Ovo
Japanese
Organic
Delivery
Take-out
Non-veg
Serves meat, vegan options available. Small, non-descript location at the far end of eclectic Lexington Ave in funky Asheville. The menu is varied and includes many vegan specific food choices, from sushi to large tofu plates and hot pots. Open Tue-Sat 4:30pm-9:00pm, Wed-Sat 12:00pm-2:00pm.
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87 N Lexington Ave (at Hiawasee), Asheville, North Carolina, USA, 28801
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- Outdoor seating
- Accepts credit cards
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Last update on 31 Jan 2022 by LotusStarr
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Added by LaurenV on 12 Dec 2015
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20 Reviews
First Review by iangrout1
banthisanimalchin
Points +136
Vegan Options - Edit
Ramen was really good.
Read moreSpicy habanero sauce was amazing.
Pros: Vegan options labeled, Great staff
Guest
graceemily
Points +189
Terrific Vegan Sushi Options - Edit
Upon entering, we waited a while before anyone greeted us or was seated. I'd say about 10 minutes. I ordered the vegan veggie ramen soup (the ramen noodles are egg-based; they used rice noodles instead), which was delicious! I also tried a couple of vegan sushi options, all of which were fantastic. The staff was knowledgeable about veganism and could customize most of their menu. It is a bit of a “hole in the wall” kinda of place; for example, there were dead bugs all over the lamp directly above the table. However, the staff was helpful with ordering and I’d certainly go back for takeout
Read moreUpdated from previous review on 2024-09-06
Pros: Tasty vegan sushi, Great soup, Friendly staff
Cons: Poor cleanliness, seating area and bathroom
Guest
JuliaTR
Points +225
Longtime local favorite - Edit
One of our favorite restaurants in town. Sweet little spot with a nice patio, friendly staff, many vegan options. I love the ramen and hot pots in cooler weather, and hiyashi in the summer. Vegan sushi is yummy too. Always a treat.
Read moreGuest
Verdant
Points +274
Great rolls for a great price - Edit
Service: 4/5, Quality: 5/5, Value: 5/5
Read moreVegan Options: 3/5
Overall: great rolls for a great price. Excellent spot for vegan options, though you'll need to decipher the menu a bit if ordering vegan.
Further:
Service - we were seated promptly and had an attentive waiter. The food arrived quickly and the visit went swimmingly. Only thing that was missed was the waiter wasn't 100% sure on which rolls were which and we were left guessing based on our memory of the ingredients.
Quality - the rolls were delicious. We tried the Altenderfer roll, Sweetie pie, Alligator roll, All about tofu, Rock'n roll, Sweet fried tofu futomaki, along with tofu appetizer. My wife and i both liked the futomaki roll the most and then the rest of the rolls were also good. The sweetie pie and alligator rolls were my second and third favorites.
Value - this was one of the cheaper sushi places I've tried that has Vegan Options. The portion sizes are what i expect from a sushi restaurant with rolls sufficiently filled with goodness, and the cost per roll was quite reasonable.
Vegan Options - there was a large selection of vegan options and the ability to make your own rolls, however, the menu was confusing. It used 'VG' without clarification this was Vegetarian or Vegan and our waiter didn't know either. The offerings from this restaurant would be a 4/5 in this category if they were clearly marked. Until then you'll need to do some detective work to know what the ingredients are. We also think offering a vegan sample platter would be a huge hit with the city's vegan scene.
Updated from previous review on 2024-07-11
Pros: cheapest vegan rolls i've found, delicious rolls, good portion size
Cons: menu isnt labelled for vegan rolls, doesn't offer a vegan sample platter (but should!), waitier didn't seem confident in what was vegan
Guest
peachinns
Points +94
Amazing food - Edit
Staff is very knowledgeable on which options are vegan. Food is fresh and delicious!
