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2025.8.8
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Kyoto's 23 oldest and retro coffee shops! Popular lunches are also introduced!

[2025] 23 Long-established, Pure & Retro Coffeehouses in Kyoto! Including popular lunches!

In the historic city of Kyoto, retro coffee shops, from classic coffee shops with stately interiors to old-fashioned pure coffee shops, are very popular. In this article, LeafKYOTO's editorial staff, who know Kyoto inside and out, selects 23 coffee shops, ranging from the classic to the obscure, that are well known among the locals. Each coffee shop offers a special menu, including coffee carefully roasted by the owner, a hearty lunch, and special sweets. On your next holiday, experience Kyoto's unique coffee shop culture. (TEXT/Saori Yoshikawa, EDIT/Moe Sawamura)

Contents of this article

1.
Kitashirakawa/Exquisite seasonal desserts in a coffee shop with the aroma of a different culture [Shukagacafe Kashihate]
2.
Gion Shijo / Jewelry store coffee shop in a famous building in Gion [Gion Ishi Coffee Shop].
3.
Gion-Shijo/Yasaka's pure coffee shop with 80 years of history [COFFEE Cattleya
4.
Nishijin / Pure coffee shop where you can enjoy specialty coffee and handmade sweets [Kaze to COFFEE Cafe Kazeko]
5.
Kiyamachi / Pure coffee shop where you can take a break in the city late at night [late-night coffee shop/hall Tamon]
6.
Teramachi Sanjo / Sweet store [Ama-no-chaya Ume-en Sanjo Teramachi] is a place that brings a smile to everyone's face.
7.
Teramachi Sanjo / Old-fashioned coffee float at Smart Coffee Shop
8.
Karasuma / Food menu at Ogawa Coffee Sakaimachi Nishiki, which makes the most of seasonal ingredients to be enjoyed with coffee
9.
Karasuma Oike: Egg sandwiches from a long-established Western-style restaurant at Cafe Madrague
10.
Nishijin / A hearty menu served in the historic space of Sarasa Nishijin
11.
Karasuma Oike/ A hearty morning at Inoda Coffee
12.
Shijo-Kawaramachi: Jelly punch in five sparkling colors at Cafe Soiree
13.
Shijo Kawaramachi / Sweets for Adults [Francois Cafe]
14.
Coffee and cheesecake marriage to be enjoyed in the peaceful atmosphere of Sanjo Kawaramachi / [Cafe Reed Island
15.
Shichijo / Sandwiches at Cafe Amazon to enjoy with home-roasted coffee
16.
Okazaki/Omelette rice from Kisa Me, a long-established coffee shop in Ginza, Tokyo
17.
Higashiyama / A place of relaxation for locals and tourists alike [Yamamoto Cafe] offers a nostalgic taste of the past
18.
Karasuma / Contemporary Art in Everyday Life. [Enjoy the coffee menu at Maeda Coffee Meirin
19.
Coffee and homemade donuts at Rokuyosha in Kawaramachi Sanjo
20.
Nijo Castle / Simple but delicious egg sandwiches at Cafe Tyrol
21.
【閉店】今出川/[喫茶ゾウ]のカラフルで可愛いクリームソーダ
22.
Retro Showa-style fruit parfait at Cafe Jade in Murasaki
23.
Shimogamo / Enjoy a perfect cup of coffee at the well-known Shimogamo restaurant "caffè Verdi Shimogamo Honten" (caffè Verdi Shimogamo Honten)

1. Kitashirakawa/Exquisite seasonal desserts in a coffee shop with the aroma of a different culture [Shukagacafe Kashihate]

Located near Ginkakuji Temple, Shukagakko-Cafe Kashihate is a hole-in-the-wall coffee shop where you can enjoy Chinese tea, seasonal sweets, and alcoholic beverages. The menu, with its lingering aroma and unexpected flavors, can only be enjoyed here. To ensure a relaxing experience, the cafe is generally available for one or two persons. The popular "Morning Crackers Club" offers naturally sweet sweets that are easy on the body in the morning. Reservations are required and can be made for up to 4 people.

Sake Cracker Cafe Kashihate
Sake Crackers Kashihate Cooking

Today's Dessert from 1780 yen (photo: Tarte Tatin) and Organic Oolong Tea from 700 yen. Pie crust with custard, caramelized apples, vanilla ice cream and salted caramel ice cream

Sake Cracker Cafe Kashihate

  • Kashihakase, a city in Kyoto, Japan
  • 37-1 Kaminamida-cho, Jodoji, Sakyo-ku, Kyoto-shi, Kyoto
  • 2 minutes walk from bus stop "Ginkakuji".
  • Tel: None

2. Gion Shijo / Jewelry store coffee shop in a famous building in Gion [Gion Ishi Coffee Shop].

Built in 1969, this coffee shop is located on the second floor of a building in Gion with an impressive ship motif that gives it a strong presence. The ceiling and walls covered with solid cypress wood and the glass ball lighting create a luxurious atmosphere, and the sofa seats allow you to relax in comfort. [It is within walking distance from Yasaka Shrine, so it is also a good place to take a break when visiting the area for sightseeing. Enjoy your break time with seasonal sweets while soaking up the modern retro atmosphere.

