Vegan in Kyoto: Vegan Ramen Uzu Kyoto

Posted on June 30, 2025 by Jenny
A digital art installation on the main wall of the restaurant

We visited this restaurant for the first time in July 2024 and were really excited to return on our 2025 trip to Kyoto. I was disappointed to see online that the menu has changed quite a bit – now it’s just a set meal with no choice of starters (instead it’s two set appetisers), no choice of ice cream flavour for dessert, and just two ramens to choose between. Also, when you reserve your table, you have to specify which ramen each member of the party would like. It’s not super convenient to decide that a month in advance, but ultimately we were all happy with our choices.

The art, atmosphere, and service all remain unchanged, so it was still a really great experience (though personally I could live without the essential oil/meditation while you wait in the entrance hall to be seated). And the quality of the food was also unchanged, much to my delight.

A glass of kombucha in front of the digital art work

A drink is served first, you can choose with or without alcohol. We all got the non-alcoholic version, which was a kombucha. It was pleasant enough, but I’m not a huge fan of kombucha (or fizzy vinegar, as Dr HH calls it). After that, we could choose a drink to accompany the meal. It’s quite a small selection. In our party, one person got a sake, one a kombucha, and one a tea. We all enjoyed our drinks.

A small crackers with a pickled vegetable and a rectangle of vegan cheese on top

The first appetiser was a kind of soft cheese on a cracker. It was small but mighty! The cracker was really crisp and had a perfect crunch. The cheese was delicious, you could really taste the miso. It was such a good appetiser.

A piece of nori on a side plate and a bowl containing a small mound of rice topped with vegetables
A hand holding the nori sheet flat with the rice heaped on top, ready to roll into handmade sushi

The second appetiser was sushi that we assembled ourselves (it was not difficult to do so). It was sensational, really zingy, fresh, and flavoursome. Again, it looked quite unassuming but was really packed with savoury flavours.

A big bowl of ramen topped with mushrooms, green leafy vegetables, and a large piece of tomato. A big portion of noodles is visible under the broth

Mother HH got the soy sauce ramen. She was worried it would be too salty and soy-heavy, but it was really well balanced and she loved it!

A big bowl or ramen with a yellow coloured broth. It's topped with mushrooms, okra, and a large piece of grilled tomato.

Dr HH and I both got the spicy miso ramen, which was a bit of a gamble for me as I like my food spiced, but not scorching hot. Sure enough, for me it was a touch spicier than my usual preference, but for Dr HH it was quite mild. It was a really rich and flavoursome broth, and we were thrilled that the noodles were quite flat. This dish looked a lot better in person than it did in the photo online! Both versions of the ramen were topped with a flavoursome grilled tomato and some juicy maitake mushrooms. Ours also had some onions and okra as well. It was really filling, so two light appetisers were a good match,

A bowl ot ice cream topped with a dusty beige powder, and sitting in a beige syrup

And for dessert, we were served kinako (roasted soy bean) ice cream. The ice cream was not very sweet, so it went nicely with the extremely sweet sauce. The kinako flour on top was very moreish. The overall taste was almost like black treacle to me. It was not my favourite ice cream ever, but it was fun to try.

We really enjoyed the overall experience and thought the food was amongst the most well-seasoned we’ve had in Japan. Even though we would have liked more choice like in the past, we weren’t really complaining about what we got, so I think they are getting it right.

It’s a small space, with just one big table in a dark room (big and dark enough that you do not feel like you’re dining closely with the other customers), and it’s quite popular, so reservations are definitely recommended. It’s quite different from the other dining experiences we had in Kyoto, so I highly recommend it.

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Vegan in Kyoto: Vegan Izakaya Nijiya

Posted on June 23, 2025 by Jenny
A tray with five small plates. One is a large piece of aubergine, one has lots of small pieces of greens, one has two slices of sweet potato, one has some pickled radish and tofu, and one has a big piece of fried tofu.

