If you want to dine with the rich and famous, it’s a good idea to head to Nobu. Co-founded by Japanese chef Nobu Matsuhisa, who Eater once described as the “culinary world’s Madonna,” Hollywood legend Robert De Niro, and filmmaker Meir Teper, the fine-dining sushi giant is a long-held celebrity favorite. Kim Kardashian loves its Lychee Martini, while at just six years old, Stormi Webster (daughter of Kylie Jenner, of course), is already a fan of the restaurant’s edamame beans. Leonardo DiCaprio, Phoebe Dynevor, Taylor Swift (and beau Travis Kelce), and Jaden Smith are just a few more of the high-profile fans who frequent the chain’s high-end restaurants for a taste of sushi—much of which, it turns out, can be made vegan.
We scoured the internet to find the very best vegan choices from the restaurant chain, all of which have been put to the taste test by real plant-based diners. Want to know what to seek out? Find our list below.
Nobu’s co-founder, Nobu Matsuhisa
Does Nobu cater to vegans?
While Nobu, which now has more than 50 restaurants around the world, offers plenty of fish and meat, it isn’t short of plant-based options. If you turn up at one of its locations (Los Angeles would likely be your best bet for a celebrity sighting) and you can’t see a vegan option that takes your fancy, it’s a good idea to speak to your server. On Happy Cow, the vegan restaurant-finder app, many reviewers of Nobu’s locations state that this step is essential for getting the best food.
“Went with a group of omni folks, thinking I’d get a couple of avocado and cucumber rolls and eat on the way back to my hotel. Boy was I wrong,” wrote one reviewer of Nobu, Caesar’s Palace, in Las Vegas on Happy Cow. “The waiter told me they could do their omakase veganized.”
Another review of Nobu’s Palo Alto, California location reads: “Went here with a large group (I was the only vegan). The staff were very kind and accommodated my vegan request. They had to have made like four or five different plates for me that were fantastic.”
According to the high-end sushi chain’s Shoreditch, London location, it has been trying to increase its plant-based offering to keep up with demand. In the UK, in particular, appetite for vegan food is growing. In 2021, for example, research suggested that one in four Brits were reducing the amount of animal products they were eating.
“I went in a doubter but left with one of the best Vegas dining experiences I’ve had,” says one Happy Cow reviewer of Nobu, Caesar’s Palace.
“In response to the increasing demand for plant-based and vegetarian food, we aim with our menus to offer a diverse selection of delicious options suitable for vegans, vegetarians, and those with gluten sensitivities,” Nobu Hotel, London Shoreditch states on its website. “These choices not only have the potential for a reduced environmental footprint compared to meat but can also support a healthier lifestyle.”
The location even has a Vegan Elements Menu, which features five different plant-based selections themed around the elements. The Water section, for example, offers dishes like Hosomaki Mushroom, Wakame Citrus Salad, and Gunkan Maki Seaweed Salad. But Nobu in Shoreditch isn’t alone.
(The internet’s favorite) vegan options at Nobu
Below, we’ve picked out some of the best reviews of Nobu’s vegan selection we could find. So next time you’re dining with the rich and famous, you can do so without any animal products at all.
@annathingbutanimals
1 Veggie Hand Roll With Sesame Miso Sauce
Eaten at: Nobu, Caesar’s Palace, Las Vegas
TikTok account @annathingbutanimals posted her account of everything she ate during a visit last year to Nobu, Caesar’s Palace, when she tucked into a seven-course omakase tasting menu. We have to say, it all looks delectable, but one of the stand-out options, however, has to be the veggie hand roll starter, which is served with sesame miso sauce.
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@annathingbutanimals
2 Brick Oven Tofu With Jalapeño Miso
Eaten at: Nobu, Caesar’s Palace, Las Vegas
The same video from @annathingbutanimals showcases a stunningly presented Brick Oven Tofu With Jalapeño Miso, which we’d request immediately if we were to step in Nobu, Caesar’s Palace right now. “Amazing experience,” said Anna, the TikToker behind the account. “I can highly recommend Nobu for vegans.”
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Perth Vegan Eats
3 Nasu Miso
Eaten at: Nobu, Perth
Down under, in Perth, Australia, the Instagram account @perthveganeats revealed some delicious vegan eats at Nobu, including Nasu Miso (which is miso-glazed eggplant). According to the account, it’s “the best vegan dish on the menu.” Other tasty options include miso soup, edamame, tofu yakimono, and cucumber sunomomo. Again, the account recommended speaking to your server to find out the best options (“the staff are so knowledgeable!”).
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That Vegan Life Doe
5 Avocado Tartar
Eaten at: Nobu, Malibu
According That Vegan Life Doe, Nobu, Malibu “is a slice of heaven.” One of the best options at the California restaurant according to the plant-based blog was avocado tartar with wasabi sauce. “So damn good man,” it states. Other notable dishes include simple avocado rolls, crunchy rice, and sizzling tofu.
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Plant Based Dutchie
6 Tofu Tomato Salad
Eaten at: Nobu, Dubai
Another Happy Cow reviewer raved about the vegan options at Nobu, but this time, at its restaurant in Dubai. “The waiter recommended multiple dishes and eventually we decided to just let him bring whatever he thinks is good which was a good choice,” they stated. “He put together an entire menu for us made up of multiple dishes.” One of which was a tofu tomato salad. Other tasty options included crispy shiitake salad, mushroom tacos, and avocado sushi.
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Kaylee Bayker
7 Eggplant Miso
Eaten at: Nobu, Los Angeles
In a TikTok set to Ratatouille’s “Le Festin” (which always makes us hungry), Kaylee Bayker showcased all of the tasty-looking vegetarian options at Nobu, Los Angeles. So if you’re celeb-hunting, you can sit and feast on options like edamame, avocado slices, and eggplant miso, and wash it all down with an Açaí Punch.
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Charlotte is a VegNews editor and writer based in sunny Southsea on England's southern coast.