Read moreUpdated from previous review on 2024-05-11
Pros: Delicious food, Many vegan options
Cons: Expect to give yourself plenty of time to eat here
Guest
Passout
Points +762
Good sushi and other options - Edit
Clearly marked menu for non-sushi items. Sushi is pretty straightforward to choose even though the menu isn't marked as it clearly lists the ingredients.
Read moreGuest
kenny.cakes
Points +1583
An Easy 5 Stars - Edit
I love the small environment but can be a lengthy wait on a busy day. So much actually good vegan sushi to choose from. I get the tofu appetizer, asparagus tempura roll, sweet potato tempura roll add almond butter, and the tempeh roll. They also have complimentary tea available.
Read moreGuest
WNCVegan
Points +110
Excellent food, friendly staff - Edit
The food is always five -star quality without exception. Staff are always friendly and personable while staying thoroughly professional.
Read moreOnly reason for 4 stars is they can be slow when they're not slammed. In fairness, they're usually slammed and for good reason, and i think 4.5 stars would bea more accurate score.
Pros: Vegan options galore, Food is always exceptional, Friendly and professional staff
Cons: Service can be slow at times
Guest
veganpatch
Points +5252
Delicious and affordable - Edit
Cute small restaurant. From other reviews they have a nice patio. The decor was very cozy, we'd like to dine in after covid.
Read moreThe owner was friendly, offered vegan options upon request and happily provided curbside pickup. There is a sign for a 10min curbside pickup right in front of the door.
This is our favorite Japanese restaurant in Asheville. We've been to Japan and found the food here to be authentic. We look forward to trying more items on the menu. Their online menu doesn't seem to have a full menu but there are some labeled items.
Miso soup: Wow, so good. We crave good miso soup since our trip to Japan and it is surprising hard to find.
Vegetable Korokke (breaded and fried mashed potatoes): Delicious! My favorite item here.
Alligator Sushi: So so, it's mainly avocado and asparagus. We didn't like the texture (too soft from all of the avocado), decent flavor but we would get something else next time.
Sweetie Pie Sushi: Really delicious, the flavors balance nicely.
Garlic tempeh: good flavor but the tempeh was a bit tough. It would have been greatly improved by boiling the tempeh for 10min to soften it prior to adding sauce. We'd order again.
Tofu Hot Pot: Rich flavor, but not to my liking. Tasted a lot like sweet and sour soup
Vegetable Ramen with soba noodles: the broth seemed to be a mushroom base. The broth was good but overall the dish lacked flavor. I wouldn't get again.
Pros: Miso soup is great , Favorite dish: Vegetable Korokke, Good Sushi
Guest
hlc22
Points +46
So good!! - Edit
I got the sweet potato/avocado/almond butter roll and the spicy tempeh roll. Both were delicious!!
Read moreGuest
SabCelli7
Points +403
Amazing! - Edit
There were so many vegan options and so many different types of vegan sushi I never thought to even try. You can add basically anything to your roll, including almond butter which I thought was super unique. The sweet pie roll was my favorite out of the two we tried. I also ordered the tofu hot pot and it was delicious. It had a little spice and so much flavor. 10/10 recommend this place if you’re visiting Asheville and in the mood for some sushi/good noodle soup!
Read morePros: Lots of options , Decent prices , Cute atmosphere
Guest
ArwenCarlin
Points +184
Amazing food! - Edit
I love this place! Their assorted pickle appetizer is my favorite along with the ambassador soup and the Godzilla roll with almond butter 🌱🤤
Read morePros: Delicious vegan options
Cons: Serves flesh foods
Guest
McMallory
Points +2218
Great sushi, sake, apps, and noodles - Edit
Great place! We shared an appetizer and a vegan sushi roll (spicy tempeh - it was legit). I had the vegan “ramen,” except their ramen noodles weren’t vegan so I had to swap in soba. It was still really excellent, especially on a chilly night.
Read moreGreat (and inexpensive) sake options, too.
