The Best Fine Dining Restaurants in Kyoto

Overlooking a scenic river, Tempura Matsu offers a unique dining experience with its mind-blowing tasting menu. The family-run establishment surprises guests with its creative dishes, such as cold noodles in an ice cube and wagyu with truffle shavings. Despite its humble exterior, the restaurant is known for its imaginative food, beautiful dishware, and casual atmosphere.

Recommended by

Tara Montegriffo

Foodie – Gibraltar, Gibraltar

Mindblowing tasting menu overlooking the river Tempura matsu is a family run restaurant on the outskirts of Kyoto. A humble & modest exterior, its menu is everything but. Dish after dish, our jaws dropped at creativity of the chef - cold noodles in an ice cube & wagyu with truffle shavings and and gold. Uni nigiris - a omakase you will remember for a lifetime

Read more

Hyotei is an authentic kaiseki restaurant with a remarkable 450-year history, currently run by the 15th generation of the family. Known for its traditional yet innovative cuisine, the restaurant is particularly famous for its sea bream sashimi, served with a unique tomato soy sauce and traditional 'tosazu'. The restaurant also offers a variety of other dishes, all prepared with the same care and attention to detail, promising a truly memorable dining experience.

Recommended by

Kyoko Nakayama

Food & travel journalist – Tokyo, Japan

An authentic kaiseki restaurant run by the 15th generation of the family Hyotei is the authentic kaiseki restaurant in Kyoto which has 450 years of history and is loved by the tea ceremony masters. Not only traditional, 15th generation Chef Yoshihiro Takahashi is using unique umami, such as tomato soy sauce for their year-round signature dish 'sea bream sashimi' together with traditional 'tosazu' (citrus soy sauce) made with his father (and also 14th generation), Chef Eiichi's recipe.

Read more

At Kichisen, the culinary journey begins with a sequence of visually stunning dishes that showcase seasonal ingredients and the chef's expertise. Despite a recent downgrade from three to two Michelin stars, the quality of the food remains impeccable. It's a classic kaiseki restaurant, where each dish is a testament to the chef's skill and the beauty of the changing seasons.

Recommended by

Gennady Jozefavichus

Food Writer – Ulcinj , Montenegro

A classic kaiseki restaurant: the sequence of extremely beautiful dishes is a show of seasonal products and various chef’s skills. The restaurant was recently downgraded from three to two Michelin stars but the quality is still impeccable.

Read more

Experience the art of Japanese cuisine at Kiyama, where Chef Yoshiro's culinary prowess has been recognized with a Michelin Star in its first year of opening. Here, you can witness the chef's meticulous process of making dashi from scratch, using dried fish hand-shaved into bonito and water boiled from a well under the restaurant. It promises an immersive dining experience where you can appreciate the aroma and taste of authentic Japanese dishes in a smart casual setting.

Recommended by

Mimi Lan

Chef/ Consultant/ Foodie – Jacksonville, USA

Chef Yoshiro received his Michelin Star the first year he opened his Restautant Kiyama. It was amazing watching the chef making dashi from scratch right in front of us, using dried fish to hand shave into bonito and boiled water from his own well underneath the restaurant. It was a great dining experience.

Read more

Known for its remarkable Kaiseki, Maeda offers a unique dining experience that focuses on ingredients, complexity, and umami flavors. As per recommendations, it's crucial to book your spot well in advance due to high demand. Please note, taking pictures is not permitted within the premises.

Recommended by

Tristin Farmer

Chef – Singapore , SG

3 star Kaiseki Mind blowing Kaiseki from Maeda San, ingredient focused, complex and crazy umami. Need to book very far in advance, no pictures allowed

Read more

Noguchi Tsunagu is a counter-restaurant that creatively fuses classical Japanese cuisine with a modern touch. The menu format is unique, offering a short tasting menu with the option to add many a la carte dishes, including their renowned 'meat suction' dish made from carefully cooked high-quality sirloin. The restaurant also boasts one of the best selections of sake, perfect to pair with the food.

Recommended by

David P. Leja

@thegastrojourney – Palma, Spain

Counter-restaurant that combines classical Japanese cuisine with some creative touches. Our first meal in Kyoto was here, and we went with three more people, after Alex, once again, organized a fantastic meal for the five of us. First of all, as you might know, there isn’t a better way for us to experience a restaurant than a counter, and this one was beautiful. The general atmosphere was very enjoyable, and the team behind the counter was very friendly. What we probably loved most about this place is the format of the menu, being a short tasting menu and then be able to add many a la carte dishes and one of the best selections of sakes we’ve had this trip. Some of the dishes we had were: * Wagyu, daikon, sansho & spinach. * Saba temaki. * Baby maguro, herring roe, ankimo * Pacific spiny lobster & botarga. * Chicken karaage * Crab shumai, shiso flower * Fugu Shirako. * Whale bacon, duck, horse tongue & kuchiko (ovaries of sea cucumber). * Ebi imo (potato) * Donburi of ikura & uni. We got to try many dishes and ingredients that were very new to us such as the fugu shirako, whale “bacon” or the horse tongue, and we really liked all of them. For some reason what stood out the most for us was the Ebi Imo potato, also a new thing for us and mindblowingly good in texture and flavor. And as mentioned before, the selection of sake was also fantastic and perfect to pair with the food.

