Japanese
Beer/Wine
Non-veg

Serves meat, vegan options available. 沢, at 大阪府大阪市阿倍野区阿倍野筋4-20-1, is a small restaurant decorated with surfboards, kayaks, and Buddhist images. Uses some organic produce from the owner's farm. Owner understand what vegetarian and vegan mean. Confirmed open December 2023. Open Mon-Sun 5:00pm-11:30pm.


Venue map for Sawa
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37 Reviews

First Review by osakaveggie

LaraVitamin

Points +69

Vegetarian
25 Nov 2024

Great food

If you are looking for a traditional Japanese meal, this is the place. The food was absolutely great and super cheap. Please give it a try❤️

Pros: Super friendly owner, Delicious food

TanJen

Points +22

Vegan
18 Oct 2024

This one is a 5 STARS :)

Sawa is a small but precious gem in this concrete jungle of Osaka. Today we went to eat for a second time as we liked it so much. Food is awesome, healthy and super tasty from main set to side dishes/toppings and their plum drink is simply divine, best I ever had. And the fact that the owner Shingo and his wife grow their veggies and make pickles etc makes it even more precious. The place is very cozy, homey and interesting vintage, the owner very nice person, they deserve tons of customers to appreciate what they offer. We are going to eat there once again before we leave Osaka.. can't wait :)
*IT DOESN'T LET ME ADD THE PICTURES!!?*

Updated from previous review on 2024-10-17

nein_tails

Points +21

Vegetarian
04 Sep 2024

Immaculate vibes

The food was tasty and probably the healthiest I’ve had in Japan (no noodles, nothing very deep fried). Owner was super nice and talkative. Had some cool travel stories and let us sign his guest map book. Talked about how he came about starting a vegetarian option and how he locally sources most food from is own farm. Will definitely be back.
If one of you wrote ‘Biden Harris’ on his motorcycle helmet it was incredibly tacky, remember the word revolves beyond American politics.

BielBernado

Points +21

Mostly Veg
09 Aug 2024

lovely experience

The vegetarian menu was very good. It was simple but good, healthy.
The owner of the restaurant is a very kind and lovely man. He speaks a bit of English and it is interesting to know more people like him!

Updated from previous review on 2024-08-09

Nasuvampa

Points +1100

Vegan
21 May 2024

5/5 Great vibes and food

This was a really special experience for us. The place has a quirky motorcycle and surfing theme and we had interesting conversations with the owner about surfing and travelling. We were the only customers at the time.

The food was so good! Best meal in Osaka for sure! Genuine flavours and healthy ingredients. And it was so inexpensive! We tried to leave a tip but it was not accepted. We will definitely return here the next time I’m in town.

Pros: Interesting place, Healty and delicious food, Kind service

ZacBell

Points +58

Vegan
03 Apr 2024

Delicious, cheap food and gracious host

The vegan set menu was delicious and only ¥850. I had not eaten since breakfast and came for dinner and could not have eaten another bite by the end. The host is a lovely gentleman who also cooks the food. He speaks good English and understands the difference between Vegan and Vegetarian. Absolutely recommend.

jaderani

Points +197

Vegan
17 Dec 2019

Drink plum wine with Shingo

Had a lovely first night in Osaka at SAWA. Set meals for only 700 yen, I liked the “tea rice porridge” option with the sweet potato topping. My set meal Came with silken tofu, several veggie sides and a fried potato veggie katsu type patty and pickled veggies. Food was really good! But the best part was meeting Shingo who cooks everything to order and drinking their homemade plum wine that his wife makes. Also get the garlic tempura and dried persimmons 😍

ToniKärnä

Points +74

Vegan
24 Nov 2019

5/5

food was amazing. there was also a nintendo.

MeyLeeCha

Points +19

Vegetarian
28 Jun 2019

A very good spot/ une très bonne adresse

Very good welcoming by the chief who works alone in his kitchenet. Fresh products, some from his own farm, a fullish and yummy vegetarian set with 2 kinds and toppings, some others sets with meat : that was delicious for the both (veggie and chicken), and cheap (1000¥ for each one with a beverage).
The chief is really friendly, we’ll come back for sur !!

