New York-born Benjamin Steakhouse Kyoto is marking the Gion Festival, one of Japan's three great festivals, with a two-day collaboration menu created together with long-established Kyoto bakery Shinshindo: a "Gion Festival Limited Burger" and two sangria smoothies. The limited menu will be sold at the restaurant on Wednesday, July 15 and Thursday, July 16, 2026.
The collaboration is meant to give the many visitors who travel to Kyoto for the Gion Festival a chance to experience Benjamin Steakhouse's cooking alongside flavors from a bakery long loved in the city, bringing New York steakhouse tradition together with Kyoto's baking heritage for a two-day taste of the city during festival season.
Gion Festival Limited Burger
The burger pairs a juicy, richly flavored patty made from Benjamin Steakhouse's in-house aged beef with Shinshindo's burger buns, known for their rich wheat flavor and moist texture, finished with the restaurant's own steak sauce.
Sangria Smoothies
Two festival-themed drinks round out the menu, each designed to evoke the sights of a Kyoto summer.
Red Sangria Smoothie: A red-wine-based smoothie blending peach and lychee juices with mixed berries and acai, styled after the glow of Gion Festival lanterns and the festival's nighttime bustle.
White Sangria Smoothie (Non-Alcoholic): A grapefruit-juice-based, alcohol-free smoothie with passion fruit and pineapple, finished with a refreshing hint of rosemary for a light, easy-drinking option during Kyoto's hot summer.
Menu & Details
Available: July 15 (Wednesday) and July 16 (Thursday), 2026
Hours: 4:00 PM to 10:00 PM
Prices (tax included):
- Gion Festival Limited Burger: ¥1,200
- Red Sangria Smoothie: ¥800
- White Sangria Smoothie (Non-Alcoholic): ¥800
About Benjamin Steakhouse
Benjamin Steakhouse was founded in 2006 in Manhattan by Benjamin Prelvukaj and Benjamin Sinanaj, together with chef Arturo McLeod, who spent approximately 20 years as a steak master at a long-established Brooklyn steakhouse. The restaurant serves steaks made exclusively from USDA-certified Prime Beef, aged in its own dedicated aging rooms.
Benjamin Steakhouse Kyoto
Address: 660-1 Hantoya-cho, Higashinotoin-dori, Nishikikoji Sagaru, Nakagyo-ku, Kyoto
Access: Approximately 3-minute walk from Hankyu Karasuma Station; approximately 4-minute walk from Shijo Station on the Subway Karasuma Line
Hours:
- Lunch: 11:30 AM to 3:00 PM (Last Order 2:00 PM)
- Dinner: 5:00 PM to 11:00 PM (Last Order Food 9:30 PM, Drink 10:00 PM)
- Sundays, Holidays, and Last Day of Consecutive Holidays: 5:00 PM to 10:00 PM (Last Order Food 9:00 PM, Drink 9:30 PM)
