cenci

The story

cenci Kyoto: Italian Restaurant with a Michelin Star (2026)

cenci is an Italian restaurant at 44-7 Shogoin Entomicho, Sakyo-ku, Kyoto, and it earned one Michelin star in 2026 for high quality cooking. The Italian kitchen draws on Japanese produce, and the restaurant's own menu pages show that mix clearly.

Seasonal Italian cooking

A dinner menu the restaurant published in December 2014 read like a calendar of the Kyoto season. It listed ayu, Kamo eggplant, sazae and cutlassfish next to tomato, basil and green asparagus. Pasta had its place too, with chitarra served alongside leek and sazae. The menu changes with the season, so the dishes you find will depend on when you visit.

Room and counter

The restaurant offers counter dining, a private room and a wine bar setup. Gault&Millau gave cenci 16 points in 2026, which places it among the more closely watched Italian kitchens in the city. The room suits both a seat at the counter and a private gathering.