Kyoto is a city that blends ancient culture and modern vitality. As you stroll on the streets, you’ll find quaint coffee shops and traditional tea houses sitting beside modern boutique cafes. Vogue has selected 7 new cafes opened in 2025, allowing a lovely coffee journey to unfold every time you stop by the city.
About Us Coffee
Certified by the only coffee quality assessment expert qualification recognised by the International Coffee Quality Institute, "CQI Q Grader".
In the city centre, enjoy a cup of world-class coffee certified by the CQI Q Grader. Located near the Fushimi Inari Taisha, About Us Coffee opened its second branch between Kyoto Sanjo Shopping Street and World Heritage Site Nijō Castle on June 14, 2025. After its opening, crowds of coffee fans have been queuing up every day to get a taste.
A kyo-machiya was remodelled into this current shop boasting contemporary interiors
The coffee is focused on diversity, with coffee beans of different origins, processing method, and roasting
The founder (澤野井泰成) left the fashion industry to open a coffee shop with no previous cafe experience. However, his unique skills and perseverance earned him an award at an international coffee roasting competition. About Us Coffee gave a 90-year-old historic kyo-machiya (traditional Kyoto townhouse) a modern refresh with the first floor turned into a coffee bar and the second floor a quiet dining area. The popular lemon pound cake and hojicha basque cheesecake are the perfect accompaniment to the world-class coffee.
About Us Coffee (Nijo Store)
Address: 325-2 Aneinokumacho, Nakagyo Ward, Kyoto, 604-8324, Japan
Phone number: 075-384-1890
Instagram: @about_us_coffee
AMAN DACOTAN
They offer approximately 120 Kyoto-exclusive breads made with local ingredients
This popular bakery opened its third branch, offering limited items on the menu! Since its inception in Fukuoka in 2018, AMAM DACOTAN (アマムダコタン) has had a permanent line at its door. After the opening of its second branch on Omotesando in Tokyo in 2022, it opened a third branch in the Karasuma area in Kyoto in November 2024.
The founder (平子良太) views the Kyoto store as the last branch in Japan. This branch is a 3 minutes walk from the Karasuma Oike Station
The founder’s (平子良太) creativity and philosophy permeate AMAN DACOTAN, evident in the store’s interior design, bread, music, and staff. New items on the menu at this particular location include the light “Rare食パン”, and the moist Nure Rustique. %Arabica coffee and a range of creative drinks accompany the bread selection.
AMAN DACOTAN Kyoto Store
Address: Nakagyo-ku, Kyoto City, Kyoto Prefecture
Instagram: @amam_dacotan_kyoto
HARIO CAFE
This shop is located on Ishibe-Kouji Alley, a preservation area for traditional buildings, and is across from a renovated Kyo-machiya
A barista-favourite coffee gear company runs this coffee shop, Hario Cafe, located near Yasaka Shrine and Kōdaiji Temple. The shop features a beautiful tsubo-niwa (courtyard garden), and speciality coffee made with Hario tools such as the V60 Coffee Dripper. Coffee beans offered at the shop include the Kyoto-exclusive KYOTO BLEND and five other options. The recommended brewing method is the classic siphon pot—as the water boils and the sound of water bubbles, a sense of nostalgia wafts through the shop.
The store also offers a selection of premium coffees from various roasters active throughout Japan
Their coffee has a rich flavour and pairs beautifully with the cheesecake and Nutella tart from the Nagoya-based roaster Pine Fields Market. The shop also displays hand-painted drippers inspired by paintings of birds and animals, and beautiful glassware from the HARIO Lampwork Factory, established to preserve the craftsmanship of artisans.
HARIO CAFE Kyoto Store
Address: 463-17 Shimokawara-cho, Shimokawara-dori
Phone number: 075-533-6611
Instagram @hariocafe_kyoto
TEA WAVE ティーウェーブ
Originating from Kagoshima, this organic matcha and Japanese tea shop, Tea Wave, opened its Kyoto store on March 20, 2025. The owner selects tea leaves from Kagoshima and opened two branches in Kagoshima and one in Fukuoka. This branch is located near the Kyoto-Kawaramachi Station in a 6-storey building next to the Takase River, around a three-minute walk from Kiyamachi-dori north. The first floor has a counter, the second and third floor is a coffee area, and the fourth floor is a gallery.
