Food · Kyoto · Japan
What to eat in Kyoto
The dishes, drinks and food experiences that define Kyoto, and where locals actually eat them.
Updated By the AMZBooking editorial team
Photo: Nina R from Africa, CC BY 2.0
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Quick answer
Start with Kaiseki, Yudofu and Yuba. Try dashi omelette, tofu doughnuts, pickles and grilled seafood skewers as you work along the covered market, eating at each stall. Many kaiseki and popular restaurants require reservations; hotels can book for you.
Key facts
- Signature dish
- Kaiseki
- Vegetarian-friendly picks
- 7
- Tipping
- Tipping is not practised in Japan and can cause embarrassment.
- Food experiences
- 4
11 foods to try
Dish
1.Kaiseki (Kyo-kaiseki)
A multi-course seasonal meal of small, carefully presented dishes — sashimi, simmered vegetables, grilled fish, rice and pickles — rooted in tea-ceremony cuisine. Lunch versions cost much less than dinner.
Where: Ryokan and traditional restaurants in Gion, Higashiyama and Arashiyama; reserve ahead.
Dish · Vegetarian
2.Yudofu
Silken tofu simmered gently in kombu broth at the table and dipped in soy and condiments — a Zen temple dish suited to cold days.
Where: Restaurants around Nanzen-ji and in Arashiyama near Tenryu-ji.
Dish · Vegetarian
3.Yuba
The delicate skin that forms on heated soy milk, eaten fresh with soy sauce, rolled, or in soups and rice bowls — a Kyoto speciality.
Where: Nishiki Market stalls and tofu restaurants in Higashiyama and Arashiyama.
Dish · Vegetarian
4.Shojin ryori
Buddhist temple cuisine with no meat, fish, onion or garlic, built on tofu, sesame, mountain vegetables and seaweed in balanced courses.
Where: Restaurants inside temples such as Tenryu-ji and around Daitoku-ji.
Drink · Vegetarian
5.Matcha and Uji tea
Powdered green tea whisked to a froth, often served with a seasonal sweet; Uji, just south of Kyoto, has grown prized tea for centuries. Matcha also flavours ice cream, parfaits and noodles.
Where: Tea houses in Gion, Higashiyama and Uji; long-established tea merchants on Shijo and in Uji.
Dessert · Vegetarian
6.Wagashi
Traditional sweets made from bean paste, rice flour and sugar, shaped to reflect the season — cherry blossoms in spring, maple leaves in autumn — and eaten with matcha.
Where: Confectioners across the old city, including many shops on Shijo-dori and in Higashiyama.
Dish
7.Obanzai
Kyoto home-style cooking: small plates of simmered vegetables, tofu and fish laid out on the counter and chosen buffet-style.
Where: Counter restaurants downtown around Karasuma and Shijo, often with a set lunch.
Dish
8.Saba-zushi
Cured mackerel pressed onto vinegared rice and wrapped in kelp, a Kyoto speciality from the days when fish arrived salted along the 'Mackerel Road' from the Sea of Japan.
Where: Sushi shops in Gion and department-store food halls.
Street food
9.Kyoto ramen
Kyoto's ramen tends to be rich: soy-based broths with back fat or thick chicken paitan; the Ichijoji area in the north has a dense cluster of ramen shops.
Where: Ichijoji's 'ramen street' and shops around Kyoto Station.
Snack · Vegetarian
10.Tsukemono
Kyoto pickles such as shibazuke (purple aubergine and shiso) and senmaizuke (thinly sliced turnip) accompany every traditional meal.
Where: Pickle shops in Nishiki Market, many offering tastings.
Dessert · Vegetarian
11.Yatsuhashi
Cinnamon-flavoured rice-flour sweets, either baked crisp or soft and folded around red bean paste — Kyoto's classic edible souvenir.
Where: Shops near Kyoto Station, Kiyomizu-dera and in station gift halls.
Food experiences
Nishiki Market tasting
Try dashi omelette, tofu doughnuts, pickles and grilled seafood skewers as you work along the covered market, eating at each stall.
Kawayuka summer terrace
From May to September, restaurants along the Kamo River in Pontocho and up in Kibune serve dinner on raised wooden platforms over the water.
Tea ceremony
Several tea houses in Gion and Higashiyama run short tea ceremonies in English, explaining the etiquette of preparing and drinking matcha.
Fushimi sake tasting
Breweries in Fushimi offer tastings of sake made with the district's soft spring water; the Gekkeikan Okura Sake Museum is the easiest introduction.
Quick bites and street food
- Kyoto ramen — Ichijoji's 'ramen street' and shops around Kyoto Station.
- Tsukemono — Pickle shops in Nishiki Market, many offering tastings.
Vegetarian options
Of the 11 foods in this guide, 7 are usually vegetarian: Yudofu, Yuba, Shojin ryori, Matcha and Uji tea, Wagashi, Tsukemono and Yatsuhashi. Check preparation with staff, as stocks and fats vary.
Eating out: tips and etiquette
- Many kaiseki and popular restaurants require reservations; hotels can book for you.
- Lunch sets at traditional restaurants cost a fraction of the dinner menu.
- Avoid eating while walking in Nishiki Market and around temples; most shops provide a spot to eat.
- Many restaurants close early by big-city standards, with last orders around 9pm.
- Some smaller restaurants accept cash only; carry yen.
Tipping
Tipping is not practised in Japan and can cause embarrassment. Ryokan sometimes receive a small gift in an envelope, but it is never expected.
| Phrase | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Konnichiwa | Hello |
| Arigatou gozaimasu | Thank you very much |
| Ookini | Thank you (Kyoto dialect) |
| Sumimasen | Excuse me / sorry |
| Okaikei onegaishimasu | The bill, please |
| Kore kudasai | This one, please |
Questions travellers ask
+What food is Kyoto famous for?
Kaiseki, Yudofu, Yuba and Shojin ryori. A multi-course seasonal meal of small, carefully presented dishes — sashimi, simmered vegetables, grilled fish, rice and pickles — rooted in tea-ceremony cuisine.
+Is Kyoto good for vegetarians?
Several local staples are meat-free, including Yudofu, Yuba and Shojin ryori.
+Do you tip in restaurants in Kyoto?
Tipping is not practised in Japan and can cause embarrassment. Ryokan sometimes receive a small gift in an envelope, but it is never expected.