Best Cafes In Kyoto

With dozens of fantastic cafes across the city, Kyoto’s cafe culture is well worth exploring. Here is a short list of our favorites, all personally tasted and enjoyed!

Kyoto might be well known for traditional teahouses and old-school restaurants, but to overlook its more modern hangout spots would be a tragedy of mild proportions. Forget Starbucks and Tully’s — we’re talking about independent cafes and third-wave coffee joints that serve great coffee along with a dose of modern Kyoto charm. Many newer ones are located in renovated machiya (traditional Japanese townhouses), effectively marrying old-world charm with contemporary coffee brewing methods.

Independent cafes in Kyoto are everywhere. There’s an abundance of them downtown, and we recommend being bold — just walk into one that takes your fancy. More often than not, they’ll provide a great atmosphere and space to relax in.

In the meantime, here are a few places we love:

• Café Bibliotic Hello! (Central Kyoto); budget to mid-range)
  Even if it didn’t have this marvelously quirky name, I’d still love this uber-hip Kyoto café. It’s built into an machiya and the owner has some wickedly good design sense.
• % Arabica Higashiyama (Southern Higashiyama); budget)
  This super-stylish coffee shop serves some of the best coffee in Kyoto and occupies a prime position on a lovely lane leading up to Yasaka-no-To Pagoda.
• % Arabica Arashiyama) (Arashiyama); budget)
  If you need a pick-me-up while exploring Arashiyama, head to this stylish and airy coffee shop on the banks of the Hozu-gawa River.
• Kurasu Kyoto (Kyoto Station area); budget)
  Located just minutes from Kyoto Station, Kurasu Kyoto is a stylish cafe that serves excellent coffee. As a bonus, they’re very English-friendly too.

For more information on kissaten, visit our Kyoto’s Best Kissaten page. For more information on teahouses, visit our Tea in Kyoto page.

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