SALMAN & SOHEL HALAL KITCHEN — Restaurant in Kyoto

I first spotted Salman & Sohel Halal Kitchen on Google Maps while hunting for a good halal lunch spot in Kyoto.

On 12 Aug 2025, I decided to check it out after a stroll at Kyoto Imperial Palace. It’s only a short walk away — and when I got there, the place was buzzing. Almost every table was taken, and I was lucky to grab the last one.

It took a while before the lady waitress brought me the menu and took my order, but one of the other staff came over to apologise for the wait, which I really appreciated. You could tell they were busy, but still cared about making things right.

A bit about the place — it’s run by Chef S. Sohel Ali, a master chef who’s worked in 5-star hotel kitchens across India, Singapore, Dubai, London, and Japan. The menu is a mix of Indian, Persian, Turkish, and Arabic halal-certified dishes — proper comfort food for anyone craving rich, spiced flavours.

I went for the Mutton Biryani (¥2,035), Fish Curry (¥1,639), and a Mango Lassi (¥605). The set came with complimentary salad and soup — a nice little bonus.

The Mutton Biryani stole the show. Fluffy basmati rice, that gorgeous saffron aroma, tender mutton that just melted in the mouth, and a generous portion that could feed a small army. Topped with fried onions and coriander for extra texture — it was the kind of dish you don’t want to end.

The Fish Curry was rich and creamy, with just enough spice to keep things interesting. The fish was perfectly cooked — firm but tender — and the sauce was so good I mixed it into my biryani rice.

The Mango Lassi? Sweet, creamy, and ice-cold — the perfect way to wrap up a hearty meal.

The salad was fresh with a light creamy dressing, and the soup had a warm, tomato-based flavour that made for a nice starter.

It’s not just me who enjoyed it — plenty of other customers rave about this place. People call it “the best naan in Kyoto”, praise the Ramadan Iftar Set for its variety and generosity, and love the little touches like charging cables at every table. The portions? Big. The flavours? Authentic.

Total spent: ¥4,279 (tax included) — and worth every yen.

If you’re in Kyoto and craving proper South Asian and Middle Eastern halal food, this is a spot worth seeking out. Just maybe come a little early — it...

Recently had dinner here and unfortunately it didn’t live up to the hype created by Google reviews.

Got smoothed talked into getting the overpriced bbq platter and 3 people in our group got gastro the next day.

The server will do you a ‘favour’ by offering an extra (overly sweet 3-sip glass) mango lassi (keeping in mind the big bbq platter serving does say it’s for 5-6 people but they offer only 4 lassis drinks lols). So it’s not a favour - in a way they owe extra 2 mango lassis to all who order the bbq platter. The portion size was small (not worth the price).

The chicken kadai was substandard (which I expect in Kyoto - but if the chef has talked himself up by mentioning he has worked in various 5 star hotels around the world then I’d expect much better).

We ordered mainly hyderabadi (Indian dishes) as this should have been their speciality. But the beef biryani was also a let down - bland and the meat was tough.

Overall you can get similar Indian Halal food for better pricing - in fact we tried Everest Club a couple of nights earlier - much better value.

If you are really hungry and in the area - go for it (just make sure you have gastrostop tablets - not fun to run to the toilets on a vacation - even though toilets very clean in Japan)- otherwise don’t go out of your way based on Google reviews - Save your money (as Japan trip can get expensive) and more importantly your time and energy.

Could have given 3 stars (average) - but the gastro moved...

As a foreigner having lived and traveled in Japan for what is now three years, I've tried my fair share of Indian restaurants around the country.

Salman and Sohel's Halal Kitchen is by far the most authentic Indian cuisine I have ever eaten in Japan. Ali-san has worked tirelessly as a master chef in various countries before opening this restaurant, and the quality in his restaurant's dishes shows.

The chicken dum biryani is incredible, and the onion pakoda is cooked to perfection. Ali-san's menu has a fantastic array of cuisine, ranging from Indian to Middle Eastern and Turkish food as well!

Ali-san himself is an incredibly engaging man to talk with. He prides the authenticity of his restaurant, and deservedly so. The food alone is incredible, but the service provided by Ali-san propels this restaurant to the top.

The man does not shy away with adding authentic levels of spiciness in his dishes (in contrast to many other Indian restaurants in Japan, which dull the spiciness to cater to Japanese preferences).

Overall, this was a fantastic and authentic South Asian cuisine experience served by an even more...