Accueil chaleureux par le chef qui travaille seul dans sa minuscule cuisine. Produits frais, certains issus de sa ferme, un menu végétarien très complet et délicieux avec deux variantes et des toppings, d’autres plats omnivores : nous nous sommes régalés, et pour un prix très bon marché !! (1000¥ chacun ac menu complet (boisson)).
Le chef est très chaleureux et sympathique, nous reviendrons avec grand plaisir !

ShanNZ

Points +64

Vegan
17 Jun 2019

Wish I could give it 5 stars!

This restaurant was cosy, quiet and delicious. The owner is so friendly and helpful. He immediately asked us about what we ate, brought out a beautiful vegan meal and spent the time to explain to us how to eat it, as he could tell we didn't know what we were doing. We were tired and it was late and this place was far from our hotel but it was so worth the trip. And very affordable.

Pros: Great vegan set, great price

Cons: None!

meli_veg

Points +20

Vegan
02 Jun 2019

Best place in Osaka

If I could give it 5 stars I would. The vegan food was delicious and the desert (mochi cake) was the best I have tried in Japan. I went there with my husband (not vegan) and he said he had the best food we had eaten in Japan. The owner is super nice and talked to us about surfing and Japan. Very recommended!!!! We loved it!! And the atmosphere was great.

Pros: Delicious vegan options , Super super cheap!!

Cons: None

ikarus

Points +60

Vegan
28 May 2019

Awesome

Got super great service and the owner set up some old school Mario Games to play for us while waiting on our food. It was delicious and cheap (700¥ pP) especially for vegetarian food in Japan. Definitely recommend!

Pros: Cozy atmosphere , Cheap , Good service

Cons: None

MoragLove

Points +52

Vegan
25 May 2019

Great place, amazing food, lovely owner

Great venue with added bonus of games. Food was fabulous with lots of flavour. Set menu for vegetarians and option to add on a vegan mochi for dessert which was delicious

Pros: Lots of flavour

BernieM

Points +19

Vegetarian
18 May 2019

Great Restaurant with Vegan/Vegetarian Options

If I could, I would give this 5 stars because Sawa is such a lovely human and his food is wonderful. He has a small farm (we worked out it is just under 1/2 acre or 1800m2) where he grows his own vegetables, so what you are eating is home grown and tastes delicious. The price of the food is simply amazing compared to other vegetarian sets I had whilst in Japan. As a comparison I spent up to 2000YEN in other vegetarian or vegan establishments where the food was far inferior to Sawa's. At Sawa it was 700YEN! Sawa was so friendly and inviting and the atmosphere he has created here provides a wonderful experience. He connected my friend (Malaysian) and I with a fellow guest (Chinese) as he knew they could strike up a decent conversation over dinner with a shared language. After dinner he came and sat with us and talked about his farm, food and surfing! He took a photo of us for his FB collection (with our permission). The sad thing is that I only discovered the place on my last night in Osaka. If I'd known about it earlier I would have spent many nights here.

Pros: Friendly Atmosphere, Fresh Food from owners own farm, Great value across the menu

Cons: None

jorblian

Points +118

Vegetarian
23 Mar 2019

Great food and a great owner

The owner was very friendly and knew exactly what vegans could have. The food was tasty and the owner talked to us through out the meal, making us feel very welcome. The decor of the place tops it off for a really great and unique experience, extremely happy we went here, one of the best choices in Osaka.

Pros: Owner is very friendly and knowledgeable, Food is delicious

Cons: A little out of the way, but worth the walk

moogmania

Points +204

Vegan
28 Feb 2019

Great traditional Japanese vegan meal

Cool little restaurant run by a very friendly older Japanese surfer. As soon as I sat down he asked if I was vegetarian/vegan. The set vegan meal has rice porridge with a variety of traditionally prepared veggies, and this seriously tasty potato pancake. The owner was great to talk to and told us some things to see as well as some Japanese history. Great experience and I will definitely return.

