Vegan restaurant in a traditional machiya-style house close to the Nishiki market, est. since 2016. Its flagship location is in Okinawa. Features contemporary vegan-meets-shojin cuisine using organic local vegetables, millet, and prepared condiments like vinegar, miso, and soy sauce. Has set menus with options from Japanese Shojin and Italian to French and Oriental. Three dinner plans are offered: a chef’s special vegan sushi course, a 9-course meal (last call 7:30pm), a 7-course meal (last call 8pm), and a 6-course meal (last call (8pm). Has a pairing menu with premium sake or natural wine. Reservations recommended. NOTE from owner: "We regret to inform you that we will be closing down on Jan 27, 2019. We would like to express our deepest appreciation to all of you. Things are changing so rapidly, we decided to focus on delivering a organic & peaceful message from our home Okinawa. We’re looking forward to welcoming you in Okinawa."
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543 Asakura-cho, Nakagyo-ku (at Tomino-koji), Kyoto, Japan, 604-8074
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Last update on 28 Jan 2019 by Guest
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87 Reviews
First Review by Timbob
goldsmib
Points +11
So sorry to see this wonderful place close - Edit
I had an outstanding dinner with a friend here in 2018. I was hoping to come back on my next visit to Kyoto! Thank you for one of the most delicious meals I've had!
Read moreGuest
ale_veg
Points +58
Great meal and excellent hamburguer - Edit
We arrived late so they did not have all the menu available. We orderes some gyozas and the hamburguer and it was delicious! Best vegan gyozas in Kyoto!
Read morePros: Great menu, Quiet and beatiful place
Guest
Shorteee
Points +36
Vegan Degustation - Edit
I went with a group of 5 and chose the 6 course vegan menu. Everything was amazing and there was plenty of food, I left full and happy! If you’re a little hungry, get the carbonara instead of the lasagne and pair the food with a glass of hot vegan wine. Delicious!! The staff are all amazing, they explain every dish, take your coats and will have a chat with you. There’s also private tatami rooms for up to 20 people. This is a must visit whilst in Kyoto!
Read moreGuest
VSmile
Points +49
Bad experience - Edit
There are so many much much better vegan restaurants in Kyoto. The first time I ate here was terrible, taste, serving size and service! Then I thought I'd give it a second chance seeing all the nice reviews, but it was just as bad. The staff disdaining, non existent service, bad taste, bad quality. It gets two stars as HappyCow requires it for vegan places. The building has a nice atmosphere. Their Okinawa restaurant (main) wasn't better either.
Read morePros: The building has a nice atmosphere and is vegan.
Cons: Expensive, small portions, bad taste, bad quality, bad non existent service, disdaining staff
Guest
AlonGlez
Points +94
Perfect ! - Edit
After almost two weeks in Japan I can definitely say: it is the best vegan place I visited so far. Beautiful place, special food and a lot if peaceful elements. My girlfriend and I will never forget our evening there ❤️
Read moreGuest
bloodshot
Points +34
Wonderful! - Edit
Excellent food and service! Loved it!
Read moreGuest
RajMirajkar
Points +23
Loved this place - Edit
Went here for thanksgiving and had a great time. Friendly staff and lots of food. Being a picky eater everything was done with taste.
Read moreGuest
JackieJans
Points +1228
This place was insanely amazing - Edit
I do not know how there are any negative reviews of this place. The service, the food, the atmosphere...truely wonderful experience! Yes, it costs a bit more money and yes, the dishes are small. This is Japanese shojin ryori style food. So if you have this mindset where if it's not big portions then you are not getting your money's worth you will be upset. But if you enjoy excellently prepared dishes with love and care, you will have a wonderful time.
Read moreGuest
mrtn
Points +40
Expensive but very tasty. - Edit
This restaurant serves very fine cooking. It’s well worth a visit but not the right place for your everyday meal. Even though it’s more of high-end place I was surprised that the red wine was served cold.
Read moreI was lucky to get a seat without a reservation as it was early in the evening, but the place was pretty packed by the time I left.
Staff is very friendly and explains everything that is on your dish.
Pros: Very fine cooking.
Cons: Red wine served cold.
Guest
jeanpauljh
Points +49
High quality, inventive, modern - Edit
Top quality and modern approach to vegetarian cuisine in central Kyoto. Though vegetarians are general in luck in this ancient city, the focus on Shojin ryori (however delicious) can become a little bit repetitive. In this respect, the modern approach to vegetarian Japanese cuisine was undoubtedly a welcome discovery.
Read moreI had the JPY 6500 "Yorobiki" course menu, which offered an excellent balance between traditional and contemporary "washoku", with classics like sesame tofu preceding inventive developments like imitation unagi (eel) made with crispy tofu and nori. The result was a richly flavoured and beautiful presented meal, enjoyed in a simple yet thoughtfully presented space.
Pros: High quality, Good flavours, Lovely decor
Cons: Can get crowded
UkishimaGardenKyoto
Thank you for your comment. We deeply appresiate having dinner with us.
Read moreWe hope to see you again!!
