Visit These 15 Restaurants in Kyoto After Enjoying the Fall Leaves Discover Oishii Japan -SAVOR JAPAN -Japanese Restaurant Guide-

Update-date: Jun 06 2020

Author: SAVOR JAPAN

Categories: Kyoto

Visit These 15 Restaurants in Kyoto After Enjoying the Fall Leaves

During the fall season, visitors are able to enjoy beautiful autumn scenery everywhere in Kyoto, from the historical temples and shrines to the refined streetscapes. Here are 15 carefully-selected restaurants for you to visit after enjoying the autumn leaves of Kyoto!

See full listings of restaurants found in and around Kyoto.

1. Arashiyama Mitate (Arashiyama, French Cuisine, Kaiseki)

The unique course meals available at this restaurant is widely regarded for its perfect fusion of traditional Kyoto and French cuisines. Take the time to appreciate the seasonal cuisine offered here and the chef’s attention to detail as you eat. This can be seen in the original tableware, made to order by a potter, that the food is served on, as well as the reformed traditional Japanese home that the restaurant resides in. Your table will be decorated with delicious and beautiful dishes that are almost too pretty to eat, such as a plate filled with several small appetizers from a course meal, arranged to depict a rainbow in the sky after the rain.

Arashiyama Mitate

Open: Lunch 11:00 am - 1:30 pm (last entry), Dinner 5:30 pm - 8:30 pm (last entry)
Closed: Wednesday
Average price: [Dinner] 9,000 JPY / [Lunch] 5,000 JPY
Address: 33-25, Tsukurimichi-cho, Saga Tenryuji, Ukyo-ku, Kyoto-shi, Kyoto (Map)
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2. Kyoto Kitcho Arashiyama Main Branch (Arashiyama, Japanese Cuisine)

This high-class, traditional Japanese restaurant is nestled in a corner of picturesque Arashiyama. Customers can thoroughly enjoy true Kyoto hospitality here – from the delicious cuisine to the decor and fantastic customer service. There are 7 small and large private dining rooms in total, all of which are designed to evoke a sense of Japan. All of them face the beautiful garden that displays the spirit of each season. Enjoy their kaiseki cuisine (traditional Japanese course cuisine with tea), which consists of an abundance of seasonal ingredients. You can enjoy top-quality Japanese cuisine like beautifully presented plates of small items and soup that demonstrates the skills of the chef.

Kyoto Kitcho Arashiyama Main Branch

Open: Lunch 11:30 am - 3:00 pm (L.O. 12:30 pm), Dinner 5:00 pm - 9:00 pm (L.O. 7:00 pm)
Closed: Wednesday, Beginning and end of the year
Average price: [Dinner] 70,000 JPY
Address: 58, Susukino-Baba-cho, Saga Tenryuji, Ukyo-ku, Kyoto-shi, Kyoto (Map)
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3. Kyo Suiran (Arashiyama, French Cuisine, Teppanyaki)

This restaurant is located inside Suiran, a Luxury Collection Hotel, Kyoto, overlooking the picturesque Togetsu Bridge (Togetsu-kyo) in Arashiyama. The modern building has a history of around 100 years. Here, diners can relax and enjoy delicious food while admiring their beautiful Japanese garden. The food served at Kyo Suiran is “modern Japanese-French cuisine”. Besides the course menu (dinner starts from 16,000 JPY, lunch starts from 4,500 JPY), try their a la carte [Grilled Omi Beef Sirloin (100g) with Condiments], which is highly recommended!

Kyo Suiran

Open: Breakfast 7:00 am - 10:00 am (L.O. 10:00 am), Lunch 11:30 am - 2:30 pm (L.O. 2:30 pm), Dinner 5:30 pm - 9:00 pm (L.O. 9:00 pm)
Closed: None
Average price: [Dinner] 18,000 JPY / [Lunch] 6,000 JPY
Address: 12, Susukino-Baba-cho, Saga Tenryuji, Ukyo-ku, Kyoto-shi, Kyoto (Map)
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4. Kishozakura (Kiyomizu-gojo, Gion-shijo, Kaiseki, French Cuisine)

Located inside a bright Japanese home, Kishozakura is famed for its delicious and unique French cuisine. As the building is actually a renovated shoyu (soy sauce) wholesaler store, it nicely balances traditional Japanese architecture with a modern interior design. The food served here is an original style called "futsuashin", which is basically French cuisine with a delicious ethnic twist from countries like Japan, Korea, and China. Try their course cuisine that includes classic high-class French dishes like [Sautéed Foie Gras].

