Eat Paradise is Isetan’s gourmet restaurant section on the 11th floor of the station building, on the north side of the “Daikaidan” Grand Stairway. Among the fine dining options on offer here are Chinese, Korean, and Italian style restaurants, plus a worthy selection of Japanese and specifically Kyoto specialty restaurants. Many of the north-facing restaurants have spectacular views of Kyoto Tower and the city beyond.
Eat Paradise at Isetan Kyoto Station
Aoi Jaya
Aoi Jaya specializes in seiro-mushi, food steamed in a bamboo basket. Steaming rice, meat and vegetables in this traditional way concentrates the flavors and helps to retain their health-giving nutrients. Here you can enjoy plentiful Kyoto vegetables and other local seasonal ingredients to your heart’s content.
Open: 11:00 – 22:00 (Last order: 21:15)
Tel: 075-352-6233
Aoi Jaya – Meals steamed in a bamboo basket
Wako
This restaurant specializes in tonkatsu; breaded pork cutlets. High quality cuts of pork are rolled in fresh bread crumbs and then deep fried in vegetable oil. These are then served with an accompaniment of rice, soup and shredded cabbage. You can choose between ro-su (pork loin) or hire (pork fillet) and for those who don’t like pork, deep fried breaded shrimp is also available.
Open: 11:00 – 22:00 (Last order: 21:15)
Tel: 075-342-0024
Wako – Tonkatsu pork cutlets
Kyoto Wakuden
Here you can enjoy kaiseki ryori, traditional Japanese multi-course haute cuisine in a softly lit dining room with an unbroken view over the city. Each dish is carefully prepared from local seasonal ingredients and presented on beautiful tableware to give as much pleasure to the eye as to the palate.
Lunch: 11:00 – 15:30 (Last order: 14:30)
Dinner: 17:00 to 22:00 (Last order : 21:00)
Tel: 075-365-1000
Kyoto Wakuden – Multi-course traditional kaiseki cuisine
Mollette
Mollette specializes in omu-rice, a Japanese adaptation of Western food, in which an omelette is wrapped about fried rice and usually topped off with ketchup. On the Mollete menu are several variations on this simple theme, including omu-rice topped with Japanese Black beef steak, or omu-rice topped with chicken cooked with Kyoto vegetables in a white miso and citrus sauce. Set courses are also available.
Open: 11:00 – 22:00 (Last order: 21:15)
Tel: 075-352-6255
Mollete – Japanese style omelettes with fried rice
Ante Caffe
Ante Caffe is an Italian restaurant serving handmade pasta, grilled food and piping hot pizzas fresh from the oven. It is a bright open plan restaurant with friendly staff.
Open: 11:00 – 22:00 (Last order: 21:15)
Tel: 075-342-0025
Ante Caffe – Italian food
Tenshin Chashitsu
Tenshin Chashitsu uses local Kyoto ingredients for traditional Chinese and Cantonese dishes. Reasonably priced, lunch time sets start at 1350 yen and dinner courses start at 4320 yen.
Open: 11:00 – 22:00 (Last order: 21:15)
Tel: 075-352-6262
Tenshin Chashitsu – Chinese food
Mimiu
Mimiu is a noodle shop serving udon (thick wheat) and soba (thin buckwheat) noodle varieties. A popular item on the menu is the typical west Japan dish, udonsuki, which is a large dish of noodles, seafood and vegetables cooked in a sukiyaki style.
Open: 11:00 – 22:00 (Last order: 21:15)
Tel: 075-342-0012
Mimiu – noodles
Ten-ichi
This restaurant serves tempura, deep fried seafood and vegetables in a light crispy batter. Ten-ichi is a famous tempura restaurant that opened its first branch in the Ginza district of Tokyo. Here at the Kyoto branch you can sit at the counter and watch each item prepared and fried for you as you order.
Open: 11:00 – 22:00 (Last order: 21:15)
Tel: 075-352-5371
Ten-ichi – Tempura dining
Sei-oh-tei
Sei-oh-tei serves meals that are considered “Western”, such as hamburger steaks, ginger pork chops, and hashed beef and rice. The menu is quite meaty but there are other items available such as grilled mackerel and crab croquettes.
Open: 11:00 – 22:00 (Last order: 21:15)
Tel: 075-352-2337
Sei-oh-tei – Hamburger steaks
Kobe Cappuccino Club
Kobe Cappuccino Club is a bright open plan café serving light meals of sandwiches, cakes, parfaits and drip brewed coffee.
Open: 11:00 – 22:00 (Last order: 21:15)
Tel: 075-352-6259
Kobe Cappuccino Club – An open plan Café
Minari
Minari is a Korean restaurant serving home kitchen style meals of grilled beef, chijimi (savory pancakes), chilled Korean noodles and bibimbap (a rice bowl topped with sautéed vegetables, spicy condiments, sliced meat and egg).
Open: 11:00 – 22:00 (Last order: 21:15)
Tel: 075-746-5205
Minari – Korean dining
Kyotofu Fujino
Kyoto is famous for its tofu cuisine and Kyotofu Fujino is an excellent place to sample the incredible variety of dishes that can be made from this versatile food. Why not try sesame tofu, sashimi made from yuba (skimmed tofu skin), soymilk cream croquettes, or oboro tofu (a soft fluffy variety)? Tofu ice cream and other soy based confectionaries are also on the menu. A halal dinner course is available for 4000 yen, but must be reserved three days in advance.
Open: 11:00 – 22:00 (Last order: 21:15)
Tel: 075-352-5401
Kyotofu Fujino – A tofu cuisine specialty restaurant
Tsukiji Sushisei
Named after the famous Tuskiji wholesale fish market in Tokyo, Tsukiji Sushisei serves Tokyo style sushi; hand-pressed bites of rice, lightly seasoned with sugar and vinegar, and topped with a slice of raw fish. You can order set meals or a la carte and watch the sushi chefs prepare each item for you.
Weekday Lunch: 11:00 – 15:00
Weekday Dinner: 17:00 – 22:00 (Last order: 21:15)
Saturday, Sunday & Holidays: 11:00 – 22:00 (Last order : 21:15)
Tel: 075-352-6223
Tsukiji Sushisei – Tokyo style sushi
Moritaya
Moritaya is a beef steak emporium, bringing the best flavors out of Japanese Black beef in sukiyaki style hot pots, thin slices of boiled shabu shabu, and oil grilled steaks.
Open: 11:00 – 22:00 (Last order: 21:00)
Tel: 075-365-7788
Moritaya – A beef steak specialty restaurant
Shozankaku
The interior of Shozankaku is designed to resemble a traditional tea house and its windows provide a sweeping view over the city and the mountains beyond. These elegant surroundings create a tranquil atmosphere, in which to enjoy traditional Kyoto cuisine, which utilizes Kyoto’s unique vegetables and yuba beancurds in creative, colorful yet moderately priced meals.
Open: 11:00 – 22:00 (Last order: 21:15)
Tel: 075-342-0070
Shozankaku – Traditional Kyoto cuisine
Article and original photos by Michael Lambe. All rights reserved.
