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Cafe Bibliotic Hello!

July 17, 2023 By Michael Lambe

日本語はこちら

Situated on Nijo/Yanagiyabamba, “Cafe Bibliotic Hello” is a converted old machiya, one of the traditional old wooden townhouses of Kyoto. Bring a book with you or just grab one of the many off the walls. Here you can enjoy coffees, teas, cakes, pastries or grab some dinner if you are really hungry. They do some pretty awesome sandwiches but one night I treated myself to the day’s special. It was pleasing both to the eye and tongue.

Spinach & tomato pasta with whitefish

I also recommend the “Old Fashioned” a kind of fruit crumble with ice-cream.


The atmosphere here is super relaxed, and unlike Starbucks you aren’t expected to leave or order more as soon as your coffee is finished. Here are some pictures.

Sitting here, surrounded by lights and books and old wood is a balm to the soul.

To find it just head west on Nijo from Teramachi and look out for the ridiculously oversized palm leaves. Here’s a MAP
Cafe Bibliotic Hello! on Instagram.
Open every day: 11:30 ~ 23:00
Tel: 075-231-8625

This article was first posted in July 2007, then updated and reposted in July 2023. Some items on the menu may well have changed in the interim!

Text and images by Michael Lambe. All rights reserved. 

Les Freres Moutaux

July 14, 2023 By Michael Lambe

日本語はこちら

Les Freres Moutaux is a popular bakery in Iwakura, a quiet residential area of ​​Kyoto.

Previously, they also had a very nice branch with a cafe on Aburakoji Dori that sold all kinds of tasty meals  – but that branch has now GONE.

From white bread and baguettes to sweet buns, croissants and scones, there are many types of bread on sale. And all of them are top knotch when it comes to flavor, texture, and the heady, bready aroma of baked dough, so you might have some trouble choosing between them.

You should also watch out for the showcase of temptation which is filled with all kinds of colorful cakes and pastries. And answering the call of sweet-toothed fans from afar, baked sweets and cakes can also be ordered online.

Les Freres Moutaux is a two-minute walk from Kino Station on the Eizan Kurama Line. Here is a map showing it’s location.

The dearly departed Aburakoji branch

Check out the official website and online shop here: Les Freres Moutaux
Phone: 075-724-3299
Business hours: 9:00-19:00
Closed: Thursdays

Text and images by Michael Lambe. All rights reserved. 

Dough – Kyoto’s Best Bread Shop & Bakery

September 11, 2017 By Michael Lambe

“Dough”

Back when I lived in central Kyoto I was frequent visitor to the bakery Bread Room and happily recommended that fine little shop on Deep Kyoto in 2009. A few years ago though I moved down to Fushimi, invested in a bread making machine, and naturally lost touch with that fabled purveyor of fine baked goods. As it turns out, in the intervening years the owners of that shop have moved to a new location too, and their new shop (I say “new” but it’s actually a couple of years old now) is called “Dough”. Over the summer I decided to track it down and reacquaint myself with their blue cheese rolls, olive ciabatta, tasty muffins, and multi-grain loaves.

I was very happy to find that the same friendly lady is at the register in the new store, and her high-skills-husband is still baking the very best breads in Kyoto. I do not lie. In terms of taste and variety this little shop cannot be topped.

You have to get here early before the shelves are emptied.

What I really like about this shop, is that baker, who studied his craft in America, doesn’t restrict himself to the usual limited range of French style bread and pastries that you find everywhere else in Japan. Here you can find every style of bread from Italy to Finland and a great range of flavors.

Breads, sandwiches, American sweets… and more!

Dough is located on the east side of Fuyacho Dori Street a short walk south of Marutamachi Dori Street and the Imperial Palace Park. Here is a MAP of the location. It is without question the best bakery in Kyoto.

Opening Hours:
Monday, Tuesday, Friday & Saturday: 9.00 – 18.00
Wednesday, Thursday, Sunday: Closed

You can find more images of their drool-worthy cakes, breads and pastries on their official Facebook page here: https://www.facebook.com/doughkt

Full text and original photographs by Michael Lambe – All rights reserved.

Walder

July 11, 2009 By

Walder is a German style bakery on Fuyacho Street, just south of  Rokkaku Street.  img_0769-medium

They have an impressive range of tasty looking loaves, pastries and treats… [Read more…]

Fleur de Farine

July 4, 2009 By

img_0718Today I bought my lunch at the bakery Fleur de Farine. This tiny little store sells french style loaves in a variety of shapes and sizes. Apparently, they also sell a British style loaf but it is always sold out when I go there. [Read more…]

Takarada Bakery

February 27, 2009 By

This little bakery on Higashioji Dori…

img_0063

…does a very nice soft white loaf…

img_0024

…among other things.

img_0028

This in fact is my trusted source for all my toast and sandwich needs. In their cafe section they also do a lunchime set of pasta, salad and coffee which I’ve never tried but it seems very reasonable at ¥525.
Takarada Bakery is on the west side of Higashioji and midway between Hyakumanben to the south and Mototanaka Station to the north. Here is a most convenient map.
Bakery opening hours: 9.30 am ~ 9:00 pm
Lunchtime: 11:00 am ~ 3:00 pm
Cafe time: 3:00 pm ~ 9:00 pm
Tel: 075-781-4628

Le Petit Mec

October 29, 2008 By

Le Petit Mec is a French style cafe & bakery on Imadegawa just west of Horikawa, which appears to be open only on weekends… They sell a fantastic variety of delicious breads, sweet pastries and sandwiches which you can eat in or take out. Here below are my purchases, left to right: くるみパン – Walnut bread – ¥168 a roll, ジャガイモパン – Potato bread – ¥157 a roll, and チャバッタ -Ciabatta – ¥126 a roll.

They look tasty because they are tasty. Here are some more pictures from the shop exterior and interior. Just click on the forward and back buttons to move the pictures along. I had salmon & cream cheese (¥367) and shrimp & advocado (¥399) sandwiches and a cafe au lait (¥420) and they were all just lovely.

Le Petit Mec is on the north side of Imadegawa, a five minute walk west of Horikawa. There is also a smaller branch on the west side of Koromonodana Dori just north of Oike (pictured below) but it is less of a cafe than a simple bakery as they only have outdoor seating. Here is a map for the main branch on Imadegawa: MAPLINK. Here is another for the Koromonodana branch: MAPLINK2.

Imadegawa Main Branch Tel: 075-432-1444
Open: 8:00 ~ 20:00
Closed: Mondays, Tuesdays, Wednesdays, Thursdays but open on national holidays.
Koromonodana Branch Tel: 075-212-7735

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