One of the few complaints I have about Japan is that not many restaurants take reservations (or at least not many vegan ones). I accept that this is probably based on bad experiences for the restaurant owners, but as a very responsible appointment keeper/canceller, it is a frustrating policy for me. That problem is exacerbated when you visit a teeny tiny restaurant like Vegan Izakaya Nijiya that only seats seven.

We knew in advance that there were only seven seats, so we plotted to arrive early to ensure we got seated right away at opening time, 5.30pm. We arrived at 5.05pm and were the first in the queue. By 5.20pm, there were more than seven people in the queue, meaning that some of those people would be waiting quite some time to get in. The restaurant opened promptly at 5.30pm. The maximum dining time is 1 hour, and that was about how long each dining group took, so for anyone in the queue it is a long old wait.

All three of us ordered the set menu, called the nijiya course – it’s also possible to get the large nijiya course or to pick and choose what you want from the menu, but we were happy to try a bit of everything. Each round of food arrived quite quickly, but we didn’t feel rushed.

A tray containing several dishes. There is a large serving of silken tofu topped with spring onions, with a brown dressing on the side. There's also a dish with a tiny helping of wasabi. Another dish contains pieces of yuba, served alongside a little cup with brown dressing

To start, we were served yuzu tofu and yuba. The yuzu tofu was the star of the show here, the sauce was so zingy and refreshing. Mother HH is not a tofu fan and even she enjoyed this one (though not the yuba).

A plate with two meaty skewers, two pieces of cucumber, and a dollop of white sauce

The soy meat yakitori came next. I thought it was fantastic, really tender and tasty. Dr HH thought it was just standard mock meat though.

Two gyoza sitting in a little bit of dressing, topped with some greens

Next came two dumplings, which were fine but not really remarkable, in terms of flavours.

A tray with five small plates. One is a large piece of aubergine, one has lots of small pieces of greens, one has two slices of sweet potato, one has some pickled radish and tofu, and one has a big piece of fried tofu.

The obanzai assortment was next, which was five little dishes. We all enjoyed the deep fried tofu, braised aubergine, and candied yams (which were not very sweet). Nobody was too dazzled by the radish, which was a bit bland, and I really disliked the taste of the mustard greens, but my companions loved them – I think that’s just personal preference.

A big piece of mock meat with a few salad leaves

Next we received the soy meat yakiniku, which we all agreed this time was just standard soy meat. It was a bit chewier and tougher than I would have liked. I’m not familiar with the original dish though, so maybe it was totally accurate. It wasn’t bad, but certainly not the best course.

A translucent soup with a few colourful pieces in it

The osuimono soup was the only real dud of the meal for us, with all three of us agreeing it was quite bland and insipid, unfortunately.

A triangular rice ball topped with a thick brown paste

The grilled miso rice balls were good fun – plenty of rice to ensure we were full, and tasty miso on top. The grilling left it with a slightly bitter taste to me, but Dr HH thought it was absolutely perfect. Mother HH had never had really had miso before, and this was a bit too strong an introduction for her.

Two small squares of chocolate truffle, topped with cocoa powder

But we were all in agreement about the dessert! We finished with chocolate yokan, which was really decadent and rich, kind of like a smooth truffle texture.

While everything was good, truthfully if I’d had to wait an hour I think I’d have been a little bit underwhelmed. The seasoning was a bit off in places, and it takes a lot to warrant standing and waiting for food for me. Also, the seating is at a bar on high stools, which is never my favourite arrangement.

That said, the menu is creative and fun, with some dishes that were totally new to me and some I was eager to try veganised. The restaurant is absolutely tiny and it’s really impressive how the two women prepare all the dishes in such a small space. I really admire what they’re doing, and recommend it – if you get the timing right for a short wait.

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Vegan in Kyoto: Vegan Sushi Kyoto

Posted on June 16, 2025 by Jenny
A tray with six pieces of sushi, five little side dishes, and a bowl of miso soup

After eating at the Tokyo branch in the first week of our trip to Japan (review here), we were all excited to try the newly-opened Kyoto branch too. The menu is a little different, with fewer pieces of sushi and a selection of little side dishes instead, which helped to justify the decision to (essentially) revisit the same place.