SamanthaAshton

Points +18

Vegan
15 Feb 2019

5 stars!!!! amazing!!!

we had the best time here! the owner automatically asked if we were vegetarian when we walked in and showed us the super cheap (700 yen!) vegetarian set! after we chatted with him for a bit (super friendly guy!) we played the board games and video games in the restaurant and drank the homemade tea he gave us! the meal was SO good and so big especially for the price! there’s a free trinket pile as well as the owners homemade tea, jams, and spices to buy! the owner is an absolute sweetie! he asked us about our home country and showed us all the sights around our hotel too! we couldn’t recommend this place enough!

hairylily

Points +136

Vegan
26 Dec 2018

Favourite place in Osaka

If you’re sick of eating oily and heavy ramen noodles and are craving a healthy and wholesome meal, come to Sawa! Don’t be put off if you’re the only customer for hours - it’s small local joint with an extremely friendly owner who will talk to you about everything and anything. The vegan set meal was only 800 yen so it is definitely value for money - you can choose if you want rice gruel with sweet potatoes or just rice as your main dish. At the end of the meal, he even presented me with complimentary mochi cakes which were a gift made by his friend. Support your local business ⚡️⚡️

YangWenjie

Points +31

Mostly Veg
09 Dec 2018

My favorite resto in Osaka

Wow , I can’t remember how many times I went to sawa for dinner. My Japanese friend Mia recommended this amazing place. And I just fell in love with it. So delicious everything. My favorite one is always the veggie set with pumpkin cake. And I took my bf from Israel and he just loved it too. I can’t wait come back next March 2019 , thank you, Sawa !!
Lola

Pros: Delicious veggie set , Super affordable , Amazing owner

MusukoZipang

Points +202

Vegan
08 Dec 2018

Come here!

Cheap delicious good portion and very friendly and chatty owner. I liked the not fancy cozy atmosphere too.

Pros: Cheap, Friendly owner, Cozy

SophieWoods

Points +160

Vegan
30 Nov 2018

Best Experience in Japan!!

First traditional Japanese meal I was able to eat out of two weeks of travelling! Vegan option was so delicious, was way more than I was expecting and the owner talked to us for quite a while and offered to answer any questions about the food provided. Super cozy and homey bar like place. Can't recommend it enough! Awesome to be able to support small businesses in Japan. Smoking inside is allowed so does smell like tabacco

Pros: Vegan option, friendly service, homemade goodness

Cons: None!!

KeithHong

Points +121

Vegetarian
11 Nov 2018

Nice vegetarian rice guel set meal!

Would have given five stars if it's allowed😒
One of the rare non-vegetarian eatery near Abeno 阿倍野 train station, and around 1km from Tennoji 天王寺 train station (further down Q's Mall) with a dedicated vegetarian menu. Two sets to choose from, either brown rice guel (porridge) or brown rice, and each set comes with various tasty side dishes, without any five pungents! Choices to add sweet potato (strongly recommended for the porridge!) or roasted rice cake at an additional cost. Side dishes look simple, but are rather delicious and satisfying, prices are very reasonable too, with free-flow of tea. Definitely worth making the trip down with non-vegetarian friends!

Pros: Delicious and satisfying vegetarian meal in Osaka

Cons: NA

DomiRybova

Points +18

Vegan
02 Aug 2018

Delicious Vegan Set Meal

I came here with two non vegan friends and we all really enjoyed our meal. The owner was so kind and made us feel very at ease, easy to chat to. The set meal was yummy and filling for as cheap as 700 yen. The owner also sells his jam and you can pick up some second hand crockery free!

MimiAhernBriggs

Points +18

Vegan
22 Jun 2018

fantastic!

This place is great! The food is delicious and healthy! The owner is such a lovely man and we both left with a big smile on our face! Must visit when you come to osaka 😀

EmmaCebuliak

Points +1882

Vegan
17 Apr 2018

Great Place, Really Good Vegan Teishyoku

This is a spot with tons of character. The owner is really friendly but the experience is authentically Japanese. The best part is the food - he makes a really good vegan set meal with rice, seasonal veggies, tofu, and sweet potato korroke. Recommended for sure.

Pros: Inexpensive, Good quality food, Interesting place

Cons: A bit out of the way for some, Smoking allowed

Ace81

Points +70

Fruitarian
31 Mar 2018

Cool place, good dishes

Had the vegetarian menu and it was so colourful different, some season-specials - great guest-host, took pictures; really nice

LosCakes

Points +16

Vegan
28 Feb 2017

Such a great night out!

Really wonderful restaurant! We had such a great time here. The food is excellent (vegan & non-vegan). The owner is so lovely and welcomed us with a really warm vibe. Lots of the fresh produce comes from the owners farm, and he and his wife prepare everything fresh using their home grown ingredients. I recommend trying the ume-shu (Japanese plum wine)! It is also home made and absolutely delicious!!

Pros: Easy to find. Very affordable (two meal sets, larg




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