The Coffee Shops of Kyoto
One of the biggest surprises in Kyoto were the coffee shops, and here are some of the places we found wonderful brewed coffee, espresso, lattes and espresso-matcha latte.
We got our first taste when we walked east through Gion along Ninen-zaka and ducked into a side street across from Kodai-j Temple. While the brewing process looked at first like a science experiment, it turned out to be what we would come to know in nearly every coffee shop we experienced—fresh, delicious coffee brewed before us with care. Here, we chose our cups, which were first warmed with hot water, and on the way out selected a paper crane.
Later that day, before crossing the bridge and heading to Morita Washi in Downtown Kyoto, we stopped in the Tonbo Café. Again, it was a freshly brewed cup presented perfectly, a respite during long days of walking. And this time, we listened to jazz as we sipped, the music we would hear in every coffee shop and cafe in Kyoto.
One of our favorites was Café Yoshiko set along Ponto-Cho, a delightful little road that runs north and south once you cross from Gion to Downtown Kyoto, and next to a small, wooden foot bridge. Here you can gaze out over the water and watch people go by.
In Arashiyama, we found spacious Café Akamanma after visiting the Bamboo Grove, and we had our first experience with the fluffy toast that became hard to resist (at least for the one of us who is not gluten free).
There were two coffee shops near our guest house in Gion. The much heralded Arabika, along the road that leads to Kiyomizu-Dera, lived up to its billing and had a line out the door. We passed. But the upscale Coffee & Tea on Higashioji-dori, though a bit pricey, served delicious cups of espresso and matcha latte. And the Zen experience didn’t feel anything like home.
Also in Gion, around the corner from Café Tonbo, we found a small café with good coffee and toast.
And let’s not forget the counter in the basement of the Takashimaya Department Store in Downtown Kyoto, a wonderful surprise which we’ll explore further in the next blog on food in Kyoto.
Up Next: The Food of Kyoto – Nishiki Market, Department Store Dining and Mamecha
