Tokyo Vegan Guide: 6 Can’t Miss Restaurants + Where to Stay
Here’s the deal: the vegan scene in Tokyo is massive. I posted a photo of my Google Map that was practically bleeding with little pink hearts on Instagram, and the overall consensus was, WOW! To be honest, I was a little surprised, too. I had heard that there were some good vegan restaurants in Tokyo, but I didn’t expect to have such major FOMO — there’s just no way to make it to even half of them in one trip unless you’re staying for quite a while.
That’s a pretty great problem to have, right?
In addition to a thriving vegan scene, you’ll find towering skyscrapers and neon-lit streets to tranquil temples and historic gardens; Tokyo offers a vibrant mix of modernity and culture. There’s truly no end to the number of things you can do, see, and eat!
I was pretty sure that I would enjoy Tokyo, but I didn’t expect to be trying to figure out when I could return even before leaving. Maybe you’ll feel the same way, too!
This article contains affiliate links (paid links) and Veggies Abroad is a member of Amazon Services LLC Associated Program. At no cost to you, I may earn a small commission if you make a purchase — this helps keep Veggies Abroad churning out free content! For an explanation of our advertising partnerships, please review our privacy policy.
Vegan & Vegan-Friendly Restaurants to Visit in Tokyo
As I’ve already mentioned, there are a ton of vegan and vegan-friendly restaurants all over Tokyo — you could spend a month eating your way around the city and still not visit every single spot. So, pace yourself! My biggest vegan travel tip to you is to save spots to your Google Map to make it easier to navigate but also to help you plan out your itinerary — Tokyo isn’t a tiny town!
Vegan Cafe PQ’s
Location: Taito City
$$ Pancakes, curries, specialty drinks & desserts — 100% vegan
If you’ve researched vegan food in Japan or Tokyo, you’ve most definitely come across the super fluffy, souffle-like pancakes that seem to be all the rage. Why, you might ask? Honestly, I’m not sure. I will venture a guess and say that they’re absolutely adorable (cute things do well in Japan) and super tasty! Traditionally, these cloud cakes would be made with eggs to give them that lift, so it can be challenging to veganize them well. Vegan Café PQs said, “Challenge accepted,” and they killed it.
We got the chance to sample these delicious pancakes at a few spots in different cities in Japan, and by far, these were our favorite. In addition to being vegan, they’re also gluten-free, which is mind-blowing. Often, gluten-free pancakes are gummy and dense, but not these. The lightly sweet flavor and the perfect sponge-like cake with a bit of ice cream is outstanding. In addition to the souffle pancakes, they also have an all-American style (also gluten-free).
If you’re not interested in perfect cloud-like cakes, they’re also well known for their beautiful and artistic seasonal curries. Whatever you choose, consider trying one of their creative lattes or floats!
Ain Soph. Ginza
Location: Ginza
$$ Bento boxes, curries, pancakes, & other Japanese specials — 100% vegan
This modern spot will grab your attention with its chic and sophisticated storefront, beckoning you to come and take a peek at its menu. Our guide in Tokyo (who isn’t vegan) mentioned this was the first spot she’d been dying to try! One note: it is small, so getting a table at certain times of the day is often challenging.
The cute café is divided into multiple floors. On the first floor, right when you walk in, you’re greeted by a lovely bakery and sweets case filled with popular items like tiramisu, cookies, Japanese-style sweet sandwiches, and more. The second and fourth floors are for dining guests.
They offer a lunch and dinner menu with a mix of globally-inspired dishes from artistically styled Bento boxes to vibrant curries and fluffy pancakes. When we visited, we were on a pancake kick, so we tried their traditional pancakes with a hint of vanilla and ice cream and a bowl of karaage (veganized Japanese fried chick’n). The pancakes were great; the garage was just ok — they have some steep competition. I think Cosme Kitchen’s (scroll further for their highlight) might be better! I wish we had also gotten a Bento box, but we had to pace ourselves.
T’s Tantan
Locations: Tokyo Station, Ueno Station, Ikebukuro Station, & Narita Airport
$$ Ramen, rice bowls, gyoza — 100% vegan
Before even getting to Japan, I had heard quite a few great things about the special vegan ramen spot that’s greening up the dining scene in Tokyo train stations. You rarely hear about vegan restaurants in train stations—usually, you’re stuck with whatever miscellaneous snacks you can find!
We visited the location in the Tokyo Station, which is behind the ticketing platform with the rest of the shops; because of its location, you will need to purchase a platform ticket to go through. It was only about a buck, so nothing that would break the bank — it was worth it. Once we got through, we were greeted with a line — there was a wait! Not only is it great to have fabulous vegan options in a place like a train station, but it’s also amazing to see it so busy. We waited for about 20 minutes, so that is something to remember if you’re in a rush.
Their ramen was worth the wait! I enjoyed golden sesame ramen, which has a delicious creamy broth with a deep, nutty flavor. If you enjoy the ramen as much as I did, they also have takeaway noodle cups. I’m sure they are tasty, but nowhere near as tasty as the real deal!
Vegan Bistro Jangara
Location: Shibuya City
$$ Ramen, gyoza, burgers, soy meat — 100% vegan
Incredibly jet-lagged, we dragged ourselves out of bed and onto the subway to visit this spot. I had been eyeing their photos of perfectly put-together bowls of ramen and savory skillets of meat — I couldn’t leave Tokyo without trying it!
