The 10 Best Places For Vegetarian Food In Kyoto, Japan

Vegans Café & Restaurant is a family business in the heart of Kyoto, and an establishment which actively supports local organic farmers. Come here to sample vegetarian curries, salads and wraps, and even try a slice of mock meat. The interior is large and spacious and there is the option to either sit on the floor or at a table.

Morphocafe exudes a cool vibe and is a popular destination for vegans in Kyoto. The vegan special here is fresh salad, tofu and braised vegetables, but the menu also offers delicious dishes from vegetarian green curry and taco rice to vegan coleslaw and tofu burgers. Don’t miss the soya hot chocolate or the soya chai latte to drink.

Shigetsu is a celebration of everything Japanese. Visitors eat on traditional tatami mats here, and try tasty, traditional vegetarian dishes including tofu, clear soup, cucumber salad, steamed vegetables, pickles and eggplant. Enjoy the authentic interior here which features rustic wooden beams intricately decorated with golden insignia.

Macrobiotics Prunus is a vegan-macrobiotic restaurant, meaning that nothing of animal origin is served on the premises. Food is organic and vegetarian, with an emphasis on crisp fresh salads, and the friendly owner, Yuka, speaks good English and is willing to talk to visitors about the positive physical effects of eating this way.

Yudofu Sagano offers an all-tofu kaiseki menu, a vegetarian take on the traditional Japanese dining style. The joint is tucked away in a quiet neighborhood in the Arashiyama district, not far from the Tenryuji Temple. The multi-course meal is served while guests sit on comfortable pillows; from here they can admire the colorful garden which surrounds the restaurant.

Tosuiro Kiyamachi Main Branch is a tofu restaurant with exquisitely presented plates and kimono-clad waitresses. Top menu picks include the corn daifuku, the caremelized grilled tofu, the vegetarian sushi, the soy ice-cream and the tempura with green tea salt. The outdoor dining deck here offers a beautiful view of the Kamogawa River and features charming 1940s light stands.

Yoshuji is a surprisingly sophisticated restaurant set in a small, rural village. Located to the right of the entrance steps, just below the ticket gate entrance for Kiyomizu-dera temple grounds, Yoshuji serves excellent multi-course vegan Shojin Ryori, as well as cheaper options such as soba topped with mountain vegetables. Look out for the fresh Japanese vegetables freshly picked from the village and always on the menu.