I visited Harmonica Kyoto, a specialty shop for desserts and baked goods, located in Gion Shijo. I was recommended to visit by someone who enjoys gourmet food. The shop is managed by a male pastry chef who used to work at the Michelin-starred restaurant, Labiography in Kyoto. I tried the following items: - Orange juice - Melon coconut herb - Summer orange tart The flavors were perfect for early summer, and everything was delicious. I was able to visit without a reservation and enjoy a quick bite, which was very convenient. I look forward to trying other items on the menu next time. I will definitely visit again. Thank you for the wonderful meal.

I always wanted to visit this place, and this was my first visit. Kyoto is a delightful place with scattered lovely dessert shops, and I had a great time. I visited "Harmonika," a popular shop located on the south side of Minami-za, near Danurui and Yamato Oji. I love these intricate streets in Kyoto. As you enter through the curtain and change into straw sandals, you will be greeted by a large table as you move towards the back. In fact, Harmonika is located at the back of the traditional footwear store "Gion Naito." A man with a background in French cuisine is making desserts all by himself. This time, I ordered the Riore, along with a cup of Darjeeling tea. The beauty and aroma of Riore brought a smile to my face. I would love to try other desserts as well next time! Luckily, I was the only customer at the time, so I had a great time chatting with the owner. They kindly asked to avoid taking photos of the refrigerator, so make sure to ask for permission before taking pictures. Thank you for the wonderful meal!

No reservation needed, no wait, visited alone, stayed for 1 hour, price 2000 yen per person. A dessert shop located in a corner of a shoe store. They also do custom cakes. Delicious desserts are available for 1000-1500 yen per plate, and the interesting books in the shop are also great. Strawberry, coconut, hazelnut.

Glittering Strawberry Tart ✨ * Kyoto Gion Shijo. * ☼ * ――――― * ☼ * ―――――. Harmonica Kyoto @harmonika_kyoto. * ☼ * ――――― * ☼ * ―――――. A hidden cafe in the back alleys of Gion Shijo ☕️ Attached to the Zori shop, or is it a cafe? A hidden place that you wouldn't know is a cafe without a sign ☕️. Second visit ❣️. The strawberry tart has started, so I went to try it. Strawberry tart for 2,100 yen. ☕️ Cafe latte ☕️ 550 yen. Glittering like a ruby gemstone ❣️. The strawberries were delicious, with plenty of jelly spread on top and custard cream underneath. There are also crispy crumbs scattered around. And the tart part is also very delicious ✨ A crispy and fragrant crust on the outside! Moist and chewy on the inside. A gentle sweetness that spreads warmly. A taste that tart lovers will adore ❣️ Treating myself to a whole one feels a bit luxurious. The cafe latte had fluffy foam, and I could relax in the calm atmosphere. It was delicious ❣️ Thank you for the meal ♪ ✽・:..｡o￠o｡..:・✽・:..｡o￠o｡..:・✽・:..｡o￠o｡..:・ Harmonica Kyoto ✽・:..｡o￠o｡..:・✽・:..｡o￠o｡..:・✽・:..｡o￠o｡..:・. Gion Shijo Gourmet #GionShijoCafe #GionShijo #GionGourmet #GionCafe #HarmonicaKyoto #KyomachiyaRenovation

First Visit 2022012 (No.4136) 1. Purpose of Visit - This visit is part of my plan to gather a wide range of information from traditional establishments dating back to the Muromachi period to newly opened trendy spots in the 2020s, as it has been three years since my last visit to Kyoto in October 2019. 2. Shop Information - Genre on Tabelog: Western-style sweets (other), Cafe - Opened on May 21, 2022 - A shop run by a French-trained owner, specializing in baked goods and desserts - The name of the shop comes from the French word for "harmony," expressing the deliciousness brought by the harmony of flavors in each dish - Located in a narrow alley between Danguribashi and Yamato Oji Street, which can be a bit hard to find - Business hours: 11:00-18:00 - Closed on Tuesdays 3. Crowdedness and Atmosphere on the Day - Visited around 13:10 on a weekday, with no other customers at the time - Spacious and relaxing atmosphere 4. Customer Service - Service was in line with the manual 5. Order Items - Cafe au lait: 550 yen Served in a cup within 7-8 minutes, a product that matches its price. - Tart (Strawberry): 2,000 yen Definitely eye-catching, a tart adorned with strawberries. Normally priced at 1,900 yen, this version includes a custard cream made with "anise," an herb with a scent similar to cloves, and white chocolate, priced at 2,000 yen. The owner seems to enjoy adding herbs to sweets, making for unique and interesting desserts that can't be found elsewhere. Thank you for the meal. [Pre. 03]