The weekday limited edition "Matcha Pancake" mixes fine red bean paste with granular red bean paste and sandwiches it between four layers of pancake,=
The Kyoto-exclusive matcha and namagashi set uses a type of ichiban-cha from Kagoshima and the namagashi from a venerable namagashi shop. Besides drinks, desserts like the decadent matcha pudding with matcha ice cream and rich pancakes also showcase the deliciousness of Japanese tea. The matcha and Japanese tea selection here boasts rich flavours, promising an enriching experience of Japanese culture and delectable sweets.
Tea Wave
Address: 1/F, 209-2 3F Minato, Coco Gallery Kyoto, Nabeyachō, Nakagyo Ward, 604-8015 Kyoto
Instagarm: @teawave_kyoto_by_minato
Kako and Ima 囲と囲曲カコとイマ
「囲」and「曲」both take inspiration from the shape of waffles
The team behind the popular Omotesando bakery Bread, Espresso &, opened a brand new waffle shop on May 10, 2025, in Arashiyama, Kyoto. Located near the Saga-Arashiyama Station, on the way to the Arashiyama Bamboo Forest, the shop is housed inside a renovated traditional Japanese house, and is surrounded by a thatched wall with orange curtains as a design highlight.
This restaurant takes the signature item from Bread, Espresso &, the “Mou” bread, and turns it into a buttery and pillowy waffle that captivates with its crispy exterior and soft core. Kako and Ima’s signature item is the fried chicken waffle, featuring succulent fried chicken seasoned with a blend of five spices, paired with crispy tempura chicken enhanced by Tango’s “Koto-no-Hiki Salt” and honey, alongside karaage chicken flavoured with mayonnaise and lemon. This trio of flavours creates a memorable and delightful experience, and the flavour balance of sweet and salty is unlike any other waffle.
Kako and Ima
Address: 29-2 Sagatenryuji Kitatsukurimichicho, Ukyo Ward, Kyoto
Phone number: 075-468-9200
Instagram: @kako.and.ima
Botaniq Kajiya
Enjoy your coffee while admiring the approximately 9,000 square meters of the Japanese Suzaku Garden
Botaniq Kajiya opened on June 5, 2025, in the west of central Kyoto in Umekōji Park. Inside the garden is the Suzaku Garden, which commemorates the 1,200th anniversary of the establishment of Heian-kyo. The garden also holds the Kyoto Aquarium, and to the west is the Kyoto Railway Museum. Visitors can easily spend a whole day strolling in the sizeable Chisen Kaiyuu-shiki Teien (stroll garden with a central pond).
Enjoy summer-inspired tropical cocktails and a variety of wines by the glass
During coffee hours, three types of French toast are available, including a savoury option with ham and a sweet option with matcha tiramisu. Their ice cream utilises seasonal fruits, and the homemade Basque cheesecake and chocolate cakes are also popular options. All sets come with herbs and edible flowers, as well as a plant-inspired beverage.
Botaniq Kajiya ボタニカジヤ
Address: 56-3 Kankijichō, Shimogyo Ward, Kyoto, 600-8835, Japan
Phone number: 075-585-2755
Instagram: @botaniq_kajiya
Ueda Coffee (Kyoto Gion store)
The interiors makes use of wood to create a minimalistic style
A speciality coffee shop that originated from Kumamoto, Ueda Coffee opened its Gion branch in Kyoto on June 14, 2025. Located on the historic Hanamikoji Street, which runs through the Gion district from north to south, this is Udea Coffee’s second branch. The first is located above Kumamoto, with 74 seats and private rooms, while this branch is a third of its size, with 24 seats. Large floor-to-ceiling windows allow the light to flood into the peaceful space.
In addition, the store's original "Ueda Coffee Blend" comes in two types: dark-roasted "red" beans and medium-light-roasted "yellow" beans (the photo shows red beans)
Ueda Coffee is very particular about the quality of its coffee beans, only providing speciality coffee that’s passed strict standards on the farm, cultivation, storage, and roasting. The store uses a brewing machine from a Swiss beverage equipment company, Tone, which accurately controls temperature, volume, and flow rate, allowing Ueda Coffee to perfect every part of a top-notch cup of coffee. The store also offers consistent and high-quality drip coffee, expertly harnessing the characteristics of different coffee beans. On the food menu, the bolognese pasta stands out.
Ueda Coffee (Kyoto Gion store)
Address: 359-1 Kiyomotocho, Higashiyama Ward, Kyoto, 605-0084, Japan
Phone number: 075-746-2225
Instagram: @ueda.coffee
Translation: Karrie Lam
Editor
Vogue
