Kyoto best eats — 8 best food & must eat food in Kyoto

November 13, 2023

Geisha, the oldest Kimono shop, Maiko, Aoi festival … have you heard of these names? If not, we would like to reveal, these are the interesting things originating from that Kyoto ^^. If you ask me to choose a destination when traveling to Japan for the first time, I will definitely choose Kyoto! Being the ancient capital of Japan, Kyoto has a very rich and long history! Not to mention that if you want to learn about the best Japanese culture, you can only go to Kyoto. However, this time I want to share privately with one thing that I really love in this ancient capital: The food.

kyoto kaiseki cuisine — Kyoto Kaiseki Cuisine

kyoto sushi — Kyoto sushi | best eats kyoto

kyoto cuisine.1 — Nama-fu | best eats kyoto

So, what to eat in Kyoto and where to eat in Kyoto? Let’s check out our suggested 7 best food in Kyoto (best eats Kyoto, best food to eat in Kyoto, best street food in Kyoto) and food must eat in Kyoto (must eat food in Kyoto, must eat in Kyoto), food must try in Kyoto (must try food in Kyoto, Kyoto must try food, food to eat in Kyoto, food to try in Kyoto, must try food Kyoto) including Kyoto famous food, Kyoto local food, traditional food in Kyoto (Kyoto traditional food) to find out the answer!

kyoto tofu — Tofu, one of specialties of Kyoto you must try. | best eats kyoto

Kyoto is quite far from Tokyo, about 500km, so taking the JR train (Shinkansen) is the most convenient. Similar to geographical distance, there are foods in Kyoto that cannot be found in Tokyo. Guess what are they?

Best eats Kyoto: Ramen (#must eat food in Kyoto)

tenkaippin ramen kyoto (1) — Kyoto Ramen | must eat food in Kyoto

Ramen noodles is everywhere in Japan. However, each region has its own recipe for this noodles, offering unique flavors not mixed with other regions. Kyoto too ^^.

If you have the opportunity to visit the capital of Kyoto, do not forget to try a bowl of traditional ramen noodles. Japanese people are famous for their subtle, meticulousness, investment in every action, so each bowl of ramen noodles delivered to customers also meets these factors.

The most famous is probably the name of the restaurant chain specializing in ramen Tenkaippin. This is a famous name with the Kotteri signature ramen, thick and chewy noodles, the broth is stewed with chicken bones for many hours so the taste is light sweet and pleasant. I was told that the chef who prepare noodles here had to strictly follow the bone stew time to make the “authentic” broth, less or more hours, all fail. As expected of Japan!

Tenkaippin Honten
Address: 94 Icijoji Tsukudacho Sakyo-ku | 1 Field, Maison Shirakawa, Kyoto 606-8175, Kyoto Prefecture
Hours: 11AM – 3AM)

Bonus for anyone who is a fan of divine ramen noodles, please try eating “fiery” noodles at Menbakaichidai (Menbaka Fire Ramen) restaurant once. This restaurant is not as famous as Tenkaippin, but personally, I like this restaurant more.

Eating noodles here is quite risky. After booking the seat (must book in advannce because the number of guests visiting is extremely crowded, no reservation will have no seat!), You have to sit in the right position that you had choosen. The chef will places the bowl of noodles in front of you, then pour the fire into the bowl with his expert hands?!?! Fire, fire, fire!!! That’s an extremely impressive.

Believe it or not, the bowl of fiery noodles is like a circus show, but the food inside does not burn, but in return, the cheers and applause of the diners increase the joyment, exciting when enjoying =)))

Note 1: The bowl of noodles here has a lot of onions, it must be said that green onions fill all over the bowl because when adding them the fire will be burnt out more beautiful. Anyone who is anti scallions should consider!

Note 2: When eating Menbakaichidai ramen, the female diners has to tie her hair high, neatly to avoid being scorched by the fire haha =)). In addition, when entering the restaurant, the waiters will put on you a large apron. It’s like in a haircut shop. These aprons will protect you from grease and accidental sparks :v :v :v

Very interesting, remember to eat <3 <3 <3

Menbaka Fire Ramen
Address: 757-2 Minamiiseyacho, Kamigyo Ward, Kyoto, 602-8153, Japan
Hours: 11AM–11PM

Best food in Kyoto: Soba

Ok, lost in the land of all types of noodles, you definitely have to try soba noodles in Kyoto too!

