Kyoto food culture is renowned around the world, from its exquisite multi-course kaiseki meals to the intricately decorated traditional wagashi sweets. Although at first glance there might not seem to be much on offer for plant-based travelers, there are actually a surprising number of vegan restaurants in Kyoto, each offering a wide range of delicious, planet-friendly meals.
These include dishes inspired by shojin ryori — a traditional Japanese Buddhist cuisine made without any animal ingredients — as well as vegan versions of both modern Japanese and Western food.
Here are some of our favorite vegan restaurants in Kyoto! But, if you’d like to try making your own, why not join one of our vegan Kyoto cooking classes?
Tips on dining out as a vegan in Kyoto
Being plant-based in Kyoto — or anywhere in Japan — can feel like a challenge thanks to the language barrier and the seemingly-constant presence of ingredients like dashi (soup stock often made with fish).
However, the country’s awareness and acceptance of veganism are thankfully expanding. As a matter of fact, being vegan in Kyoto is particularly easy thanks to its history of shojin ryori and relatively high population of expats and tourists.
If you don’t speak much Japanese, sticking to the numerous vegan restaurants in Kyoto is the best advice, as you can feel confident you’ll be getting a delicious meal with no animal ingredients whatsoever.
You could also brush up on your Japanese with our Japanese phrases for dining out and Japanese for vegans, giving you the words to ask about ingredients and ask if certain ingredients can be removed.
Kyoto Vegan Guide: 14 Best Vegan Restaurants in Kyoto
Here are some of the top vegan restaurants in Kyoto for plant-based cuisine!
- Muromachi Wakuden
- Seiwasou
- Oshokuji Dokoro Asuka
- Tousuiro Kiyamachi Main Shop
- F (採食料理エッフェ)
- Hale (菜食 晴)
- Veg Out
- Kousagisha Cafe
- Choice
- Mumokuteki Cafe
- ORTO
- Tu Casa
- Gomacro Salon
- Ain Soph Journey
Michelin star vegan food in Kyoto
If you’re looking for the “best” vegan food in Kyoto, many would say it doesn’t get better than Michelin-worthy vegan dishes! Here’s where you find it…
1. Muromachi Wakuden
Muromachi Wakuden dishes up Michelin-award-winning kaiseki (multi-course meals) in Kyoto, making the most of the area’s long history in vegetarian shojin ryori to earn themselves a Michelin star and a Michelin Green Star.
Chef Matsumoto Shinya performs his culinary art from this machiya (Kyoto townhouse), boasting a courtyard garden, a spacious dining space with a counter carved of chestnut wood, and even their own dedicated rice farm — harvesting rice of the same variety used in Shinto ceremonies worshiping the Japanese sun goddess at Ise Shrine.
A variety of meat and seafood dishes are also served, changing each season from wagyu beef shabu shabu, grilled abalone, conger eel wrapped in matsutake mushrooms, and snow crab, meaning that there’s something for everyone on the menu.
Make your meal vegetarian or vegan: Requesting a vegetarian or vegan kaiseki menu requires a booking that’s made at least 3 days in advance.
Pour perfectly paired sake: For ¥11,000, Muromachi Wakuden also offers a sake pairing alongside your meal.
Experience the wonders of vegan food at Muromachi Wakuden!
Vegan kaiseki cuisine and course menus in Kyoto
Kaiseki cuisine is a staple of Kyoto’s food scene, delivering multiple courses of dishes and sides to your table — you’ll never know what’s coming next, but it will be delicious and… vegan!
2. Seiwasou
Seiwasou will make you feel like you’ve stepped back into Japan’s Edo Period, featuring an elegant Japanese teahouse aesthetic and kaiseki course menus that will delight the eyes and taste buds as they’re served in the classic red and black lacquerware box.
Delivering a selection of course menus, from lunch-only options to lunch and evening seasonal courses of 6-7 dishes, miso soup, and dessert, you’ll be taken on a journey through the best and freshest ingredients Kyoto can offer.
Make your kaiseki vegan: The majority of Seiwasou’s course menus can be altered to accommodate vegetarian and vegan diets as long as you book at least 3 days in advance.