The sushi was well seasoned with good toppings – all of them the same as the offering in Tokyo, but only six rather than ten in this branch. They were: scrambled egg, tuna mayo, vegan meat, Japanese ginger, shiitake mushroom, and tempura. None of us were very keen on the scrambled egg, and were quite disappointed that that was one of the repeat items. The others were all good. The tuna remains incredible, and the pickled ginger packs plenty of flavour without being too ferocious.

A small dish of cold matcha noodles and another with agedashi tofu

There were five obanzai (small dishes) as well: matcha soba, yuba, karaage, agedashi, and pickled turnip. The matcha noodles were the highlight from the side dishes. The soy meat and agedashi tofu were really tasty, but both suffered from being a bit cold and soggy. Imagine how good they would be crisp and fresh! But I understand that it’s much easier to serve them this way.

Three small dishes, one with fried vegan meat, one with pickled vegetables, and one with yuba

There was also a miso soup, which was tasty too and definitely one of the better ones of our trip.

It was a really good experience overall, even if there were a few things that weren’t to our personal tastes. The service was excellent, and it’s still a really exciting menu, in a place without that many vegan sushi options. This was a more spacious restaurant than the Tokyo one, and we were pleased to be sitting at a table rather than a bar for a change!

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Vegan in Kyoto: Coyote

Posted on June 9, 2025 by Jenny
A slice of toast topped with scrambled tofu and a slice of banana bread

It’s always tricky on holiday to find somewhere for breakfast that has vegan options, is not a million miles out of your way, and opens at a reasonable hour. So we were delighted to find Coyote, a vegan-friendly cafe really close to the train station in Kyoto that opens at actual breakfast time. We spent a week in Kyoto and came here one morning before catching a train.

A slice of toast topped with scrambled tofu

All three of us had the egg toast and enjoyed it very much. It was a good thick slice of warm toast topped with a generous portion of well-seasoned vegan scrambled egg. It had a good eggy texture and flavour, with just the right amount of salt and pepper. Most tofu scrambles in Prague are criminally under-seasoned, so we were thrilled! However, the egg was cold. It would definitely have been better if the topping was warm. We are used to having warm scrambles in the UK and Europe, so this was a bit unexpected. Another down side is that this was a small portion – we definitely needed something to accompany it.

A slice of citrus bread
A slice of banana bread

Fortunately, there was cake! We also got banana bread and citrus bread slices and these were nicely baked and well flavoured. It seems like they have banana bread every day, and rotating additional loaves. They had just run out of blueberry when we placed our order, so it was lemon bread for us.

A cafe latte and a chai latte on a wooden table

Dr and Mother HH got cafe lattes, which were nice, and I was delighted to see chai latte on the menu, which I find a bit scarce in Japan. It was tasty!

A lot of tourists are looking for the same breakfast gold that we are (open early, convenient location, vegan options), which means that this place is jumping. We had to wait a few minutes on entering for some seats to open up, but it was worth it. As it’s quite small and crowded, we were wary of going back when we had our luggage with us, so bear that in mind. But this is definitely recommended for a light breakfast in Kyoto!

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Vegan in Yokohama: Rucy + R

Posted on June 2, 2025 by Jenny
A park filled with trees including cherry trees in bloom, under a bright blue sky

We took a day trip to Yokohama on this holiday, the first time we’ve visited it. It’s not far from Tokyo, and easily reachable by train. Our main incentive was to see some (hopefully) less crowded cherry blossom, and have a brief break from the intensity of such a huge city. While researching the day trip, we were pleased to note that there was an all-vegan Japanese curry place in the train station, so we made sure we would be passing through there at a suitable lunch time.

A bowl of side salad, rice, and curry sauce with vegetables

Mother HH tried the spice curry with vegetables, and she was very happy with it. It was a good assortment of vegetables (perhaps less so if you hate broccoli, as she does), and plenty of rice.