Also a traditional noodle dish, soba is very healthy and balanced because it is made from buckwheat, nutritious and easy to eat. Served with soba noodles often have tempura or sushi, all forming a quintessential dining set meal and the soul of the land of the rising sun.

kyoto soba (1) — A set meal of noodles at Honke Owariya | must eat food in Kyoto

It is not difficult to find soba noodle shops across Japan, but to enjoy the oldest and most traditional flavor, it can only be in the capital of Kyoto. One of Kyoto’s most famous soba noodle shops is Honke Owariya, which receives the most reviews and 5 star ratings of the Japanese dinersy. So good!

Ingredients contributing to each bowl of soba noodles will have: eggs, seaweed, radish, onions, mushrooms … all are ingredients friendly to physique and skin. So love =))). Similar to other types of noodles in Japan, the broth is still the most elaborate investment, meet the highest quality standards of all noodle processing chefs.

Soba noodles can be eaten hot or cold, both delicious. If you go to Kyoto in the fall, you will be enjoyed the best bowl of noodles of the year, because it is the time after the buckwheat harvest season ^^.

Each bowl of soba noodles costs between 500 – 1,000 yen for “economy class” and 1,000 – 1,500 yen for “business class” =)).

Honke Owariya
Address: Japan, 〒604-0841 Kyoto, Nakagyo Ward, Niomontsukinukecho, 322
Hours: 11AM–6PM

Food must eat in Kyoto: Chirimen Sansho

This dish is strange. It is delicious or not depends on the taste each person feels but the strange level is sure. You should try to eat when to go to Kyoto!

Chirimen Sansho is not like other famous dishes, it is a food specialized served with white rice, like pickles or pork floss (rousong) in our country. It is wrong if eat it as single, but combined with a fragrant rice bowl, it is very tasty.

Rice, pasta, porridge, noodles sprinkled one pinch well matched. Japanese people use this the same way I use meat floss. | best food to eat in kyoto | must eat food in Kyoto

When I first looked at the rice bowl, I just saw Chirimen Sansho looked like dried shredded chicken sprinkled on rice! They are a small pinch of short yellow threads, each with two black dots. Asked the waiter, I were amazed when know those tiny black dots are the eyes and each short thread is a fish. Ohhhhhh, that’s really a trick =))))

Close-up zoom shows the fish: v | best food to eat in kyoto

This is a fish called Chirimen which is caught by fishermen, then pre–processed and mixed with sansho pepper to produce a delicious dish with rice. Now I understand where the name “Chirimen Sansho” comes from =))

You can also buy it as a gift because this is also considered a specialty of Kyoto | best food to eat in kyoto

Must eat in Kyoto: Nama–fu

Coming to Japan and listening to “fu” “fu” when talking about food, you immediately knew people were talking about that tofu dish, hihi ^^

Tofu in Kyoto is so delicious, there’s no need to argue. Thanks to the clean water source for processing, the tofu is extremely aromatic, very firm and has a little fat, a bit of greasy and sweet taste. It seems that making tofu has become an heirloom profession, so in addition to using machines, people still maintain a way of making tofu manually to retain the long–standing traditional flavor.

It looks like candy or ice cream, but it is nama-fu | must eat food in Kyoto

If you are a tofu fan, you definitely have to try this dish in Kyoto, the ancient capital bearing bold the traditional flavor, the tofu produced here is also the best in the whole country. In addition, if you are a little picky eaters, not like tofu much or for Western diners, then in Kyoto you also will be tried butter tofu too ^^.

The multi-colored layers are sticky rice that is wrapped on the tofu and then fried. | kyoto must try food

Must try food in Kyoto: Yatsuhashi

Yatsuhashi is the name of the most popular pastry in Kyoto. Although it’s just a type of pastry, but behind this cake is a historical story associated with the capital of Kyoto.

The Yatsuhashi was created by the hands of a musician living in the Edo period. He created triangular shaped cakes that look like wonton in our country, the red bean paste filling inside is wrapped by a very fragrant rice flour and cinnamon flour. This triangular shape was inspired by the staff on the Koto instrument – a traditional musical instrument associated with his passion for playing music. After his death, in order to show his gratitude to this caring musician, people decided to call this cake as Yatsuhashi – his name <3 <3

Today, Yatsuhashi cakes are made primarily from ingredients such as glutinous flour, cinnamon powder, green tea powder, stewed red bean paste, sakura flowers … Japanese people often eat yatsuhashi cakes as a dessert or more common during tea ceremonies. Kyoto has the famous Uji region with the tea is one of the best teas in Japan, so sipping tea with this cake here is the best. The crust is flexible and soft when eaten, and the red bean paste inside is sweet and fragrant.