Book your seat for traditional Japanese vegan food at Seiwasou!
3. Oshokuji Dokoro Asuka
Oshokuji Dokoro Asuka blends the traditional Japanese art of kaiseki cuisine with the cozy nature of Japanese home cooking. Run by a family on a main tourist road in Higashiyama, there’s a wide range of teishoku (a set meal with rice, main course, and soup), donburi (rice bowls), udon noodles, and more on the menu.
For that delicious vegan cuisine, we’d recommend their Kyoto-style boiled tofu teishoku with vegetable tempura, serving up the soft and nutty taste of Kyoto tofu alongside the crunchy umami flavor of fried veggies.
Book your table at Oshokuji Dokoro Asuka!
4. Tousuiro Kiyamachi Main Shop
If you find yourself strolling down Kyoto’s Kiyamachi Street, the quaint exterior of Tousuiro may catch your eye. Facing the Kamogawa River and boasting outdoor seating, it’s the perfect spot for savoring vegan tofu dishes while enjoying the breeze and atmosphere of this historic city.
As a tofu specialty restaurant, there are plenty of options for vegans and vegetarians — one of their most popular dishes is “oboro tofu,” a silky smooth tofu dish that’s made from 100% domestic soybeans.
There’s a wide range of tofu dishes, including raw yuba, namafu dengaku, yuba zosui, and more, and each of their kaiseki course menus features oboro tofu!
Book now for a taste of tofu kaiseki at Tousuiro!
5. F (採食料理エッフェ)
Owner-chef Fujimatsu Toshiyuki’s motto behind the vegan restaurant of F is, “Today’s cuisine will create tomorrow’ body.” With this philosophy, F dishes up one of the most varied vegan menus in Kyoto, not simply replacing meat with tofu but replicating meat-based dishes like spaghetti bolognese and hamburgers with soybean meat.
Mindful eating does not mean missing out with the lunch and dinner set courses available here, varying by day and season, but often including an amuse bouche, appetizers, soup of the day, pasta, a traditional Japanese-style main of “hamburger steak,” rice flour bread, desserts, and coffee.
Another rare inclusion on F’s menu is the vegan cheese platter, using lactic acid fermentation and aged nuts to create an original vegan cheese — one that’s said to pair quite nicely with their Makikore collection of wine, made with strictly organic farming methods. This truly is a paradise in Japan for vegans.
Eating out as a big group? You can rent F out as a private hire space, allowing you to celebrate in style with some of the best vegan food in Kyoto. Just be sure to book at least 3 days in advance.
Note: F is closed on Monday and Tuesday every week (excluding public holidays), so visit one of our other vegan spots until Wednesday!
Get directions to the glorious vegan menus at F!
6. Hale (菜食 晴)
First discovered in our guide to finding shojin ryori vegetarian cuisine in Kyoto, Hale is a small, peaceful, family-run restaurant just off the bustling stalls and colorful shops of Kyoto’s famous Nishiki Market — which you can explore with the help of a local guide, by the way.
Offering one set meal per day — featuring hot and cold dishes and a range of seasonal ingredients — you won’t take long to choose what you’re having, but you will be surprised by just how comforting and satisfying this vegan set meal is!
Find your way to vegan food in Kyoto at Hale!
Vegan cafes in Kyoto
Cafe hopping in Kyoto sounds like a dream, and it is! Especially when you discover the best vegan cafes in Kyoto, giving you a moment to relax and indulge between the temples, shrines, and geisha spotting.
7. Veg Out
Veg Out is a vegan cafe with dishes that are as natural and beautiful as its view over Kyoto’s Kamogawa River — everything on the menu is free additives and preservatives, doesn't contain animal products, and the ingredients are organic and naturally farmed.
This cute cafe is known for two specialties: their Veg Out Place, showing off a mix of colorful, locally-grown vegetables and grains; their hand-drip coffee, WEEKENDERS COFFEE, made from a local shop’s home-roasted coffee beans.
The menu also features a taco rice plate, tomato coconut curry, and a buddha bowl, giving vegetarian, vegan, and gluten-free guests a few reasons to feast!
