Many people think that Kyoto is full of restaurants they can't visit freely and feel awkward entering. But the city actually has plenty of stylish restaurants that serve delicious foods at reasonable prices. Here are 5 casual Italian restaurants that let one enjoy authentic flavors. They are located near the station in a popular Kyoto area that is convenient for dropping by for a bit while shopping or traveling. These restaurants are definitely recommended for a quick visit.
Karasuma Oike - CINQUE IKARIYA
A stylish townhouse restaurant where guests can enjoy authentically prepared Italian food made with intense effort by the chef.
Located a 3-minute walk from Karasuma Oike Station. At CINQUE IKARIYA, guests can enjoy reasonably priced craft pasta and charcoal-grilled meats that show off the skill of a chef who trained in the Piedmont region of Italy. The frittata is also highly recommended, as it uses copious amounts of eggs and is cooked fluffly like a soufflé. Enjoy the pairing of the food with an Italian wine carefully selected by the sommelier.
The exterior, renovated in a modern style from a Kyoto townhouse, is impressive with its anchor ("ikari" in Japanese) symbol mark. The interior is a stylish and relaxing space with townhouse elegance. They have a capacity of 10 seats on 1F and 22 seats on 2F, making this restaurant perfect for dates, girl's nights out, and parties. At night, one can enjoy wine along with a rich variety of a la carte items and reasonably priced courses. In the afternoon, they have different discount lunch courses for weekdays, weekends, and national holidays.
CINQUE IKARIYA
Address: 138-3 Tsukinukecho, Nakagyo-ku, Kyoto-shi, Kyoto
Access: 3 minutes walk from Karasuma Oike Station
Kyoto - CRAFTBEER&PIZZA 100K
Freely enjoy Kyoto and Italian cuisine with craft beer by Nishijin in one hand.
CRAFT BEER&PIZZA 100K is located a 5-minute walk from Kyoto Station. It is an Italian bar that boasts excellent craft beer and pizza. They have several food options that use copious amounts of Kyoto ingredients, including Kyoto eggplants, Kamo tomatoes, Kujo green onions, and the brand Kyoto Pork, which all go well with the craft beer made in Nishijin breweries. Guests can freely enjoy unique Kyoto-style Italian cuisine in this casual restaurant.
They have a modern and stylish exterior and an open interior with glass windows that face the street. At this bar-style restaurant, where one can enjoy cuisine while freely drinking at a high table, solo drinking at the counter seats facing the open kitchen is recommended. They always have a lineup of several kinds of amazing craft beer. Tasting sets and all-you-can-drink options are available, making this restaurant excellent to use for drinking gatherings and parties.
CRAFTBEER&PIZZA 100K
Closed: None
Average price: [Dinner] 2,800 JPY / [Lunch] 1,200 JPY
Access: 5-minute walk from Kyoto Municipal Subway Kyoto Station / 490m from Kyoto Station
Address: 1F, Kyoto Ekimae No. 8 Bldg., 217-2, Maoya-cho, Shimogyo-ku, Kyoto-shi, Kyoto Map
Kawaramachi - Wine no Tameno Nikomiryori Kenkyujo NIKOLABO
An excellent combination of wine with Kyotango seasonal ingredients directly shipped from the restaurant head's hometown.
Located a 3-minute walk from Kawaramachi Station. NIKOLABO is a restaurant that boasts stewed cuisine created by incorporating a wide range of genres with Italian and French cuisine as the base. Along with the rich variety of wine carefully selected by the restaurant head, who serves as both chef and sommelier, guests can enjoy plenty of seasonal ingredients, including seafood and vegetables directly shipped from his hometown of Kyotango.
At the counter seats facing the open kitchen, guests can enjoy the sight of cooking with an extremely live feel, and as there is space between the seats, solo female guests can enjoy a relaxing time. The table seats in the back of the restaurant give guests a panoramic view of the city from the window. They have reasonably priced dinner courses, such as ladies courses and all-you-can-drink courses, and they are open for lunch on Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Saturdays.
Wine notameno nikomi-ryori kenkyujo NIKOLABO
Closed: Monday
Average price: [Dinner] 5,000 JPY
Access: 3 minutes walk from Kawaramachi station
Nijo - MIZO
The gentle Italian cuisine and wine made with natural ingredients will bring smiles to guests' faces.
The simple and stylish interior has a café space with natural light shining in, as well as a dining space with a relaxing atmosphere created by the indirect lighting. Guests will be delighted by the warm customer service of the restaurant head, as they can share their cuisine surrounding the tables, and groups with young children are also welcome. Recommended for dates, girl's nights out, meals with families, and gatherings of mothers.
MIZO
Address: 1-7 Kobori-cho, Nishinokyo, Nakagyo-ku, Kyoto-shi, Kyoto
Access: 2 minutes walk from Nijo Station
Karasuma - Kushiteppan Zoronpa Muromachi Bukkoji Branch
A restaurant where guests can enjoy a new sensation of iron-griddled cuisine and authentic Italian as connoisseurs.
Kushiteppan Zoronpa Muromachi Bukkoji Branch is located a 5-minute walk from Karasuma Station. This restaurant features a menu consisting of items that guests will never get bored of, including new sensations of iron-griddled cuisine that express original cuisine through skewers, authentic Italian cuisine, and Japanese food. Their Fresh Bigfin Reef Squid Ink Spaghetti has many repeat customers, and the sauce, which uses only ink from bigfin reef squid, called the King of Quid, has rich flavors. Be sure to enjoy it when you visit.
The restaurant interior is a chic space with moderately low light. In this relaxing atmosphere, guests can enjoy delicious alcohol and cuisine with a rich variation between Japanese and Western styles. They have 14 counter seats facing the open kitchen and 14 table seats (semi-private rooms with 6 and 4 seats, and a completely private room with 4 seats), letting guests choose depending on the situation. This restaurant is perfect for days when one wants to indulge in both Italian and Japanese cuisine.
Kushiteppan Zoronpa Muromachi Bukkoji Branch
Address: 542 Sanno-cho, Sagaru Muromachi-dori Bukkoji, Shimogyo-ku, Kyoto-shi, Kyoto
Access: 5 minutes walk from Karasuma Station
