Eitaroya

To locate the kappo, find a traditional townhouse partially covered by a bright red-and-white noren by Karasuma Oike Station in Kyoto. The evening unfolds into a bubbly chatter between the owner and regulars, who would usually park themselves on the counter with a glass of sake in hand. Loyal to Kyoto’s culinary roots, the traditional hub reveres dashi, which becomes the backbone of many of its obanzai-style drinking snacks. Chilled chawanmushi soup, pot-cooked rice and green vegetable dishes carry a gentle umami from katsuobushi and the stock. Meanwhile, Kyoto-grown vegetables are churned to delicate tempura and salads tossed in miso dressing and vinegar. The chalkboard menu teems with daily recommendations and may seem overwhelming, but diners can never go wrong by ordering favorites like charcoal-grilled Kyoto chicken or the assortment of sashimi. Fresh fish, which might be served alongside kombu-marinated grouper and Kyoto-style yuba, rests on a bed of ice and earns marks of approval. Sake is served traditionally, poured into a glass placed within a square wooden cup called masu until it overflows, or in a stunning tokkuri (traditional Japanese flasque). Eitaroya is a Michelin Bib Gourmand restaurant in 2024. Reservations aren't easy to come by, so plan ahead.