Vegan
Japanese
Macrobiotic
Organic
Beer/Wine
Kyoto-style Japanese organic restaurant at 恵美須ビル, near Jingu Marutamachi Station. Serves vegan meals plus sake and herbal refreshments. Hosts music and events. Reported fully vegan January 2025. Open Tue-Wed 12:00pm-7:00pm, Fri-Sun 12:00pm-7:00pm. Last orders 6:00pm.
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8 2-1 Shimotsutsumicho, Sakyo Ward (at Emisu Building Second Floor), Kyoto, Japan, 606-8396
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Last update on 22 Jan 2025 by VeganWithAPassport
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Added by kakusandha on 28 Mar 2015
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68 Reviews
First Review by kakusandha
HaileyPoLa
Points +1118
Love the ramen - Edit
Padma is a lovely restaurant that I really enjoyed. I loved their gluten-free, brown rice ramen cooked in soy milk...it's probably the best ramen I've ever had. I also tried a soy milk with apple juice, which was much needed on a hot day like this.
Read moreThe sign outside the door isn't super obvious, but look for the HappyCow sticker and you'll know you're at the right place. The staff speaks English.
If you're already in the area I also highly recommend that you check out the Kamo River. You can actually go down and sit on rocks in the middle of the river. How cool is that! And of course I enjoyed some solo time there while devouring the vegan cookies I got from Padma.
Pros: amazing food, friendly staff
Guest
YokeMunLim
Points +1064
Macrobiotic Japanese and Asian inspired food - Edit
Padma is one of my favorite spots in Kyoto. It is homey and warm, the food is consistently flavorful and delicious, and the owner is friendly and welcoming. She is the only cook in the restaurant so service can be slow at times but I like to go there to chill and relax for the evening. Try her delicious cold ramen during summer. Topped with grilled tempeh, fresh summer vegetables and dowsed in a chilled creamy sesame miso broth, it is easily my favorite noodle dish in Kyoto. Her set meals are also plated beautifully and absolutely delicious. I just wish she has more dessert options! Otherwise really amazing place with wholesome food.
Read moreUpdated from previous review on 2017-07-18
Pros: Delicious and beautifully plated meals, Cozy and warm vibe, Friendly staff
Cons: Waiting times can be slow
Guest
jimprobable
Points +123
Healthy Japanese assortment! - Edit
Good to have proper Japanese food with variety. We loved it here, the lunch was perfect.. I think I ordered too much! Thanks
Read moreGuest
oliverhere
Points +23
Amazing food cooked with love! - Edit
hidden gem of a spot... quite chill the 3 times i've been here which means your food is lovingly cooked, and you can taste the difference. homey vibe. pleasant atmosphere. i recommend the "peaceful dinner plate" with perfectly portioned servings of wonderful japanese dishes. So good that i havent tried anything else on the menu. wed, fri, and sat are dinner hours. enjoy!
Read moreGuest
symbiosis
Points +456
Delightful and delicious - Edit
This was a real gem in Kyoto, so great I'm tempted to go back. I had a vegan macrobiotic lunch for some 1200 yen, my partner had the vegan lunch for 1300. It was one of the cheapest, and perhaps tastiest meal we had in Japan. The lady was very nice, the local beautiful. Food healthy, delicately flavoured and savourful japanese food.
Read morePros: Food, price
Cons: location
Guest
turion
Points +326
Friendly, tasty - Edit
This place has a great atmosphere. Contrary to earlier reviews, I found it open at the advertised time. (But yes, opening hours in Japanese restaurants seem to be unreliable.) Everything I had was absolutely delicious, including the dessert (yes, no big choice, but this one cake was great).
Read morePros: Food, Ambience
Guest
Skywalkeric
Points +91
Told me she was closed - Edit
I walked for an hour to get here, there were 3 people at the counter, 7.20pm on Wednesday night (it should be open 6pm to 9pm on Wednesdays apparently), a lady there said she is closed now, she's going to cook food somewhere else. I'm so sick of places just closing because they feel like it, finding an open vegan restaurant in Japan is just pot luck.
Read moreCons: Just be open as your advertised hours.
Stevie
Hi Eric,
Read moreSounds like a bummer that you missed out. Food on this joint is ace. Maybe ring them up with something like Skype to ask if they are open?
Best wishes,
Stevie
Guest
Stevie
Points +11765
Padma, Kyoto - Edit
This place was great. Two of us went and each ordered a different mixed plate that were on sale for us to share (to try as many different tastes as possible). This was delicious food. Nice vibe also. One was 1500 yen and one was 1800 yen. There's much cheaper dishes on the menu but what the heck.