I really like the color of the crust with green, pink, yellow or white … pastel colors, hihi. The chefs said that the beautiful colors represent the colors of plants, flowers in four seasons. When served with tea, the sweetness of the cake is melted in your mouth which means the harmony between nature and people. It’s so meaningful!

Yatsuhashi is also packed into beautiful boxes for you to take as gifts too | must eat food in kyoto

Anyway, I still admire the cuisine of the land of the rising sun! Exquisitely delicate, each dish seems to contain both a culture and human character here. This delicious cake is no exception. However, to enjoy the most traditional of Yatsuhashi, you can only go to Kyoto, hihi ^^

Kyoto must try food: Snacks with Kyoto street cakes

Following, I would like to share with you 2 delicious and nutritious street foods with unique flavors of Kyoto. How should I say, coming to Kyoto and missing out on these 2 foods, there is only way … is buy air tickets again and take 1 more trip to Kyoto to eat them =))

No 1: Soy milk doughnuts

Looking a bit bored but eating it makes it not easy: v | must eat food in kyoto

Just mentioning, haven’t eaten yet but smell the fatty and greasy here. But eating this cake doesn’t make you increase 1kg and you no need worry, hehe! If you eat it in the cold season in Kyoto, you will feel more satisfy.

Should eat right from the oil pan | must eat food in kyoto

This cake has crunchy crust, the inside is quite soft and quite chewy. The taste of soy milk is aromatic and fatty, I told you that mention Kyoto don’t forget the beans, so aromatic! But the good thing is it has light sweet and not strong sweet, so it’s easy to eat.

This cake must be eaten when it’s hot, don’t buy pre-packaged cakes as they cool down and lose their quintessence! It is best to buy freshly cakes right scooping out from the oil pan. Slowly feeling the crust of the cake melt in your mouth, then the aroma of the bean paste of Kyoto. Indeed, it will make you saliva!

And you have to buy it at the Fujino shop at Nishiki Market is the best. Or at least you have to eat in Kyoto, but not elsewhere, if not you will eat fake doughnuts is probably =))

No 2: Thousand layer sponge cake

“In Vietnam, is there is no sponge cake or something but you spend much money to eat in Japan?”

Well, this is the complain question I received when I tell my friends that I go to Kyoto to eat … sponge cake! But that’s wrong, the sponge cake in Kyoto is not just a delicious anti-hunger pastry, it has long become a specialty with the name “thousand-layer sponge cake”.

What to eat in Kyoto? – must eat sponge cake !!! I swear, I didn’t delete this post, if it not delicious =))) | must eat in kyoto

No kidding, thousand-layer sponge cake is one of the must eat food in the ancient capital of Kyoto. There are so many bakeries on every street, every corner, especially in the old town of Gion. I don’t have enough time to coun it has enough 1000 layers or not, haha, because when the cake was handed over, I couldn’t resist the charm of the cake, I just wanted to take a bite at once right immediatly. The layers of cake are rolled up like conch shell, alternating with many eye-catching colors. Every each layer has clear its own taste, but when they blended together, the harmony is unbelievable.

Looks so delicious, right?! | must eat in kyoto

The cake has light sweet, the creamy layer of cream is fat but moderate does not make me greasy, the cake is soft and smooth, melted in the mouth and the big plus is that it does not choke me =)). Because of that, I ate Immediately several cakes, and that the reason why I did not dare to step on the scale, haha. I went to Japan on a budget trip, hunt for cheap tickets and accommodation only stay in popular places, to spend my money on food like this =)).

More “modern” versions of the sponge cake come in a variety of colors and flavors | must eat in kyoto

The cake when purchased take away will be wrapped in paper boxes, elegant design and eco-friendly, hihi. Each box of cakes costs 1,000 yen or more, if you can ensure safe transport when bring back home without distorting the box, buying thousand-layer sponge cakes in Kyoto as a gift is always the best thing!

The cake has many sizes, neatly boxed, beautiful for anyone who wants to bring back as a gift | best eats kyoto

Each country has its own cuisine, especially the ancient capital of Kyoto with a respectable history, of course, the culinary culture is equally rich.

Some best day tours, trips, activities and transfer services, tickets in, to and from Kyoto you can refer to

Arashiyama Bamboo momiji bridge. Credit: Kyoto travel blog.

Are you finding more top things to do in Kyoto: Tours, activities, attractions and other things? Let’s check it out at here. And read more: Kyoto blog (Kyoto travel blog) — The fullest Kyoto travel guide blog for a budget trip to Kyoto, Japan for the first-timers. And Kyoto 3 day itinerary — How to visit Kyoto in 3 days & what to do in Kyoto in 3 days perfectly?