【5 things to enjoy Kyoto】 vol.1 The new face of Kyoto, a foodie's paradise.

With the autumn leaves changing colors, Kyoto is in the throes of fall. Compact and easy to get around, with historical buildings, a variety of old and new stores, and abundant nature just a short distance away, Kyoto is a perfect place for a trip with so much to see and do. In this issue, we will introduce four delicious new restaurants that have sprung up in Kyoto in the past year or so.

Photo_Kai Naito
Text_Shinri Kobayashi
Edit_Shuhei Wakiyama

A bakery and bar where the DIY spirit lives on.

This is ormary store. The owner, a Hanshin Tigers fan, named this store after O'Malley, a famous player of the past. Moreover, he asks his mother to help out at the store when it is busy. There are many episodes in the store that make you feel familiar and relaxed. But the food tastes so good.

Let's start with the popular "5 kinds of assorted dishes".

Among the colorful menu items, unexpected combinations such as chutoro (medium fatty tuna) with blatter cheese, shime mackerel with blue cheese, and mascarpone with scallops are a surprise. Not only are the combinations bizarre, but they are actually very tasty. He says that he did not work in a creative restaurant, but rather got his inspiration from what he learned from others or what he ate somewhere else, which gives him an overwhelming sense of taste.

This extraordinary idea is also reflected in the owner's career. I have never worked in a proper bakery," says owner Yuichiro Hirai, "I have been a self-taught baker for nearly 20 years.

In fact, in addition to being a nighttime standing bar, this store also has a face as a bakery that offers takeout. The owner himself is a fan of hard breads, and neighbors come to buy bread from noon onwards. The bread is made with carefully selected wheat and homemade natural yeast, and is very satisfying. It can be enjoyed with a glass of wine. It is amazing that he is a self-taught baker. We are simply amazed at his good taste, as well as his cooking.

A wide variety of alcoholic beverages are available, including bio wines, beer, sours, gin, shochu, and more. The location is also very close to Kyoto Station. It would be nice to grab a drink before boarding the Shinkansen and return home with a loaf of bread as a gift.

In Kyoto, where many bakeries open early in the morning, this bakery opens at 2:00 p.m., a rather special opening time, even though it is a bakery, as a way of differentiating itself from others. Please note the opening hours.

Deepen the depth of flannel drip in a relaxing space.

The next store is a new store that offers a reinterpretation of the old-fashioned nerd drip coffee, and is a must-visit for those who feel that "deep roasted coffee = bitter.

The owner had been running a cafe "bande à part" in Kyoto City for a year and a half after closing it. He opened "Basou Coffee" in September 2024, keeping the same taste and concept as his previous store.

The store was originally a rice shop, and without a sign in front of the storefront, one could easily pass by it if one did not know. The owner, Tatsuro Bando, says, "We aimed to create a space where coffee lovers can spend a relaxing time, disconnected from the hustle and bustle of the city. The space, which they finished by themselves, has indirect lighting, and traces of human hands can be seen in places, leading to a comfortable atmosphere that does not require any self-consciousness.

It was dusk when we visited. The jet-black coffee brought into the dimly lit, comfortable space with jazz records playing was carefully brewed using nerd drip, which goes well with deep-roasted beans. When brought to the palate, the coffee was not bitter, but rather had a heavy, thick, angular flavor. It is rich and has the sweetness of the beans, and I feel like I have touched a new world of deep-roasted coffee.

Coffee orders are placed by selecting from five different combinations of beans and water amounts. The beans used were purchased from "Miku," another new store in Kyoto, and "Insomnoso" in Tokyo. Although they used to roast their own beans, they are now on hiatus and the owner sources them from a store he trusts.

The owner's commitment to nerd drip is extraordinary. He has worked in a variety of coffee shops to deepen his knowledge of coffee, including so-called "third wave" coffee and private roasting. He has experienced a wide variety of coffees, including shallow roasted coffees, and has chosen the deep roasted nerd drip coffees that he likes and believes express the flavor he envisions. His deep insight into coffee is so impressive that even the owner of "heath" (to be introduced later) is impressed.

The shop also offers a full line of homemade sweet dishes, and like coffee, it is supremely important to stick to good ingredients. Though he humbly states, "I'm not a professional," the flavors are as good as a pro's. The menu includes chocolate cake accented with rum and cinnamon, and a refreshing cheesecake with yogurt, which goes perfectly with the deep-brewed coffee. Why do you even make your own cakes? The owner's honesty can be seen in the question, "Why do you even make your own cakes?