Read morePros: 100% vegan, Fab food, Nice vibe
Guest
thecholl
Points +117
Lovely - Edit
We went there after as a second choice after we found that Sunny Place was inexplicably closed that day (boo!).
Read moreTasty food in a cosy environment. I'd give this a 3 and a half if I could since I did enjoy my meal but the only thing I was criticise was there seemed to be only one choice of dessert. I would have liked more choice…
Pros: Non-smoking
Cons: Limited dessert choices :(
Guest
sathya1709
Points +73
Good food - Edit
Visited for lunch. Not many options but had the standard lunch set. Had about 5-7 items with rice. Delicious food, and good host. Price slightly on the higher side at 1300 JPY for the food but probably because of the number of items.
Read moreWould probably visit again if other nearby places are closed in case you are eating regularly, but if you are visiting Kyoto, then I think you can visit. The food was delicious. The service was a bit on the slower side if you are in a hurry.
They are also open on 3 nights a week, wednesdays and i forgot the other days (maybe friday and sunday). Closed on saturdays for lunch.
Updated from previous review on Tuesday February 16, 2016
Pros: Good food, spacious, Nice host
Guest
MyVeganJoy
Points +583
Fancy delicious vegan organic food! - Edit
We had a great time at Padma! The meals were exquisite, unique, delicious made from local organic ingredients. The talented chef - Japanese lady - is great to talk to and can make Japanese and Thai dishes. Very good time! All vegan :)
Read moreGuest
JanWolffgang
Points +26
Great food - Edit
The adress on this site (HappyCow) was wrong, when we visited end of July 2015, but its right on the web-site. So please check out before you go!
Read moreWe had a great lunch, 100 % handmade from the buttom, and 100 % vegan. A nice and local restaurant, with pationate owner and employees.
The food were excellent with many different flawour.
Absolutely recommendable and WORTH visiting.
Thanks for a great experience.
LHJ from Denmark
Pros: The food, The staff, passionate vegans
Cons: Not much space, A long way from center of Kyoto.
Guest
itzjac
Points +251
BEST vegan restaurant in Japan!!! :) - Edit
My partner, a few friends and I were in Japan for a month last year and were in Kyoto for a week - we tried a range of great restaurants while in Kyoto (and the whole of Japan!) - but Padma Zen was by far our absolute favourite!!
Read moreWe ate here 5 times - the owner is so lovely and would make us up the most delicious meals! We tried a variety of dishes - but sorry to say I don't know what any of them are because the menu is all in Japanese. The good news is EVERYTHING is vegan so we didn't need to worry just said to her to give us whatever she recommended. We had a mixed plate which was sensational. Some soups and amazing variety of noodle dishes - there was one that was creamy with these crunchy noodles on top - mind blowing!!
We usually sit at the bar and chat to other customers and to the wonderful chef. It was truly our favourite restaurant on all our worldwide travels and were so sad to leave!
I highly recommend this place to anyone who is in Kyoto - you won't regret it!
At the bar one night we were eating there, we starting chatting to a fellow from Europe and he said he lived in Kyoto and ate there nearly everyday - I asked him if he was vegetarian or vegan and he said no why do you ask? I said because this is a vegan restaurant! and he said oh he had no idea, he just came here because the food was sensational! :)
I love the decor and ambience of the restaurant and it was even open on Christmas which is where we had our Christmas dinner :) They also serve alcohol which is great. The opening hours above say they're only open for dinner on Friday or Saturday - however when we went they were open for dinner every night - so not sure if this is accurate or if it has changed?
HIGHLY recommend!!! I have reviewed many restaurants on Happy Cow - but I have never given any a 5 star rating - until now! Well deserved 5 stars to Padma Zen :) - I can't wait to return to Kyoto to eat here again!
Pros: EVERYTHING!!!, Food, Staff, Decor
Cons: NOTHING!
Guest
kakusandha
Points +42
Superb Casual Japanese Vegan Cuisine - Edit
Conveniently located near the main campus of Kyoto University. The daily menu comprises several creative vegan interpretations of customary Japanese preparations, including shokado bento. Everything is freshly made to order by the chef in an open kitchen. Proteins include tofu, leguminosae, gluten, and also they offer a great tempe, made by the redoubtable Rustono in Shiga Prefecture.
Read moreA relaxed setting for delicious cruelty-free food, Padma easily ranks among the finest all-vegan Japanese restaurants in Kyoto, the rest of Japan, or anywhere in the world, and perhaps takes first place for a casual, unpretentious, and inexpensive meal. Very highly recommended.
Currently (early 2015) Padma is open for lunch only.
Guest
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