WHAT I ATE: KYOTO
Know that the Japanese excel at appropriation: when they take a foreign food, they don’t just copy it, they refine it.
So a cappuccino or pizza here rivals one in Rome, and pastries smell like walking into the best of Paris patisseries.
No matter when you go, you need reservations. Your concierge can help you once you give them your list.
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There’s the gossamer grace of the geishas but there’s also bygone glimpses of another era tinged with a hip Williamsburg vibe in Kyoto: coffee shops decorated with vintage furniture and intimate listening “jazz kiss” culture cafes filled with vinyl records and cigarette smoke curling around dim lighting.
Kyoto Ogawasyouyaku | 京都小川生薬
Opposite the Mitsui, an unexpectedly modern place to sip organic tea, (which they also sell) have a light breakfast or a sweet. They offer a “glimpse of nature” with their zen like glass window filled with sunlight and thoughtfully planted small trees.
Also opposite the Mistui a very popular homemade buckwheat udon and tempura spot we love. Perfect when you first arrive off the train, have checked in and are hungry.
My beloved bought one of their vintage bowls for me when I wasn't looking and I use it to store my earrings back at home!
Always fun tastings at Sake Cube: just stroll in after or before dinner!
Who would have guessed that when I booked this place back in Connecticut one winter that I would have soon had one of the most unforgettable experiences of my life the following Spring?
Situated perched above the Oi River in what feels like a kind of Japan Central Park, you enter this spot after walking up a winding stone path surrounded by bamboo groves. At the door an elderly woman checked my last name off her handwritten list.
Then we crossed through the simple, organic entrance as if into another land. Our corner situated Zashiki, with its paper sliding door seemed to glow with the surrounding forest sunlight as if lit from within.
Their multi-course menu showcases the versatility of tofu, all served in wonderful mismatched pots and bowls, all as delicate succinct as a haiku. At the beginning of the meal they showed us an abstract, swirling image and suggested we channel this for our meal.
Dots of fresh flowers, berries or sprigs, as occasional accents left me speechless.
As we reluctantly finished our meal, we asked where best to find a taxi outside the park and the elderly hostess suggested we would find one on the outskirts at a hotel. As we happily strolled away a few moments later, we noticed her almost running alongside, and then past us, in her Zori sandals. We told her we were happy she was getting a reprieve, and she simply nodded. But it turned out she had RUN ahead to find us a cab for us.
As we profusely thanked her, she simply bowed and gave a swoop of her arm.
That is Japan for you.
A purely unagi (eel) restaurant.
To watch the elderly grill master through the glass window cook the fish over black coals is to watch an artist using simple, determined brush strokes. The domestic eel smothered in a delectable sauce, tastes like velvet and served a variety of tailor ways.
Nishiki Market
I thought this arcade would be touristy and gimmicky: but it’s a must visit. Festive and full of knowledgeable, well-intentioned merchants selling fresh delicacies, from sushi to comfort food. A little bit of everything. Locals grab lunch hour here as well as tourists eager to be a part of the crowds strolling the over five blocks of long aisles lined with tempting fare.
Don't let the fact that this is a fully vegan cafe steer you away. Nestled near Kitaoji in a quiet residential area of northern Kyoto, this hidden gem is housed in a renovated machiya (traditional wooden townhouse) with a serene courtyard garden. The small, intimate space seats just around 12 people, featuring high ceilings, antique and wabi‑sabi décor, vintage furniture, handmade ceramics, crystals, brass bowls, and carefully chosen tableware. Everywhere you look - as you can see - is poetic simplicity that doesn’t feel too antiquated.
Itoh Dining
Nestled in Gion’s historic alleyways and along the serene willow-lines Shirakawa canal, Itoh offers high end steak preparation with window and counter seats overlooking gently flowing water and seasonal flora.
After dinner we love to walk over the stone bridges and under the lanterns and pretend we are headed home to one of the wooden machiya townhouses.
Other places I want to eat at but haven’t been able to get in or they’ve been closed the days I’m there:
Italian meets Asian cuisine complete with 12 course tasting menu.
Monk is a small restaurant located just along the philosopher’s path. They use seasonal ingredients from the local farmer’s market to craft their mostly pizza dishes via live fire. They only take resos via their online booking: no concierge calls or stop ins.
