Kyoto Matcha, Desserts & Snacks Must Eats

Kyoto is a magical place rich in history and culture. A city dotted with beautiful temples and shrines. Kyoto is also known for its amazing food culture! Everywhere you walk, you are bound to find something delicious that will stop you in your tracks!

During my trip to Kyoto, I was on a foodie mission to eat and savor the desserts and snacks in Kyoto! Kyoto is famous for its uji matcha, which is considered the highest quality green tea. Therefore, Kyoto matcha is a must eat dessert! SOOO get ready to drool over my list of Kyoto matcha, desserts and snacks! I invite you to take this journey and try all these places on your next trip to Kyoto.

Maccha House

The signature item at Maccha House is its Uji Matcha Tiramisu.  It’s served in a wooden boxed container along with a small wooden spoon.  At the bottom of the container lies a moist and soft sponge cake, and overlying the sponge cake is mascarpone cheese, fresh cream and egg. Matcha powder is dusted at the top for the finishing touch. The taste of the tiramisu is so rich and creamy! Also, the touch of matcha powder gives the taste of the tiramisu its wow factor! 

Maccha House

3-337 Shimizu, Higashiyama, Kyoto 650-0044, Kyoto Prefecture

Tsujiri Tea House

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Tsujiri is the place for great matcha and hoijicha (roasted green tea) parfaits. I had a delicious Hojicha Castella Parfait! I was overwhelmed by how much was in the cup, but to my surprise, I finished everything! The parfait was a perfect blend of flavors with jelly, ice cream, castella (sponge cake) and cream. I loved how it was not overly sweet.

Tsujiri Tea House, Gion Main Shop

573-3 Gionmachi Minamigawa, Higashiyama Ward, Kyoto, 605-0074, Japan

Maruyuku Koyamaen Tea House

The matcha roll cake is a must at Maruyuku Koyamaen Tea House! The matcha roll was so divine because it had the right amount of sweetness and matcha flavor. It was soft as a cloud! Not to mention their hojicha ice cream is to die for!  Another great thing about this place is they offer high quality and top-notch green tea! I was fortunate to sample their green teas, and it was the best green tea I’ve ever tasted in my life!!!! The price of the tea says it all. So, if you want to purchase top quality green tea, make your purchase there. 

Maruyuku Koyamaen Tea House

Nishinotoindori Oike Sagaru Nishigawa, Nakagyo, Kyoto 604-8277, Kyoto Prefecture

Umezono Café & Gallery

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Try the fluffy matcha pancakes at Umezono Café! The pancakes are thick and lightly flavored in matcha. On top of the pancake is red bean paste and brown sugar butter. It is served with black sugar syrup on the side. You’ll be floating on a cloud when you take a bite of these amazing matcha pancakes. If matcha pancakes aren’t enough, try their famous Mitarashi Dango, which are grilled rice cakes in a sweet soy sauce.

Umezono Café & Gallery

180 Fudocho, Nakagyo Ward, Kyoto

Saryo Suisen

I recommend the matcha latte because Saryo Suisen serves their matcha lattes with cute 3D art! Who can say no to that! I’ve seen pictures online of a cat and dog 3D art on their lattes, but during my visit I had an adorable bear on my matcha latte!! It was way too cute to drink!

Saryo Suisen

521 Takatsuji-dori Higashiborain, Higashiiri Inaricho, Shimogyo-ku | 1F Takatsuji Bldg., Kyoto 600-8098, Kyoto Prefecture

Rakkansha Pattiserie

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Rakkansha Pattiserie is a French Style Patisserie with an exquisite selection of cakes and sweets made with a Japanese twist! All the desserts looked so delectable that it was so hard to decide. We ended up with a strawberry parfait and crème brulee. This visit gave us a nice break from all the matcha! But if you don’t mind more matcha, try their Matcha Terrine!

