Il Pappalardo is an excellent local trattoria-style Italian restaurant in Kyoto. You really should go there if you are in Kyoto and want a good Italian pick-me-up.
Located towards the southeast of town, on the east bank of the river, it’s about 3 minutes walk from Sanjusangendo (one of my favourite temples) and perhaps 15 minutes walk from Kyomizudera:
Il Pappalardo
451-1 Maegawacho Myouhouin
Higashiyamaku
Kyoto 605—932
tel: +81 75 533 3330
kenji@pappalardo.com
www.ilpappalardo.com
Kenji Kitamura runs the place and, in particular, the pizza oven. The food is genuine, authentic Italian with a good choice of primi piatti, secondi and an impressive wine list. We have been there for the last two nights and my children both said they wanted to come for the third night in succession — it’s that good!
Tonight, I had a mixed salad, with fresh leaves, cherry tomatoes and very juicy mozzarella, then a superb wagyu beef steak. The kids had very good pasta and pizza, and La Belle Femme shared the salad and then dug into a tasty spaghetti all’amatriciana.
With authentic coffee and even limoncello or grappa to wash it all down, Il Pappalardo is a trattoria that I’d be happy to go to in Venice or Spoleto, let alone London. The staff are attractive and helpful, the ambience good (especially with the roaring pizza oven) and the setting pleasant.
Go eat now. Vai mangiare!
notsokrates 