Kishozakura

Open: Lunch 11:30 am - 2:30 pm (L.O. 1:30 pm), Dinner 5:30 pm - 9:30 pm (L.O. 8:00 pm)
Closed: Wednesday, Third Tuesday of the month
Average price: [Dinner] 6,000 JPY / [Lunch] 4,000 JPY
Address: 100, Rokuro-cho, Matsubara-dori Yamato-Oji Higashi-iru, Higashiyama-ku, Kyoto-shi, Kyoto (Map)

5. Kawamura Ryori Hei (Gion-shijo, Kaiseki)

Located inside a bright Japanese home, Kishozakura is famed for its delicious and unique French cuisine. As the building is a renovated shoyu (soy sauce) wholesaler store, it nicely balances traditional Japanese architecture with the modern interior design. The food served here is an original style called "futsuashin," which is French cuisine with a delicious ethnic twist from countries like Japan, Korea, and China. Try their course cuisine that includes classic high-class French dishes like [Sautéed Foie Gras].

Kawamura Ryori Hei

Open: Lunch 11:30 am - 3:00 pm (L.O. 2:00 pm), Dinner 5:00 pm - 11:00 pm (L.O. 10:00 pm)
Closed: Irregular
Average price: [Dinner] 5,000 JPY / [Lunch] 2,500 JPY
Address: 347-96, Gion-machi Kita-gawa, Higashiyama-ku, Kyoto-shi, Kyoto (Map)
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6. Kyotomi (Gion-shijo, Kaiseki)

This famous Kyoto kaiseki restaurant stands at the end of a quiet, small road near Yasaka Shrine (Yasaka-jinja). The owner is the head of the school of a traditional cooking ritual called "shiki hocho," where the chef only touches the food on the chopping board with their knife. He was also the head chef of a long-established and well-known inn in Kyoto called "Sumiya Ryokan." The host takes pride in displaying his skills via the numerous dishes on the menu, which are all traditional Kyoto dishes that have a modern touch to accentuate the deliciousness of the ingredients further. Besides the authentic evening kaiseki courses, the [Hana-Kago Bento], available during lunch, is an excellent casual option to sample their cuisine. Enjoy their seasonal dishes like sashimi and various bowl dishes!

Kyotomi

Open: Lunch from 11:30 am (L.O. 1:30 pm), Dinner from 5:30 pm (L.O. 8:00 pm)
Closed: Monday
Average price: [Dinner] 8,000 JPY / [Lunch] 3,500 JPY
Address: 503-6, Washio-cho, Kodaiji Kitamonzen, Shimokawa-cho, Higashiyama-ku, Kyoto-shi, Kyoto (Map)

7. Epice (Demachiyanagi, French Cuisine)

“Epice” is a French word that means “spice” in English. Built inside a 100-year-old traditional Kyoto townhouse, this modern Japanese restaurant serves delicious and healthy French cuisine that makes use of plenty of seasonal Kyo-Yasai (conventional vegetables from Kyoto). The chefs are very particular about the vegetables used, choosing to stock them from places like their contracted farmers and the morning market at Ohara. This is to ensure that the food is not only fresh, but also pesticide-free and organic. These seasonal vegetables take the leading role in every dish – from appetizers to the main dishes – all of which are not only delicious, but are also beautifully presented. Enjoy the taste of the vegetables in their affordable [Recommended Course of the Month], which comes highly recommended.

Epice

Open: Lunch 11:30 am - 2:30 pm (L.O. 1:30 pm), Dinner 5:30 pm - 10:00 pm (L.O. 8:00 pm)
Closed: Wednesday
Average price: [Dinner] 6,000 JPY / [Lunch] 3,000 JPY
Address: 105, Shinnyodomae-cho, Imadegawa-sagaru, Teramachi-dori, Kamigyo-ku, Kyoto-shi, Kyoto

8. Kamogawa Takashi (Jingu-marutamachi, Yakiniku)

This popular yakiniku (Japanese BBQ) restaurant serves delicious Ohmi Hino beef, which is a brand of beef from Okazaki Farm in Shiga Prefecture. The [Best Ohmi Hino Beef Course] (only available for dinner) is highly recommended to those who wish to experience the deliciousness of Ohmi beef to the fullest. This great-value course consists of a yakiniku menu that mainly makes use of 3 types of charcoal-grilled Ohmi beef, as well as an appetizer, a salad, and even a dessert. The [Yanagawa-don] is a great dish to end the night with. This rice bowl dish consists of Omi beef mixed with a lightly-cooked egg and a secret sauce.