Interior view of Gion Stone
Gion Ishi Cuisine

Lemon jelly made by squeezing the juice of one lemon 500 yen, topped with fresh cream

Gion stone cafe

  • gion stone
  • 2F, 555 South side of Gion-cho, Higashiyama-ku, Kyoto-shi, Kyoto
  • 5 min. walk from Exit 6 of Gion-Shijo Station, Keihan
  • Tel.075-561-2458

3. Gion-Shijo/Yasaka's pure coffee shop with 80 years of history [COFFEE Cattleya

COFFEE Cattleya is a quasi-coffee shop with large windows and lace curtains. [Located on the approach to Yasaka Shrine, the store is crowded with tourists, but once you step inside, you will find a quiet space. In the retro atmosphere of the store, with its stained glass windows and lamps, you can relax and enjoy delicious coffee, homemade sweets, and baked goods. It is a coffee shop with a warm atmosphere where you can take a breather even though it is located in the city.

Cattleya Interior
Cattleya Cuisine

Today's coffee 680 yen, brewed by the manager, who has experience working at a coffee stand, using beans purchased from a store he is familiar with. Today's cake, made by coffee & wine Violon in Shimogyo-ku, Kyoto, is 650 yen and has an elegant flavor with a hint of two kinds of Earl Grey.

COFFEE Cattleya

  • Coffee Cattleya
  • 284 Gion-cho, Higashiyama-ku, Kyoto-shi, Kyoto
  • Six-minute walk from Exit 7 of Gion-Shijo Station on Keihan Railway
  • Tel: None

4. Nishijin / Pure coffee shop where you can enjoy specialty coffee and handmade sweets [Kaze to COFFEE Cafe Kazeko]

In a place that used to be a coffee shop about 30 years ago, the shop warmly welcomes visitors with delicious coffee and handmade sweets. The owner, Mr. Mori, hand-drip brews a lineup of five types of coffee, including three standard types of beans and two limited-time-only types. Many fans look forward to the limited-time-only French toast.

Cafe Kazeko Interior view
Kaze to COFFEE Cafe Kazeko's coffee

Drip coffee El Salvador 600 yen. Rich green tea raw chocolate tart 650 yen, handmade by Mr. Mori.

Kaze to COFFEE Cafe Kazeko

  • Kaze and Coffee Kissa Kazeko
  • 266-2 Daimonji-cho, Motoseiganji-dori Rokuken-cho Nishiriru, Kamigyo-ku, Kyoto-shi, Kyoto Prefecture
  • 2 minutes walk from the bus stop "Kamishichiken"
    13 min. walk from "Kitano Shiraume-cho" station on Randen
  • Tel: None

5. Kiyamachi / Pure coffee shop where you can take a break in the city late at night [late-night coffee shop/hall Tamon]

Located in the bustling downtown Kiyamachi area, the late-night coffee shop/hall Tamon is open from 7:00 p.m. until 3:00 a.m. the next morning. The atmosphere is a little dark and relaxed, with many antique pieces of furniture, such as a desk inherited from a grandparent and chairs used in coffee shops in the past, which retain the aroma of a good old-fashioned pure coffee shop. The greeting upon leaving, "Good night," is one of the special touches.

Interior view of the late-night coffee shop Hall Tamon
Coffee tonight and gâteau chocolat with wine.

Tonight's deep-roasted, mellow coffee brewed from carefully selected beans roasted in-house is 770 yen (the type of beans changes daily). The 690 yen sake-infused gateau chocolat has a slightly rum-infused adult flavor. With figs, it is a delight to the palate as well!

Late night cafe/hall Tamon

  • Shinyakissa/Hall Tamon
  • B1F Kyoto Golden Building, 175 Zaimoku-cho, Sanjo-Sagaru, Kiyamachi-dori, Nakagyo-ku, Kyoto City, Kyoto
  • 4 minutes walk from Sanjo Station on Keihan Line or Sanjo Keihan Station on Subway Line (Exit 6)
  • Tel. 075-708-7797
The information is subject to change. Please contact each store or facility directly for the latest information.
All prices include tax.
※内容の誤りや閉店情報などお気づきの点がございましたら、info@leafkyoto.co.jp までお知らせください。
*Since this site uses automatic translation, the translation may differ from the original Japanese content.

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