Guest
foodies
Points +48
Not worth it - Edit
Had the same experience as the previous reviewer. We were first given a banquet menu only when we sat down. I thought it was a bit strange as the menu book on display outside of the restaurant had an a la carte menu for dinner. We didn't think it was right to be given only the banquet menu which is much more costly. We asked the waitress if they had an a la carte menu and they then gave one to us. We also had to order one drink per person (which was stated in fine print on the bottom of the menu). Dishes and drinks were pricey and not worth it. We had the risotto and carbonara. Risotto was just average and the carbonara was tasty but very little portion and it didn't have much vegetables at all, just a few pieces of tiny mushrooms. My partner and I had to have a second meal at a second place afterwards. Left the restaurant feeling ripped off and disappointed.
Read morePros: Nice interior
Cons: Pricey, Small portions
UkishimaGardenKyoto
Dear foodies,
Read moreWe’re sorry to hear you didn’t initially get a copy of our A La Carte menu in the restaurant, and that we weren’t able to meet your expectations.
We truly appreciate your honest feedback, and are doing our best to improve communications with our guests.
Guest
mrhino
Points +97
restaurant lied to us - Edit
We visited this place due to the highly recommended reviews. We walked in, sat down and got given a menu with 3 banquet choices. We were a bit surprised at a) the price of the choices and b) at the limited menu - the reviews we read we're recommending items we couldn't see, we thought they must of changed the menu recently.
Read moreWe thought it must be a good meal with all the positive reviews so my partner picks the cheaper banquet (~50,000 yen) and I pick the top of the line banquet with drink pairing (100,000 yen).
Now the food wasn't terrible, it wasn't amazing but it was small quantities and not a lot of flavours we would usually have (fishy sorta flavours). Around about the 2nd last or last course the vacant tables next to us became occupied and we overheard them talking about the menu. They were talking about ordering items like carbonara and gyozas. Me and my partner looked at each other in disbelief. We had a little peek and sure to be it was a different menu that got given to them. A 'a la carte' menu. Much better than having no choice of your food items. I'm not sure if the restaurant has a policy of set meals a certain time and the a la carte' for another set time but we were not told anything about it. We just got told you can order from these 3 choices. We felt lied to. It's not like it was a cheap meal either. It was an extremely expensive meal that we didn't think much of. All the good reviews we had read we're about the a la carte menu. We left the restaurant feeling betrayed. The staff need to be trained to give clarity to the menu. We went to Okinawa after Kyoto and we couldn't bring ourselves to eat at that branch after this experience. Like I said if it was just the banquets all the time I would of accepted it but the fact there was a menu we didn't get to see was disgraceful. We pretty much got tricked into ordering a more expensive meal
Pros: a la carte menu looked good but we never got it
Cons: super expensive, you might not get to see the menu you want
jeanpauljh
For what it`s worth, there is no menu option for 100,000 yen. Most expensive set option is JPY 10,000 (5000 JPY is the other menu choice).
Read moreUkishimaGardenKyoto
Dear Mr. Hino,
Read moreFirstly, we sincerely apologise that you felt this way, by not being given a copy of our A La Carte menu during your visit.
During dinner service, we present our Banquet Menu to our guests to offer the full experience of the Ancient Grains of Japan through a menu designed by our chefs to best represent the local produce.
We really appreciate your feedback and are making sure the communications with our foreign guests are being improved to make sure our guests are aware of our A La Carte menu options.
We’re sad that you missed out on the experience of our Okinawan restaurant, but understand why.
Should you come back, we would love to have you in for a visit.
Guest
raisin_fran
Points +83
A Work of Art - Edit
Wow! One of the best meals of my life. I got the complete tasting menu with the sake pairings and it was impeccable. Everything from the flavors to the aesthetics to the timing make this such a well curated experience that it has to be a considered a work of art. Their mission statement can be tasted in their food and the care they took in their service. Simply amazing. It may be pricey but it’s so soooo worth it.
Read morePros: Thoughtful, Artful, TASTY
Cons: None.
Guest
damz
Points +22
Absolutely perfect - Edit
I went to this place 3 times as it was an entire vegan place close to my hotel, and obviously if I came back, that's because each time I've been totally satisfied by the food and the kind people.
Read morePros: food quality, food taste, kindness of the staff
Guest
JonasJ
Points +116
Upscale restaurant - Edit
The fried gyoza was good and the vegan ramen was very good! They serve the best homemade kombucha I’ve ever tasted, and i do recommend it! The atmosphere is good, and the staff are welcoming and helpful. This would be a good restaurant for a nice date.
Read morePros: Very Good vegan ramen, Delicious kombucha
Guest
chelseywatts
Points +58
Good, not great - Edit
Nice atmosphere. I wanted to like the food more than i actually did. Had the risotto and it was lacking flavor. Same with the strawberry cheesecake.
Read moreGuest
sriteja
Points +134
wow! - Edit
Fantastic place! The food was great. Not toooo expensive. But, not cheap either. Staff, like everyone in Japan is very polite. I had the ramen. I highly recommend it. Also, their sampler appetizer plater is great!