Book now for enviable vegan food in Kyoto at Veg Out!
8. Kousagisha Cafe
Remember Hale, the Nishiki Market-based vegan restaurant mentioned above? Well, Kousagisha Cafe is run by the very same people, showing off their versatility with a very different atmosphere and menu.
Based above the Kousagisha Gallery, not too far from the beautiful Zen temple of Higashiyama Jisho-ji (Gingaku-ji), this cafe swaps the cozy vibes of Hale for a modern, minimalist atmosphere and vegan dishes that are every bit as contemporary.
Menu options include a generous sampler plate of all different kinds of colors, textures, and flavors, along with vegan curries, soups, side dishes, and desserts!
Best for lunch: As the Kousagisha Cafe stops serving food at 3 pm each day, we’d recommend it as an early afternoon lunch spot!
Closed from Sunday to Tuesday: Open from Wednesday to Saturday, 11:30 am to 3 pm, you’ll want to visit all the other tasty vegan restaurants in Kyoto while this one is closed.
Get directions to vegan dining at Kousagisha Cafe!
Vegan cheese in Kyoto
If you thought good cheese was hard to find in Japan, finding vegan cheese is even harder! Unless you know about these unique vegan spots in Kyoto, of course.
9. Choice
Choice is an upmarket restaurant that’s ideal for a special night out on your Kyoto visit. Not only is the entire menu vegan, but it’s also organic and gluten-free, making it a great option for people with allergies. The vibe here is classy and refined, which is reflected in the price but also the quality of the ingredients.
Their specialty is homemade vegan cheese, which comes in a variety of different flavors, including smoked, Italian, and rum raisin. It’s definitely some of the best vegan cheese around, with strong, unique flavors and creamy texture.
You can try it on a cheese board, as part of a main dish like the vibrant chlorella and spinach pasta, or splash out on the vegan fondue!
Vegan restaurants for families in Kyoto
Family dinner out in Kyoto? These are the places to be, offering special spaces and activities for families, in addition to their vegetarian and vegan Japanese food!
10. Mumokuteki Cafe
Mumokuteki Cafe is situated in the Teramachi Dori shopping arcade, not far from Nishiki Market. The menu is entirely vegetarian and mostly vegan, with each dish clearly labeled. There’s a wide variety of food on offer, including Japanese classics like ramen and lunch plates, as well as salads, curries, and Western-style burgers.
The soy milk ramen is a flavorsome version of the original, whilst the coconut curry is soul-warming and hunger-satisfying. But make sure you save room for dessert, as there’s a wealth of delicious treats such as cake, tiramisu parfaits, and pancakes to choose from!
Mumokuteki is also ideal if you’re on a family trip to Kyoto, as they not only have a children’s menu, but also a separate “family room”’ full of books and toys for children to play with.
Vegan Italian and French food in Kyoto
When you want a break from traditional Japanese food and feel like letting your taste buds travel to another country, explore these vegan Italian and French dishes from Kyoto restaurants.
11. ORTO
Set in a traditional Kyoto teahouse-style building that’s been updated with a modern aesthetic, ORTO fuses Kyoto local vegetables and ingredients with Italian and French techniques to craft a menu that’s unlike anything you’ve had before.
As its name means “vegetable garden,” it may not be a surprise to hear that they’re one of the few restaurants in Kyoto to offer a 100% vegan set-course menu. Spanning the width of Kyoto’s natural ingredients, you’ll indulge in dishes like shiitake mushroom bread, maitake mushroom pasta, and butternut squash risotto.
Book your table for a vegan course menu in Kyoto at ORTO!
Vegan Korean food in Kyoto
It can be rare to find vegan Korean food in Japan, so when you find vegan restaurants like these… don’t miss your chance!
12. Tu Casa
Tu Casa is all about planet-friendly choices, putting their plant-based and zero-waste mission up-front! Their charming, homely restaurant is bright, airy, and features splashes of green plants and warm woods throughout.
