Grace Note

Kyoto, Japan

Historic Kyoto isn’t only tea rooms and temples. Less than a dozen drinkers can fit inside this intimate bar at a time, down an indescript alleyway set enviably close to both the grand Unesco-listed Kiyomizudera and the famed Gion geisha district. Oozing temple-like serenity, Grace Note’s interiors are charcoal black and serene. Quirky framed art pieces (including one of Winnie the Pooh) and mirrors hang from walls, while low lighting on bar tops lend an eclectic living room-like intimacy; it’s all a far cry from the ubiquitous Scandi aesthetic that defines so many modern drinking spaces. Creation ranges from the Obento Sazerac with seaweed and sesame syrup – plus salmon jerky and seaweed garnish – to Japanese-inflected twists on espresso martinis and sours topped with popcorn. A thirsty traveller’s haven in one of the most tourist-cluttered corners of Japan.

Key Information

• Average price per cocktail $25
• Mon – Sun
• 81 70 9009 1823
• Visit Grace Note's Website

Location

270-3 Kitagomoncho, Kyoto, Higashiyama, 605-0815