Drinks & Nightlife
Club Metro is maybe the oldest live venue in Kyoto. Upstairs, Cafe ETW is a great place to chill.
48 Recomendado por los habitantes de la zona
CLUB METRO
82 ShimotsutsumichōClub Metro is maybe the oldest live venue in Kyoto. Upstairs, Cafe ETW is a great place to chill.
Japonica is a record store by day and a bar by night. One of my favorite places to have a drink in town.
JAPONICA music store
476 KamihonnōjimaechōJaponica is a record store by day and a bar by night. One of my favorite places to have a drink in town.
Pontocho is a great place for drinks, especially in the summer when you can sit out and watch the sun set over the river. Great jazz bars too.
362 Recomendado por los habitantes de la zona
Pontocho Area
Kashiwayacho Nakagyo WardPontocho is a great place for drinks, especially in the summer when you can sit out and watch the sun set over the river. Great jazz bars too.
Food Scene
串くら
Kushikura has terrific fare, most especially yaki-tori, served in a beautiful grand building.
Classic Showa-era coffee house. Strong coffee, old fashioned atmosphere.
13 Recomendado por los habitantes de la zona
Smart Coffee
537 TenshōjimaechōClassic Showa-era coffee house. Strong coffee, old fashioned atmosphere.
One of my all-time favorite restaurants in Kyoto. Great for okonomiyaki, but everything is good.
Manmaru No Tsuki
Umetadachō Nakagyo WardOne of my all-time favorite restaurants in Kyoto. Great for okonomiyaki, but everything is good.
Convivial, young vibe here with cheap food and drinks and a gallery upstairs.
13 Recomendado por los habitantes de la zona
Cafe Independants
56 BenkeiishichōConvivial, young vibe here with cheap food and drinks and a gallery upstairs.
One of my favorite coffee places in Kyoto. Great smoothies and breakfast wraps too. And opens at 7am!
6 Recomendado por los habitantes de la zona
Sentido
445 SasayachōOne of my favorite coffee places in Kyoto. Great smoothies and breakfast wraps too. And opens at 7am!
One of the oldest (and best) coffee houses in the city. Nice patio and beautiful nonsmoking room.
21 Recomendado por los habitantes de la zona
INODA COFFEE
3-chōme-334 KiyomizuOne of the oldest (and best) coffee houses in the city. Nice patio and beautiful nonsmoking room.
Fantastic internationally famous ramen restaurant
144 Recomendado por los habitantes de la zona
Ippudo Nishiki-Koji
Fantastic internationally famous ramen restaurant
Ion Mall Kyoto Gojo Bus Stop station
Saiinoiwakechō Ukyo WardLegendary teahouse.
My new favorite breakfast place in town: get a BLT or sweet crepe with fresh filtered coffee for about 800¥. And in a beautiful old building too.
neuf creperie
550-550-1 YamanakachōMy new favorite breakfast place in town: get a BLT or sweet crepe with fresh filtered coffee for about 800¥. And in a beautiful old building too.
THAI CAFE KATI
木屋町-488-1 夷川通麩屋町西入My favorite Thai restaurant in the world, possibly.
Strong, delicious coffee and nice lunches in a traditional machiya building.
52 Recomendado por los habitantes de la zona
Cafe Bibliotic Hello!
650 SeimeichōStrong, delicious coffee and nice lunches in a traditional machiya building.
My wife's soba restaurant. Serving Kyoto since 1465! The traditional building itself dates back to the late 19th century. Soba, udon, rice dishes, and traditional sweets too.
29 Recomendado por los habitantes de la zona
Honke Owariya
322 NiōmontsukinukechōMy wife's soba restaurant. Serving Kyoto since 1465! The traditional building itself dates back to the late 19th century. Soba, udon, rice dishes, and traditional sweets too.
Best Indian food I've maybe ever had. Great for vegetarians. But if you eat meat, I love their lamb dishes too.
Tadka
138 SakyōchōBest Indian food I've maybe ever had. Great for vegetarians. But if you eat meat, I love their lamb dishes too.
If you're near Demachiyanagi, near where the river forks, Felafel Garden is a great place for felafel and kabob. Very laid back, comfortable atmosphere too.
16 Recomendado por los habitantes de la zona
Falafel Garden
15-2 Tanaka KamiyanagichōIf you're near Demachiyanagi, near where the river forks, Felafel Garden is a great place for felafel and kabob. Very laid back, comfortable atmosphere too.
Mughal is a very good Indian restaurant. A little formal (and expensive) but an excellent menu and a very nice atmosphere.
8 Recomendado por los habitantes de la zona
Mughal
Kamikorikichō Nakagyo WardMughal is a very good Indian restaurant. A little formal (and expensive) but an excellent menu and a very nice atmosphere.
Fine dining in a beautiful atmosphere. Limited but often superb menu with seating on a wonderful communal table. View of sakura trees in spring and of Kiyamachi Street below.
