Kyoto, Japan. Known as the cultural capital of Japan, Kyoto city is known for its temples & shrines, exquisite cuisine, picturesque gardens, and traditional wooden houses (machiya). If you’ve ever wanted to take a peek inside of these traditional wooden architecture, you can! Kyoto not only has a vibrant tea and coffee culture, but these days, many wooden machiya have been converted into cafes.

This blog will take you on a journey to discover the top 7 must-visit Kyoto cafés as recommended by the local staff from MACHIYA INNS & HOTELS ! Each café is unique, boasting its character and delights, all while nestled within the city’s historic neighborhoods. Whether you’re a coffee connoisseur, a tea enthusiast, or seeking a cozy spot to relax during your travels, there’s something for everyone.

Our first café recommendation for travelers is d Shokudo Kyoto (D食堂 D&DEPARTMENT KYOTO), located in downtown Kyoto. When you step into this Kyoto café, you’ll immediately be struck by its serene ambiance, as it is located on the grounds of the historic Bukkoji Temple.

The temple alone is great place to visit. It was founded in 1295 and is known as the “Temple of the Buddha’s Light” by the locals. It’s not only an incredible sight to see, but this downtown Kyoto gem offers visitors a peaceful retreat from the bustling city streets. 

What makes this one of our favorite Kyoto cafés is its menu. d Shokudo Kyoto is all about home cooked-style Japanese meals. Their menu features teishoku, a type of Japanese set meal where you’ll have a main dish, a few side dishes, and usually rice. These meals have the perfect combination of flavors, textures, and colors, offering a great dining experience. 

Once you’ve finished your meal, visit the D&DEPARTMENT store next door. The store is known for its “long-life design” concept, and showcases timeless products that never go out of fashion. Perfect for picking up a souvenir to remember your trip to Kyoto.

The next café we suggest you visit is the Kamogawa Cafe. It’s nestled between the Kamogawa River and the Kyoto Imperial Palace, two iconic places in Kyoto. Not only do we love its unique subculture atmosphere and cafe menu, this Kyoto café has one of our favorite places to taste (what we think is) some of the best coffee in Kyoto. 

The Kamogawa Cafe itself is a converted warehouse. As a result, this Kyoto café boasts a large open space with high ceilings and large, stained-glass windows. Also, if you’re into comic books or music records, you’re in for a treat. They have a floor-to-ceiling wall stacked full of them, and occasionally hold live music events, too. 

Many locals stop by this particular café for their coffee & lunch menu. Their menu not only consists of soups, salads, and sandwiches, but their popular meatloaf, korokke (Japanese potato croquettes), curry, and more. If you’re there for lunch, we recommend the “Lunch of the Day” and “Curry Rice of the Day.” Both are incredibly hearty and flavorful meals that will leave you satisfied. 

For those going to the Kamogawa Cafe in search for the best coffee in Kyoto, we recommend the deep-roasted “Kamogawa House Blend.” We love it for its sweet aroma and full-bodied, bitter flavor.

You might be surprised to see Starbucks on this list of the best Kyoto cafés, but let us explain. This Starbucks is unlike anything else. It can be found in a delightful location in the heart of Kyoto’s Higashiyama Area (east side of Kyoto) on a street known as Ninenzaka. This Kyoto café is surrounded by charming stone-cobbled streets and traditional Japanese wooden machiya architecture, and is just a short walk from the UNSECO World Heritage Site Kiyomizu Temple.

This café has masterfully blended coffee with Kyoto’s historic charm. As you step inside, you’ll be greeted by the warmth of tatami flooring and wooden accents. Just remember that before stepping on the tatami flooring, remove your shoes before settling down to enjoy your beverage in true Japanese style. The café also features a beautiful tsuboniwa, a small Japanese garden, and tokonoma alcoves adorned with hanging artwork, further enhancing its authentic atmosphere. 

You’ll still find the normal Japanese Starbucks menu at this Ninenzaka location, but you can also enjoy seasonal food & drink selections that can only be found in Japan. If you’re in the area, it’s definitely worth stopping by at least once.

