The Best Fine Dining Restaurants in Kyoto

Tempura Matsu is a family-run spot on the outskirts of Kyoto, offering a warm, casual take on familiar Japanese fine dining traditions. Its modest exterior contrasts with a creative and thoughtful menu that surprises diners in the best way. The welcoming atmosphere and scenic river views add to its memorable appeal.

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Tara Montegriffo

Foodie

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

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Hyotei in Kyoto has been around for centuries, run by the 15th generation of its founding family. It's tied to tea ceremony traditions yet brings in new ideas, creating a calm and welcoming place to experience Kyoto’s kaiseki cuisine.

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Kyoko Nakayama

Food & travel journalist

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.

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Kichisen is a classic kaiseki restaurant in Kyoto that highlights seasonal ingredients and careful attention to detail. Although it moved from three to two Michelin stars, its standards remain consistently high. Guests visit for an authentic, thoughtfully prepared dining experience rooted in traditional Japanese cuisine.

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Gennady Jozefavichus

Food Writer

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.

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Kiyama is a Michelin-starred restaurant in Kyoto that sits above a well connected to the same stream used by the Imperial Palace. Their focus on naturally soft water and attention to traditional details creates a calm and inviting kaiseki experience.

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Mimi Lan

Chef/ Consultant/ Foodie

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.

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Noguchi Tsunagu is a relaxed counter restaurant in Kyoto that combines traditional Japanese cooking with a few creative twists. You can sample a short tasting menu and add extra dishes if you like, along with a notable selection of sake. The open counter and friendly staff create an inviting atmosphere where you can see each dish come together up close.

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David P. Leja

@thegastrojourney

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.

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Sushiiwa is a sushi restaurant in Kyoto that many people turn to when they’re craving a classic Japanese experience. It’s known for using fresh ingredients and creating a straightforward, satisfying place to enjoy sushi.

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Gennady Jozefavichus

Food Writer

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?

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Cenci is an Italian-inspired restaurant in Kyoto that highlights local ingredients in its cooking. The open kitchen adds a lively feel to the dining room, and the service is known to be warm and friendly. Diners can expect a balanced approach to flavor and a relaxed, inviting atmosphere.

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Tom Jenkins

Food Writer

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.

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Kyoto Kitcho provides a calm and refined kaiseki dining experience in Kyoto, with private rooms that overlook traditional Japanese gardens. The peaceful setting and attention to detail create a memorable visit that reflects the region’s culinary heritage.

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Mohamed El Baroudi

Foodie

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 !

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LURRA° is a restaurant in a renovated townhouse in Kyoto’s Higashiyama area, where cooking with firewood and locally sourced ingredients take center stage. Led by chef Jacob Kear, who forages fresh produce daily, the small team creates a relaxed dining experience that highlights the natural flavors of the region.

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Oliver Jansson

Food Enthusiast

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.

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MOKO in Kyoto is led by Chef Alexis Moko, who has worked in well-known restaurants around the world. Set inside a renovated traditional townhouse, it blends classic Japanese design with modern touches and highlights local, seasonal ingredients sourced directly from nearby farmers and hunters. Guests can also explore a thoughtful selection of mostly French wines.

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Charles Chen

F&B Producer

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.

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Tucked away in a quiet courtyard in Kyoto, Oryori Mashita is an old-school kaiseki restaurant known for its subtle flavors and seasonal focus. Everything is prepared with traditional care, letting the natural tastes shine through. Its calm setting adds to the understated charm of enjoying a true Kyoto dining experience.

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Diogo Lopes

Food writer

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.

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