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Aburaya-Shokudō
Just down the steps from the main gate of Kurama-dera, this classic old-style shokudō reminds us of what Japan was like before it got rich. The sansai teishoku is a delightful selection of vegetables, rice and soba topped with grated yam. Simpler noodle and rice dishes are cheaper. It's on the corner.
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Anji
This smoky izakaya -style fish specialist is a great place to sample a wide variety of sashimi, cooked fish and standard izakaya dishes. You can sit on the tatami mats in the zashiki (communal room), but you'll have to have a high tolerance for cigarette smoke. If you don't smoke, and don't want to be smoked, we recommend the counter. There is no English menu, so you'll have to bring a Japanese-speaking friend or point at what your neighbours are eating.
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Asuka
With an English menu, and a staff of friendly Kyoto mama-sans who are at home with foreign customers, this is a great place for a cheap lunch or dinner while sightseeing in the Higashiyama area. The tempura mori-awase (assorted tempura set) is a big pile of tempura for around ¥1000 . Look for the red lantern and pictures of the set meals.
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Aunbo J
Aunbo serves elegant, creative Japanese cooking in traditional Gion surroundings. The last time we were here we started with sublime sashimi, went on to fried yuba pockets and went from there. We recommend asking for the set and leaving the difficult decisions to the master. Aunbo takes reservations in the evening. There is an English menu but no English sign; look for the traditional Japanese façade.
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Ayatori
Very close to the Hyakumamben intersection, this place is your classic shokudō . It's a friendly spot that is popular with local workers, resident foreigners and university students. A variety of standard fish and meat set dishes are served, which average around ¥800 . In winter, the kaki furai teishoku (fried oyster set meal; around ¥1100 ) is lovely. Strangely, considering this is a Japanese restaurant, Ayatori also serves a wonderful potato salad. English menus are available.
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Azami
Located in the Museum of Kyoto, on the northeast side of the building, this chicken specialist serves a wide variety of excellent dishes in a fairly traditional Japanese atmosphere. Choices range from yakitori to tsukune (chicken meatballs) to a healthy chicken salad. If you don't mind sitting on tatami, the downstairs rooms are highly recommended.
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Bamboo
Bamboo is one of Kyoto's more approachable izakaya . It's on Sanjō-dōri, near the mouth of a traditional, old shopping arcade. You can sit at the counter here and order a variety of typical izakaya dishes, watching as the chefs do their thing.
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Beniya
This elegant riverside restaurant serves kaiseki sets for around ¥6000 , ¥8000 or ¥10,000 , depending on size. There is a wooden sign with white lettering out the front.
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Biotei
Located diagonally across from the Nakagyō post office, this is a favourite of Kyoto vegetarians and has an English menu. It serves daily sets of Japanese vegetarian food (the occasional bit of meat is offered as an option, but you'll be asked your preference). The seating is rather cramped but the food is very good and carefully made from quality ingredients. It's up the metal spiral steps.
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Bouchon Cayenne
We always feel a little guilty eating at this intimate French place, especially at lunch. It just doesn't seem right to be getting this kind of food for these prices. The chef does a brilliant egg tart and is a good hand with lamb dishes. The menu is in French and Japanese. It's near the corner; look for the grey front and the English sign.
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Daikichi
This is a good yakitori restaurant with a friendly owner. The place is a little brightly lit for our taste, but it's easy to enter and the yakitori is tasty. Daikichi is on Sanjō-dōri; look for the red lanterns outside.
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Den Shichi
This is our favourite sushi restaurant in Kyoto. It's a classic - long counter, bellowing sushi chefs and great fresh fish. The lunch sets are unbelievable value and the glass sushi cases make ordering a little easier than at some other places. It's almost always hopping and doesn't take reservations, so you may have to give your name and wait - but it will definitely be worth it. Look for the black-and-white sign about 100m west of Saiin Station on Shijō-dōri.
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Fujino-Ya
This is one of the easiest places for non-Japanese to enter on Pontochō, a street where many of the other restaurants turn down even unfamiliar Japanese diners. Here you can feast on tempura, okonomiyaki , yaki-soba and kushikatsu in tatami rooms overlooking the Kamo-gawa.