A bowl of side salad, rice, and curry sauce with katsu tofu

It was spice curry with katsu tofu for Dr HH. The sauce was well seasoned and consistent with other Japanese curries we’ve made at home or tried in restaurants, hinting all the right sweet and spicy notes that we’ve come to expect.

A bowl of side salad, rice, and curry sauce with katsu tofu

I got the Japanese curry with katsu tofu, which was similar but a bit spicier. The katsu tofu was excellent, with a thick, crispy coating. We all got the same little side salad that was well dressed too.

A small glass of ginger ale
A small glass of iced milky tea

Ginger ale seems to be all the rage in Japan, or at least in the vegan restaurants – we ordered it almost everywhere. Mother and Dr HH enjoyed the ginger ale here. I branched out and got an iced chai which was delicious and quite heavily spiced with cinnamon (a good thing for me).

This restaurant was not the easiest place to find initially but the explanations on Happy Cow are accurate, and once you get yourself into the basement floor in the food court area it’s pretty easy to get to.

A cluster of cherry blossom trees in bloom in a park

We didn’t get to do everything we’d planned in Yokohama because Dr HH was struck down by a sudden illness (he fully recovered, don’t worry). Luckily we’d started our day with the outdoor activities that were highest on our list. We started out at Negishi Forest Park, which had loads of cherry blossom and was less crowded than the Tokyo parks we’d already seen. There were lots of people picnicking and enjoying the scenery, and there was so much blossom, it was really pretty.

A view across a pond lined with cherry trees in blossom and a pagoda on a hill on the opposite side

We took a bus from there to Sankien Garden, which was quite a sprawling place which we didn’t see too much of in the end. We enjoyed a walk around this lake in the centre, which was lined with cherry trees in full bloom and nice relaxing views. We were told by a guide that there was a lot more to see, but we were trying to keep things moving and were really prioritising the cherry blossom. If you are visiting out of cherry blossom season, I think this garden would still be worth a visit, there was plenty to see and it was really well tended.

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Vegan in Tokyo: Ain.Soph Journey

Posted on May 26, 2025 by Jenny
Two pillowy pancakes topped with ice cream and cream and served with chopped fruit, compote, and nuts

We went to various Ain.Soph branches a few times on our original trip to Japan in 2019 (reviewed here), but didn’t return on our visit last year because we didn’t think the savoury menu was that good. The western items were ok, but we really wanted Japanese dishes, and those weren’t too inspiring to us. This time, we really wanted a chance to take Mother HH for some vegan Japanese pancakes, because they are so different from the ones we get in Europe, so we decided to book ourselves in just for dessert. I remembered the different branches all being very popular six years ago, so we used the online reservation system just to be on the safe side. We booked for 1.45pm just for pancakes – you have to select in advance what meal type you want. I’m glad we booked, as it was busy when we arrived. By 2.30pm it was really quiet though.

Two pillowy pancakes topped with ice cream and cream and served with chopped fruit, compote, and nuts

We ordered two rounds of heavenly pancakes and one strawberry pancakes (a seasonal special – they also had a strawberry millefeuille for the season). In all cases, the pancakes were very different from American or European pancakes I’ve had before – they were more like a scone in their texture, with quite a cakey base and a slightly crisp exterior. They were quite dense, but really tasty. The heavenly pancakes came with an assortment of fruit, plus nuts and seeds, which added a nice bit of texture.

Two pillowy pancakes topped with ice cream and served with quartered strawberries and syrup

The strawberry pancakes did not skimp on the strawberries, and they were flavoursome too. Dr HH was very happy that he chose this one. Both kinds of pancakes came with cream and ice cream, both of which were delicious. No complaints at all about the pancakes, we were three very happy customers!