If you’re interested in shopping and, of course, checking out the iconic Shibuya Crossing, this spot is right in the heart of it all. When your itinerary takes you to this part of the city, you can easily stop here for lunch, dinner, or both (I would 1000% come back)!
Their menu offers a mix of dishes, from vegan poutine fries and burgers to ramen and curry. Burgers are great, but you’ve got to come here to try their Japanese specialties, including ramen, curry, plump gyoza, seared soy meat, and more. I ordered the popular sizzling seared soy meat that comes steaming and is covered with a savory sauce for extra sizzle and drama — after the first bite, I thought I should’ve ordered extra meat, and I think we’re going to eat well in Japan!
Matt went for the Karabon ramen, which has a beautiful golden red broth that screams, “I’m going to melt your face off!” And it did! In between sniffles and forehead wipes, Matt gave a sweaty thumbs up. Needless to say, if you’re interested in spicy ramen, this spot has it! If you’re not interested in spice, their traditional soy sauce ramen has a mild broth — you shouldn’t require a towel.
Cosme Kitchen Adaptation
Location: Shibuya City
$$ Seasonal menu, karaage, curry — vegan-friendly
This was not on my vegan hit list, but we spent a day with a local guide, and as lunch rolled around, she said she had a suggestion that she knew was vegan-friendly. After 6 hours of walking in the hot sun, we were slightly nervous it wouldn’t be super vegan-friendly, but we were also so hungry that we were willing to settle for a plate of fries.
As soon as we walked in (after going up an endless number of escalators, it’s on the 7th floor of a shopping mall), we were greeted with a glass case declaring “vegan and gluten-free desserts.” At that point, I knew she had chosen a good spot! When we visited, the menu was mostly vegan; there were only a few non-vegan options. They focus on clean eating by incorporating an abundance of fresh veggies and fermented foods.
At a place that focuses on “clean eating,” you probably wouldn’t think their vegan fried chick’n (karaage) would be the best option to order, but it was my favorite. I tried a few versions of it at other restaurants in Japan, and Cosme did the best job with flavor and texture — it was super satisfying.
The Vegan Marshmallooow
Location: Ginza
$$ Patisserie & bakery — 100% vegan
After all of that ramen and karaage, you’re going to need something sweet, and you’re in for a treat with this spot, that is, if you can find it! This sophisticated vegan and gluten-free patisserie is tucked in the lower level (B2 floor) of one of the many shopping malls in Ginza. The sign for it isn’t massive, so you really have to be on the lookout for it.
The pastry cases were filled with picture-perfect little cakes with layers of cream and berries, cookies, jellies (popular in Japan but not always vegan-friendly), and more. We were impressed by the variety and beauty of everything — I think our guide got a kick out of me as I took a million photos!
We settled on a mini strawberry cream cake with delicate layers of fluffy sponge cake with vanilla cream and a mini matcha cake. Both were outstanding. Even the most discerning palette would have no idea either cake was gluten-free (on top of being vegan); the flavor and texture were perfect. They also have gift boxes of sweets—mostly cookies and jellies — which would be a great gift or a way to take some treats home. I wish I had done that.
Tokyo Vegan Dining Tip
Restaurant hours vary widely in Japan. I had trouble figuring out lunch and dinner spots because many places operate select hours throughout the day (e.g., breakfast service, lunch service, etc.). As if that wasn’t enough to create a challenge with itinerary planning, there were also places that didn’t open until later in the day (no lunch service) or closed on random days of the week (why, Wednesday?). My last gripe? Hours are not always updated in Google. On our final day, we made a dash to a neighborhood that was out of the way to visit a vegan bakery and a vegan ice cream place to find out both were closed (or in the process of closing).
So, the moral of the story is: If you really want to visit somewhere, make sure you check its hours on Google, its website (if it has one), and its social media! Trust me, you’ll be happy you didn’t go on a wild adventure just to find out a spot is closed.
Vegan-Friendly Hotel in Tokyo
There’s a market for vegan or very vegan-friendly hotels in Japan, as most places will leave you a little disappointed! If you stay at a 5-star hotel, they will be able to handle any request you throw at them, but things get dicey outside of that. We had a good experience at this hotel and would definitely return.
Shiba Park Hotel
Location: Minato City
There were two big highlights for our stay here — the location and everything on their breakfast buffet was well marked (that goes a long way)! Although we didn’t find vegan pancakes or pastries, we did have a good selection of cereal, Japanese dishes, salad, and toast. They even had a vegan and gluten-free roll—in all honesty, it was like eating sand, but I appreciated the option. My one gripe is that they don’t keep their soy milk out with other milk, so you have to ask for it. It’s not a big deal to ask, but I bet that makes many people think there isn’t an option.
On the location side, it’s very centrally located and just a short walk to the subway. Keep in mind that Tokyo is giant! When choosing where to stay, it’s important that you choose somewhere very close to transit, as you’re going to want to get around. We could get to most areas of the city in 30 minutes or less from here.
Book Your Stay
More Vegan Travel Help
Whether you’re exploring more of Japan or just looking for a bit of travel inspiration, you’ve come to the right place! Check out these other guides and articles.
