Kyoto Food Tours

Tailoring each experience to your wishes by locals who love their city

Top 10 food tours & experiences in Kyoto

From exploring cool neighborhoods to eating with the locals to seeing iconic sites, these are some of our favorite experiences

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The best private food tours in Kyoto

Kyoto’s 1000-year status as a culinary capital in Japan has earned it the nickname “Kitchen of the Imperial Court” – and if the city’s food is good enough for Japanese royalty, you’re bound to be impressed! Join a local guide on Kyoto food tours of this culinary haven adored across Japan for its focus on traditional flavors and fine dining. But don’t be fooled by the famously opulent food scene because Kyoto cuisine is tremendously varied, with something to suit every palate (and pocket). The best food in Kyoto is found at restaurants, markets, tea rooms, izakayas, cafés, and even convenience stores – and you can discover it all and more on one of our unforgettable Kyoto food tours.

Meet some of our food-loving local hosts in Kyoto

Tess

Kyoto

Cultural enthusiast with an insider's knowledge of Kyoto's traditional neighborhoods, tea ceremonies, and all the amazing cultural and historical spots.

Vanessa

Kyoto

Vibrant Kyoto host with a knack for uncovering hidden temples, savoring the best teas, and reveling in the city's enchanting natural wonders!

Try local delicacies

From seafood-stuffed balls under a bed of unfurling bonito flakes to Tako Tamago – a quail egg-stuffed octopus that simultaneously looks exactly how you’d expect and nothing like you’d expect – the food scene you’ll uncover on Kyoto food tours can’t be experienced anywhere else. Our food tours in Kyoto give you the ultimate GPS, guidebook, and menu decipherer: a local guide! You’ll be able to find all the flavors and food experiences that locals love, like slurping up fragrant green tea noodles at a humble eatery and snacking on Gyoza dumplings as the sun sets over Kamo River.

Modest, modern and Michelin-starred

From traditional Kaiseki fit for a king to all-you-can-eat sushi at a 100-yen restaurant, Kyoto’s food scene may be famous, but it’s certainly not pretentious. The city is home to some of the best restaurants in Japan, so it comes as a surprise that the most memorable food tours in Kyoto will take you to places you’d never expect. On our Kyoto food tours, follow your local guide to foodie hubs adored by locals, like 400-year-old Nishiki Market (a street food paradise), or sit down for a traditional tea ceremony with sweet wagashi confections and Kyoto’s high-quality uji matcha tea.

Satisfy your sweet tooth

Kyoto has perfected the art of dessert, and you’ll find sugar in every conceivable form on food tours of Kyoto. This is the place to be if you have an insatiable sweet tooth. With your local host leading your ultimate Kyoto food tour, you’ll taste all the unique treats that can only be found here. Book our “Traditional Japanese sweet tasting experience” to sample fascinating foods that Kyoto has been crafting for hundreds of years. Try Wagashi (bite-sized, pastel-colored confections), chewy Mochi, and earthy matcha in the form of ice-cream, cakes, cookies, and more!

Kyoto travel tips and inspiration from our Travel Magazine

Find the best things to do, places to eat, must eat foods and lots of travel tips in Kyoto and around the world recommended by our local hosts

Latest reviews from our guests

Michael, our guide was great, full of information and stories. We had many food options, too many: tempura, yakitori, sushi, dessert.

December 2024

Huey L
Ryuki’s knowledge of the food scene combined with his vast knowledge of Kyoto and Japanese history made for a truly unique and fun experience. We tried new foods, went to a standing bar that we never would have visited on our own.

December 2024

Aaron K
It was a food tour and we get a super overview

November 2024

Andreas K
Nisa was an incredible guide! She made the day so fun! Not only did we eat interesting and delicious food, but she took us to places we would never have found on our own. If you are looking for a great food tour, go with Nisa!

November 2024

Paula R