Within a lovingly restored 110-year-old Kyoto residence, Hitohi has transformed a historic building into a family-friendly, all-day dining destination. The stunning interior preserves original earthen walls where bamboo lattice work peeks through clay patches, while carved wooden window fixtures frame views of the small courtyard garden. The sole modern addition—a wood-fired oven—anchors the airy dining room where a wide communal table with cheerful orange stools commands the center, surrounded by additional table seating.
Just steps from Higashiyama’s tourist-packed alleys, this cozy oasis sits within a sprawling compound that includes a riverside café, a co-working space, and the Tokinoha pottery atelier, where you might glimpse artisans at work. Opened in March, the restaurant draws crowds from breakfast through dinner. Breakfast delivers a Ghibli-esque plate of fried eggs and house-cured bacon with grilled vegetables. The à la carte lunch menu offers eclectic fare spotlighting seasonal local ingredients, while dinner shifts to tasting menus. The signature potato flatbread emerges perfectly charred from the wood-fired oven; horse mackerel with gazpacho sauce and myoga (Japanese ginger) and grilled venison with bergamot reveal the team’s creativity.
AloJapan.com