Top 5 best restaurants in Kyoto to enjoy lunch & dinner with a glass of red wine!

When eating some great Kyoto-inspired food, many people want to have a glass of red or white with it. Having a glass of red or white wine with your food is essential to many people. The wine makes the flavors in the food stand out and takes the food to the next level. There are many chic restaurants in Kyoto that offer great food with great wine, and if you look at my recommendations down below, you’re sure to have a good experience. So no matter whether you’re going for a date, a girls’ night out, or just to have dinner with your family, be sure to take a look at the restaurants below!

Gion Calf is located in – wait for it – Gion! They have a great selection of wines that go very well with their exceptional food. They also have a different lunch and dinner menu, so why not visit for both lunch and dinner? 

Ikariya Shokudo is an Italian restaurant by the Kamo River famous for its chicken confit and cheese soufflé. So relax, order a glass of red or white wine, and enjoy the great dishes with the wine as you watch the Kamo River flowing by. 

Kiln is a restaurant in Shijo Kiyamachi, famous for their grilled steaks and vegetables. They take their ingredients very seriously and grill them in a way that you can enjoy the deliciousness of the ingredients themselves. The seasonal vegetables and wagyu steaks are a fragrant delicacy that turns into something magical when you have a glass of wine with them!

Cenci is an Italian restaurant located right next to Heian Shrine. While this restaurant is Italian, it also mixes Japanese influences into its dishes and uses local ingredients to make them. The restaurant also takes wine very seriously, and if you get their wine pairing course, you’ll get a different wine for every dish in the course, each complementing the dishes more than the last. So step into the wonderful and delicious world of cenci! 

Restaurant Obase is located close to the intersection of Kawaramachi and Sanjo streets, and this restaurant specializes in kaiseki cuisine with an Italian twist. The taste is something completely new, and to top it off, this restaurant is in a traditional machiya townhouse, so the atmosphere is very nice too.