A glass of raspberry cream soda with a scoop of vanilla ice cream in it

For drinks, we tried the raspberry cream soda. I thought this would be the classic cream soda which is quite common (though rarely vegan) in Japan – fizzy pop with a sweet, creamy layer on top. But this was actually what I would call an ice cream – fizzy pop with a scoop of ice cream. I was totally astonished by this, though Dr HH insists it was perfectly clear from the photo in the menu. It was tasty and sweet, but definitely far more than I needed to accompany a big plate of pancakes!

Service was friendly and quite fast – there is a note to say the pancakes take about 15 minutes to prepare, so our expectations were well managed and it definitely didn’t take longer than that. We were always happy to visit any eateries which seated us at traditional western tables, rather than at a bar or on lower seating, so in that regard this was a definite winner too!

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Vegan in Tokyo: Zen

Posted on May 19, 2025 by Jenny
A big cabbage pancakes covered in sauce

Generally I prefer to go to all-vegan restaurants when I’m travelling, both to support those businesses that usually desperately need it and to ensure there are no non-vegan mishaps. Zen is not all vegan, but we were looking for a meal close to Shinjuku station after a long day trip, so we gave this a try. And it’s an okonomiyaki restaurant, which is another of those dishes we simply can’t get in Prague, so how could we resist?! Shinjuku is an extremely busy area, but luckily we got in without a wait at around 6.45pm on a Friday – it was busy, but no waiting.

There was seating at the bar, at western-style tables, and at low tables as well, with a drop down area for your feet under the table. We had to take our shoes off before scrambling in. Mother HH was not very impressed by this and subsequent restaurants with this low seating, but we all managed to tuck ourselves in properly.

The menu has a specific vegan page, though rather unhelpfully, not all of the dishes on it are vegan, some are vegetarian. Based on Happy Cow reviews, my understanding was that the cheese is dairy and so the truly vegan dishes are those that do not list cheese as an ingredient. I find this inaccuracy around the word vegan extremely unhelpful – and this is another reason I prefer all-vegan spots! Still, I think the staff did have a good understanding, and there is a picture page on the menu where they check which things you do and don’t eat, so it seemed there was little room for error.

A small block of silken tofu garnished with spring onion, drizzled in a light brown sauce

After ordering, we were brought a little dish of tofu which was really nice, very well seasoned. Mother HH doesn”t much like tofu, so I got to have extra! The cost of this dish is incorporated into the table charge at the end of the meal, so there’s no getting away from it – you might as well eat it!

A big cabbage pancakes covered in sauce with one quarter removed

There are a few different kinds of okonomiyaki on the menu, but we all got the basic vegan okonomiyaki. It was quite thick, a really generous portion. Mother HH thought there was too much sauce on top – I don’t like saucy food much and I thought it was fine though. For me there was a bit too much ginger in it, but the others really loved that about it. Overall it was neither the best nor the worst okonomiyaki I’ve tried, it was good but not mind-blowing.

Importantly, it was conveniently located not far from the station, so if you’re looking for a convenient spot to try a veganised version of a classic Japanese dish, it’s definitely worth a try!

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Vegan in Tokyo: Tsuminaki Mapo Tofu

Posted on May 12, 2025 by Jenny
A tray with a bowl of rice, some pickled vegetables, and a large dish of mapo tofu

I’m not sure I’d even heard of mapo tofu before we visited Spicy Moon in New York, but since then Dr HH and I have been obsessed with it. We make it regularly at home, and if we are outside of Prague and see it on a menu (we believe there is no vegan mapo here) we eagerly order it. So imagine our delight at finding out there was an all-vegan mapo tofu restaurant in Tokyo! We had to squeeze it into our itinerary somehow.

It was quite far from Shinjuku, but Tokyo is such a massive city that that wasn’t too surprising. It seemed to be in a relatively quiet area anyway, and there was no queue, so we were very pleased about that.

A curry sauce filled with tofu and vegetables, and topped with grated vegan cheese

Dr HH was feeling bold and reckless, so he decided to try the cheese curry mapo. It sounds a bit too chaotic to me – cheese, curry, and mapo are three things that I’m not sure belong together! It was a tasty curry sauce, but that overpowered anything we’d think of as traditionally mapo in the seasoning. The cheese didn’t melt, and didn’t really add anything either. He was hoping it would be a bit more fusion, but it was predominantly a Japanese curry with some tofu and cheese. It was still a tasty dish, but just not quite what he was looking for.

