Hyotei

For some, Hyotei is the best restaurant in Kyoto. For others, it’s overhyped, overpriced and overly simple. Which side of the fence you stand on depends on how you feel about a plain soft-boiled egg being the highlight of a ¥27,000 meal. Hyotei is all about simplicity. Diners are guided to a sparsely decorated, private tearoom and served a parade of straight-up dishes that might include a tender snapper sashimi, fresh bamboo simmered in bonito or a white miso soup. And a tasty soft-boiled egg.