Vegan Osaka: 9 Best Restaurants for Vegan Food
Calling all vegan foodies! A trip to Japan isn’t complete without a visit to the country’s food capital, Osaka! I know the phrase “food capital,” and Japan probably makes you a little suspicious, but while the country is known for some very un-vegan-friendly things, Osaka has a fabulous vegan scene!
Behind the neon lights of Dotonbori, you will find plenty of places serving up veganized Osakan favorites like Takoyaki, Okonomiyaki, Kushikatsu, and more! You might be scratching your head thinking, tak-o-what? Don’t worry; I will get to that and so much more. It’s just important to know that as a vegan visiting Osaka, you’ll have plenty of options that are as diverse as the city itself.
So, let’s not waste any more time on pleasantries — you have an important task! Which vegan restaurant will you visit first in Osaka?
Can’t Miss Vegan & Vegan-Friendly Restaurants in Osaka
1. OKO Takoyaki
You will notice pretty quickly that Osaka has a slightly different personality from other Japanese cities. It’s a little bit louder, brighter, and in your face. One guide told me that the Japanese are traditionally very conservative and don’t like to ruffle feathers, but that’s not the case in Osaka. Osakans like to keep it real, and one such place keeping it very real is OKO Takoyaki and its neighboring sister, OKO Okonomiyaki.
If you like eccentric places you won’t find anywhere else, you must head here. The small, colorful shop is run by a one-woman army flipping out a veganized version of an Osakan favorite, Takoyaki. Traditionally, Takoyaki is a dough ball filled with octopus (I know, such a bummer). Thankfully, here they’ve flipped octopus in favor of veggies and made them gluten-free! The batter is made with Okara, which is the leftover pulp from soybeans (it doesn’t sound tasty, but trust me, it is).
You can get the Takoyaki topped with a variety of equally delicious sauces, but if this is your first time trying Takoyaki, I’d suggest going the traditional route. In addition to the Takoyaki, they’ve got a small menu of side dishes, like edamame, French fries, soft tofu, and more. I’d suggest getting here right when it opens. It’s always busy, and you could end up waiting quite a bit if you go later in the evening; if you end up waiting, enjoy the alternative tunes and chaotic atmosphere — they say the food is best enjoyed in chaos anyway.
2. OKO-Fun Okonomiyaki Bar
I almost missed the second OKO location in Osaka, which focuses on another Osakan favorite, Okonomiyaki (say that ten times fast!). Luckily, a local pointed it out, and since we hadn’t yet had an opportunity to try this traditional dish, we parked ourselves in the long line outside to get a spot. Like its sister shop, it’s equally popular and only run by one woman! I am not joking when I say that one woman is doing all of the cooking, taking the orders, and managing the door — I would like just an ounce of her energy!
The eccentric vibe didn’t miss a beat here. The place has multiple levels of neon colors and graffiti-covered walls while Nirvana plays in the background. It’s definitely an experience for all of your senses. So, you might be wondering, what in the heck is Okonomiyaki? The traditional dish is kind of like an egg pancake with cabbage, and sometimes, it is mixed in with other meaty items. Here, they use Okara, and you get to choose five veggies to mix in with the cabbage, and it’s topped with a vegan mayo. Once again, the use of Okara makes it gluten-free!
The fun doesn’t end with the Okonomiyaki; they also have veggie yakisoba, gyozas, pickles, and more!
3. Vegan Ramen by Playpen Friends
You might find this place has multiple identities — Vegan-Friendly Izakaya Playpen Friends or Shaved Ice by Playpen Friends — it’s all the same place! At first, I thought, this place must have taken over an entire building! Well, it has, but not on the massive scale that you might hope or that it looks like on Google Maps.
We visited during the day when the menu was just vegan ramen and shaved ice. The vegan-friendly Izakaya doesn’t open until later in the evening, like 8 PM, which is nearing my bedtime! On the ramen side of things, don’t expect a multi-page menu with a gazillion options; they’ve got three types — miso, soy, and tomato ramen. Matt tried the syoyu ramen, which has a terrific garlicky broth that goes great with fried tofu.
On the other hand, I tried the shaved ice. I won’t lie; I was super skeptical. As a kid, shaved ice wasn’t a treat; it was a punishment — who wants to eat a slurry of sugared ice!? In Japan, it’s incredible what they’ve created with ice — I left thinking, can I get another to go? Instead of just ice with sugary syrup, they add chunks of fresh fruit and puree, and then in the middle, they add vegan cream and finish it off with more cream and fruit.
4. Shinsekai Paprika Shokudo
You won’t find this vegan Izakaya just wandering around the city — It’s tucked down an alleyway in Shinsekai Janjan Yokocho, steps from the popular Tsutenkaku. Its out-of-sight location adds to the experience and makes it feel like you’ve found a hidden gem in the city all for yourself! The name might also sound familiar as the city has two Paprika Shokudo’s. The first opened back in 2014 after the owner connected his health issues with what he was putting in his mouth. He decided switching to the greenside was the better choice for him and his customers. The original restaurant is a cute, rustic spot with an extensive menu. You can find everything from Japanese favorites to pizza.
Shinsekai Paprika Shokudo opened in 2023 and is a veganized Izakaya experience. It offers a small menu of traditional snacks and dishes. Izakayas are popular with after-work and late-night crowds and can be found all over Japan, but they are rarely vegan-friendly. This spot is also gluten-free!
