cenci
Italian in Shimogamo, Kita-Shirakawa & Ginkaku-ji, Kyoto, 10 min walk from Jingū-Marutamachi Station
Our analysis
- #1of 3 Italian restaurants in Shimogamo, Kita-Shirakawa & Ginkaku-ji
- ¥24,200least expensive dinner course; median ¥15,000
- ★Michelin Guide 2026
- Englishonline booking from abroad
Dinner ¥20,000–29,999Closed Mondays and TuesdaysBook online: TableCheck
All 17 photos, by dishes, the room and the entrance
Dishes 15
Inside 1
Entrance 1
In our ranking, cenci is 1st of the 3 Italian restaurants in Shimogamo, Kita-Shirakawa & Ginkaku-ji and 4th of 41 in Kyoto. Its least expensive dinner course is ¥24,200 (on Tabelog), 61% above the ¥15,000 median of the 21 Italian restaurants in Kyoto ranked nearest to it; at lunch, ¥12,100 (on Tabelog) is 61% above the ¥7,500 median of 20. Its record: one Michelin star in the Michelin Guide 2026 (one of 68 in Kyoto in this guide), The Tabelog Award every year since 2025 (4 times), and Tabelog 100 in 2021, 2023, and 2025. From abroad it can be booked online in English on TableCheck; 18 of the 41 Italian restaurants in Kyoto can be. Good for a seat at the counter, a private room (for 6), a less expensive lunch (from ¥12,100, 50% below its least expensive dinner course), and an anniversary (it prepares a celebration if asked when booking).
How it compares
Italian restaurants in Kyoto City with a dinner budget close to its own, nearest to it in our ranking.
| Restaurant | Rank in Kyoto | Dinner from | Lunch from | Booking | Awards | Walk | Closed |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| shiro | #2 | budget ¥20,000–29,999 | budget ¥20,000–29,999 | Online in English (TableCheck) | ★ · Bronze 2026 · Tabelog 100 2025 | 4 min, Karasuma Oike | Mon, Tue |
| Radice | #3 | budget ¥20,000–29,999 | budget ¥20,000–29,999 | Online in English (TableCheck) | Bronze 2026 · Tabelog 100 2025 | 5 min, Marutamachi | Tue, Wed |
| cenci | #4 | ¥24,200 | ¥12,100 | Online in English (TableCheck) | ★ · Bronze 2026 · Tabelog 100 2025 | 10 min, Jingū-Marutamachi | Mon, Tue |
| Il Garage | #6 | ¥19,800 | budget ¥15,000–19,999 | Online in English (TableCheck) | Bronze 2026 · Tabelog 100 2025 | 7 min, Karasuma Oike | — |
| Takayama | #7 | ¥30,000 | ¥30,000 | Online in English (Pocket Concierge) | ★ · Bronze 2026 · Tabelog 100 2025 | 3 min, Kyoto-Kawaramachi | Mon |
| Gibier MIYAMA | #8 | ¥32,340 | — | Online in English (TableCheck) | — | 5 min, Gion-shijo | Sun |
For international visitors
Some support for visitors
Either takes bookings online in English or has a menu or staff in English, not both.
| Menu | Not listed |
|---|---|
| Staff | Not listed |
| Payment | |
| Seating and facilities | Counter seats, Private rooms, Sommelier, Wheelchair accessible, Free Wi-Fi |
How to book cenci
- Book online in English on TableCheck, the booking service the restaurant uses.
- Call 075-708-5307 (+81-75-708-5307 from outside Japan). Staff may speak only Japanese, so a hotel concierge can call for you.
- Reservations: required. Walk-ins are not accepted.
- Anniversaries and birthdays: the restaurant prepares a celebration if you ask when you book (a dessert plate with your message, a cake or a surprise). More in Kyoto.
Courses and prices
As the restaurant lists them on Tabelog. Prices are per person.
Lunch Course
Lunch · 3 hr at the table
¥12,100
per person, tax incl., ≈$80
Cheapest
Lunch Course
Lunch · 3 hr at the table
¥16,940
per person, tax incl., ≈$110
¥4,840 more than the one above
Lunch Course
Lunch · 3 hr at the table
¥24,200
per person, tax incl., ≈$160
¥7,260 more than the one above
Dinner CourseMost booked
Dinner · 3 hr at the table
¥24,200
per person, tax incl., ≈$160
The food
Photos the restaurant posted on Tabelog.
