CHIMERA

Located directly in front of Kyoto’s Yasaka Shrine, CHIMERA is an Italian Innovative restaurant that has redefined the city’s fine dining scene.
In the “MICHELIN Guide Kyoto Osaka + Tottori 2019 Selection”, CHIMERA became the first restaurant in Kyoto to earn a Michelin star in the Italian Innovative category, and it has also been selected as one of Tabelog’s Top 100 Restaurants—recognition befitting its distinguished reputation.

Owner-Chef Tsutsui trained at the renowned Italian restaurant Ponte Vecchio in Osaka, where he became head chef at the young age of 24.
He approaches each ingredient with precision, understanding the character of every part and combining elements that complement one another perfectly. His creations—born from both flexible imagination and analytical intellect—are visually stunning and boldly original, reflecting the chef’s meticulous attention to detail in every color and composition.

Highly regarded by fellow chefs in the same genre, CHIMERA has become a gathering place for culinary professionals and passionate diners alike. The restaurant’s name, derived from the mythological creature Chimera—a fusion of lion, goat, and serpent—symbolizes the concept of “fusion” itself, an apt expression of Chef Tsutsui’s cuisine.

Here, guests can experience the evolution and discovery of Japan’s innovative culinary movement.

※ CHIMERA will relocate from its current location at the end of December 2025 and reopen near Heian Shrine in March 2026.