In Japan, you’ll notice that people are willing to wait in long lines (anywhere from 30 min. to 3 hours or more!) for restaurants, cafes, events, and more. If you’re traveling through Japan, and don’t want to waste your time standing in a line, we would say skip it! But occasionally, there are some Kyoto cafes & restaurants that we feel are worth the wait. Once such place is the Waguri Senmon Saori Cafe.

If you’re looking for the best Kyoto tea located away from the busy tourist areas, then aotake is an excellent café. aotake offers locally grown tea and artisanal sweets, giving you a genuine Kyoto tea experience. The tea served at aotake are all hand-picked, and differs from season to season. The teas available come in three types: Japanese tea, sourced directly from tea masters; full-leaf black tea; and Taiwanese tea. Each tea has a unique flavor and aroma that changes from the second to the third roast. 

Along with a warming cup of tea, aotake has a menu full of traditional Japanese-style desserts. We recommend the “Sencha Wazuku” tea as it comes with “tofu shiratama” (豆腐白玉), a mochi-confectionery that has a delightfully chewy texture, which is topped with sweetened red bean paste. If you’d rather have your tea with a non-Japanese dessert, their seasonal tarts are also delicious.

When you are served tea at aotake, each pot is carefully made for each customer to ensure that you have the best experience. Although it may take a little time until your tea has been served, you can enjoy the atmosphere of the renovated 100-year-old Kyoto machiya (traditional townhouse) that aotake is housed in while you wait.

If you are stopping by with more than 4 guests, please make a reservation ahead of time. If you are staying with MACHIYA INNS & HOTELS, our guest services team will be more than happy to make a reservation on your behalf!

Do you know what a ‘chazutsu‘ (茶筒) is? It’s a cylindrical tea canister that holds loose leaf tea, and ensures that your tea leaves stay fresh. The oldest tea canister shop in Japan (not just Kyoto city) is Kaikado! Established in 1875, Kaikado still hand makes their copper, brass and tin tea canisters and creates “tools for daily life that can be used for a hundred years” to this day. Located near the Kaikado Tea Shop is the Kaikado cafe, where you can see all of their craftsmanship on display, and also also enjoy dessert and cafe menu off of their handmade dishware.

This café, filled with the essence of Kyoto craftsmanship, is located in a quiet area away from the hustle and bustle of the Kyoto Station. The building that this Kyoto cafe is now housed in was once a “Kyoto tram depot”.

Upon entering, the first thing that catches the eye is the high-ceilinged space with large windows and natural light, wooden furniture, and a nostalgic retro-like atmosphere. The neatly displayed tea canisters and beautiful cups on display are sure to entice you to enjoy a cup of tea or coffee while you’re here. 

As for beverages, we recommend the “Kaikado-no-ocha, Gyokuro Gankin” or “Kama-yori Cha” (roasted tea in a kettle). You can enjoy the clean taste made by the traditional kama-iri tea roasting method. If you’re a coffee lover, then this is a must: we recommend the “Nakagawa Wani Coffee,” a special blend made by legendary Japanese coffee roaster, Nakagawa Wani.

The menu also includes a selection of: black tea, hojicha tea, hojicha latte, green tea, and more along with small Japanese confectionary, sweets, and desserts. 

Our final cafe recommendation is Cafe Kanade (cafe 奏 ), another spot that we think serves some of the best coffee in Kyoto. A cute cafe found inside of a renovated a 100-year-old machiya, just south of the Kyoto Imperial Palace. The overall atmosphere and carefully preserved architectural features make it an excellent spot for a break from the busy Kyoto streets. 

Cafe Kanade takes pride in its handcrafted coffee selections. These are made using specialty beans from Unir, a local coffee roaster in Kyoto city’s Nagaoka ward. Each cup of coffee is perfectly brewed using a French press. And, if you’re looking for traditional Kyoto tea, you can also purchase this. 

Alongside your hot beverages, they have an excellent food menu. If you go to Cafe Kanade, we recommend the Whimsical Sweets Plate or the Manzoku Set. The sweet plate is more of a small snack. For a larger, more substantial meal, the Manzoku set is a brilliant option.