Tenki

At Tenki, tempura takes centre stage, but the courses also include Kyoto-style dishes. Visitors who have had lunch mention enjoying a full progression of dishes, from hassun (an assortment of seasonal delicacies) and sashimi to tempura, soup and rice. Some also praise the restrained seasoning, which lets the ingredients’ own flavours come through. Diners have noted that the counter offers freshly fried tempura, making it a good choice for sampling seasonal ingredients one dish at a time.

Courses include the Tsuki and Hana, which combine dishes such as soup, simmered vegetables, sashimi and tempura, as well as options focused on tempura. The tempura course features seasonal fish, two live prawns, three kinds of seasonal shellfish and three seasonal vegetables, along with red miso soup and a sweet. Rice is served as is, or can be changed to a tempura rice bowl or tempura with tea—an appealing option if you want to carry the tempura through to the end of the meal.

For a more leisurely kaiseki meal, there is also a tatami-room tempura kaiseki course, with seasonal Kyoto cuisine and tempura followed by dishes such as grilled food, simmered vegetables and seasonal rice. The restaurant is a sukiya-style house with an inner garden. Visitors who have used a room at the back describe enjoying the atmosphere of the room and garden, as well as taking their time over a meal that includes tempura. Reservations are recommended for both lunch and dinner, so consider booking if you have a particular mealtime or seating in mind.