Tempura Endo Yasaka

Tempura Endo's main restaurant occupies a building in the old streets between Gion and Yasaka Pagoda that began life as an ochaya, a teahouse where geiko entertained guests. The business was founded in 1885 and has been running for more than 140 years. It has since grown into a group with several restaurants in Kyoto, Osaka and Tokyo and a branch in Beverly Hills, but the Yasaka Honten remains its flagship.

The menu is built around tempura courses, either on their own or combined with kaiseki-style dishes, at both lunch and dinner. Seafood such as prawns and white fish is served alongside seasonal vegetables, many of them Kyoto varieties, fried piece by piece in a light batter and passed straight to the diner. It is usual to be offered salt and a dipping sauce with grated daikon. A la carte tempura and drinks are also available for those who want to add favourite items.

The best seats are at the counter, which has up to fourteen places and lets you watch the chefs at work. There are also tatami rooms with their own counters for small groups, and a counter that can be reserved for three to six guests, with a chef cooking only for the party. The restaurant serves lunch from 11:00, with last orders at 14:30, and dinner from 17:00, with last orders at 20:30, and it is open throughout the year. Booking ahead online is strongly recommended, especially for counter seats in the evening.

This is a smart restaurant at the upper end of the price range, well suited to couples and to anyone celebrating, and lunch courses are a more affordable way to try it. Because tempura is served the moment it is cooked, arrive on time and allow around an hour and a half. Some of the higher courses include a complimentary car pick-up service, which is worth asking about if you are staying further away.

The restaurant is about 100 metres east of the south gate of Kennin-ji, Kyoto's oldest Zen temple, and 150 metres west of Yasaka Pagoda. It is a pleasant walk of around ten minutes from Keihan Gion-Shijo Station through the lanes of Gion. Before or after a meal, visit Kennin-ji's twin dragon ceiling, stroll up Ninenzaka towards Kiyomizu-dera, or walk north to Hanamikoji and Yasaka Shrine.