On Instagram
Prices
| Dinner | ¥20,000–29,999 per person |
|---|---|
| Lunch | ¥10,000–14,999 per person |
| Diners report spending | ¥20,000–29,999 at dinner, ¥10,000–14,999 at lunch |
| Service charge | Service charge 10% |
| Credit cards | |
| Electronic money | Not accepted |
Opening hours
| Monday | Closed |
|---|---|
| Tuesday | Closed |
| Wednesday | 12:00–15:00, 18:00–21:30 |
| Thursday | 12:00–15:00, 18:00–21:30 |
| Friday | 12:00–15:00, 18:00–21:30 |
| Saturday | 12:00–15:00, 18:00–21:30 |
| Sunday | 12:00–15:00, 18:00–21:30 |
| Public holidays | Open |
Seats and rooms
Inside
The dining room, in the restaurant's own photos.
| Seats | 26 |
|---|---|
| Private rooms | Yes, for 6 people |
| Private hire | Possible |
| Smoking | Non smoking |
| Children | Children under school age (6) are not admitted |
| Dress code | We may ask you to refrain from overly casual attire, such as sandals. |
| Setting | Hideout, A house restaurant, Stylish space, Relaxing space, Counter seating, Free Wi-Fi available, Wheelchair accessible |
| Drinks | Sake (Nihonshu), Wine, Particular about wine |
| Services | Celebrations and surprises, Sommelier available |
| Opened | December 2014 |
Getting there
10 min walk (790 m) from Jingū-Marutamachi Station, Exit 4.
Also near: Higashiyama (Exit 1): 14 min · Sanjō Keihan: 17 min
- Leave Jingū-Marutamachi Station by Exit 4 and walk east for 10 m.
- Turn left onto Marutamachi Street and walk 710 m.
- Turn right and walk 20 m.
- Turn right onto Sakurababa Street and walk 30 m.
cenci is on your right.
On your right
The entrance, in the restaurant's own photo
Show this to a taxi driver
京都府京都市左京区聖護院円頓美町44-7
The address in Japanese, as drivers enter it
Location
| Address | 44-7 Shogoin Entomicho Sakyo-ku Kyoto, Kyoto 606-8323 |
|---|---|
| Stations |
|
| Directions | Cenci is a 12-minute walk from Keihan Jingu Marutamachi Station and a 15-minute walk from Higashiyama Station on the Subway Tozai Line. |
Nearby
Sights within a walk
- Heian Shrine, 190 m, about 3 min walk
Luxury hotels nearby
- Hotel Okura Kyoto, 800 m, about 13 min walk
Awards
MichelinMichelin Guide 2026: one star
Cenci has one Michelin star in the Michelin Guide 2026. cenci in the Michelin Guide · All Michelin-starred restaurants in Kyoto · Michelin-starred Italian restaurants in Kyoto
- Selected for Tabelog Italian WEST “Tabelog 100”, 2025
- Selected for Tabelog Italian WEST “Tabelog 100”, 2023
- Selected for Tabelog Italian WEST “Tabelog 100”, 2021
Questions visitors ask
How much does cenci cost?
The restaurant puts dinner at ¥20,000–29,999 per person and lunch at ¥10,000–14,999. Drinks and a service charge (Service charge 10%) may be extra; credit cards are accepted.
When is cenci closed?
It is closed on Mondays and Tuesdays.
Can I bring children to cenci?
Children under school age (6) are not admitted.
What is the nearest station to cenci?
Jingū-Marutamachi Station, about 10 minutes on foot (790 m). Higashiyama Station is about 14 minutes away.
Does cenci have a dress code?
We may ask you to refrain from overly casual attire, such as sandals.
Does cenci have a Michelin star?
Yes. Cenci has one Michelin star in the Michelin Guide 2026.
Sources
Facts on this page come from Tabelog (checked in November 2026), the Michelin Guide, and the restaurant's website; the walking directions from OpenStreetMap. Report a correction.