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Falafel Garden
Very close to the Keihan and Eizan lines' Demachiyanagi Station, this funky Israeli-run place serves excellent falafel and a variety of other dishes, as well as offering a set menu around ¥1200 . We like the style of the open-plan converted Japanese house and the minigarden out the back, but the main draw is those tasty falafels! It's easy to spot, roughly across the street from a post office. Last orders are at .
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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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Gion Koishi
If it's a hot summer's day and you need a cooling break, try this tea shop for some typical Japanese summer treats. The speciality here is uji kintoki around ¥700 , a mountain of shaved ice flavoured with green tea, sweetened milk and sweet beans (it tastes a lot better than it sounds, trust us). It's the fifth shop in from the corner, between two souvenir/craft shops.
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Gion Morikō
All the usual Cantonese favourites in a fairly casual Japanese setting are the draw at this friendly little place. Á la carte dishes start from around ¥900 . Gion Morikō is located along the picturesque Shira-kawa canal on the northern edge of Gion. The master speaks some English and can help with ordering.
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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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Hinode Udon
Filling noodle and rice dishes are served at this pleasant little shop with an English menu. Plain udon is only around ¥400 but we recommend you spring for the nabeyaki (pot-baked udon in broth) for around ¥800 . This is a good spot for lunch when temple-hopping near Ginkaku-ji or Nanzen-ji.
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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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Hirobun
Here you can try nagashi-somen (¥1200), which are thin noodles that flow to you in globs down a split-bamboo gutter; just pluck them out and slurp away. This dish is served until . To find Hirobun, look for the black-and-white sign and the lantern. It's at the top of the village.
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Honyaradō
This woodsy place overlooking the Kyoto Imperial Palace Park is an institution. It was something of a gathering spot for Kyoto's countercultural elite during the hippy days. It has the lived-in feeling of an eccentric friend's house, with stacks of books and magazines and interesting decorations. The lunch deal (a daily stew set) is good value. Surprisingly, considering the ambience, there aren't many veggie options. It's a good place to relax over coffee.
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Hyōtei
The Hyōtei is considered to be one of Kyoto's oldest and most picturesque traditional restaurants. In the main building you can sample exquisite kaiseki courses in private tea rooms. Set meals are available from around ¥4500 . It's very close to the Kyoto International Community House and Nanzen-ji. You can't miss the traditional building.
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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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Inoda Coffee
This chain is a Kyoto institution and has branches throughout the city. Though slightly overrated for the price, the old-Japan atmosphere at this, Inoda's main shop, is worth a try, especially if you want something Japanese rather than international.
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Issen Yōshoku
Heaped with red ginger and green scallions, the okonomiyaki at this Gion institution is a garish snack - which somehow seems fitting considering the surrounding neighbourhood. It's open to the elements and you can't miss the griddles out front.
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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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Kailash
In an atmospheric old Japanese town house, this new organic restaurant is a very welcome addition to the Kyoto restaurant scene. The set lunch here usually includes a salad, rice, tsukemono , soup and a main dish. It has an English menu. We like to relax at the low tables upstairs. Look for the plants.
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Kameyama-Ya
We love this semi-outdoor restaurant on the banks of the Hozu-gawa. The service can be gruff, the food is only pretty good, but the location is impossible to beat. Dishes include tempura over rice and noodles. There is no English sign but there are a couple of vending machines near the entrance.
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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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Katsu Kura
This restaurant in the Sanjō Covered Arcade is a good place to sample tonkatsu (deep-fried breaded pork cutlets). Most of the cutlets come with a set that includes rice, miso soup and cabbage (extra helpings of these are free). It's not the best in Kyoto but it's relatively cheap and casual, and it has an English menu.
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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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Kerala
This narrow upstairs restaurant on Kawaramachi-dōri is Kyoto's best Indian restaurant. The around ¥850 lunch set is an excellent deal, as is the vegetarian lunch, and the English menu is a bonus. Dinners run closer to around ¥2500 per head and are of high quality. Finish off the meal with the incredibly rich and creamy coconut ice cream. Kerala is located on the 2nd floor; look for the display of food on street level.
