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
Cafes
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