The great thing about a vegan Izakaya is that it allows you to try various things because most dishes are small and generally affordable. On their menu, you’ll find a variety of Kushikatsu (breaded and fried veggies and vegan meat on skewers), Takoyaki, noodles, miso, and sweet treats! We tried a little bit of everything and loved it all.
5. Re-Public by Base Island Kitchen
Who knew melding the flavors of Japan and Jamacia could be a fabulous idea? I will tell you who the fabulous lady behind this tiny vegan-friendly restaurant is! There is a bit of a theme of badass women entrepreneurs in Osaka who are literally single-handedly veganizing the dining scene! I love it (I bet you do, too).
We got here before anyone else, which was ideal because I wasn’t lying when I said it was tiny. Think of a very long closet with a bar — that’s about the size! The bar top was covered with an assortment of house-made cakes and treats — cheesecake, banana bread with passionfruit custard, a nut tart, and more. While we scanned the tapas-style menu, my eyes kept scanning the treats. It was an excellent sales ploy because it guaranteed we would order something!
All the house-made tapas are vegan and gluten-free; you can find mushroom tofu nuggets, yam potato fritters, jerk-fried tofu, and more. There are a couple of ways to go about ordering — go wild and choose a mix of tapas or get a vegan plate. The vegan plate has salad, rice, peas, and a few different tapas. This is where we went wrong. We just ordered the tapas (thinking we needed not to get too full for dessert), but the vegan plate looked amazing! I tried to figure out another time to come back here to order it and more cake, but sadly, we ran out of time.
Vegan Bakeries & Ice Cream in Osaka
If you like sweets, Osaka has a few places that you must check out! Many restaurants also have great desserts, like Re-Public by Base Island Kitchen.
6. Naki Vegan Sweets
You probably wouldn’t expect to find a vegan and gluten-free bakery tucked into touristy Dotonbori, would you? Well, there is! This charming, sweet shop is tiny, so if you were looking for a place to hang out, this wouldn’t be it. It’s more of a grab-n-go type spot. Their sweet treats rotate occasionally; when we visited, they only had an assortment of shortbread-style cookies, but others shared pictures of beautiful cakes and cheesecakes. I really didn’t expect the shortbread to be all that exciting, but it was delicious — a nice crisp cookie with a buttery texture.
7. Sari Sari Cocowell
It was eight billion degrees when we finally made it to this fantastic vegan ice cream shop. I didn’t care what flavors they had; all I cared about was that it was airconditioned, had seating, and there was something cold to eat! I was in luck. Coconut is the name of the game here — everything from their ultra-creamy ice cream to shakes and cookies is made with the superfood. I went for a mix of traditional and unique ice cream with a scoop of latte and moringa adzuki bean with a waffle cone. I expected the ice cream to be in the waffle cone, but I guess they had other ideas — it made for a cute photo. While I wouldn’t go for a moringa ice cream again, everything was super flavorful and creamy, and that cone was one of the best I’ve had. Finding a great vegan and gluten-free waffle cone is challenging, and these ladies nailed it!
8. Canelita Sweets
Although small, the “Hello, vegan” sign was the first thing that caught my attention outside of this charming vegan bakeshop. The bakery has been a mainstay of the vegan scene in Osaka for over ten years. An interesting turn of events was started by a lovely lady who moved to Japan originally to be an English teacher and, around the same time, went vegan, and the rest is history! The bakery shelves are always stocked with various sinful sweets — plump donuts, cute cakes topped with buttercream bears, creamy cheesecake, cookies, and more. The bakery is on two floors; the first is where all the magic happens, and the second is where you can enjoy it!
9. Mercy Vegan Factory
This isn’t just a bakery; it’s actually a full-service restaurant, but after a long day of eating, we only had room for cake (what a problem to have, right?). Although they’ve got an all-day menu filled with great options, their cakes and treats are quite eye-catching. You might find strawberry pie, muscat cream cake, parfaits, and more. For the best assortment of treats, go earlier in the day.
Vegan Day Trip from Osaka: Nara
Nara, Japan’s ancient capital, is known for its stunning temples, historic sites, and tranquil parks. The city is home to Todai-ji, a UNESCO World Heritage Site that houses the world’s largest bronze Buddha statue, and Kasuga Taisha, a beautifully preserved Shinto shrine. Nara Park is also famous for its free-roaming deer, which are considered sacred. The serene environment, rich history, and proximity (just 45 minutes from Osaka) make Nara an ideal day trip for culture and nature lovers.
No day trip is complete without a vegan restaurant recommendation, right?
You have to check out:
ONWA
Not far from the train station is this quaint vegan Japanese café, which excels at creating a colorful lineup of dishes, from veggie-packed bowls to picture-perfect slices of cake. You can’t skip their veganized kaarage bowl (fried chick’n) — the little golden soy nuggets are perfectly fried and seasoned — I wish I could’ve taken one to go (honestly!). Their desserts are also a can’t-miss — you could even have a lovely cake and tea service if you have the time. In addition to the cake, I tried their sesame gelato, and all I can say is, wow! The ultra-creamy and nutty ice cream is paired with an outstanding house-made brittle. The combination of sweet and salty was perfect.
Osaka Vegan Wrap Up
No matter if you’re exploring more of Japan or looking for vegan travel inspiration, you’ve come to the right place! Check out these other helpful guides and articles.