Their menu is equally alluring, giving vegans a chance to enjoy vegan bibimbap, a gluten-free BBQ beef bowl with soy meat, an eye-catching rainbow kimbap serving platter — perfect for two to share as a side — and black bean noodles.
You can also reduce the amount of rice included in your bibimbap and BBQ beef bowl to help reduce food waste. So, who’s hungry?
Check their schedule: As Tu Casa is only open 3-4 days a week from 4pm to 8pm, it’s best to check their monthly schedule before making plans. Check it out on their Instagram!
Find your way to your new home of vegan Korean food at Tu Casa!
Vegan and gluten-free desserts in Kyoto
Everyone deserves the chance to enjoy a decadent dessert when the mood strikes, which is why we need to tell you about these vegan and gluten-free desserts in Kyoto!
13. Gomacro Salon
Conveniently located near Karasuma Oike station, this is one of the more unique vegan restaurants in Kyoto. Almost everything on the menu at Gomacro Salon contains sesame in some form or another, such as seeds, oil, or paste — even the drinks and desserts.
This gives Gomacro Salon’s food a lovely, rich and distinctive taste. In traditional Japanese style, you can choose from a rotating selection of lunch sets such as white curry or creamy noodles, with seasonal side dishes and brown rice. Be aware that some dressings may contain honey, so check with your server if you’re unsure.
Afterward, check out the dessert options — all gluten-free — for a sweet sesame treat, such as chocolate cake, ice cream, or a tofu-based, perfectly caramelized brûlée. Wash it down with a sesame cappuccino for something really different!
14. Ain Soph Journey
Every vegan in Kyoto needs to visit Ain Soph Journey. A Tokyo-based chain that’s also featured in our Tokyo Vegan Guide, this is Ain Soph’s first vegan restaurant in Kyoto and it doesn’t disappoint!
From its stylish interior and friendly staff to the superb quality of its menu, everything about this place is a delight. Try one of their succulent soy and seitan burgers with fries, moreish karaage-style soy “chicken” pieces, or the mild and creamy spinach-based green curry.
Dessert is another area in which Ain Soph Journey excels — in particular, their decadent matcha pancakes. Served with ice cream and fruit and decorated with gold leaf, both the pancakes and white chocolate sauce are flavored with matcha (green tea) powder, giving you a true taste of Kyoto cuisine. Don’t miss it!
Hopefully this has been a helpful list and shown you that finding vegan food in Kyoto isn’t as hard as you might think. There are many more vegan restaurants in Kyoto than the ones covered here, so keep your eyes open while you explore the city – you never know what you might find!
Looking for plant-based and vegan food experiences in Japan? Browse our vegan food tours, cooking classes, and dining experiences!
Not sure how to spend your time in Kyoto? Read our 3-day itinerary for Kyoto, giving you all kinds of must-see attractions, or get to know a few more vegan and vegetarian places with our guide of what to eat in Kyoto!
Vegan food in Kyoto FAQS
Can I find vegetarian and vegan restaurants in Kyoto?
Yes! As the birthplace of Japan’s vegan Buddhist diet of shojin ryori, Kyoto has many places that offer fully vegetarian and vegan menus or options.
In addition, vegetarian and vegan diets are becoming more accepted in Japan each year, and from this article alone you’ve discovered:
- Michelin star vegan food
- Vegan multi-course kaiseki menus
- Vegan teishoku set meals
- Vegan Korean food
- Vegan Japanese home cooking
- Vegan desserts
Is Kyoto vegan-friendly?
Kyoto is probably the most vegan-friendly city in Japan! With a long history of temples where the vegan Buddhist diet flourished, there are many restaurants offering completely vegan menus of fresh tofu and local vegetables.
The number of vegan and vegetarian-focused restaurants and cafes is also increasing, crafting a wider range of options for plant-based diners each year.
What is the vegan capital of Japan?
As the former capital and the center of Buddhism in Japan — boasting over 1,600 Buddhist temples — Kyoto has to be given the title of Japan’s vegan capital. This is mostly as a result of the proliferation of shojin ryori (vegan Buddhist cuisine) in the area, where the focus is shifted from forbidden meats to local, seasonal vegetables and tofu dishes.