Would definitely go again next time I’m in Asheville.
Guest
ketzler
Points +202
Best Vegan Sushi in Asheville - Edit
I LONG for vegan sushi that is creative and fun like Omni sushi, but just replaces the fish with tofu or tempeh. Rolls with mango, lemon, cashew based cream cheese, vegan mayo.... all the fun stuff. There are so many possibilities! While Heiwa does have inari and tempeh, the vegan rolls available were still a bit boring, most very vegetable-y. I give four stars because they do have the most available options for Asheville, I just feel like there is room to have a truly spectacular vegan sushi menu. And I feel like there is a gaping hole in the market in Asheville that someone could/should easily fill!! We had sushi only, so I can’t speak to their other vegan dishes, noddles, etc. they do offer a lot of options which is greatly appreciated.
Read morePros: Plentiful vegan options,, usually easy parking (for downtown,, phenomenal waitstaff.
Cons: No Kanpyo (pickled squash).
Guest
SamAnthony
Points +1701
5 stars for vegan Japanese food! - Edit
Wish I could give five stars to this place! Better than some of the vegetarian and vegan restaurants around.
Read moreSerious thought out vegan options throughout the whole menu. Stuff like tempeh avocado rolls, tofu katsu (cooked to perfection!!), Vegan ramen, etc.
Prices are amazing. Go for lunch especially to get killer deals. Lunch boxes range from 8-13 depending on what you get, but even the cheaper ones are super filling and delicious.
Cute outdoor patio and friendly staff. Free parking lot (not that big but it's still a nice thing to have)
Pros: Tons of intentional vegan options, Patio, Great prices
Guest
typeoneinthesun
Points +110
My favorite spot in Asheville! - Edit
This place is the best! So many vegan options, and free green tea with every meal! The tempeh sushi roll and sweetie pie rolls are my favorites. Lots of sake options too! It’s very reasonably priced, and although it’s a very small space, the environment is very nice and welcoming.
Read morePros: Lots of vegan options, Free tea, Great servers
Cons: Small space, Wait times, no reservations
Guest
HopefulForChange
Points +112
My Favorite - Edit
As an Asheville resident vegan, I confess that this is my favorite restaurant in town! I moved to Asheville in 2008. Honestly, Asheville is the best place for vegans that I have experienced in my many travels. But Heiwa Shokudo takes the prize for me! Their spicy garlic tempeh is divine! The Sweetie Pie Roll and the Altenderfer Roll make me very happy!
Read morePros: Best original vegan sushi rolls!, Lots of vegan options , Tempeh dishes that are divine
Cons: Parking is a challenge, they DO have a tiny lot
Guest
RovingVegans
Points +553
Great eats! - Edit
I’m so glad I found this place. It’s completely comfort food for me. Everything was so incredibly flavorful. I got the spicy garlic veggie hot pot with a side of soba noodles. It was heavenly. The bowl was filled with so many veggies that it’s like a Tate explosion in every bite. My husband got the spicy eggplant and veggie rolls. They were really good also. However, the eggplant was too oily. We would have enjoyed it so much more if it wasn’t so greasy.
Read moreEdit: we came back a second time and was fond the noodle broth was not vegan. I would ask to clarify.
Guest
jodielou
Points +83
Best Japanese restaurant in Asheville! - Edit
Lots of vegan options including the udon noodle bowls (get it with the seaweed broth) and rolls. Cozy and intimate in the cooler weather inside and enjoy the patio seating when it's nice out.
Read moreGuest
iangrout1
Points +54
Best Sushi in AVL - Edit
Not sure why this place doesn’t have more reviews on here. The food is great, especially the udon soup (with seaweed broth) and vegan sushi. The Altenderfer roll is bonkers (tempeh, avocado, almond butter, maple syrup. Whaaaaat?) The space is a little cramped and dark, but in an atmospheric and cozy way. It’s definitely worth a visit.
Read moreGuest
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