As many of you know, I’m pescatarian but I also love eating vegan when I can ( besides, being vegan or vegetarian isn’t broadly understood so I’ve found that it’s best to dine at these kinds of places to avoid that sneaky little bit of ham slipping into that dish accidentally.)
See my Kyoto with kids tips in great detail here.
You can, of course, use “Happy Cow” app to find the most options but I also wanted to list my favourites.
Vegan Eggs on Toast
Where: 3 mins walk from Kyoto Station
Budget: Approx 1,200 yen
Accepts Reservations? No
Accepts Most Major Credit Cards? Yes
COYOTE THE ORDINARY SHOP, KYOTO
下京区東塩小路町939 キャンパスプラザ京都 1F
GROUND FLOOR, CAMPUS PLAZA KYOTO BUILDING, 939 HIGASHI-SHIOKOJICHO, SHIMOGYO
OPEN EVERYDAY 8:30AM-5PM
Kyoto Engine Ramen
Where: 2 mins walk from Exit 10 of Kyoto Kawaramachi Station
Budget: Approximately 1500 yen
Accepts Reservations? No
Accepts Most Major Credit Cards? Yes
This is not a vegan restaurant but has fabulous vegan options and gluten free options.
Warning: it’s popular so the lines can get long.
KYOTO ENGINE RAMEN
580-2 NAKANOCHO, NAKAGYO-KU
OPEN EVERYDAY 4:30PM-10PM
Mumoteki Vegan Cafe
Where: Near Kyoto Shiakusho Eki Mae Station & Kawaramachi Station
Budget: Lunch & Dinner, approx 2000 yen
Accepts Reservations?: Yes ( but only via their website)
Accepts Most Major Credit Cards?: Yes
Take-Out Available ?: Yes
They also offer a kids menu, space for strollers, space to breastfeed and change nappies.
MUMOTEKI VEGAN CAFE
2F HUMAN FORUM BLD, 351 ISEYA-CHO, GOKOMOCHI-DORI, ROKKAKU-SAGARU, NAKAGYO-KU
MUMOTEKI VEGAN CAFE WEBSITE
Pettirosso Kyoto
Where: Near Kyoto-Kawaramachi Station & Karasuma Station
Budget: Lunch , approx 2000 yen. Dinner, approx 4000 yen
Accepts Reservations?: Yes
Accepts Most Major Credit Cards?: Yes
Take-Out Available ?: Yes
If you’re looking for a modern yet casual vegetarian or vegan dinner, I recommend Pettirosso Kyoto. Check here as their opening times do vary. This restaurant only serves dinner on weekdays and dinner AND lunch on weekends and they also do order-made vegan cakes. This restaurant is located near Kyoto-Kawaramachi Station and Karasuma Station.
PETTIROSSO KYOTO
92-2 TOMINOKYOJIDORI SHIMOGYO-KU
PETTIROSSO KYOTO
Tokkyu Ramen
Where: Near Gion Shijo Station
Budget: 1500 yen
Accepts Reservations?: No
Accepts Most Major Credit Cards?: No
Take-Out Available ?: No
If you’re looking for delicious ( I’m talking really really casual hole in the wall type not a fancy restaurant ) ramen and gyoza with meat, vegetarian AND vegan options – 5 minutes walk from Kodaiji Temple is a ramen shop called Tokkyu Ramen.
TOKKYU RAMEN
30-4 BISHAMONCHO, HIGASHIYAMA-KU, KYOTO
OPEN 11:30AM-MIDNIGHT
CLOSED WEDNESDAYS
HAPPY COW REVIEW OF TOKKYU RAMEN
Chao Chao Gyoza Shijo-Kawaramachi
Where: Near Kyoto Kawaramachi & Gion-Shijo Stations
Budget: 1000-1500 yen
Accepts Reservations?: No
Accepts Most Major Credit Cards?: No
Take-Out Available ?: Yes
This is a very casual restaurant but they have vegetarian, vegan and meat options.
