There are quite a few places in Tokyo where you can easily get vegan and vegetarian-friendly ramen. Ramen is one of my favorite things to eat, so I am always searching for a restaurant that serves up a delicious bowl. This post introduces 3 restaurants in Tokyo that I recommend for their unique and very satisfying vegan ramen on their menus. The first restaurant with ramen is an all-vegetarian and mostly vegan establishment, but the second two have options for those who eat meat.
1. Kinshicho, Tokyo: Veggie House
The first recommendation is the Taiwanese restaurant Veggie House. It is located in Kinshicho in eastern Tokyo (Sumida Ward), close to JR Kinshicho Station. Pictured above is the Tonkotsu-style ramen. The meat-version of tonkotsu uses a hearty pork-based soup, but this one is 100% vegan and amazingly delicious. The protein of the dish is crunchy, freshly-breaded wheat gluten (called “fu”). The creamy, savory soup also uses soy milk, so it is white in color. This is one of the best bowls of ramen I’ve had in a while and I really recommend trying this.
Veggie House is actually a vegetarian restaurant–some dishes do use egg, dairy, or honey–but the majority of dishes are vegan. If you don’t want to order single entrees, there is a pay-by-weight option where you can select as many side dishes, rice, and soup as you want to eat. There seemed to be plenty of vegan options here as well when I looked and asked the employees.
The neighborhood is not a typical spot where travelers go, but there is nice shopping nearby and the area is quiet. Even if you are coming from outside Japan or Tokyo, it is worth it to come here and relax with some delicious and satisfying ramen or vegan food. The employees here speak Japanese, English, and Taiwanese, and the menu is also written in different languages.
Veggie House：https://tabelog.com/tokyo/A1312/A131201/13216886/
2. Noodle Stand Tokyo
Next is Noodle Stand Tokyo in Harajuku. The menu contains a large selection of non-vegan ramen, but there is also one vegan-friendly ramen here (except on Fridays, when there are two options!). I did not go on a Friday–so my choice was the coconut miso ramen. The flavor of the soup is flavorful and rich, with a coconutty aroma and taste. The noodles are thicker than normal noodles and are deliciously chewy. I haven’t eaten or seen ramen like this before, so this is definitely a unique, delicious choice.
When you order your ramen, make sure to tell the cooks that you want the vegan version—otherwise, it will be made with animal-based products.
Every week on Fridays, Noodle Stand Tokyo seems to offer another vegan option: dan dan noodles. Although the restaurant is in a very convenient location, just past Takeshita Dori, it is a bit hidden out of sight. This means that the restaurant is not as crowded as other places. Look for the restaurant’s sign and walk down to the basement level.
The restaurant also has a menu with English and employees who speak English as well.
3. Multiple locations in Tokyo: Kyushu Jangara
Noodle Stand Tokyo：https://www.noodlestandtokyo.com/
Last is Kyushu Janagara, a casual Tokyo ramen chain with one or two vegan options on the menu. The other day I went to their Ikebukuro location for dinner and got the above-pictured bowl of ramen. The flavors here are unique–pictured above is the yuzu shio (yuzu is a citrus fruit, “shio” is salt) ramen offered in 2018. The broth was a little tangy and refreshing with the yuzu and fragrance, which meshes perfectly with the salty, savory flavor of the rest of the broth. The toppings of this ramen are also quite delicious, featuring green onion, bamboo shoots, and soy meat.
As this is a chain with multiple locations in Tokyo, it is a convenient and easy place for vegans and meat-eaters to enjoy a satisfying bowl of ramen. I strongly recommend checking out the website below to find a location to try. The menu also contains English.
Kyushu Jangara：http://kyushujangara.co.jp/