conceptConcept

Bar counter at Bello Vero, a hidden-gem Italian restaurant near Ginkakuji Quiet table seating at Bello Vero in Kitashirakawa, Kyoto

Bello VeroBeautiful & True

"Bello vero" means "beautiful and true" in Italian. Tucked away in the quiet Kitashirakawa neighborhood of Northern Higashiyama — just north of Kyoto University and within walking distance of Ginkakuji (Silver Pavilion) and the Philosopher's Path — Bello Vero is a hidden-gem Italian restaurant for those seeking authentic spaghetti and pasta away from the tourist crowds.
No set courses, just à la carte. A single plate of spaghetti is perfectly welcome — or open a bottle of wine and take your time. Open until 22:00, so you can stop in after sightseeing for a late dinner when most places around Ginkakuji have already closed.

Evening interior of Bello Vero — dishes and wine on a wooden table

accessAccess & Info

Bello VeroKitashirakawa, Kyoto

Address
64-17 Kitashirakawa Kubota-cho, Sakyo-ku, Kyoto Google Maps
Getting Here
City Bus "Kitashirakawa" stop — 2 min walk
Eizan Railway "Chayama-Kyoto Geijutsu Daigaku" station — 10 min walk
~15 min walk from Ginkakuji (Silver Pavilion)
~12 min walk from the Philosopher's Path (north end)
Just north of Kyoto University campus.
Hours
Open Daily 13:00–22:00L.O. 21:30
Closed
Monday
Days off this month
Mon Jun 1 · Mon Jun 8 · Mon Jun 15 · Tue Jun 16 · Mon Jun 22 · Mon Jun 29
Mon Jul 6 · Tue Jul 7 · Mon Jul 13 · Tue Jul 21 · Mon Jul 27 · Tue Jul 28
Payment
Cash / Credit Card / E-money / QR Payment

guest voiceBello Vero, Captured by Our Guests

guide & faqDining near Ginkakuji & Kitashirakawa

Looking for Dinner or Wine near the Silver Pavilion?

The area around Ginkakuji (Silver Pavilion) and the Philosopher's Path is famous for its beauty, but finding a place for dinner can be a challenge. Most local eateries close by 5:00 PM or 6:00 PM, leaving visitors wondering where to eat in the evening.

Bello Vero is located in the quiet Kitashirakawa neighbourhood, just a 15-minute walk from Ginkakuji. We are open until 10:00 PM (L.O. 9:30 PM), making us a rare late-dinner option in Northern Higashiyama. Whether you want a full meal or just a glass of wine after your walk, you are welcome here.

Q. Is there lunch or "day drinking" near Ginkakuji?

A. Yes — we are open continuously from 1:00 PM. You can enjoy a late lunch, or drop in for a glass of Champagne or natural wine in the afternoon.

Q. Do I need a reservation? Is solo dining welcome?

A. Walk-ins are always welcome — solo travellers stopping by for a plate of pasta and a glass of wine fit right in. If you would like to be sure of a seat (especially at the counter), please use our online booking site (TableCheck) or call +81 75 600 0740.

Q. Are there vegetarian options?

A. Some of our dishes can be prepared vegetarian. Please feel free to ask us when you arrive, or mention it when you make your reservation, and we will do our best to accommodate.

Q. Can I come by bicycle?

A. Yes — there is space to park a bicycle right in front of the restaurant. A handy stop while exploring the Kyoto University / Kyoto University of the Arts area on two wheels.

journalJournal

Mushroom and onion salad at Bello Vero — raw sliced mushrooms over onion, blanketed in freshly grated Parmigiano
Antipasto

Mushroom & onion salad

Raw sliced mushrooms over onion dressed with our house-made dressing, blanketed in freshly grated Parmigiano

2026.05.27
Highball at Bello Vero, poured with Chivas Regal Mizunara 12 Year
Whisky

The Highball, poured with Chivas Mizunara

A scotch finished in Japanese mizunara oak — an incense-like trace, and a glass that never gets in the food's way

2026.05.23
Bello Vero's Berry Soda — house-made berry sauce over crushed ice in a balloon glass, finished with mint
Non-alcoholic

Berry Soda — Our Non-alcoholic Hero

House-made berry sauce, crushed ice made to order, and soda — a glass guests (especially the ladies) keep asking about

2026.05.21
Bello Vero's Limone — house-made lemon soda with fresh lemon and rosemary, Stoli vodka bottle in the background
Cocktail

Limone — Our House-made Lemon Soda

Lemon peel and juice steeped in Stoli vodka, finished with soda. Not sweet — easy to drink, perfect for the first glass

2026.05.19
Bello Vero's mojito — crushed ice, fresh mint and lime in a stemmed glass, Bacardi Carta Blanca in the background
Cocktail

Cracked, Torn, Pressed — Our Mojito, One Glass at a Time

Built fresh after you order: ice cracked at the counter, mint torn by hand. The first few minutes are the most beautiful

2026.05.16
Bello Vero's by-the-glass Champagne — Bollinger Special Cuvée served in a vintage coupe glass, next to the bottle
Wine

Champagne by the Glass — Tonight, Bollinger

Served in a vintage coupe — the wide, shallow glass favoured by the Belle Époque, a special pour by the glass

2026.05.15
Bello Vero's carrot rapé — finely grated carrots dressed with lemon and olive oil, finished with black pepper
Antipasto

Carrot Rapé, Carrots & Lemon on a Small Plate

Finely shredded carrots dressed with lemon and olive oil — a quietly French antipasto