A dish of mapo tofu

I got a simple mapo tofu and I was very happy indeed. It hit all the mapo tofu notes I was looking for, without being too spicy – perfect for me! The texture was good, the Sichuan tingle was there, and, paired with some rice, it was a hearty portion.

A plate of gyoza with well fried bottoms

We all got gyoza too and they were delicious – Mother HH got a plate for her main dish, as she doesn’t like tofu enough to try a mapo, and Dr HH and I got them as sides. The dumplings were quite small and very crispy, which we loved. They were filled with some nicely seasoned silken tofu, and were a big hit with all three of us.

A dish of a creamy dessert topped with cocoa powder and coffee powder

Dr HH got a cacao tiramisu for dessert, while the rest of us were full. He reported that this was fine, but nothing special. It didn’t have any soaked biscuits, and it mostly felt like silken tofu sitting in a sweet syrup with a dusting of coffee and cocoa on top, so the texture was all very soft. He wouldn’t get this again, but it’s always fun to try something new.

Also on the mains menu were spicier versions of mapo, as well as a white sesame mapo, so there are a few different things to try, and you can opt for noodles rather than rice if you prefer. It was an exciting looking menu, and I’m sorry we only got to go once. Let’s dream that they open a branch in Prague one day!

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Vegan in Tokyo: Shiba Park Hotel

Posted on May 5, 2025 by Jenny
An array of mushrooms

It was hard to resist the temptation to spend all our time in Tokyo revisiting our favourite spots, but somehow we did manage to get in a few new eateries too. I learned on social media about this hotel, which has a restaurant that serves three vegan set menus in the evenings that you can choose from – there are no vegan options before dinner. You can choose Japanese, Chinese, or western, and they each have five small courses. We reserved a table online, and had to choose our meal at that time. All three of us went for the Japanese menu, because we were trying to get in as much Japanese food as possible. It was a nice restaurant, classy without being intimidating (we were in our comfy tourist clothes we’d been wearing all day and did not feel out of place), and it was quite spacious and relaxing. The food was generally good, without being totally amazing.

A small glass of yuba in soy milk, some chunks of aubergine, and a few vegetable crackers

The appetiser was three small bites. The vegetable rice crackers, as they were called on the menu, were just like vegetable crisps, and were pleasant but a bit unremarkable. The deep fried aubergine was nice and had a great texture, but suffered from being served cold, in our opinion. The yuba, served in a little glass, was slippery and fun. I love a bit of tofu skin!

A bowl of vivid yellow soup with some artfully arranged vegetables

The pureed seasonal vegetable soup was a bit bland and boring, despite the little pots of pepper and rice cracker to liven it up. My expectations were quite low for a soup course though, to be honest. It certainly looked colourful and appealing, anyway.

A tray with a hot pot cooking station alongside a plate of food for cooking
Mushrooms, tofu skin, and more cooking in broth in the hot pot

The biggest course came next, the yuba and mushroom hot pot. This was basically a big plate of different kinds of mushrooms, vegetables, and tofu skin that we cooked at the table in a pot of broth. It’s always fun to cook your own meals like this! The mushrooms were really flavoursome, and I loved the texture of the yuba. Mother HH had never had yuba before and was not a fan unfortunately, so it might be a bit of a risky choice for someone who is not super familiar with Japanese food. I hoovered up her leftovers though, so it was a great day for me! She really loved the theatre of cooking at the table though, so that made up for it.

Three pieces of sushi each topped with a slice of a different vegetable - red pepper, courgette, and turnip. Also a small bowl of broth.

Three kinds of sushi came next – one with courgette, one with turnip, and one with red pepper. To be honest, they were not super flavourful, I’ve definitely had better. They all basically just tasted like their vegetable topping, but not really enhanced or complemented in any way. But it was nice to get some rice for something a bit more filling.