6 Recomendado por los habitantes de la zona
kiln
194 SendōchōFine dining in a beautiful atmosphere. Limited but often superb menu with seating on a wonderful communal table. View of sakura trees in spring and of Kiyamachi Street below.
Kiyamachi dori is a quiet street in the day and can be a bit lively at night. There are many, many restaurants and bars, of all kinds of quality. Sometimes it's nice to just take a chance and go in somewhere on a hunch.
43 Recomendado por los habitantes de la zona
Kiyamachi Dori
Shimokorikicho Nakagyo WardKiyamachi dori is a quiet street in the day and can be a bit lively at night. There are many, many restaurants and bars, of all kinds of quality. Sometimes it's nice to just take a chance and go in somewhere on a hunch.
Very local, colorful Japanese restaurant with superb fish and other dishes (as well as blowfish sake!). They don't have an English menu but are accommodating to foreign guests.
Tsuneyadensuke
84 KannonchōVery local, colorful Japanese restaurant with superb fish and other dishes (as well as blowfish sake!). They don't have an English menu but are accommodating to foreign guests.
Maybe the best pizzeria in the downtown area. Highly recommended if you are craving a pizza.
8 Recomendado por los habitantes de la zona
ピッツェリア バール レ・ナポリ 京都錦
604 NishiuoyachōMaybe the best pizzeria in the downtown area. Highly recommended if you are craving a pizza.
Everything Else
Besides any post office or 7/11, the best place to get money, especially if you want to exchange cash.
6 Recomendado por los habitantes de la zona
SMBC Trust Bank Kyoto Branch
Naginatabokochō Shimogyo WardBesides any post office or 7/11, the best place to get money, especially if you want to exchange cash.
Hafuu is a super place to try wagyu, Japanese beef.
17 Recomendado por los habitantes de la zona
Nakagyo Ward
Hafuu is a super place to try wagyu, Japanese beef.
Kirufebon is not a Kyoto institution per se, but for me at least it has the best cakes in all of Kyoto. The line to sit in their cafe can be about two hours. I always get it takeaway and it's usually the cake store of choice when it's someone's birthday.
9 Recomendado por los habitantes de la zona
Qu'il Fait Bon Kyoto
534-18 EbisuchōKirufebon is not a Kyoto institution per se, but for me at least it has the best cakes in all of Kyoto. The line to sit in their cafe can be about two hours. I always get it takeaway and it's usually the cake store of choice when it's someone's birthday.
Sightseeing
One of Japan's legendary castles. Can be quite beautiful in spring and autumn.
1725 Recomendado por los habitantes de la zona
Nijo Castle
541 NijōjōchōOne of Japan's legendary castles. Can be quite beautiful in spring and autumn.
The Imperial Palace is less than ten minutes walk away. Beautiful in the temperate seasons, particularly in spring and autumn, but always peaceful and nice to picnic.
990 Recomendado por los habitantes de la zona
Palacio Imperial de Kioto
3 KyōtogyoenThe Imperial Palace is less than ten minutes walk away. Beautiful in the temperate seasons, particularly in spring and autumn, but always peaceful and nice to picnic.
Entertainment & Activities
Great place for comic fans and great for kids, with comics going all the way back to the 1940s available to read.
782 Recomendado por los habitantes de la zona
Museo Internacional de Manga de Kyoto
452 KinbukichōGreat place for comic fans and great for kids, with comics going all the way back to the 1940s available to read.
Shopping
Another covered street parallel to Teramachi, but this one is more youth-oriented with arcades, a movie theater, and photo booth options. And sweets stands. Fun for strolling and people watching.
41 Recomendado por los habitantes de la zona
Unión de la calle comercial Shinkyogoku
507 HigashigawachōAnother covered street parallel to Teramachi, but this one is more youth-oriented with arcades, a movie theater, and photo booth options. And sweets stands. Fun for strolling and people watching.
Classic Japanese market. All kinds of exotic foodstuffs, plus a nice oyster bar and a superb knife store, great for souvenirs.
912 Recomendado por los habitantes de la zona
Nishiki Market Shopping District
Nishidaimonjichō Nakagyo WardClassic Japanese market. All kinds of exotic foodstuffs, plus a nice oyster bar and a superb knife store, great for souvenirs.
Toraya is another famous teahouse, this one with a lovely garden. Superb cakes too, and sometimes there are exhibitions.
44 Recomendado por los habitantes de la zona
Toraya Karyo Ichijo
400 HirohashidonochōToraya is another famous teahouse, this one with a lovely garden. Superb cakes too, and sometimes there are exhibitions.
Essentials
Fresco Marutamachi
223 Tamauechō24 hour food and drink grocery
YaMaYa is a very good imported grocery store with very good wines and beers and quite decent snack selections. Pretty good for international ingredients as well.
Yamaya Karasuma-Oike
592 BanochōYaMaYa is a very good imported grocery store with very good wines and beers and quite decent snack selections. Pretty good for international ingredients as well.