Read more

Serving up a variety of sushi options, Sushiiwa is a great choice for sushi lovers. Their menu boasts a selection of fatty tuna, both from the belly and neck, alongside great anago and good uni. Sushiiwa operates at specific hours, opening from 12:00 PM to 2:00 PM and then again from 5:00 PM to 10:00 PM, making it a great spot for both lunch and dinner.

Recommended by

Gennady Jozefavichus

Food Writer – Ulcinj , Montenegro

If you're missing sushi in Kyoto then Sushiiwa is your choice. A lot of fatty tuna (belly and neck), great anago, good uni — what else do you need?

Read more

Offering Italian-inspired cuisine, Cenci is known for its well-balanced and flavorful dishes. The chef, Ken Sakamoto, creatively uses local products in a well-paced tasting menu. With a buzzing open kitchen that overlooks the dining area, the restaurant also prides itself on warm and friendly service.

Recommended by

Tom Jenkins

Food Writer – London, UK

Well executed Italian-inspired cuisine by chef Ken Sakamoto making use of local products across a nicely paced tasting menu. Dishes are light, well-balanced and full of flavour, with a buzzy open kitchen overlooking the dining room. Service is warm and friendly.

Read more

Experience the timeless elegance of Kaiseki cuisine at Kyoto Kitcho. The restaurant offers an enchanting setting with private rooms overlooking beautiful Japanese gardens, providing an unparalleled level of refinement. Every dish is a visual and culinary delight, promising a memorable dining experience.

Recommended by

Mohamed El Baroudi

Foodie – Marrakech, Morocco

A timeless restaurant to experience the best of Kaiseki cuisine with an unparalleled level of elegance and refinement. Guests are seated in gorgeous private rooms with views on beautiful Japanese gardens. Every dish is a delight for the tastebuds and an enchantment for the eyes. Memories for life !

Read more

LURRA° is a fusion restaurant that combines the art of cooking with firewood, resulting in bold and intriguing flavors. The chef, Jacob Kear, sources ingredients daily from the mountains surrounding the area and locally grown vegetables, creating dishes where proteins serve as supporting elements. The restaurant's name translates to "Earth" in the Basque language, symbolizing their commitment to showcasing the unique local ingredients of the area and presenting the Japanese seasons and culture to the world.

Recommended by

Oliver Jansson

Food Enthusiast – Stockholm, Sweden

Lurra, located within a beautifully renovated townhouse in Higashiyama, is a fusion restaurant that embraces the trendy art of cooking with firewood. With its bold flavors, inviting ambiance, and excellent service, it stands out as one of the top restaurants of its kind I've visited in recent years. American-born, Japanese chef Jacob Kear, personally forages ingredients from the mountains surrounding Kyoto daily. These, alongside locally grown vegetables from Ōhara, form the core of his creations, with proteins serving as supporting elements. Among the highlights was the seasonal dish of wood-roasted local vegetables. The beautiful plate presented an intriguing medley of surprises, textures, and flavors.

Read more

Offering a hyper-seasonal menu, MOKO features local vegetables from the farming region of Ohara and sources proteins directly from hunters and farmers throughout Western Japan. The dining space is a blend of traditional Japanese aesthetics and modern sensibilities, providing a unique dining experience. The restaurant also boasts an extensive wine list, predominantly French, which pairs wonderfully with the contemporary French cuisine.

Recommended by

Charles Chen

F&B Producer – Oakland, United States

With experience at restaurants like Taillevent, The Ledbury and Jean George, Chef Alexis Moko bring a unique dynamic to the Kyoto dining scene with Restaurant Moko. He offers a hyper-seasonal menu featuring local vegetables from the farming region of Ohara just north of Kyoto and thoughtfully sources protein directly from hunters and farmers throughout Western Japan. Housed in a newly renovated machiya, the space blends traditional Japanese aesthetics with modern sensibilities in a seemless way that hightlights the Japanese hospitality offered by him and his staff. An extensive wine list that is also uncommon for Kyoto, features mostly French wines that pair wonderfully with his contemporary French cuisine.

Read more

Tucked away in an inner courtyard, Oryori Mashita is an old-school kaiseki restaurant known for its subtle flavors. The food served here is elegant, traditional, and changes with the seasons. The restaurant offers a unique dining experience with its warm atmosphere and meticulous attention to every dish.

Recommended by

Diogo Lopes

Food writer – Lisbon, Portugal

Tucked away in an inner courtyard in Kyoto, this old school kaiseki place is as subtle as the flavors it brings to the table. Elegant, traditional and ultra seasonal are key features of the food that is served here.

Read more