DODICI

The story

DODICI | Michelin-Starred Italian Restaurant in Kyoto | Fine Dining

DODICI

In a quiet corner of Nakagyo-ku, Kyoto, DODICI presents a singular vision of Italian cuisine. The name means “12” in Italian, a nod to the twelve months of the year. Chef de Cuisine Hiroshi Omoto, who spent years honing his craft in Italy at Michelin-starred restaurants including Ristorante Dorada and Ristorante Perubbellini, returns to Kyoto to create a menu that changes with each month, reflecting the seasons in every dish.

The dining room sets a serious yet comfortable tone. Gold, silver, and dark navy create a sense of quiet luxury. The restaurant’s concept is direct: provide overwhelming hospitality and the best Italian cuisine in Kyoto in a luxurious space. That approach earned DODICI a Michelin star, a recognition of the high quality cooking and the precision of its kitchen.

Omoto’s Italian cooking is rooted in technique but driven by the seasons. The menu showcases ingredients from trusted local producers, such as pesticide-free vegetables from Ishiwari Farm in southern Kyoto, Kyoto duck and venison from Kameoka City, and Omi beef from Shiga Prefecture. A typical dinner course might begin with a carpaccio of flatfish, lotus root, and autumn salad with a white balsamic sheet, then move to a ginger consommé with wax gourd and black truffle. Charcoal-grilled wild eel with ume plum risotto and shiso leaves follows, then oven-baked Edomae barracuda with homemade fish sauce bagna cauda. Venison roti with a simple grape sauce and a finale of fig sorbet with marsala sauce round out the experience.

The wine program is equally considered. Manager Takeaki Nakajima, a sommelier certified in two countries, oversees a cellar of roughly 500 bottles from Italy, France, California, and Chile. He tailors pairings to each guest’s taste and the progression of the meal.

Lunch is served in two formats: an eight-dish course at 8,800 yen and a ten-dish shorter version of the dinner at 13,200 yen. The dinner menu is a ten-dish course at 16,500 yen, and a chef’s special eleven-dish course at 25,300 yen is available with three days’ advance notice. Service charge is not included; tax is 10%.