Read morePros: Shojin vegan cuisine
Cons: a bit pricey
Guest
TaylorDoybowski
Points +16
Ramen=delish - Edit
Got the gyoza and the ramen. Vegan. They were awesome. The ambience is really nice too. A fine dining experience
Read moreGuest
sarahhh
Points +349
Amazing dining experience - Edit
This was one of the best meals we’ve ever had. We chose the Yorokobi set menu but it all looked so good, especially the A La Carte (tofu caprese!) Very good natural wines too. Beautiful settings and a beautiful concept. A very special experience.
Read morePros: 100% vegan, Amazing food, Beautiful surroundings
Cons: Expensive, but worth it
Guest
stml
Points +44
Fan-f**king-tastic - Edit
Beautiful restaurant with wonderful Buddhist vegan cuisine. We had the 4300 Yen set dinner menu, which is five or six small portions but filling and delicious. And the house sake is very special. Highly recommended.
Read moreGuest
makiko64
Points +41
Overestimated - Edit
I was expecting a lot from this restaurant but it was not good as i though. Overpriced for the quality. Very beautiful machiya instead.
Read morePros: Beautiful machiya
Cons: A bit overpriced for the quality, Service disorganized
Guest
Demo
Points +51
recommendations - Edit
I highly recommend the Gyozas, the risotto, and the tofu tapas.
Read moreThe ramen wasn't what I expected it was more of a creamy ramen that I wasn't very fond of.
There's a housemate kombucha that's decent. A bit sweeter than I like.
Guest
Mztyfied
Points +74
so delicious - Edit
This cute place is located in an alley way hidden away from all the hustle and bustle of Kyoto. The restaurant felt nice and warm and welcoming. I couldn’t decide what to order so I ended up ordering 3 dishes. All dishes were amazingly good, I walked away being really satisfied and will definitely be returning next time I’m in Kyoto.
Read morePros: non
Cons: non
Guest
CFBL
Points +344
Chaos! Like a performance of Fawlty Towers.... - Edit
Dinner for 2 on a Sunday evening during easter / cherry blossom season. I made a reservation for 7.30pm quite a while in advance by email. We were given a counter seat despite my email confirmation not mentioning this. After I complained they moved us to a table.
Read moreWe arrived a few minutes late but waited nearly 10 mins to be seated - behind another couple who also had a reservation for 7.30pm.
It took about 20 mins to get a menu and drink order placed. Another 15 mins for drinks to be delivered to multiple other tables in error, despite me waving like a lunatic to signal they were our drinks. About 10 mins later they arrived a second time, again, they tried to deliver them to every table. The couple next to us who were just leaving commented it took them 40 mins to place a drinks order - it was comical.
Eventually we managed to order food, which came out in random order (starter, main, starter, main) one dish at a time and took quite a long time. Wasn’t a huge issue for us as we were sharing everything but other couples next to us were getting visibly and audibly irritated and some of them left without ordering / receiving second courses.
A party who were paying / leaving were also very annoyed about something and having an argument with the management.
We sat with dirty plates for ages, trying to get the attention of the waitress so we could order dessert as we’d seen someone eating a chocolate cake that looked good. Eventually the waitress came over and then told us we couldn’t order desert as kitchen was closed. Then the chef came over and explained that the kitchen closed at 22.00. I pointed out it was 21.53 (yes 2.5 hours for 2 courses) and we had been sitting there for hours enduring very slow service and had been trying to get someones attention for 30mins and no-one had come around to take last orders. We received some chocolate cake relatively promptly after that.
The service was a complete joke - the restaurant was full but mainly because they weren’t serving customers. There was one main waitress who was just running around doing nothing. The chefs were bringing out most of the food. Somehow some couples were receiving the wrong food. Drinks orders were coming out wrong / duplicated and to the wrong tables. The restaurant was just not busy enough to justify the terrible service.
The food was pretty mediocre and bland at times. Some things were nice. Definitely not worth the money - it was not a cheap meal. There are other vegan restaurants in Kyoto, i would advise people not to waste money / time here. Try Ain Soph....
We didn’t leave bitter - we saw the funny side of it - but definitely wouldn’t go back.
Guest
RogerMatas
Points +44
pasta carbonara & tofu cake - Edit
pasta carbonara & tofu cake m'han fet perdre el puto nord. Unica mica més i orgasme
Read morePros: vegan!!
Cons: és una mica car i jo molt pobre el que el torna en
Guest
marilinda
Points +83
cibo fantastico - Edit
Risrorante carino e pulitissimo. Il cibo fantastico e ricercato. È totalmente vegano.
Read morePros: tutto vegano, pulitissimo , cibo fantastico
Cons: non per tutte le tasche
Guest
JessGreene
Points +47
Well worth it - Edit
I ate from the a la carte menu and ordered entree, main and dessert and spent just under 3000¥ which I think is extremely reasonable for the quality of the dining experience and food. It's an open kitchen which is wonderful to watch as the chef prepares the meals! Each of my plates were insanely good - I can't rate this place highly enough!
Read morePros: Incredible food, All vegan menu, Lovely atmosphere
Cons: Not for a small budget
Guest
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