Although it is not possible due to the space available at the store at the moment, they will resume roasting beans at another location in November. They will use a hand-cranked roasting machine with a maximum capacity of 500 grams per roasting. Actually, 500 grams is not that much for a professional. He is always within his means. This store, where his earnest passion for coffee resides, is sure to gain many more fans in the future at his own pace.

Nerdiness comes to fruition at this lunch-only pho shop.

Preserved Food LAB" produces and sells catering, preserved foods and seasonings. It is a well-known presence in Kyoto.

Naho Masumoto, the organizer of "Preserved Food LAB," started lunch as a "pho shop" in September 2024. The location is Palmera, a bar on Kitaoji that celebrated its first anniversary in October. This is also a bar run by Mr. and Mrs. Masumoto, but it is under a different name because it serves pho on the one hand and sake on the other.

Naho, who says she has always loved pho and has made it many times in her private life, prepared "pho" in a light chicken-based soup with chicken, fried onions, kikurage mushrooms, and herbs such as pak choi, mint, and shiso. In addition, grilled eggplant, a seasonal ingredient, adds a nice bitter accent. The dish is full of ingredients and various flavor combinations.

Naho, who is a self-confessed geek by nature, says she arrived at the chewy noodles after comparing different types of noodles. The combination of the noodle and the flavorful broth makes it possible to have many bowls of the noodle. To change the flavor, three kinds of originally made seasonings are added. The spiced vinegar, fish sauce, and other seasonings are the result of the experience and techniques of the "Preserved Food LAB".

After 3:00 p.m., you can also order from the "Palmera" a la carte menu. This time, I ordered "Hamo Katsu (cutlet of hamo) with tartar sauce," homemade bread and butter, and a glass of white wine as recommended. After all, you can't come to Kyoto without ordering hamo. The crispy battered hamo goes well with the sour homemade tartar sauce, and a glass of wine goes down a treat.

We finished with a dessert menu by "mizûmi" called "Tea Cheese Terrine" and homemade ice cream "Apple Cinnamon," which Naho assured us with a smile, "It's very delicate and delicious. Although simple in appearance, the taste of the refined sense of fine ingredients is not too rich but just sweet enough to leave a pleasant aftertaste.

Although it has just started serving lunch, "Pho Ya San" has already become a popular restaurant. The beautiful interior and selected plates also show a good sense of taste. The eye-catching pink and green façade is a landmark.

The coffee is orthodox and the donuts are our own favorite.

We didn't expect the donuts to get such a buzz," said ELLY, the owner of the store.

The "fresh doughnut" boom is continuing. If I had to define the taste, I would say fluffy and sticky. The doughnuts at this store are just like that. The self-taught doughnuts are fluffy, not mochi mochi (sticky), but rather "whip". The doughnuts are not only fluffy and glutinous, but also "whip" and "whipped. From preparation to completion, they are made every morning for three hours.

We started with the donuts, which are becoming a signature item on the menu. On this day, there were four types: plain, sugar, coconut, and glazed. As the image of American doughnuts suggests, the doughnuts are very voluminous. Yet, when you take a bite, you can feel the chewy texture of the doughnut. Of course, the sweetness is also very satisfying. But they are not greasy, and have a lightness that is similar to that of bread.

Although the shop's signature menu item has become so popular due to its charming appearance that customers now come for the doughnuts that are ready at 12:00 p.m., ELLY's title is "barista. I want to keep the store as a coffee shop," she says proudly.

heath has a full menu of espresso drinks, which are difficult to brew at home. We had a latte brewed with a high-end espresso machine, the famous Italian "SINESSO," and it was a model of a latte with a mix of bitter and sweet flavors and a strong espresso taste.

ELLY was a barista at an espresso store such as "Saturdays New York City," which is a legitimate espresso store. The beans we use today are roasted by Chevron Coffee Roasters in Osaka, which is run by a senior colleague from that era. He says that this is a result of assessing the strengths of both himself and others.

In one corner of the store is a Portland guidebook. This store was inspired by my favorite "barista" in Portland. The fact that ELLY-san commutes to her store by bicycle is also very Portland-like.

As she says, "I aim to create a store where people can come in without hesitation, even in their pajamas," the people in the store seem to be having a good time. This is due not only to the taste of the doughnuts and coffee, but also to the personality of the owner, ELLY. She has a natural character that attracts people. We recommend "heath" not only for its taste, but also as a place where you can enjoy yourself.