2026.05.12
Three new Italian reds arrived at Bello Vero — Cascina Roccalini Barbaresco 2020, L'Arco Arcum Valpolicella Ripasso 2022, Poderi Sanguineto Vino Nobile di Montepulciano 2021
Wine

Three New Italian Reds, from Three Regions

Barbaresco from Piedmont, Ripasso from Veneto, Vino Nobile from Tuscany

2026.05.10
Two new Friulian wines arrived at Bello Vero — Bressan Verduzzo 2021 and Damijan Podversic Ribolla Gialla
Wine

Two New Wines: Friuli's Skin-Contact Whites

Verduzzo from the 1726 Bressan estate, and Ribolla Gialla from Damijan in Oslavia

2026.05.09
Bello Vero's jamón serrano — Spanish dry-cured ham, sliced thin and dressed with black pepper and olive oil
Antipasto

Jamón Serrano, Spanish Dry-Cured Ham

Mountain-aged Spanish ham, sliced thin with black pepper and olive oil

2026.05.05
Bello Vero's caponata — eggplant, red pepper, onion and tomato simmered Sicilian-style with wine vinegar and sugar
Antipasto

Caponata, the Sweet-Sour Sicilian Antipasto

Eggplant, red pepper, onion and tomato simmered with wine vinegar and sugar — Sicilian agrodolce

2026.05.04
Bello Vero's seasonal vegetable fritto — six market vegetables in light Italian batter, with lemon and salt
Contorno

Seasonal Vegetable Fritto — Six Kinds, with Lemon and Salt

The northern-Italian fritto, with whatever the market gave us

2026.05.03
Bello Vero's grilled American eggplant with Bolognese sauce and melted cheese
Secondo

Grilled American Eggplant with Bolognese — Cheese Melted on Top

Half-grilled American eggplant layered with our beef-tendon Bolognese and melted cheese

2026.05.02
Bello Vero's Lampredotto — Florentine beef tripe braised clear in white wine
Secondo

Lampredotto — Florentine Street-Stall Tripe, Clarified in White Wine

No tomato. Just aromatic vegetables and white wine, drawn out clear and light

2026.04.30
Bello Vero fresh fish carpaccio with shiso and parsley salsa verde
Antipasto

Fresh Fish Carpaccio, with a Shiso & Parsley Salsa Verde

Hand-picked seasonal fish, dressed Italian-style for a Kyoto evening

2026.04.29
Three new Italian wines at Bello Vero (Solata, Palme 2023, Palme 2024)
Wine

Three New Italian Wines: A Tour of Skin-Contact

A red and white from one Piedmontese vineyard, plus an orange from Emilia

2026.04.26
Four new Italian wines at Bello Vero
Wine

Four New Italian Wines, Travelling West Across the North

From Veneto, Friuli and Valle d'Aosta

2026.04.25
Bello Vero beef carpaccio with lemon and Parmigiano
Antipasto

Beef Carpaccio with Lemon & Parmigiano

A Venetian antipasto, reimagined for a Kyoto evening

2026.04.24
Bello Vero fried potato with anchovy garlic butter
Antipasto

Fried Potato, Anchovy Garlic Butter

A sit-down antipasto with rosemary and cracked pepper

2026.04.23
Three new white wines at Bello Vero
Wine

Three New White Wines for a Spring Evening

From Alsace, Veneto and the Loire

2026.04.22
Bello Vero Penne Arrabbiata, Roman-style spicy tomato sauce
Pasta

Arrabbiata — Rome's Angry Red Pasta

Garlic, chilli and tomato, a dish built by subtraction

2026.04.21
Four new white wines at Bello Vero
Wine

Four Whites, Listening to the Land

New arrivals from Japan and Europe — natural and biodynamic

2026.04.20
Bello Vero freshly baked focaccia
Bread

Freshly Baked Focaccia

A bread from ancient Rome, and the art of wiping the plate

2026.04.19
Bello Vero Dried Tomato alla Sorrentina pasta
Pasta

Dried Tomato alla Sorrentina

A pasta from the southern Italian seaside — in Kitashirakawa, Kyoto

2026.04.18
Bello Vero A5 Japanese Black Wagyu Steak 150g
Secondo

A5 Wagyu Steak 150g

From Ginkakuji Onishi, Kitashirakawa — Italian style in Kyoto

2026.04.17
Bello Vero Salsiccia with Mashed Potato
Secondo

What Is Salsiccia?

Italian sausage with mashed potato in Kyoto

2026.04.16
Bello Vero Strawberry Semifreddo with Crumble
Dessert

Strawberry & Crumble Semifreddo

Dessert at an Italian in Kitashirakawa, Kyoto

2026.04.15
Bello Vero Bolognese
Pasta

Bolognese in Kitashirakawa

Italian pasta near Ginkakuji, Kyoto

2026.04.14

city archiveGinkaku-ji & Kitashirakawa, 500 years

Kan'ei-go Manji-zen Rakuchū-ezu — an early Edo-era map of Kyoto
CITY ARCHIVE — Eight Chapters

Ginkaku-ji and Kitashirakawa, Five Centuries at the Foot of Higashiyama

From Hideyoshi's earthen rampart of 1591 and the 1780 Miyako Meisho-zue, through Ashikaga Yoshimasa's mountain villa, Hashimoto Kansetsu and the Philosopher's Path, the food and craft of the Kitashirakawa alluvial fan, fireflies at night, and the medieval Tōji manuscripts. An eight-chapter local-history archive built on primary sources held by Kyoto University and the Kyoto Prefectural Library and Archives.

Open the eight-chapter archive →