Where to Eat, Drink Matcha, Learn About Tea, and Luxuriate
Pizzeria Napoletana Da Yuki – 36-3 Okazaki Enshojicho, Sakyo Ward, Kyoto, 606-8344 (map)
Tato Spanish – タト: 317-2 Shintomicho, Kamigyo Ward, Kyoto, 602-0875 (map)
Tsujiri Tea House – 573-3 Gionmachi Minamigawa, Higashiyama Ward, Kyoto, 605-0074 (map)
The Lobby Lounge Ritz-Carlton – 〒604-0902 Kyoto, Nakagyo Ward, Hokodencho, 543 鴨川二条大橋 (map)
Kyoto Obubu Tea Farms – Otsuka-２ Sono, Wazuka, Soraku District, Kyoto 619-1201 (map)
D:matcha Kyoto – Gonose-142 Yubune, Wazuka, Soraku District, Kyoto 619-1203 (map)
WHEN HUNGER STRIKES
Be prepared to be spontaneous!
The best experiences are often those you’ve not planned for in advance. I say this as someone who always has a list of researched options on hand and yet I still relish the unknown, the new, the unexpected. Each location on this list was found by happenstance. We happened to be hungry and thirsty while passing by these notable, yet unexpected, culinary destinations. Everyone was exceptional and memorable.
PIZZA
Pizza in the cultural capital of Japan? Yes!
After a long, hot day of temple touring, and zen garden gazing we thought we were hallucinating the smell of pizza wafting through the heavy mid-May air. To our delight we were across the street from a Neapolitan Pizzeria, Pizzeria Napoletana Da Yuki, to be exact. Just south of the Okazaki-koen museum district which encompasses the Kyoto City KYOCERA Museum of Art and the Heian-jingu Shrine, as well as many park amenities and the Kyoto Zoo.
A gleaming Italian-made wood-fired oven fills the corner of the room and the savory scents emanating from within fill the entire neighborhood. Order all of the things! Each bite was better than the next: salad, house-cut prosciutto, perfectly crispy pizza topped with cheeses from Italy and Hokkaido, and an affable affogato to top it all off. We were overwhelmed with joy.
TAPAS
You’re dressed and ready for your long-awaited reservation, but you’re hungry NOW.
What do you do? Tapas, naturally. This was our situation. We made sure that we were plenty early to the neighborhood for our reservation, so as to find the entrance without fret or worry of being late. Now we had an hour to kill, grumbling bellies, and parched throats to abate. We could not have been luckier than to happen upon Tato Spanish. Welcomed by the gregarious owner, raucous footie-fans, cold beer, and a plate full of thinly sliced jamón. The hour flew by and we fortified ourselves sufficiently so as not to need to scoff down the delicate kaiseki offerings at dinner.
MATCHA
Perhaps you need a souvenir or a gift to take home. Uji Matcha has been a treasured gift for centuries.
They say the best matcha, Uji matcha, comes from the region surrounding Kyoto. The sheer number of matcha-centric tea shops and match laden dishes on menus seem to support this claim, and rightly so. Located steps from the Gion-Shijo Station at the Kamo River and just down the street from the Yasaka Shrine, you may find yourself thirsty, a bit peckish, and standing in front of the Tsujiri Tea House. Go in! Pick out a treat and a cup of their famous frothy tea, and have a seat.
TEA
There is a millennia-long legacy of Tea in Japan. To learn more about the history and cultivation consider a tour of a tea farm in the bucolic countryside south of Kyoto.
Kyoto Obubu Tea Farms https://obubutea.com/ offers guided tours in English for individuals as well as organized groups. Touring the fields, factory as well as tasting, lunch, and sweet tea treats are available.
D:matcha Kyoto https://dmatcha.com/products/tea-picking-and-factory-tour offers a full day of activities from picking the leaves, and tasting, to factory tours and lunch.
The transportation to the town of Wazuka, where the tea farms are located requires an hour car ride or a comparably complicated journey on public transportation that will take between 1.5 and 3.5 hours.
Ritz-Carlton Kyoto – An Afternoon Tea to Remember
The elegant hotel is central to the Imperial Palace, Gyoen National Gardens, and resides on the Kamogawa river, Perfectly placed for that pick-me-up!
Pastries from PIERRE HERMÉ PARIS, seasonal savories, and of course a carefully selected Japanese green tea from Wazuka, Kyoto are teed up. Other brunch-y and lunch-y offerings are on the menu as well. You don’t have to be a guest to book a reservation, or even just happen by and hope for availability.
Wander in, Sit, Sip, Splurge
If you find yourself in need of an elevated pick-me-up after a full morning of temple touring or museum musing, indulge yourself with an afternoon tea at the Ritz-Carlton Kyoto.