Two white rice cakes in a glass of sweet red bean soup, and warabi rice cake dusted with green matcha powder

Finally, the dessert was rice cake in sweet red bean soup, and warabi rice cake. As long as you like that kind of gelatinous texture, this is a good dessert! (Again, Mother HH was a bit flummoxed by this one, finding the texture a bit unexpected for a dessert.) The red beans were nice and sweet. The warabi had a great texture and a nice matcha flavour. This was a good ending to the meal.

It wasn’t mindblowing food, but we really enjoyed the yuba appetizer, hot pot, and dessert. Even Mother HH, who was not so familiar with Japanese cuisine, found lots of things she liked about it and enjoyed the overall experience of trying these different things.

It’s always good to see more restaurants adding vegan options to their menu, and this seems like a fairly ambitious entry point. Hopefully they’ll make some tweaks to bring a bit more flavour as they find their feet. If you’re dining with meat eaters or looking for somewhere a bit more spacious and quieter than a typical restaurant, this is a nice option.

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Vegan in Tokyo: Universal Bakes

Posted on April 28, 2025 by Jenny
A large plate containing a muffin and a croissant

Our attempt to visit more vegan bakeries on this trip to Tokyo continued (and basically finished) with a trip to not one but two branches of Universal Bakes. The two branches are about a 15 minute walk apart, and in quite a quiet, residential part of the city, which always makes for a fun walk. Unfortunately for us, that means they were nowhere near Shinjuku, so it was a bit of a trek to get there, which is why we’d never been before. Ultimately, it was probably worth the trip.

Our first stop was Universal Bakes and Cafe. We got there right after opening on a Saturday to ensure we got a seat – information online seemed a bit vague about just how big it was. I can now report that there are only six seats indoors (a table of four and a table of two), and a few more outside.

We were there specifically to get a vegan curry pan, but there were none available. It seemed like a few dishes were unavailable still at that time – there was a sign behind the counter for French toast, but we were told it was too early for that too. There were lots of savoury items, mostly toasts with toppings, and a few sweet ones too but not many.

A muffin with a fluffy base and crisp, craggy top, with chunks of dark chocolate and pieces of raspberry visible

All three of us tried the chocolate raspberry muffins, which were excellent – nicely baked, a perfect top, and loads of chocolate. Mother HH actually felt it had too much chocolate and not enough fruit, but that’s not a complaint you would ever catch me making!

A croissant seasoned with lots of salt and zaatar
The inside of the croissant with crisp pastry layers and a seasoned filling

We also had a weekly special, the zaatar croissant. This was sublime! The croissant was so crisp and flaky, and the savoury seasoning was perfect. It looked like they had regular themes for the special – the week we visited it was UAE themed, hence the zaatar.

A glass of iced green matcha

We got cafe lattes and a matcha latte, both were good. The matcha latte was nicely balanced, and whichever plant milk they used had a nice creaminess to it.

Dr HH did not want to give up on his long awaited curry pan just yet, so we made the short walk over to Universal Bakes 2, and found that it had more sweets…but also no curry pan. There was no indoor seating at this branch, but quite a bit outdoor, so if it’s good weather then you’re in luck. We got some donuts to take away and they were delicious.

A paper bag of five donut holes with flour on them

Dr HH got the donut holes covered with kinako (roasted soy bean flour). He thought this worked really well in places of sugar. The donuts were still sweet but now with a bit of a roasted nutty taste on top of it. It’s always fun to try something totally different!

A ring donut with thick chocolate on top and a sprinkling of salt

I could not resist the chocolate cookie donut. It was a bit crispier around the edges and denser than a regular donut, and the chocolate was absolutely delicious. I loved it! As someone with more of a sweet tooth, Universal Bakes 2 probably caters better to my tastes – but it was nice to have a proper sit down and drink at the main cafe too.

Maybe one day we’ll get to try the coveted curry pan. Is it too soon to start planning another trip?!

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