11 Best Spots for Vegan Food in Kyoto

Honestly, I didn’t know what to expect with vegan food options or restaurants in Kyoto before booking my ticket. I figured it’s a major city that receives loads of tourists, so that would definitely influence the diversity of food available, right? At the end of the day, it couldn’t be that bad, right? I mean, if it’s a little lackluster, maybe the vibrant shrines tucked away in bamboo groves would make up for it.

I think I’ve gotten a little cocky over the last couple of years that there will almost always be something decent for me to eat wherever I go. It’s not all based on wishful hoping and good luck; according to research by The Good Food Institute, “66 percent of global consumers aged 16–44 report that they plan to spend more on plant-based meat and dairy alternatives in the future.”

These figures are heavily influencing business decisions and product lineups around the world. Places that would once scoff at the idea of having vegan options are now like, oh yeah, of course, we have non-dairy cheese, milk, etc.

Luckily, Kyoto was no different!

I found some stellar vegan and vegan-friendly restaurants throughout the city, from a vegan Izakaya to more bowls of ramen than I knew what to do with! Actually, I found more spots for vegan food than I had time to visit in Kyoto — isn’t that the best problem to have?

2. Premarché Alternative Diner

We actually had zero plans to visit this spot. We planned to visit a Chinese spot, but after trekking halfway across the city, we found that it wasn’t entirely clear if it was open. Sounds confusing, right? Well, it’s even more confusing (and a little frustrating) when you’re hungry, tired, and standing in what appears to be a deserted restaurant! By the time we made it to that spot, it was late, and many other places had stopped serving dinner except Premarché. We snuck in just 15 minutes before the kitchen closed and apologized profusely for our tardiness while promising to order and eat quickly!

The menu errs a bit more on the junk food side—burgers, fries, rice bowls—and it’s heavily vegan-forward. Just about everything is vegan, but you can swap out a vegan burger (made from soy or wheat) for beef. I had no intention of coming here because you can get burgers just about anywhere in the world, and I’m in Japan, but maybe it was serendipitous! The food was super flavorful and affordable — it was a fabulous experience. To top it off, the staff was super lovely, even though they should’ve been giving us the evil eye to get out of there!

3. Choice

During our time in Kyoto, we spent one of the days with a local guide. I love planning time with a guide because it always helps to better understand where you’re visiting and get a local perspective. We trekked around the city and saw many sights, but then it came to lunch, and I was a little worried. He knew we were vegan, but would he really understand what that meant? As lunch got closer, he mentioned he had a place in mind that he always takes a vegan friend from NYC. Would we like to try it? Well, sure, I think!

Thankfully, he did really understand what vegan meant and took us to this fabulous little café that is well known for its exceptional house-made vegan cheese. Just like with burgers, I had no intention of going to Japan and getting pizza, but I had to try their cheese! The small personal pizza comes with little dollops of their tangy and creamy mozzarella, which was fantastic. It was so good, Matt was disappointed that he didn’t get it, too. In addition to cheesy pizza, you’ll also find pasta, soba noodle salad, and a selection of specials. Also, everything is gluten-free!

5. Veg Out

If you love a more Western-style breakfast, you will struggle a bit in Japan. A traditional Japanese breakfast is made up of rice, miso, grilled fish, pickled veggies, and tamago (egg) — usually, I’d say embrace the local foods, but in this case, it would leave you with rice and possibly the veggies — you’re pretty much guaranteed to be hungry or at least we were. Our hotel breakfast wasn’t stellar, so we set off to visit this charming vegan café and yoga studio that sits along the Kamogawa River. For breakfast, you’ll find a few different hearty toast options topped with banana, peanut butter, roasted veggies, and avocado, along with house-made granola and pastries (Matt gave two thumbs up for their matcha chip muffins).

If you don’t make it for breakfast, no worries! They also have a colorful and flavorful lineup of lunch options — just looking at the house-made curry makes me hungry!

6. Café Tea Terrace

Tucked into the Gion District is this modern vegan and gluten-free café, which is actually part of the Gion Elite Terrace hotel. If you’re looking for a place to stay, I suggest checking it out. After a long morning in the sun, this serene place was just what we needed.

Their menu mainly focuses on veganizing traditional options like ramen, curry, and egg sandwiches, but you’ll also find burgers. Their ramen was one of my favorites! The broth was super flavorful, which was a surprise because it was made without garlic, leeks, onions, or chives to follow the principles of Shojin Ryori. They also used millet noodles, which held up so much better than rice noodles. Sometimes, rice noodles become a messy clump; it seems millet might perform better! You’ll also want one of their delicious (and pretty) matcha lattes and maybe their signature dumplings made with plantains.

8. Café Phalam

I came across this vegan-friendly spot in my hunt for vegan breakfast options. Reviewers raved about it! One shared that they wish they hadn’t found it on their last day because they would’ve gone every day! Sadly, we found it on our last day as well. The cozy little spot offers a peaceful atmosphere to enjoy your Matcha latte, veggie burger, cake, or whatever you please!

For breakfast, Café Phalam offered multiple “sets.” You will quickly learn that sets are very popular in Japan. Depending on the time of day, it usually includes a main entrée, soup or salad, and a drink. Café Phalam had three: a special morning set, a muffin set, and a granola set. The first two were vegan; the granola could be made vegan because they can substitute dairy yogurt for soy yogurt. The sets are super fun as you get to try a bunch of different things, all of which were house-made. That reviewer was right; this is definitely the type of place you will want to visit every morning!

10. (THISIS) NATURE

We all know beautiful food always sells way better than something that’s kinda ugly (but delicious). This vegan ice cream spot excels in the beauty category. They created a viral ice cream flower bouquet that is a work of art. While it’s gorgeous, it’s not the tastiest thing. The bouquet is made of bean paste, and there’s a lot of bean paste to eat before you get to the ice cream, which is a bummer! Although I don’t really recommend the bean paste (unless it’s something you love), their ice cream was terrific! They have a few different house-made flavors that are super creamy! I recommend skipping the flowers and going for a couple of scoops!

11. Doughnut Cafe Nicotto & Mam

One more donut shop to check out in Kyoto, and almost everything here is vegan! The shop prides itself on creating fluffy creations without eggs or dairy; everything was marked vegan when we visited. I guess it could be possible that they use honey in some of the others — it’s always good to ask or stick with the ones with the little green vegan leaf. You’ll find a variety of traditional cake donuts in fun flavors like matcha, peanut, chocolate, and maple, along with filled options — don’t skip the soymilk whipped filling!

Vegan Kyoto Dining Tip

Hours of operation gave me a real run for my money in Kyoto! As you’re mapping out all of the vegan spots that you want to visit be sure to note when they are open. I found that many places are open select hours throughout the day (for instance a couple of hours for breakfast, then lunch, etc.) or they don’t open until the evening, or they’re closed random days throughout the week! Needless to say, it was a bit of a challenge to keep track. Also, if there is somewhere that you have your heart set on visiting then also check their Instagram or Facebook for updates on hours. I had a couple of experiences where Google said they were open but when I arrived they clearly weren’t!