Kyoto Gion Saryo 京都祇園茶寮 (Kyoto, JAPAN) ★★★☆☆

For a moment with the rain pouring heavily, I thought we won't make it to Kiyomizu-dera (清水寺) this afternoon but at the end, we did. On our way back to Gion, little nugget wanted to sit down for a drink and perhaps a small snack. Why not? He's really worked hard walking up and down the slopes all day. He should be rewarded for his effort.  

We managed to find a cute little café called Kyoto Gion Saryo (京都祇園茶寮) just off the south entrance of Yasaka-jinja Shrine (八坂神社). Once little one got in, there was no turning back.

The two-storey saryo (茶寮), or Japanese tea salon, looks like a great place to chill out on a lazy afternoon.

From the window, we could see the picturesque path that directly led us to Hōkan-ji Temple (法観寺) and subsequently Kiyomizu-dera (清水寺).

Some lattes to quench our thirst first. I opted for a matcha latte cuz after all, we're in Kyoto right!?

Some rich, deep flavors with a little bit of sweet undertones.

Of course, we needed a snack or two to wash down with my latte!

Kyomibuna egg toast (880 yen) – The buttery toast was topped with a velvety scrambled eggs and kyomibuna, some sort of traditional pickled vegetables in Kyoto. Pretty nice. Little one seemed to like it.

Kyoto Gion Saryo is a quiet little café with great atmosphere. They have an in-house bakery that offers very nice, pillowy bread for their sandwiches and toasts. Not to be outdone were their matcha drinks. An absolute sanctuary with a relaxed space for anyone to retreat from the hustle bustle of the city. Highly recommended!

Food Rating: 5.5/10

Price: ￥￥

Address: 506 Gionmachi Minamigawa, Higashiyama-ku, Kyoto, 605-0074, Japan

Tel: +81 (0)75 746-6728

Website: www.gion-saryou.kyoto

Opening Hours: 9:00am - 6:00pm (Mon - Fri), 8:00am - 6:00pm (Sat - Sun)