Kamogawa Takashi

Open: Lunch 11:00 am - 2:00 pm (L.O. 1:30 pm), Dinner 5:30 pm - 11:00 pm (L.O. 10:00 pm)
Closed: Tuesday
*Open if Tuesday falls on a national holiday
Average price: [Dinner] 9,000 JPY / [Lunch] 3,000 JPY
Address: 265-1, Suemaru-cho, Takeya-machi-agaru, Nakagyo-ku, Kyoto-shi, Kyoto (Map)
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9. LUDENS (Marutamachi, Italian Cuisine)

This popular restaurant serves sophisticated Italian cuisine in a refurbished Kyoto townhouse that was built over 100 years ago. All the ingredients used are fresh and seasonal, and are stocked locally from Kyoto or from nearby prefectures like Shiga and Fukui. All of their dishes are slightly medicinal, as they work to improve beauty and health. They only serve course meals for both lunch and dinner. They use Omi beef, directly delivered from various farms, of cattle that have been raised on domestic feed. Come here to savor dishes that the chef has put a lot of effort into, such as the highly-recommended [Beef Grilled in Straw].

LUDENS

Open: [Tuesday] Dinner 6:00 pm - 10:30 pm (L.O. 9:00 pm)
[Wednesday - Sunday, National Holidays, Day before National Holidays] Lunch 12:00 pm - 3:00 pm (L.O. 1:00 pm), Dinner 6:00 pm - 10:30 pm (L.O. 9:00 pm)
Closed: Monday
*Besides Monday, there are two other irregular holidays each month
Average price: [Dinner] 15,000 JPY / [Lunch] 5,800 JPY
Address: 560-8, Ebisu-cho, Nijo-agaru, Ainomachi-dori, Nakagyo-ku, Kyoto-shi, Kyoto

10. Akiyama (Kitayama, Kaiseki)

This popular restaurant, located inside a traditional home that's only a 12-minute walk from Kitayama Station, serves traditional Japanese cuisine. It feels both retro and modern thanks to the old exterior and renovated the interior. The deliciousness of the cuisine served is highlighted by the modern Japanese interior. The restaurant only serves traditional kaiseki cuisine, which is all made with carefully-selected and locally-produced seasonal vegetables. The meat and fish have been carefully selected to complement the vegetables, creating meals that are delicious, beautiful, and healthy.

Akiyama

Open: Lunch from 12:00 pm (L.O. 12:30 pm), Dinner from 6:30 pm (L.O. 7:30 pm)
Closed: Wednesday, Last Thursday of the month
Average price: [Dinner] 15,000 JPY / [Lunch] 5,500 JPY
Address: 58, Kamigamo Okamoto-cho, Kita-ku, Kyoto-shi, Kyoto (Map)
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11. Kentan Horibe (Karasuma, Kaiseki)

Having first opened their doors at the old red light district of Gion, this particular restaurant is a branch that they opened in Karasuma, which is one of the many entertainment districts in the city. Here, diners can enjoy the first-class cuisine while experiencing first-hand the Kyoto-style atmosphere delivered through the inner garden, which is located towards the rear of the renovated old townhouse that they reside in. All of the food served here is traditional Japanese kaiseki cuisine. The food is lovingly made with dashi (broth), created from Yanagi no Mizu, which is water that Sen no Rikyu (the father of Japanese tea ceremonies) was said to have favored. The ingredients used are seasonal and fresh to provide diners with the quintessential Japanese taste.

Kentan Horibe

Open: Lunch 11:30 am - 2:00 pm (L.O. 12:30 pm), Dinner 6:00 pm - 10:00 pm (L.O. 8:00 pm)
Closed: Tuesday
Average price: [Dinner] 12,000 JPY / [Lunch] 5,000 JPY
Address: 273, Tenjinyama-cho, Nakagyo-ku, Kyoto-shi, Kyoto (Map)
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12. Wagokoro Izumi (Karasuma, Kaiseki)

This Japanese restaurant was awarded two stars by the Kansai edition of a famous gourmet guide in 2015. The owner, who honed his skills in Sakurada - a famous Japanese restaurant in Kyoto - for many years, cooks the food here. All their seating is in private rooms decorated with seasonal flowers and a hanging scroll in the alcove, creating an atmosphere that makes the food taste better. They serve only tailor-made kaiseki cuisine, such as a bowl dish that can be the main dish and a plate of small items like chirashi zushi (rice dish with seafood and other ingredients), simmered Kawachi duck breast, and roast Kameoka beef. This is an excellent place to relax and enjoy artful arrangements of good food.

