This delightful cafe first opened in 1970 and has since become another of Kyoto's much loved "legendary places". I guarantee you will be pleased as punch to find this cafe. Though the menu is not especially pricey, the interior is absolutely gorgeous. No expense has been spared on the state of the art audio equipment, the elegant furniture or its upkeep. And you may find … [Read more...] about Yamatoya
Cafes
Rokuyosha
Listed in the “Kyoto Music Spots” guide book (京都音楽空間 ) as one of the “legendary places" of Kyoto Rokuyosha (六曜社) is a old-style café on Kawaramachi. A handy location to pop into for a breather if you are shopping, Rokuyosha is famous for it’s delicious home-roasted coffee beans and tasty home-baked donuts. In fact so famous are these old-style donuts that people of a sweet … [Read more...] about Rokuyosha
Mole
On Gokomachi Dori, just a little north of Oike Dori and just removed from the hubbub of the city, is a little corner of peace-of-mind: the ambient cafe Mole. The entrance is wreathed in greenery and looks for all the world like a flower shop. Enter and be greeted by the sound of chimes. Everything here; the plants, the decor, the music and the softly spoken staff, all are … [Read more...] about Mole
Gospel
GOSPEL is in a word: posh. It's the sort of place you would bring your mum or a favorite aunty when she comes to visit. I'd recommend treating her to the scone set with a hot pot of orange pekoe tea. She'd like that. This beautiful old western-style building sits on a corner of Shishigatani Street looking like something out of a fairy tale. Step in through the rose … [Read more...] about Gospel
Mo-An
Boys and girls take note: this is an ideal spot for a date. 茂庵 isn't cheap (by any means), but such a lovely cafe in such a beautiful setting, can get away with the mick-taking prices. Set deep in the woods of Mount Yoshida, on the second floor of an old wooden building, it is a quiet spot in a sea of green. The windows on the west look out over dramatic views of the city, and … [Read more...] about Mo-An
BAR Cafezinho
Bar Cafezinho owes its existence to it's owner's love of Brazilian music; Samba, Bossa Nova and Pagode. A cafe/bar, Bar Cafezinho's strongest point is the cheap, cheap menu. You can get good, strong, Brazilian coffee at only 200 yen a cup and the whisky here is also remarkably cheap at roughly half the price you'll find elsewhere. Here's my lunch; a vegetarian coconut curry … [Read more...] about BAR Cafezinho
Zanpano
Zanpano is on Higashioji Dori overlooking the railway crossing at Mototanaka. Take a seat by the windows, order a coffee and watch the cute little toy-like trains of the Eiden line busily rumble by. The café is decorated with instruments, lots of vinyl records and the owner’s own manga collection. It feels like a treasure trove. Spend a little time listening to the music here … [Read more...] about Zanpano
進々堂
Not to be confused with the chain of bakery/restaurants that litter Kyoto’s thoroughfares, but sharing the same name and founder, Shinshindo (進々堂) is a famous café/bakery just opposite Kyoto University that is well worth a visit if you happen to be in the area. Hitoshi Tsuzuku founded Shinshindo in 1930, a few years after becoming the first Japanese baker to study authentic … [Read more...] about 進々堂
りほう
There's a tree-lined canal that runs between Shirakawa and Higashioji Dori that is one of Kyoto's best kept secrets. Follow it south and then east and it leads on to the far more famous 哲学の道 ("The Path of Philosophy"), but follow it north in the springtime and you can enjoy the cherry blossom here minus the crowds of tourists, and in June it's also a good area to spot … [Read more...] about りほう
