all-you-can-drink option (map)

• Anji - the specialty here is the seafood; there is also a big common table where strangers can eat together and become friends! (map)

• Kokoro - mainly a standing style izakaya with very cheap and very delicious food; definitely order the fried chicken (‘tori no karage’) (map)

 

Vegetarian / Vegan / Gluten-free

• Mumokuteki - in Teramachi shopping arcade; serves a wide variety of vegan and vegetarian dishes. (map)

• Choice - a haven for vegan and gluten-intolerant diners. (map)

• Veg Out - vegan cafe along the Kamo River; also opens for breakfast from 8am. (map)

• Falafel Garden - Israeli cafe with the best falafels in town. (map)

• Que Pasa - Kyoto’s only authentic burrito shop and only vegan burrito in town! (map)

• Little Heaven - some may say it is the best vegan food in Kyoto! Reservations required. (map)

• Sugarhill Kyoto - Japanese Italian fusion; many gluten free options and English speaking friendly staff. (map)

• Itadakizen - vegan Japanese and Korean food, English speaking staff and cozy restaurant (map)

 

Ramen

• Kairikiya - specializes in ramen with ‘kujo negi’, Kyoto scallions. (map)

• Menbaka Fire Ramen - the famous place where your ramen is lit on fire right in front of you; a bit touristy but very good ramen (map)

• Ramen Koji - imagine one place with over 10 types of ramen from all over Japan! Located on the 10th floor of JR Kyoto Station Isetan building. (map)

• Ginjo-Ramen Kubota - famous for its Tsukemen (dipping noodles) with thick seafood broth, using only Kyoto miso. (map)

• Mugi no Yoake - one of a kind ramen famous for it's scallop and sansho ramen (map)

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Tempura

• Tempura Endo Yasaka - traditional Kyoto style tempura; restaurant is in a renovated old Ochaya, where geisha used to entertain. (map)

• Kyoboshi Tempura - the only Michelin star tempura place in town; one set course of 17-18 pieces delicately prepared. (map)

• Tendon Makino Teramachi - huge pieces of tempura on top of a bowl of rice! As a policy they fry your tempura just after you order it. (map)

 

Bars / Sake

• Masuya Saketen - one of the best selection of sake in town with a wall describing how to select sake; staff super friendly and speak English. (map)

• ING Bar - a classic rock and roll dive-bar run by a fanatic Rolling Stones fan, Mr. Hako. Never request ‘Stairway to Heaven’ or ‘Hotel California’. He won’t play them! (map)

• HUB - a British style pub with 3 locations in the city. Largest one is Sanjo. Happy Hour from 5pm weekdays and 2pm in weekends and holidays (map)

• Sake Bar Yoramu - named after an Israeli ex-pat who loves sake; very small but Yoramu will take good care of you. (map)

 

Yakitori / Grilled Chicken

• Torito - a great little yakitori place near Nishiki Market; popular with locals (map)

• Kushikura Honten - the oldest yakitori restaurant in Kyoto; opened over 100 years ago and is still in the original location. (map)

• Chabuya - a fun little place with affordable and delicious yakitori (map)

• Torisei Honten - located in an old sake brewery building in Fushimi; visit some sake breweries while you are there! (map)

 

Kaiseki

• Ryu no Hige - affordable Kyoto kaiseki with a French flair; open for lunch and dinner. (map)

• Giro Giro Hitoshina - a very creative and modern take on traditional kaiseki; incredibly reasonable and great selection of sake (map)

• Gion Nishikawa - Michelin star kaiseki in the heart of Gion; expensive but worth it. (map)

 

Soba / Udon

• Kawamichiya - handmade fresh soba in a restaurant over 300 years old. (map)

• Okakita - loved by locals for udon; their ‘ten-toji udon’ (tempura and egg) is the most popular dish so give it a try. (map)

• Omen Nippon - very local udon shop with delicious chewy noodles! (map)

• Itsutsu - handmade soba at its finest; reservation only (map)

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Other Favorites

• Okonomiyaki: Yasube - family run place on Pontocho; son speaks good English. (map)

• Mexican: Que Pasa - truly the only authentic California-style burritos in town. (map)

• Burgers: 58 Diner - great fresh burgers on home made buns; fries are killer! (map)

• Unagi / Grilled Eel: Kyogoku Kaneyo - 100-year old shop and super delicious. (map)

• Thai: Pakuchi - authentic Thai food in Kyoto; lunch set menu is very cheap. (map)

• Indian / Persian: Arash’s Kitchen - go on Saturday’s and enjoy belly dance shows. (map)

• Yuba / Tofu: Junsei - Kyoto’s famous tofu with a view of Nanzenji Temple (map)

• Sukiyaki: Kimura - reasonably priced sukiyaki on Teramachi Shopping street. (map)