The best bars and cafés Kansai

Since 2015, Kyoto Brewing has been crafting seasonally inspired craft beers in the heart of Kyoto. A friendly trio (an American, an Englishman and a Canadian) is behind this trendy brewery that opens the doors of its "taproom" and its terrace, on weekends, for the happiness of beer lovers and conviviality. The atmosphere is pleasant and relaxed. It is possible to buy their products in cans on the spot and to enjoy the food trucks. In case of an event, the taproom can close its doors on weekends.

Perched on the 8th floor of a building, this cute and trendy café offers an exceptional view of the west end of the city and the river. The view is so clear that you can have fun counting the temples of the Gion district from the terrace! Lighted by loupiottes at dusk and shaded in summer, this one is very charming. The decoration consists of a mix of design objects and a bric-a-brac of vintage furniture and dried plants. A good place at any time of the day: for lunch, coffee or a drink.

On the 10th floor of a building overlooking the Kamogawa River, this bar offers a beautiful view of the Kamogawa River and eastern Kyoto. The sofas are comfortably placed facing the glass so as not to miss anything of the show. Music blends in the background with the conversations of groups of friends who come to enjoy the festive menus. All sorts of small tapas inspired by world cuisines are on the menu: Indian samosa, Italian bagna cauda or Japanese pickled vegetables. A cozy bar, well located to start the evening gently, in the night heart of Kyoto.

On weekends in Kyoto, karaoke bars are crowded. Jankara, the other small name of this chain, is not an exception. The prices are reasonable, the choice of rooms is important, and especially, the sound system is good and efficient. A large selection of music in English and in several languages really allows to enjoy this kind of entertainment, even if you don't speak Japanese. It is strongly recommended to reserve a place at the end of the week.

Opened in 1982 near the botanical garden, the famous Malebranche pastry shop has since conquered all of Kyoto thanks to its very fine cakes, Japanese variations on Western pastries. Cakes with seasonal flavors, green tea and white chocolate cookies, soft madeleines or mont-blanc, everything here is mouth-watering. You can buy your sweets to take away or sit down in the small café with its immaculate white décor, to take the time to savor them. The only drawback: there is sometimes a queue to get in.

Situated just a stone's throw from Funaoka Onsen, this café and restaurant is the ideal place for a snack or a drink after a nice hot bath. It's even more fitting when you realise that this institution is actually located in an old bath house! With its traditional wooden front, you won't be able to miss it. The café has retained the atmosphere of a bath house inside, with oriental-inspired tiled walls. The menu is ordinary, but the atmosphere of the place is quite bewitching.

This small bar is regularly included in the lists of the best cocktail bars in Asia. It is managed by Mr. Kaneko, a cocktail specialist. In a subdued atmosphere, it serves classic or original cocktails. The entrance is indicated by two lanterns. The decoration is skilfully imagined, and the attention is paid to the least detail. A certain serenity emerges from the whole, which allows to concentrate on the essential: excellent drinks. This makes this address a must for a small evening.

An amazing place that mixes the atmosphere of an English cottage and a Kyoto-style garden. We settle down at the bar, in soft armchairs or rocking chairs to enjoy unusual cocktails. The barman Kenji Tsubokura won the world championship for the best cocktails in 2016, and the national championship in 2015. Kinobi, a blend of vermouth, sencha tea and orange peels, or shiso-sour made from Japanese shiso herb, is particularly recommended. The atmosphere is muffled and we would stay there all night long...

This nice bar is lined with a small shop where you will find more than 120 kinds of sake from more than 29 distilleries in Nara County. Here, you taste at the counter before buying and the list is long, very long. A good address to discover many quality sake with more or less sweet or bitter flavours. It might be the occasion to take home some souvenirs after having received some advice. We also particularly like the attention paid to the shape of the glasses and their great variety.

Since its recent opening, all the fashionable youth have been flocking to this Teramachi café. Designed by Kengo Kuma, which mixes urban sobriety of concrete and traditional elements with a ceiling covered with bamboo baskets, natural and organic recipes, the place has everything to be in line with the trend. We still come for the donuts and they can be surprising. Donut with lemon meringue, black sesame or shiso grass, the café offers new flavours inspired by Japanese ingredients. A delight!

To touch the stars of the night, to feel like one of them and have the city at your feet, head to this sky bar at the top of the Kyoto tower. The atmosphere is obviously lounge and the prices a bit overrated, but for all that it's a unique place on the 11th floor of the building where you can enjoy delicious cocktails. Their signature drink is the "Tower cocktail" made with liqueur and lychee, served in a flute that evokes the Tokyo tower illuminated at night. Other more classic or non-alcoholic drinks are on the menu.

A little away from the numerous bars of Gion, here is an address which is certainly less traditional but just as nice. Here, there are no charges, no decorative efforts either, since we are really in the purest style of Irish-English-international bars such as we can find everywhere in Japan. However, the music is great, the choice of draught beers impeccable and even the snacks can be salvaging for those who want to get out of their rice-based diet. Perfect for following live sports events.

This café and bar located in the basement of a house dating from 1928 evokes the squat with dilapidated walls or the urban trash style. It is of course a meeting place for young hipsters. You can find cheap beers, and many small Spanish snacks. Tapas, ajillo, paella, the menu is rather exotic. The atmosphere is resolutely young, bohemian and without fuss. If you speak Japanese, you can easily mingle with the conversations and remake the world. We like it a lot. The address is also nice for a simple lunch based on curry or burger.