CHAO CHAO GYOZA SHIJO-KAWARAMACHI
312-1 JUMPUCHO, KAWARAMACHIDORI, SHIJO SAGARU, SHIMOGYO
OPEN WEEKDAYS 11AM-3PM & 5PM -11PM
OPEN WEEKENDS 11:30AM-11PM
Earth Kitchen (Vegan Bentos)
Where: Near Jingu-Marutamachi Station, take exit 4
Budget: 1000 yen
Accepts Reservations?: No (well only for large orders of over 30 bentos on weekends)
Accepts Most Major Credit Cards?: No
Take-Out Available ?: Yes. Only Takeout
Vegan and vegetarian bentos.
EARTH KITCHEN KYOTO
9-7 HIGASHIMARUTACHO, SAKYO-KU, KYOTO
OPEN 10:30AM-6:30PM
Choice ( Vegan & Gluten Free)
Where: Nearest Station is Sanjo Keihan
Budget: 2000 yen
Accepts Reservations? No
Accepts Most Major Credit Cards?: Yes
Menu options include taco rice, pasta, cakes, veggie burgers, soups.
See here for the full Choice Gluten free and Vegan Menu.
They have space for strollers and are wheelchair accessible
CHOICE
東山区大橋町89-1 鈴木形成外科ビル1F
SUZUKI KEISEIGEKA BUILDING 89-1 OHASHICHO, HIGASHIYAMA-KU
OPEN FOR BREAKFAST ( WEEKDAYS) 9:30AM-11AM
OPEN FOR LUNCH (WEEKDAYS) 11AM-6PM
OPEN FOR DINNER (WEEKDAYS) 5PM-8PM
Gion Tanto ( Vegan Okonomiyaki Option Available)
Where: 400 metres from Gion Shijo Station. 21 mins walk from Kiyomizudera ( or 12 mins, approx 900 yen in a cab).
Accepts Reservations? Yes
Accepts Most Major Credit Cards? Yes
Please note that this is NOT a non-smoking restaurant so you may be sat with smoking clientele. For this reason, I recommend going at the start or end of lunch & dinner sessions.
This is a casual hole in the wall style restaurant. It’s fab for people-watching and good local food.
I’d budget around 2000 yen per adult for lunch or dinner.
GION TANTO
京都府東山区清本町372
372 KIYOMOTOCHO, HIGASHIYAMA-KU, KYOTO
OPEN FOR LUNCH 12PM-3PM (LAST ORDERS 2:30PM)
OPEN FOR DINNER 5PM-10PM (LAST ORDERS 9:30PM)
CLOSED SOMETIMES ON THURSDAYS SO CHECK THE GION TANTO WEBSITE
Vegan options at Nishiki Market
If you are looking for vegan options while at Nishiki Market, there is a Soy Milk Latte Stand half way down 6 different flavours and keep your eye out for Kyoto Raindrop Cake (called Mizumarumochi in Japanese) which is vegan too. There is also a burrito spot with vegan options (order vegetarian but ask without dairy) just 10 mins walk away called Que Pasa (open from 11:30am-9pm.)
Gion Soy Milk Ramen Uno Yukiko
Where: 2 mins walk from Gion Shijo Station
Accepts Reservations:No
Accepts Most Major Credit Cards:
Budget: For lunch, 2000 yen, for dinner 4000 yen
This restaurant is vegan and also has gluten free options.
GION SOY MILK RAMEN UNO YUKIKO
40 KAMEICHO, KYOTO
OPEN WEEKDAYS 9:30AM-8PM
OPEN ON SATURDAYS 11AM-8PM
CLOSED ON SUNDAYS
Waco Crepes (Gluten free with some vegan options)
Where: 3 mins walk from Kiyomizu Gojo Station
Accepts reservations: No
Accepts Most Major Credit Cards: Yes
Budget: 1500 yen per person
This restaurant is gluten free with vegan options.
WACO CREPES
京都市東山区宮川筋6-355-1 1F
GROUND FLOOR, 6-355-1 MIYAGAWASUJI, HIGASHIYAMA-KU, KYOTO
OPEN EVERYDAY 11AM-5:30PM