Rakkansha Pattiserie

Kyoto Kyoutoshi Nakagyou-ku Sanmonjichou Dong-dong Hutong 227-1 Fujisoku Building 1F

Nana’s Green Tea

Nana’s Green Tea offers a variety of matcha, hojicha, and red bean lattes and drinks as well as various Japanese desserts. Their wide array of items makes it easy to try different kinds of matcha drinks and desserts. You can choose from traditional Japanese desserts, parfaits, or matcha cakes! I had tried so many matcha desserts that there was one thing on Nana’s menu that I had not seen at other places and that was matcha and hojicha nama chocolate. Nama chocolate is essentially a Japanese style ganache (thick and creamy chocolate made of high-quality cacao and cream). Definitely an interesting taste and worth a try for those chocolate/matcha lovers!

Nana’s Green Tea

376-1 Kuze Takadacho, Minami-Ku | Aeon Mall Kyoto Katsuragawa 2F, Kyoto 601-8211, Kyoto Prefecture

Gion Manju Factory

Aside from the wonderful matcha dessert shops that abound in Kyoto, it certainty has some of the best mochi! Coming from someone who isn’t a big fan of mochi, Gion Manju Factory is without a doubt the best mochi I’ve ever had!!! And don’t let the word factory deceive you. I imagined a big shop filled with tables of mochi desserts and a glass window where you can watch workers make mochi.  However, it is the opposite!  It is actually a small shop situated on a small alleyway. Gion Manju factory is best known for their shinko, which is a sweet sticky rice cake. I suggest trying all three flavors: plain, cinnamon and matcha . My favorite was the plain!

Gion Manju Factory

103 Ooidecho, Sanjo Shirakawabashi-dori Nishi-iru, Higashiyama-ku, Kyoto, Kyoto Prefecture

Houkyuuan

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Houkyuuan is located in Nishiki market, which is a bustling outdoor marketplace in downtown Kyoto. It sells fried and steamed foods on a stick. Menu items include crab, potato, octopus, cuttle fish and lotus root on a stick.  The steam, smoke and smells of the food that came from the shop lured me in, and I couldn’t help but stop and gaze at all the food on the skewers.  I ordered the fish balls, which was served on a Japanese cracker. The fish balls were piping hot!!! I enjoyed every bit of it, and it really warmed up my tummy!

Houkyuuan

188 Higashiuoyacho, Nakagyo Ward, Kyoto, 604-8055, Japan

Konnamonja

Konnamonja is also located in Nishiki market. They specialize in soy-based products, including soy milk, soy milk doughnuts, soy milk soft serve and soy milk cream croquette. Their most popular item is the soy milk doughnuts.  I missed out on the donuts and had a soy milk croquette instead.  The cream croquette was so delish!  

Konnamonja

494 Nakauoyacho, Sakaimachidorikado, Nishikikoji, Nakagyo-Ku,Nishiki

Kuromame Sa-an Kitao

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Kuromame Sa-an Kitao is known to have the best black soybeans in Kyoto, and their menu is focused on black beans. I recommend the mitarashi dango. It came with black soybeans that we had to grind ourselves. At our table, we had a large millstone in which we placed the beans inside. As you turn the handle in a circular motion to grind the beans, the powder is pushed out from the center of the mill onto the spout. Then, you sprinkle the black bean powder onto the dango. We drank black soybean tea, and it was so amazing!!! The taste was reminiscent of barley tea but way better!  The visit to Kuromame Sa-an Kitao was really a fun and interesting experience!!! When in my life will I ever grind my own beans again?!?

Kuromame Sa-an Kitao

192 Higashiuoyacho, Nishikikoji Fuyacho-dori Nishi-iru, Nakagyo-ku, Kyoto, Kyoto Prefecture

Freshly Baked Melonpan

Eat melon pan from a shop called “Freshly Baked Melonpan”. Melon pan is Japanese sweet bread, and the name melon pan comes from its resemblance to the rind of a melon. In no way does it even taste like a melon! The taste reminds me of Filipino Ensaymada, but melon pan is a crispier on the outside. You can order melon pan with or without ice cream. 

Freshly Baked Melonpan

531-2 Higashigawacho, 中京区 Kyoto, 604-8046, Japan

Hope my list of Kyoto matcha, desserts and snacks has you pumped for this foodie adventure! You certainly won’t be feeling hungry on your trip in Kyoto!