Local tells Top 5 best Pancake Shops in Kyoto!Enjoy fluffy, unique Pancakes!

Hi,I’m Keiko from Osaka!

If you have spent a few days walking around streets of Kyoto or other cities in Japan, you will notice that there are many pancake shops, including some with long lines at their doors.

Why the sudden craze over pancakes in Japan?

This craze started several years ago around Harajuku in Tokyo, where a Hawaian brunch spot started serving fluffy pancakes.

Instagram took this trend to another level, as many pancake shops started to open around Harajuku, then all over Tokyo and beyond.

Now you will practically find pancake shops everywhere in Japan.

Though you might think there is nothing particular about pancakes, you must try the Japanese pancakes at least once.

They are extremely fluffy, moist, and incredibly “instagramable.”

Pancake shops usually offer a great variety including flavors that are uniquely Japanese.

Here are top 5 pancake shops you can experience this new Japanese craze!

Local tells Top 5 best Pancake Shops in Kyoto!Enjoy fluffy, unique Pancakes!

1.Umezono Cafe & Gallery/うめぞのCAFE＆GALLERY

Umezono Cafe & Gallery perhaps serves the best Kyoto interpretation of “Japanese” pancakes.

Pancakes here are very fluffy, silky, and are consumed using chopsticks.

Their matcha (powdered green tea) flavored pancake is filled with the high quality matcha tea from Uji city.

The slight bitterness of green tea goes perfectly with natural sweetness of the red bean curd and slight saltiness of butter.

The great thing about this cafe is that there are many other Japanese sweets you can try such as mitarashi dango (skewered dumpling with sweet soy based source), kakigori (shaved ice), warabi mochi (jelly like starchy cake), etc.

If you want to go with your family and friends, order some pancakes along with Japanese sweets, you can have the greatest Japanese sweets experience.

Umezono Cafe and Gallery is housed in a picturesque renovated machiya (traditional townhouse) where the exterior tells the history while their interior offers the relaxing atmosphere of contemporary feel.

It is within 10 minutes’ walk from Karasuma Station on Hankyu Line or Shijo Station on Karasuma Line Subway.

2.Umekoji Cafe Bossche/梅小路カフェ BOSSCHE

Umekoji Cafe Bossche offers around 7 kinds of pancakes (from classic to ricotta cheese pancakes) along with a few seasonal pancakes.

During the spring season, Cafe offers sakura (cherry blossom) pancakes, which you don’t want to miss.

The pancakes here are soft, fluffy yet moist.

The Cafe achieve this unique texture by mixing Kyoto’s tofu and meringue into the pancake batter.

The cafe is conveniently located within a 10 minutes’ walking distance of JR Kyoto Station, around Kyoto Aquarium.

3.Yukinoshita Kyoto Main Shop/雪ノ下京都本店

Yukinoshita is a cute cafe that is on the second floor of an old machiya style house.

Their simple pancake is extremely popular on SNS.

You can taste the sweet honey with a bit of lemon flavor on their fluffy yet firm pancake.

It is crisp on the outside, super moist on inside.

There is no wonder why this is so popular on instagram, it is perfectly round and tall.

Yukinoshita is also famous for kakigori (shaved ice), so you want to try their shaved ice along with their pancakes.

Yukinoshita offers around 10 variations for their pancakes including matcha, cream cheese, fruits, chocolate, etc.

Their most popular flavors include mandarin orange honey and matcha.

The closest station to Yukinoshita is Nijojo Mae Station.



Next,let’s go to the pancake shop which in located in Arashiyama!

4.Saganoyu/嵯峨野湯

Photo credit: KaguraYanki on Visual Hunt / CC BY-ND

Along the beautiful walking path in Arashiyama is Saganoyu, which was once a public bath.

After its renovation, this beautiful building has transformed into a nostalgic yet contemporary cafe.

It is not overly sweet, rather dense yet fluffy pancakes.

The cafe serves various types of pancakes along with very unique seasonal flavors.

One of the recommended one is matcha chocolate red beans.

If you like Japanese matcha and red beans, this pancake is for you.

It is perfect spot to take a break from walking around in Arashiyama.

It is within 10 minutes’ from Arashiyama Station on Keifuku Line or 20 minutes crossing the scenic Togetsukyo bridge from Arashiyama Station on Hankyu Line.

5.Cafe & Dining Fleur/フルール

Fleur is conveniently located near JR Kyoto station.

There are terrace seats, so perfect in the spring time.

The interior of the high ceiling cafe also gives the relaxing atmosphere even though the cafe is located in the middle of the city, within a walking distance from Kyoto Station.

Their pancakes are moist, firm yet fluffy.

Though they have various flavor, the most popular is the fleur pancake, simple at best.

A plate of their pancakes come with 3 slices of fluffy panckaes, I am sure you will be satisfied.

Airy, moist, firm yet fluffy.

People say they taste like clouds.

With additional 200 yen, you can add a drink of your choice, which is a great deal.

The cafe is only about 5-10minutes from Kyoto Station.

To note, it takes around 30minutes to 45 minutes for your pancakes to be served.

Right now, they have a while cake that is baked without using any yoke.

Kinako (roasted soybean flour) cream pancake is only available in the cafe near Kyoto Station.

Summary

Top 5 best Pancake Shops in Kyoto

1. Umezono Cafe & Gallery・・・Umezono Cafe & Gallery perhaps serves the best Kyoto interpretation of “Japanese” pancakes.
2. Umekoji Cafe Bossche・・・ Umekoji Cafe Bossche offers around 7 kinds of pancakes (from classic to ricotta cheese pancakes) along with a few seasonal pancakes.
3. Yukinoshita Kyoto Main Shop・・・Yukinoshita is also famous for kakigori (shaved ice), so you want to try their shaved ice along with their pancakes.
4. Saganoyu・・・The cafe serves various types of pancakes along with very unique seasonal flavors.
5. Cafe & Dining Fleur・・・The interior of the high ceiling cafe also gives the relaxing atmosphere even though the cafe is located in the middle of the city

I hope you’ll enjoy Japanese-style fluffy pancakes in Kyoto!

If you’re looking for unique activities and experiences in Japan,you can find them:here

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