hakubi

A wonderful food experience. We love paired taster menus and this was the best. Beautifully prepared Chinese dishes using all the flavours paired with wines from all over the world. A very special experience.

July 2025に訪問

An unforgettable evening – 25 courses, each a small masterpiece Hakubi was one of the most beautiful culinary experiences I had in Kyoto. The 25-course menu is incredibly well thought-out – each dish surprises with new flavors, textures, and loving details. You can truly taste the skill and dedicat...ion behind every plate. The service was also outstanding: warm, attentive, and never intrusive. From the very first moment, I felt genuinely welcomed and cared for. The restaurant itself is calm and elegantly designed – the perfect setting to slow down, enjoy, and be amazed. Conclusion: If you’re looking for something truly special in Kyoto, treat yourself to an evening at Hakubi. For me, it was a real highlight – both culinary and personal.

June 2025に訪問

We spent four days in Kyoto at Hotel Sowaka, and Hakubi Restaurant was by far the best dining experience we had in the city! For me personally, it was the best Chinese restaurant I’ve ever been to – and I’ve been to China many times. The service and the food were absolutely outstanding. You’re serv...ed 25 small, beautifully crafted dishes – truly small portions, but each one incredibly flavorful and well-balanced. And yes, it’s absolutely manageable to enjoy them all! An unforgettable experience – definitely a 100% recommendation from us! 💯

June 2025に訪問

Hakubi is a love letter to craftsmanship, a quiet rebellion against the soulless, overhyped dining experiences that plague too many cities. You step inside, and the first thing that hits you is the scent—warm, rich, teasing at something just beyond the edge of memory. There’s no pretense here, no fo...rced theatrics. Just an open kitchen, a hum of conversation, and the comfortable glow of a space that feels lived-in and loved. The food is a lesson in precision. Each dish lands in front of you like a secret whispered by an old friend—sometimes delicate, sometimes brash, always interesting. One bite is comfort, the next a jolt of something unexpected (a prawn bathed in Japanese sansho pepper, a fresh spring bite of urui and cucumber salad, a velvety shirako—something completely new to me). It’s a meal that refuses to be rushed, that invites you to sit back, take a sip, and let it all unfold at its own pace. The place itself has an aura of understated cool. The restaurant’s design is both sleek and inviting, seamlessly blending the building’s rich history with a modern zen aesthetic and a tasteful touch of retro chic. Even the serene corridor leading to the restroom feels thoughtfully curated, adding to the restaurant’s quiet elegance. You can also dive into Kyoto sakes, Chinese rice wines, fragrant teas, and a wine list that reads like a passport stamp collection for the well-traveled and the curious. Bottom line—whether you’re here to celebrate or just chasing a damn good meal, Hakubi delivers. No ego, no gimmicks. Just food, warmth, and the kind of hospitality that makes you want to linger a little longer.

February 2025に訪問

Highly recommend! I rarely bother to write reviews but hakubi was inspiring. It’s a fairly new restaurant and it was one of the best meals we’ve had anywhere. The chef and staff served 25 courses each of which was exquisitely crafted and presented — not rare in Kyoto, but hakubi managed it without b...eing pretentious. The food had a wide variety of flavors, textures and cooking methods that flowed together wonderfully into a thoroughly satisfying dining experience. The seasonal veggies dressed with leek oil and the almond (actually apricot seeds not almonds) pudding with fresh strawberry sauce were both light, simple and absolutely perfect. I highly recommend adding the milt to the mapo dish at the end the extra creaminess really brings it to the next level. Knowing we spoke English, the sommelier Marina graciously prepared a little set of flashcards on a key ring describing each dish with excellent translations. Kyoto menus are highly seasonal and this was so nice after weeks of translating hand painted menus with intricate descriptions (which if you have not tried, does not go well). Bonus points — we got to take it home! That was just one example of how the staff went above and beyond. Everyone was incredibly friendly, thoughtful and attentive. This place is fantastic. I wish we lived here and could come back for each new menu.

March 2025に訪問