RADICE

Pearl Verdict

Twelve seats, a Tabelog score of 4.11, and three Tabelog Bronze wins (2019, 2025, 2026) make RADICE one of the most consistently recognised Italian restaurants in western Japan. At JPY 15,000–20,000 per head listed, with actual spend closer to JPY 20,000–30,000 once wine and the 10% service charge are added, this is a serious commitment. It is worth it if you want Italian cooking with genuine technical focus and a fish-forward menu: but only if you book well ahead and arrive on time, because every table starts simultaneously.

About RADICE

RADICE opened in Nakagyo Ward, Kyoto, in December 2013 and has held a place on the Tabelog Italian WEST 100 list in 2021, 2023, and 2025: a run of sustained peer recognition that few Italian restaurants outside Tokyo can match. The format is course-only, running approximately two and a half hours, with eight counter seats and one four-leading. The room is classified as a house restaurant in a quieter residential pocket off Marutamachi, a short walk from Marutamachi Station on the Karasuma Subway Line. Expect a composed, low-noise atmosphere: this is a counter where you hear the kitchen, not a DJ.

The kitchen's stated focus is fish, which positions RADICE differently from the meat-heavy Italian that dominates many European tasting menus. In a city where Kyoto's own seasonal ingredient calendar, spring bamboo shoots, summer ayu sweetfish, autumn matsutake, runs deep in every serious kitchen, an Italian format that leans into fish-forward cooking gives the chef clear seasonal material to work. The menu will shift depending on what is available, so what you eat in April will differ substantially from what lands in October. If you have a preferred season for Kyoto visits, that is worth factoring into your booking decision. Autumn and spring are when Kyoto's finest produce peaks, and a fish-led Italian course makes good use of both.

A sommelier is on the floor and wine is the only listed drink category, so come expecting to spend on a pairing or at least a bottle. Credit cards are accepted (Visa, Mastercard, JCB, Amex, Diners, UnionPay); electronic money and QR payments are not. Children under 10 are not admitted. Men should skip sandals; strong perfume is a dress-code request for all guests. No parking on site, but coin parking is nearby.

For context on where RADICE sits in Japan's broader Italian tier: akordu in Nara and HAJIME in Osaka both operate in the Kansai region at higher price points with more international visibility. RADICE is the more accessible booking and the more focused option if fish-led Italian in a quiet counter setting is specifically what you want. For fish-forward fine dining in a different format, Le Bernardin in New York City is the obvious global reference point, RADICE operates at a fraction of that price and without the white-tablecloth formality.

If Italian cuisine is not the priority and you want to explore Kyoto's full dining depth, see our full Kyoto restaurants guide, plus guides to Kyoto hotels, Kyoto bars, Kyoto wineries, and Kyoto experiences.

Know Before You Go

Address

50 Kagamiyacho, Nakagyo Ward, Kyoto 604-0002

Getting there

Approx. 5-minute walk from Marutamachi Station (Karasuma Subway Line)

Hours

Mon & Thu: 18:30–22:00 | Fri, Sat, Sun & Public Holidays: 12:00–15:00, 18:30–22:00 | Closed Tue & Wed

Price

JPY 15,000–20,000 (listed); actual spend JPY 20,000–30,000 including wine and 10% service charge

Seats

12 total: 8 counter, 1 table of 4

Reservations

Reservation only; all seatings start simultaneously, arrive on time

Payment

Credit cards accepted (Visa, Mastercard, JCB, Amex, Diners, UnionPay); no electronic money or QR payments

Private use

Available for up to 20 people (full venue hire)

Children

Not admitted under 10 years old

Dress

Smart casual; no sandals for men; avoid strong perfume

Smoking

Non-smoking inside; balcony smoking area available

Parking

No parking on site; coin parking nearby

Website

radice-kyoto.com

Ratings at a Glance

• Tabelog Score: 4.11
• Tabelog Award: Bronze 2019, 2025, 2026
• Tabelog Italian WEST 100: 2021, 2023, 2025

How to Book

Online reservations are available via Tabelog. Booking difficulty is rated Easy relative to Kyoto's most competitive kaiseki tables, but that is relative: at 12 seats with a closed-on-Tuesday-Wednesday schedule, popular weekend dinner slots fill faster than weekday evenings. Book at least two to three weeks ahead for Friday–Sunday. If you have a fixed departure time, declare it at booking, the kitchen cannot accommodate last-minute requests on the day. Counter seat assignments are not guaranteed; you may be moved to the table.

RADICE in Context: Comparable Kyoto Dining

For further Kyoto fine dining context, see: Gion Sasaki, Hyotei, Kikunoi Honten, Mizai, and Isshisoden Nakamura. For Italian in other Japanese cities: akordu (Nara), 1000 (Yokohama). For fine dining beyond Japan: Atomix (New York), Harutaka (Tokyo), Goh (Fukuoka), 6 (Okinawa).