Cover A quiet corner of Kyoto, where centuries-old architecture meets contemporary design at Six Senses Kyoto (Photo: Gloria Chung)
A quiet corner of Kyoto, where centuries-old architecture meets contemporary design at Six Senses Kyoto (Photo: Gloria Chung)
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From wood-fired financiers to hidden cocktail bars and taco stands, here are some of the best ways to explore Kyoto
Kyoto is a city of quiet gestures. It reveals itself slowly: down unassuming alleys, behind centuries-old facades, and in the first bite of something unexpected. The city is often associated with temples and tradition, but the Kyoto that Gloria Chung knows is also one of wood-fired experiments, hole-in-the-wall tacos, and bars so new they still feel like secrets.
In this latest instalment of Pocket List, a series in which our community shares five essential recommendations from a destination of their choice, we turn to Chung for her insider tips. Here, the Hong Kong-based food and travel journalist, food stylist and content creator behind @foodandtravelhk shares five ways to stay, eat, shop and drink in a Kyoto that rewards the curious.
In case you missed it: 5 ways to experience Hong Kong by Tatler Best co-jury head Fontaine Cheng
Above Gloria Chung shares her Pocket List of five essential Kyoto experiences
Gloria Chung shares her Pocket List of five essential Kyoto experiences
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Withdraw into Six Senses Kyoto
Above Art-filled interiors in a quiet corner of Kyoto make for a serene stay
Above A quiet moment at one of the most beautifully designed hotels in the city
Art-filled interiors in a quiet corner of Kyoto make for a serene stay
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Six Senses Kyoto, a Tatler Best 100 Hotels Asia-Pacific 2025 winner, sits in a quiet pocket of the city, calm and deliberately understated. Art is tucked into corners, waiting to be found. The bar (Nine Tails Lounge & Cocktail Bar), in particular, is a revelation is sleek and intimate. Gloria calls it one of the most beautifully designed hotels she’s stayed in recently, “It feels calm, peaceful and tucked away.”
Six Senses Kyoto
Address: 431 Myōhōin Maekawachō, Higashiyama Ward, Kyoto, 605-0932, Japan
Let the smoke lead you to Ima
Above A wood-fired restaurant inside a century-old house
Above The menu features dishes that tastes like patience and fire
A wood-fired restaurant inside a century-old house
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Ima is hidden inside a 100-year-old Kyoto house, and everything comes out of an oak-fired oven using wood from the Miyami forest. The result is food that tastes like patience and fire. But the real sleeper hit? The white miso financier at the end. Sweet, savoury and smoky. Chung says, “I wish I could have a dozen.” You will too.
Ima
Address: 183-4 Fudocho, Nakagyo-ku, Kyoto, 604-8215, Japan
Follow your craving to Taqueria Tacos
Above Taqueria Tacos is a hole-in-the-wall spot in the city worth checking out
Above The tortillas are freshly-pressed just before cooking
Taqueria Tacos is a hole-in-the-wall spot in the city worth checking out
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Taqueria Tacos is a takeout-only spot in the heart of Kyoto, the kind of place you walk past if you’re not paying attention. They press every tortilla just before cooking. The carnitas are excellent. It’s accessibly priced, fast and exactly what you want between temple visits. No ceremony. Just a really good taco.
Taqueria Tacos
Address: 593 Nishiuoyacho, Nakagyo Ward, Kyoto, 600-8007, Japan
Fall for every object at Maana Living
Above Kyoto’s craft, beautifully curated at Maana Living
Above Every corner reflects Kyoto’s aesthetic of quiet beauty
Kyoto’s craft, beautifully curated at Maana Living
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“I wanted to buy everything in there,” Gloria admits. Maana Living is the kind of place that makes you immediately rethink your luggage allowance. It’s a shop that curates crafts from Kyoto and beyond, but also a cafe, and a bed and breakfast. Every object feels considered. Every corner reflects Kyoto’s aesthetic of quiet beauty. Go prepared to fall in love, and to spend.
Maana Living
Address: 427-19 Myohoin Maekawacho, Higashiyama Ward, Kyoto, 605-0932, Japan
Find B Kyoto before everyone else does
Above Discover B Kyoto before everyone else does
Above Cocktails made thoughtful, best sipped river-side
Discover B Kyoto before everyone else does
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Down an alley off the Kamo River, B Kyoto is still relatively unknown. As with all good things, that likely won’t last. It’s a cafe by day and a bar by night, with thoughtful cocktails. Chung’s pick: the Hojicha Negroni. Smoky, tea-infused, and the kind of drink you’ll think about long after you’ve left. Go now, while it still feels like a secret.
B Kyoto
Address: 140-6, 2/F, Saitocho, Shimogyo Ward, Kyoto, 600-8012, Japan
Credits
Photography: Gloria Chung
Topics
A storyteller by day and a first-class food devourer by night, Fontaine is the Regional Dining Editor at Tatler Asia, overseeing dining content across all regions and shaping the brand’s editorial voice on food, chefs and culinary culture.
She is also Content Lead for Tatler Best and Co-jury Head for Tatler Best Hong Kong and Macau, guiding the awards’ editorial direction and evaluation process. With over a decade in the lifestyle and media industry spanning London and Hong Kong, she brings a cross-regional perspective to the table.
Follow her on Instagram at @fontimes.
