Inside Kyoto

A Kyoto Travel Guide

Best Vegan and Vegetarian in Kyoto

Japan is not an easy place for vegans and vegetarians. Most dishes usually contain dashi – a skipjack bonito broth – while vegan and vegetarian eating, whether it’s a lifestyle choice or religious adherence, is not widely understood. Things have improved significantly, however, and Kyoto now has a good number of restaurants catering to vegans and vegetarians.

Vegan ramen at Towzen in Kyoto
Vegan ramen at Towzen in Kyoto – image © Florentyna Leow

That being said, Japanese cuisine does have one genre of vegan food – shojin ryori, or Zen temple vegetarian cuisine. Kyoto has several great restaurants specialising in this cuisine, so we’ve listed them under a separate category. Check out the Best Shojin Ryori page [link to page] for more.

The restaurants we mention below are just some of our favourites in town. All vegan places will be suitable for vegetarians, and we’ve specified whether restaurants are fully vegan or not in our reviews below. One thing’s for sure, though – it has never been easier or more fun to eat vegetarian and vegan food in Kyoto than now!

  • AIN SOPH. Journey Kyoto (Downtown Kyoto; budget to mid-range)
    A vegan meal in downtown Kyoto has never been easier to find. Just head to Ain Soph Journey right off Shinkyogoku Shopping Arcade. The food is decent, but their desserts are even better – we recommend the pancakes and chocolate gateau.
  • Izusen (Central Kyoto; mid-range)
    Looking for a vegan meal in beautiful surroundings? Try a shojin-ryori lunch at Izusen in Daitoku-ji Temple. Their gorgeous and elaborate meals are sure to be a highlight of your visit to Kyoto.
  • Choice (Northern Higashiyama; budget to mid-range)
    Choice restaurant is a great place to enjoy Japanese-style vegetarian, vegan and gluten-free food. It’s at Sanjo-Keihan, very close to Downtown Kyoto.
  • Falafel Garden (Northern Higashiyama; budget to mid-range)
    A great vegetarian restaurant in northern Kyoto, Falafel Garden specializes in the eponymous falafel, but there’s plenty more on the menu to keep things interesting.
  • Mumokuteki Café (Downtown Kyoto; budget)
    Mumokuteki Café is one of the best vegetarian and vegan restaurants in Kyoto. The food is great and it’s right in the middle of downtown.

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