Fruit-filled round tart at Harmonika in Gion Shijo, Kyoto. A cafe attached to the sandal shop JOJO of Gion's long-established footwear craftsman, Naito-san. The entrance that overturns the concept of a cafe is thrilling as you open the rattling glass door of the old folk house, take off your shoes, change into sandals, and go inside. There is a calm hidden cafe space with lots of books, like a book cafe. I wanted to eat fruit tart! I had Queen Nina's tart for 1,600 yen, pear tart for 1,500 yen, cafe latte for 550 yen, and tea for 600 yen. I love red grapes, so I was happy to see Queen Nina! There was also Shine Muscat. The shiny and juicy tart with a creamy texture that goes well with fruits, and the tart crust is very delicious! The bottom is a crunchy cookie crust, while the top is soft and tasty. It was a whole tart, so it was satisfying to eat. The pear was soft and refreshing! The rose-shaped design was also beautiful. It was decorated with thyme and edible flowers, showing great taste. Thank you for the meal! #HarmonikaKyoto #Harmonika #fruit tart #Gion cafe #Gion Shijo cafe #Kyoto cafe #Kyoto sweets #Queen Nina #red grapes

Actually, after visiting the restaurant, I talked passionately about the deliciousness to my family at home, and they said they wanted to go there, so we revisited the following week. This time, I tried the 1,500 yen pear tart. It was like a tart sold in a department store, with lots of pears on top and very delicious. The tart was also very delicious. It seems that the toppings for the fruit tarts change depending on the season, so I want to keep an eye out for them.

I went to a cafe that I found through an influencer's post. It's located in a shoe store, hidden in the back of a sandal shop. You can find it on Google Maps, but it might be a bit tricky to locate as it looks like a residential area. After entering through the curtain, I was unsure whether to keep my shoes on or switch to sandals. The correct way is to switch to sandals and proceed. The cafe is run by one chef, so the seating is limited - only around 5 people if you come alone. The menu is written on a blackboard, but it might be easier to understand by checking Instagram. I ordered the Autumn Fruit Sabayon, which was visually stunning and delicious. The Lavender Chocolate Tart was also impressive, with a delicate chocolate tuile on top. The tart itself had a rich flavor, and when you remove the tuile, you'll find bananas and Griotte cherries. The atmosphere in the alley is charming.

I change into sandals from Gion Naito, a long-established footwear craftsman in Kyoto, and head to a cafe located behind JOJO. The cafe is tucked away in a secluded spot and has a cozy atmosphere, with cube-shaped shelves displaying books like a book cafe. I order Earl Grey tea for 600 yen and a fig tart for 1500 yen. The figs are thickly sliced and beautifully arranged like flower petals, with fresh herbs like thyme and basil subtly placed on top. Despite the abundance of figs, the tart is not overwhelming, thanks to the herb magic or the harmonious combination of herbs with the slightly sweet figs. The pastry chef has a background in French cuisine. I overheard a conversation with another customer mentioning that they use figs from Joyo in Kyoto and infuse them with amaretto. There is a light cream layer beneath the figs. The BGM of Erik Satie's piano music was lovely. I also bought some souvenirs: Cardamom chocolate financiers for 400 yen each and canelés for 400 yen each. Later that night, I gathered with friends and enjoyed the financiers and canelés, which were a big hit.

