This Italian restaurant, featuring an excellent selection of natural wines, opened in 2024 at the intersection of Takoyakushi and Fuyachō Streets. The menu includes both the expected casual Italian dishes and some signature creations by Shusaku Toba, the chef from Tokyo's Michelin-starred restaurant Sio.
Originally, this was a French café-deli, launched as a standard commercial project with the expectation that its prime location in central Kyoto and affordable prices would ensure success. The reasons why the owners eventually sought help from Chef Toba remain unclear, but it's abundantly clear now that it was the right decision. Toba was given complete freedom, and he changed not only the menu but also the restaurant's interior. As befits a modern gastropub, it now features a walk-in wine cellar, while the centrepiece of the space is one very long table. This trendy approach aims to use interior design to encourage conversations among strangers and compensate for the widespread lack of human interaction.
In addition to the large communal table, there are regular tables for four and seating for solo diners, such as a counter along the window, perfect for enjoying views of Kyoto. Finally, and quite rare for Kyoto restaurants, there is also outdoor seating.
The menu is reminiscent of what one may find in Sio, with a few changes. In particular, guests here are offered dishes featuring... turnips. Why? The reason is quite simple: turnips—蕪 (kabura) in Japanese—are not only one of the classic 'Kyoto vegetables' (along with '9th Avenue onions' and 'Monganji Temple red peppers'), but, as you've likely guessed, the source of inspiration for the restaurant’s name.