Founded about 385 years ago, Okutan is located at the intersection of Sannenzaka and Ninenzaka, making it a perfect place for lunch near Kiyomizu Temple.

From the dining area, patrons can observe the expression of each season on display in the restaurant’s nearly 2,000 square meter garden.

Okutan is especially known for its yudofu (hot tofu). Using carefully selected soybeans, the tofu is handmade in the restaurant’s kitchen and has a smooth texture and rich soybean flavor. The lunchtime “Okimari Hitotori” (3,300 yen, tax included) features tofu, skewered tofu, sesame seed tofu, tempura, etc. is popular.

Okutan’s COVID-19 prevention measures include an ample supply of hand disinfectant, disinfection of the restaurant, masked employees, and vinyl curtains at the cash register.

Located down Kiyomizu-zaka from Kiyomizu Temple’s Niomon gate, Kiyomizu Junsei Okabeya is one of the more popular spots for lunch near Kiyomizu Temple. It also serves high-quality tofu.

The yudofu is great, but “Otemae Fuji” (2,200 yen, tax included), which allows you to make and eat your own tofu, is recommended.

The soy milk is made from 100% domestic soybeans and, just before eating, nigari (the liquid remaining after removing salt from seawater) is added to make it hot and fresh. This lunch set also comes with cooked vegetables and tempura.

Kiyomizu Junsei Okabeya has English menus available and COVID-19 prevention measures include hand disinfectant, disinfection of the restaurant, masked employees, safe distance between seating, and vinyl curtains at the cash register.

The Yumeji Café Goryukaku, just across from the Kiyomizu Junsei Okabeya, is found in the former home of businessman, Shofu Kajo, who built it about 100 years ago. There you can enjoy tea and meals in a striking building that is designated as a national cultural property.

The most popular lunch item is the “Kyoto Vegetable Curry” (1,400 yen, tax included). It uses locally grown vegetables and spices that go well with them and comes with a tofu side salad that includes tofu made by Okabeya.

COVID-19 prevention measures such as hand disinfectant, disinfection of the restaurant, masked employees, safe distance between seating, and vinyl curtains at the cash register have been implemented at Yumeji Café Goryukaku.

As implied by the name, the specialty of Gojozaka’s Yubasen is “yuba” – a thin film that forms on the water’s surface when tofu is boiled and has been eaten as a health food since ancient times.

At Yubasen it is carefully made using traditional methods and domestic soybeans, and is characterized by its extremely smooth texture.

The “Kyoyuba Set” (2,200 yen, tax included) features three kinds of homemade yuba, yuba sashimi, yuba rice and more.

Kiyomizu Gojozaka Yubasen’s COVID-19 countermeasures include hand disinfectant, disinfection of the restaurant, masked employees, restrictions on the number of guests allowed to enter, temperature checks for those who enter, and vinyl curtains at the cash register.

Facing the stairs of Ninenzaka, Akoya Jaya is the place to experience a rare Ochazuke buffet.

The only entrée is the “Ochazuke Buffet” (1,600 yen, tax included), but it includes all you can eat rice, 16-grain rice, rice porridge, miso soup, and 20 kinds of colorful tsukemono (pickled vegetables) without a time limit! It's the perfect lunch near Kiyomizu Temple for folks looking to fill up.

The best way to prepare your dish is to put your favorite pickles on top of rice and pour hot roasted green tea over it to make Ochazuke. For dessert, you’ll be satisfied by an anko (sweet red bean paste)-filled monaka wafer sandwich.

At Akoya Jaya COVID-19 prevention is addressed via hand disinfectant, masked employees, restrictions on the number of guests allowed to enter, and vinyl curtains at the cash register.

Located just south of Keihan Electric Railway's Kiyomizu-Gojo Station, Hanbey Fu Honten is a Fu store that was established in 1689. Fu is a traditional food made from wheat and water. Because of its simplicity, the shop adheres to time-honored ingredients and methods of production to preserve the traditional fu taste.

If you want to fully enjoy carefully prepared fu, try the lunch “Mushi Yashinai set” (3,500 yen, tax included). You’ll be able to experience the deliciousness of the fu as well as that of the side dishes.

Hanbey Fu Honten is combating COVID-19 by offering hand disinfectant, disinfecting the restaurant, requiring employees to wear mask, restricting the number of guests allowed to enter, and ventilating the restaurant.

Another highly recommended option for those seeking a lunch near Kiyomizu Temple is Nichigetsuan, located where Kiyomizuzaka and Sannenzaka meet.

The restaurant serves kaiseki cuisine (traditional Japanese course meals) crafted with plenty of Kyoto ingredients and served in a setting that overlooks the city.

Kaiseki has an image of being expensive, but here you can enjoy it at a reasonable price starting from 3,300 yen. Among the menu options, the most popular is “Nichigetsu Kaiseki” (3,300 yen, tax included). Delicate, carefully prepared dishes are served one by one, such as sashimi, baked goods, and cooked dishes.

Nichigetsuan’s COVID-19 preventative actions are: available hand disinfectant, disinfection of the facility, masked employees, limiting the number of guests allowed to enter, temperature checks for those who enter, and ventilation.

At Yoshimura Kiyomizuan, located straight down from Kiyomizu Temple on Kiyomizuzaka just past Gojozaka, you can eat soba noodles that are hand-made every day by grinding domestic buckwheat flour with a stone mill.

Kiyomizuzaka is crowded during the sightseeing season, but the interior of the restaurant, which was built about 100 years ago, has a calm atmosphere allowing you to forget the outside noise.

While taking in the scenery of the Higashiyama area, you can dine on a “Tenzaru Set” (2,200 yen, tax included) of tempura, buckwheat noodles and rice.

Yoshimura Kiyomizuan has implemented COVID-19 prevention such as hand disinfectant, employee masks, and a guest limit.

Men Kuroudo serves domestic buckwheat soba flour, chasoba made using matcha from Uji, Kyoto, and udon at reasonable prices.

The shop is on the 2nd floor of Yuzen, a chopstick shop at the corner of Kiyomizuzaka and Gojozaka.

Popular items include the “Itaseiro” (1,309 yen, tax included) and the “Tenseiro” (1,606 yen, tax included) sets. The former is full of flavorful soba and the latter features chef-recommended tempura.

Men Kuroudo has English, Chinese, and Korean menus. The restaurant is also equipped with antiseptic, disinfects its facilities, employees wear masks, entry is limited, and has installed vinyl curtains at the cash register in order to prevent cases of COVID-19.

For those who say “Kyoto cuisine is good, but I want to eat Japanese seafood,” Sapporo Kaniya Kyoto is recommended.

The large restaurant, which usually accommodates about 550 people, is down Kiyomizuzaka on Higashioji Dori, towards Yasaka Shrine. There you can enjoy king crab, snow crab, and horsehair crab carefully selected by skilled craftsmen.

The recommended lunch is the “Kani Zousui Set (2,420 yen, tax included).” Comprised of a gorgeous snow crab small pot, shrimp tempura, and crab porridge, it a great value-priced set.

There are English-speaking staff and English menus at Sapporo Kaniya Kyoto. Guests are protected from COVID-19 via hand disinfectant, disinfection of the restaurant itself, employees wearing masks, a limit on the number of people allowed to enter the premises, and the installation of an acrylic partition at the cash register.

There are many unique variations on Kyoto cuisine to be found around Kiyomizu Temple. If you’re in town for a few days, try a few for lunch, and enjoy!

Text by: Efeel