A hidden gem located behind the shop of the popular traditional footwear brand "Gion Naifuji" is a bakery specializing in herb and spice-flavored baked goods, run by a pastry chef with experience in French cuisine. They offer a variety of treats such as financiers, Breton galettes, canelé chocolat, and seasonal fruit tarts. One recommended item is the Fig Tart (1500 yen), which features figs beautifully arranged on a chocolate tart base, almost resembling a work of art. The herbs like thyme and basil are not just for decoration but add to the aroma and flavor. Pair your treat with a Cafe Latte (550 yen), served slightly sweetened to enhance the experience. Slip off your shoes and relax in this unique space for a leisurely time.

Located about a 3-minute walk from Gion Shijo Station on the Keihan Main Line. I visited around 11:30 on a holiday. This café is located inside a market behind Gion Naifuji, a footwear craftsman in Kyoto. It's in a narrow alley between Danguribashi and Yamato Oji Street, and even though I found the sign, it was a bit confusing to figure out where the shop was. I took off my shoes and cautiously opened the door in front of me, which led to Gion Naifuji's shop. The café is located further inside. There were two groups of customers already there. There is seating for about 5-6 people. I ordered a Shine Muscat, Herb, White Wine (¥1,000) and a Specialty Coffee (¥550). The dessert included yogurt cream, Shine Muscat, white wine granita, fresh herb sauce, blue herb, and grated green yuzu. The scents of the herbs and green yuzu were very pleasant! The desserts were simple but all paired well with the Shine Muscat, offering delicate flavors. There were also tarts and other dessert options that I would like to try. The interior of the café is small, so it's a bit bustling, but the owner is kind, and I think it's a hidden gem of a café.

I learned about this lovely cafe from reviews I read somewhere. Thank you for the wonderful review of the restaurant! It's located in a building on the right side of a small path next to Sankotoritei on Kurumi Street. The entrance is a few steps down from the street level, with a glass door that might make it hard to notice the cafe from outside. The owner of this cafe is actually the son of the popular and hard-to-book Coriss, and he used to be in charge of desserts there. I've been wanting to visit Coriss, but since it's difficult to make a reservation, I decided to try their desserts first. The cafe is run by a male owner, and my husband had an iced coffee while I had an iced cafe latte and a glass dessert of peach, coconut, and lychee. The dessert was a delicious combination of coconut blancmange with a hint of peach and a lychee jelly topping. It was refreshing and tasty, with plenty of fresh peaches. The green herbs and red edible flowers on top made it look even more beautiful. The iced coffee and iced cafe latte were both enjoyable. We also got some baked goods as a souvenir for our daughter, which must have been good since I didn't get to try any (haha). The cafe has one large table and can accommodate up to two couples at a time, given the current situation. The desserts made with fresh fruits are the highlight, as seen on their Instagram and also featured in the October issue of Hanako magazine. Thank you for the delicious experience!

It was a slightly late evening, but I was relieved to find the shop open. I walked up the small path on the north side from Danuribashi Higashizume to Yamato Oji. The shop had a shop inside, making it a bit hard to notice without a sign at the entrance. I ordered a melon blancmange for eat-in. It came in a small dish with a reasonable portion size, filled with plenty of small pieces of melon. They suggested adding syrup halfway through, but I found the dessert, with a subtle coconut flavor, satisfying as it was. I couldn't see them making iced coffee, but I believe it was a cold brew, very cold and refreshing, with flavors of Colombia and Ethiopia. For takeout, I recommend the choux ala creme with plenty of custard cream, which is quite heavy. The choux pastry is light and fluffy, and the cream is light and easy to eat, with a rich taste of fermented butter. It's slightly small but has a strong flavor, providing a satisfying bite. The canele with rum is moderately strong in alcohol, but the crispy texture on the surface was a bit weak, possibly due to being baked a while ago. It's not fair to compare it to something shaped like a cafe's canele. The sincere young pastry chef was very polite in explaining the products. They also had pound cake and galette bretonne available, although some items were sold out due to the late hour. I recommend visiting earlier.

The fruit pudding dessert is exquisite. I became a fan right away because of the kind personality of the owner!