TAKAYAMA KYOTO

the only other Michelin starred restaurant (Astrance in Paris) that I'd ever eaten was previously the best meal that I'd eaten. that meal had 4 - 5 courses/plates which were delightfully presented and tasted wonderful. Takayama had similar presentations and unique taste but did it over more than... 25 separate plates.... not counting the dessert plate at the end with 10 separate bites. each plate may have been only 1-2 bites but we were more than full by the end of dinner--we actually took home a few bites from the finale dessert plate. the first dish was perhaps the most memorable because it was presented on a "blank slate", was a cube of white chocolate, presented on a bed of flowers. the Cube had a QR code imprinted on it and we were instructed to take a picture of the dish, open the QR code and the dinner menu appeared. we then were instructed to eat the cube "in one bite" to find that the cube contained sweet pineapple juice. Another dish was a slice of tomato that was the most "tomato-ey" tomato I've ever tasted. as if they distilled that flavor of a whole tomato into one slice. and the dishes kept coming, one after another. Chef Takayama was engaging and clearly knew the origin of every bit of food. He accommodated each guest's food allergy easily, on the fly. The room is like a classroom theatre, with only 10 seats. the kitchen with refrigerator, torch, grill visible is visible with a large plating table in front. there was no waiting, wondering when we would get the next plate; we were either enjoying food or watching it being prepared in front of us. caviar, sea urchin, Wagyu, sashimi, truffle, foie gras was just a taste of what we had. It was the best meal that I've ever had.

Visited March 2024

We are much taken by the vivacious team led by Chef Takayama. They are like magicians determined to give you a WOW after another in serving a stream of yum dishes in a stylish minimalist setting. Creative fusion of Japanese - Italian cuisine curated with passion and thoughtful combo of ingredients.... We love it and would recommend to friends.

Visited March 2024

The restaurant located in a commercial building sharing floor with other distinguished establishments. Beyond the mysterious entrance, you will find refined white hall with open kitchen and theater style sitting, the creative experience has already started and you have barely walked through the door.... The meal consisted a mind blowing 43 individual preparations in total, with attention to details beyond belief. Take the best of Italian cuisine, fusion with the best what Japan can offer and then the magic happens. Chef Takayama is an absolute master of all what matters in high cuisine: finesse and variety of textures, harmonious yet explosive tastes, seasonal ingredients cooked to perfection, and visual art of presentation. His creations have the power beyond the tangible – a true instigator of emotions, tears of pleasure, goosebumps elevating this restaurant to the world elite only few can pretend to be part of. Everything, yes everything with no exceptions was absolutely stunning – making it very hard to pick any top dishes. Three dishes with sea urchin were true “heaven on earth”, the work with tomato is remarkable, the risotto, the Sakeya beef … I would need to cite the whole menu. Phenomenal wine pairing with a classy selection combining the word elite (Brunello, Chablis, Champagne) with equally stunning minor league (Primitivo & Sylvaner) bottles. So many restaurants get this wrong by simple greed, but nothing like that here. Taking the wine pairing will elevate the experience to an even higher level Special mention to Chef Takayama and his team, who are absolute professionals yet approachable, friendly – the art to make you feel at home. I consider myself lucky to have sampled a number of Michelin restaurants, and I wholeheartedly can say that the level here is definitely not one but rather an easy two on his way to get the third one. Absolute must visit for any foodies who are looking for a once in a lifetime experience - the return again and again ….

Visited July 2023

An innovative restaurant on the 3rd floor of the GOOD NATURE STATION building, a commercial building where Kyoto's gastronomy gathers. Once you step inside, you will find yourself in a refined, all-white space that resembles a gallery.The kitchen is also seamless, allowing you to enjoy a pleasant, l...ean cooking scene. There is only one course for lunch and dinner. The beauty and vividness of the dishes will make you wonder if the white space was there for this purpose. You can feel the craftsman's commitment to the refined taste that pays attention to detail. Despite this level of sophistication, the service is not stuffy at all, but rather a little smooth and pleasant. Including that point, it can be said that it is the best restaurant in Kyoto.

Visited May 2023

We have been to many fine-dining restaurants (Eleven Madison Park, e by Jose Andres, etc.) and Takayama was by far our favorite. It is only a matter of time before the one Michelin star here turns into three. The 25ish courses (I say 25ish as just one of the multiple dessert courses had 10+ complete...ly different types of pastries) were phenomenal. This is the kind of restaurant that is so good that it’s worth traveling to Japan solely for the reason of trying it. Some other notes that might be relevant. First, they did an amazing job with dietary preferences (one of us does not eat seafood and the other is vegetarian), and it felt like nothing was lost from the dinner (i.e., the replacement dishes they made to accommodate us were just as unique as the normal ones). Second, for those of you like us with limited/no Japanese language ability, the chef speaks very fluent English, and made a point of coming to explain what was in each of the (25) courses to us as they came out, which was very much appreciated. Lastly, the reservation process was very easy, we emailed the email address on the website with some questions (regarding our dietary preferences) and the chef himself responded and arranged our reservation. How amazing this meal was just can’t be put into words. My wife is Italian, and it is quite telling that she now says the best Italian food she’s ever had was in Japan from Takayama.

Visited May 2023