Wagokoro Izumi

Open: Lunch 12:00 pm - 2:30 pm (last entry at 1:00 pm), Dinner 6:00 pm - 9:30 pm (last entry at 7:30 pm)
Closed: Monday
Average price: [Dinner] 13,000 JPY / [Lunch] 5,400 JPY
Address: 634-3, Bukkoji Higashi-iru Hitosujime Minami-iru Nioitenjin-cho, Karasuma, Shimogyo-ku Kyoto-shi, Kyoto (Map)
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13. RISTORANTE Misato (Gojo, Italian Cuisine)

This restaurant serves delicious regional Italian cuisine that's packed full of seasonal ingredients. The Japanese-style interior juxtaposed with the traditional exterior perfectly accentuates the deliciousness of the cuisine served. Both their course menu and a la carte menu change monthly, offering dishes like [Grilled Lamb Chop on the Bone with Fennel and Parmesan Cheese] and [Carpaccio of Smoked Scallops]. Diners can enjoy seasonal food to their heart’s content!

RISTORANTE Misato

Open: Lunch 11:30 am - 2:00 pm (L.O.), Dinner 5:30 pm - 9:30 pm (L.O.)
Closed: Irregular
Average price: [Dinner] 10,000 JPY / [Lunch] 3,000 JPY
Address: 246-2, Kajiya-cho, Sakaimachi-dori Matsubara-sagaru, Shimogyo-ku, Kyoto-shi, Kyoto (Map)
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14. Hyotei Main Branch (Keage, Kaiseki)

This restaurant is considered one of the oldest restaurants out there, having first opened for business as a tea house around 450 years ago. It serves up Kyoto cuisine that foodies both in Japan and worldwide love, such as the restaurant’s special [Hyotei Egg] and [Asagayu Rice Porridge], which is only available at certain seasons. A beautiful Japanese garden is located within the premises, with five different buildings where diners can enjoy their top-class traditional Japanese kaiseki cuisine. Don’t miss out on their signature dishes that use sea bream caught in nearby Akashi!

Hyotei Main Branch

Open: From 11:00 am (L.O. 7:30 pm)
*Asagayu Rice Porridge is served from July 1 – August 31 (8:00 am - 10:00 am). Quail's Egg Porridge is served from December 1 – March 15 (11:00 am - 2:00 pm)
Closed: Irregular
Average price: 23,000 JPY
Address: 35, Nanzenji Kusagawa-cho, Sakyo-ku, Kyoto-shi, Kyoto (Map)
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15. Shimogamosaryo Main Branch (Demachiyanagi, Kaiseki)

This authentic Japanese restaurant was established in 1856. This restaurant operates under the "local production for local consumption" concept, preparing local ingredients using traditional methods. It is well-known as a pioneer in making Kyo-Yasai famous worldwide. Only course cuisine made with an abundance of Kyo-Yasai is available here. For example, there's the [Chilled Bowl of Kyo-Yasai] that contains the infamous Kamo eggplant, alongside an array of other delicious vegetables. It is so good that customers often repeatedly order it! The reasonably priced [Seasonal Lunch] is highly recommended to those who visit during lunch.

Shimogamosaryo Main Branch

Open: Lunch 11:00 am - 3:00 pm (L.O. 2:00 pm), Dinner 5:00 pm - 9:00 pm (L.O. 8:00 pm)
Closed: Irregular *Closed December 27 – January 2
Average price: [Dinner] 16,000 JPY / [Lunch] 7,000 JPY
Address: 62, Shimogamo Miyakawa-cho, Sakyo-ku, Kyoto-shi, Kyoto (Map)
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The deeper we get into fall, the more beautiful Kyoto gets. The more beautiful Kyoto gets, the more delicious the ingredients used in the food become! Enjoy the taste of autumn in this beautiful city that looks like it's straight out of an old traditional painting.

Disclaimer: All information is accurate at time of publication.