HiTOHi — Restaurant in Kyoto

tl;dr: eat here immediately. Stop trying to decide between Hitohi and something else — just come to Hitohi.

We found HiTOhi after getting hungry for lunch too late on a hot Saturday; it was one of two places we saw in this area that didn’t close at 2pm. We’ve never been happier to plan poorly, because this restaurant deserves all the praise I can muster:

Impeccable service. Attentive, professional, and warm, but mostly they just feel like genuine people who are excited to share their food with others. Great ambiance Food to die for. I attached some pics, which should say more than words. But standouts: the flatbread; the grilled vegetables; the chicken skewers with fermented pineapple sauce.

The menu appears to be organized around this lovely wood fired oven they have alongside the mostly open kitchen area. They make everything in it (I think) and it’s wonderful.

As we left HiTOhi this afternoon, the staff told us they’d only opened a few months ago (this is summer 2025). Honestly, this place is an elite restaurant in a city full of them. It deserves many years of success, and I can’t wait to go back. (Which may just...

We had a delicious breakfast here - the breakfast plate has 2 eggs, seasonal veg grilled over the open fire or lightly pickled, a thick slab of smoky salty bacon, excellent focaccia and a choice of 2 starters: soup or yoghurt. We chose the yoghurt which was like a fine dining experience. I don't entirely know what was in it but it had some delicious creamy paste, something nutty for texture, some poached fruit, a yoghurt "sauce" and a lightly flavoured oil The coffee was also very good.

The dining area and kitchen were beautiful, overlooking a little manicured courtyard and the service by the staff and chefs was...

Had set lunch menu here and was very pleased to have randomly chosen this beautiful little restaurant. They make great use of the wood fire grill and have excellent vegetables. Too much of Kyoto's dining scene is made up of grilled/fried meat so it was refreshing to eat so many vegetables. All seasoned perfectly. The ambience is very relaxing. Will definitely return here as it stands out with it's refined yet simple approach to quality...