Tokyo Is a Vegan Food Lover’s Destination, From Sushi to Ramen

Tokyo’s food scene is nothing short of renowned. It has more eateries with Michelin stars than Paris and New York combined, and earlier this year, one report from Titan Travel named it the most diverse culinary destination in the world. So if you’re heading there anytime soon, it’s guaranteed that you are going to want to eat your way around Japan’s thriving capital city. And if you’re in the mood for plant-based food, you won’t be disappointed. Below, we’ve picked just a handful of standout vegan-friendly restaurants for you to check out.

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Is vegan sushi a thing in Japan?

Traditional Japanese sushi usually revolves around three simple ingredients: rice, nori, and fish. But over the years, Tokyo’s sushi scene has become more diverse and creative. Now, you can find many different takes on the culinary classics across the city, including delicious plant-based versions.

Sushi Gonpachi in the neighborhood of Nishi-Azabu, for example, offers a fully-fledged vegan menu, with options like avocado, Japanese ginger, and even vegetable caviar. Katsu Midori is another vegan-friendly sushi destination, where you’ll find plant-based options like cucumber rolls served to you on a traditional conveyor belt.

Is Tokyo vegan-friendly?

While Tokyo is known for seafood, it also has plenty of vegan-friendly restaurants. In fact, according to Happy Cow, there are nearly 800 vegan- and vegetarian-friendly eateries across the city.

It’s worth noting that many traditional Japanese ingredients are already vegan. Tofu, for example, is a staple of the cuisine. Seaweed is also integral to many different dishes, including sushi, and you’ll also often see plant-based ingredients like miso, rice, soba noodles, shiitake mushrooms, pickled vegetables, and daikon on menus across Tokyo.

Where to find the best vegan food in Tokyo

As mentioned above, plenty of restaurants in Tokyo have vegan options. But to help you narrow down your choice, below we’ve picked just a handful of the best vegan-friendly eateries in the city.

Saido

1 Saido

If you want a top-notch, totally vegan, authentic Japanese dining experience in Tokyo, Saido has to be at the top of your must-visit list. Expect to sit down to several delicious courses of traditional delights, including plant-based sushi, tempura, soup, edamame, ramen, and so much more.
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2foods

2 2foods

This popular vegan spot, which has two locations in Tokyo, serves a wide variety of dishes, from Westernized mains to Japanese classics. It’s a great spot to check out if you’re in the mood for a juicy plant-based burger and fries, for example, but don’t leave without sampling 2foods’ highly rated plant-based version of Omurice. The latter is a traditional Japanese dish usually served with beef.
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T’s

3 T’s

T’s has been serving the city delicious vegan food since 2009, and it’s still going strong today. Once you’ve tasted the menu, filled with flavorful seasonal soups, Beyond Meat steak, and gyoza dumplings, you’ll understand why. An absolute must-try is the vegan ramen—it’s what T’s is known for in Tokyo’s vegan community. Right now, T’s has four locations across Tokyo.
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Lotus Cafe

4 Lotus Cafe

Lotus Cafe offers a nourishing, flavor-laden fusion of Japanese and Hawaiian cuisine. Standout menu choices include the vegan karange curry plate, which offers a tasty plant-based take on Japanese fried chicken. Pair it with delicious sides like kimchi and chickpea croquettes.
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Vegan Bistro Jangara

5 Vegan Bistro Jangara

If you feel like taking a night to yourself to recharge, consider treating yourself to a takeout from Vegan Bistro Jangara. Sit back and relax with nourishing dishes including gyozas, karange made with soy meat, Taiwanese spicy noodles, and much more. Feel like getting out? You can dine in for lunch or dinner, too.
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Ballon

6 Ballon

If a falafel bowl (or sandwich) followed by vegan soft serve sounds like your dream lunchtime meal, then you need to get yourself to Ballon, where you can have exactly that. If it’s chilly outside, then you can’t go wrong with a nice bowl of hearty tomato soup from this small yet popular eatery either.
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Cafe Tarot

7 Cafe Tarot

Head to the Tokyo Tarot Museum to learn all about tarot and mythology, and when you’re done, pop to Cafe Tarot for a tasty plant-based lunch. Treat yourself to a vegan egg sandwich with mayonnaise, a bowl of hearty soup, or a housemade burger. Just in the mood for something sweet? There are vegan muffins and cookies to choose from, too.
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