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Ganko Nijō-En
This is an upscale branch of the Ganko Zushi chain that serves sushi and simple kaiseki sets. There's a picture menu and you can stroll in the stunning garden before or after your meal. It's near the Nijō-Kiyamachi crossing; you can't miss the grand entrance or the food models in the glass window.
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Ganko Zushi
This giant four-storey dining hall is part of Kansai's biggest sushi chain. The ground floor is the sushi area (you can order nonsushi dishes here as well); it has a long sushi counter and plenty of tables. Despite the fact that it's a giant plebeian dining hall, it's actually one of the most convenient spots in Downtown Kyoto for travellers to dine in, and the extensive English/picture menu makes ordering a breeze. The set meals are good value.
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Grotto
This stylish little place on Imadegawa-dōri serves a killer dinner set menu that will take you through the major tastes in the Japanese gastronomy. It's a great way to spend two or three hours with someone special. Reservations are highly recommended and last orders are at .
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Hiragana-Kan
This place, popular with Kyoto University students, dishes up creative variations on chicken, fish and meat. Most mains come with rice, salad and miso soup. The menu is only in Japanese, but if you're at a loss for what to order try the tasty 'roll chicken katsu' , a delectable and filling creation of chicken and vegetables. Look for the words 'Casual Restaurant' on the white awning.
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Ichi-ban
This popular yakitori joint has an English menu and a friendly owner to help with ordering. Best of all, it has that classic old yakitori-ya ambience - smoking charcoal grills, old beer posters on the walls and oden (winter stew) bubbling away on the counter. Look for the yellow-and-red sign and the big lantern.
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Kagizen Yoshifusa
This Gion institution is one of Kyoto's oldest and best-known okashi-ya (sweet shops). It sells a variety of traditional sweets and has a lovely tea room out the back where you can sample cold kuzukiri (transparent arrowroot noodles) served with a kuro-mitsu (sweet black sugar) dipping sauce, or just a nice cup of matcha and a sweet.
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Kane-yo
This is a good place to try unagi, that most sublime of Japanese dishes. You can sit downstairs with a nice view of the waterfall, or upstairs on the tatami. The kane-yo donburi (eel over rice; around ¥890 ) set is great value. Look for the barrels of live eels outside and the wooden façade.
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Kanei
A small traditional place not far from Funaoka Onsen, Kanei is the place to go if you're a soba connoisseur - the noodles are made by hand here and are delicious. The owners don't speak much English, so here's what to order: zaru soba (around ¥850 ) or kake soba ( soba in a broth; around ¥900 ). Note that handmade soba quickly loses its taste and texture, so we recommend that you eat it quickly.
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Karako
Karako is our favourite rāmen restaurant in Kyoto. While it's not much on atmosphere, the rāmen here is excellent - the soup is thick and rich and the chashū (pork slices) melt in your mouth. We recommend that you ask for the kotteri (thick soup) rāmen . Look for the lantern outside.
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Kasagi-Ya
At Kasagi-ya, on Sannen-zaka near Kiyomizu-dera, you can enjoy a nice cup of matcha and a variety of sweets. This funky old wooden shop has atmosphere to boot and a friendly staff - which makes it worth the wait if there's a queue. Highly recommended. It's hard to spot - you may have to ask one of the local shop owners.
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Kazariya
For more than 300 years, Kazariya has been specialising in aburi-mochi (grilled rice cakes coated with soya-bean flour) and served with miso-dare (sweet-bean paste). It's a nice place to go for some tea and a sweet after exploring the grounds of Daitoku-ji.
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Machapuchare
This organic vegetarian restaurant serves a sublime vegetarian obanzai set. The post and beam construction of the place and the friendly owner are added attractions. The problem is that the restaurant keeps somewhat irregular hours and the obanzai is not always available. Get a Japanese-speaker to call and check before trekking here. It's opposite Shōmen-yu sento (public bath).
