Vegan
International
Take-out
Gluten-free
Uses only 100% plant-based ingredients, with a focus on carefully selected Kyoto vegetables from producers all over the country. Gluten-free choices are available. The lunch menu changes every day but could include salads, soups, dumplings, desserts and drinks. Address in Japanese: 祇園町北側313-7. Open Mon-Sat 12:30pm-7:30pm, Sun 12:30pm-7:00pm. Check Instagram for hours as hours vary.
© OpenStreetMap contributors
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Higashiyama Gionmachi Kitagawa 313-7, Kyoto, Japan, 605-0073
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Last update on 12 Dec 2024 by Guest
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Added by AnnaZirael on 17 Sep 2022
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102 Reviews
First Review by AnnaZirael
AK24
Points +382
Some of the best food we had in Japan! - Edit
This place is a must visit. It is small and you may have to wait but it's worth it. The food is super delicious and fresh. I wish I went back and tried it again!
Read moreGuest
jufraige
Points +12
Great place!! - Edit
The staff were very friendly and the food was delicious. Great location and close to tourist attractions.
Read moreGuest
Mai_l
Points +437
Food was ok - Edit
Food was fine, I probably wouldn’t wait in a line for it.
Read moreThe staff was very accomodating. I forgot my bag and they came the day after to the restaurant so I can take it. They went above and beyond and got the stars for that
Guest
Altrexy
Points +14
Awesome hole in the wall - Edit
Delicious food and super friendly staff
Read moreGuest
sanj123
Points +12
Good vegan food near Yasaka shrine. - Edit
We had lunch here while visiting Yasaka shrine and Kiyomizu Dera. The owner is extremely friendly and we had a very colourful and nutritious vegan meal. It could have used some dip on the side as the rice and the dumplings as well as the salad was a bit dry. But good food nonetheless in an izakaya concept that we would have otherwise missed as vegans.
Read moreGuest
pinkpug17
Points +18
Incredible! - Edit
Such friendly staff, incredible salad and yummy vegan dumplings and soy meat. Definitely will come back!
Read moreGuest
Dagne
Points +340
A great and cosy spot - Edit
Even though the place is tiny, it's lovely. The food was very flavourful, especially the side salad.
Read moreMy husband's dumplings were divine, my dish could have had more depth to its flavour. We also got some lemon beer which was great, and for dessert a decadent chocolate cake, if you love chocolate you should definitely indulge.
The owner is very friendly and the place's atmosphere is great, I'd gladly go back.
Pros: Short and easy menu , Great and fast service
Guest
Muninn
Points +19
Lively shop and delicious food - Edit
The owners are lovely, really talkative and nice, and the food is delicious! Maybe the salad did miss a little seasoning, but dumpling and rice were really good. Also the chocolate cake is so good, and everything is vegan, they ask about allergies, everything was great ✨
Read morePros: Chocolate cake, Ambiance , Everything is vegan
Guest
XenaWarriorPrincess
Points +3079
Nourishing, vegetable-focused dishes - Edit
Small, intimate restaurant serving nourishing, vegetable-focused dishes. The staff are very welcoming and speak English. Their menu features dumplings, fried soy meat, hamburger steak, etc. all served with whole-grain rice and a massive portion of salad. The fried soy meat was delicious!
Read moreThere are only about 8 seats or so, so be prepared to wait. Also note that you will be paying Gion tourist district prices.
Guest
m@earthville
Points +10235
Friendly and healthy - Edit
Zirael is a cozy and friendly spot for healthy herbivore meals, offering well-balanced plates with plenty of greens with a few variations. They serve a mix of brown and black rice that is both flavorful and salubrious. Prices are reasonable.
Read moreGuest
SamForbes
Points +123
A Tiny Spot with Big Flavour - Edit
This was hands down one of my favourite restaurants in Japan!
Read moreTucked away in a small alley, this cozy spot seats only about 10 people in a bar-style setting, making for an intimate dining experience.
The food was simple but incredible – a generous portion of rice, an absolutely huge and flavour-packed salad, and your choice of protein like plant-based meat or dumplings. The salad was honestly the most delicious I’ve ever had – I’d love to know what seasoning they use because I’d eat salads every day if they tasted like this! The mix of vegetables was also perfectly chosen, adding to how amazing it was.
I went for the plant-based hamburger meat, while my partner had the dumplings, and we shared – both were excellent.
Service was fast and friendly, but since seating is super limited, I’d recommend getting there early or being prepared to wait. It’s definitely worth it!
Guest
Happytraveller
Points +265
Amazing Spot, Food and Owner - Edit
Super great vegan restaurant down a quiet alley. This place only has 10 seats but well worth the wait. The food was so fresh and healthy. There is a giant salad on each plate as well as the vegan meat. The atmosphere is lovely. The owner is talkative and comical. It’s a treat all around!
Read morePros: Fresh ingredients, Giant salad on each plate-hard to find in Japan, Delicious Soy Meat
Guest
MavisLoh
Points +17
Excellent food with nice ambient - Edit
Friendly chef who makes you feel at ease. Serves excellent food. Highly recommend!
Read moreGuest
surajvarma
Points +70
Excellent - Edit
Tried steamed dumpling, ginger fried soy and chocolate cake and all tasted excellent. Highly recommended.
Read morePros: Steamed dumpling, Ginger fried soy, Chocolate cake
Guest
giovern
Points +446
Fresh and delicious! - Edit
Such a nice break from the heavy ramen we had eaten the past few days. The ingredients are fresh, the dumplings are some of the best I’ve ever had, and the owner is friendly and takes such pride in the restaurant. It only seats 8 at the tiny counter, so you may need to wait. At about 1:30 on a weekday, our group of 4 sat immediately. One of our best meals during our Japan trip!
Read morePros: Fresh and healthy , Great dumplings, Friendly staff
Cons: Limited seating
Guest
DaniChalmers
Points +40
Fresh and delicious vegan food - Edit
This place is such a great find! Tucked away but it is absolutely worth it. The dumplings and salad plate was incredible, the dressing was like nothing I’ve had before and the dumplings are the best I’ve had not to mention the VEGAN CHOCOLATE CAKE. Seriously the most rich and tasty chocolate cake, I wish I could take it back home
Read morePros: Tasty food , Fresh food , Amazing customer service
Guest
LemonardoDaVinci:)
Points +44
Great host - Edit
The food was very good!
Read moreThe owner was very nice and spoke English. He was very polite and energetic.
Updated from previous review on 2023-06-07
Guest
yungveg17
Points +1363
Friendly service and yummy light lunch - Edit
Another tiny place so you may have to wait a bit. We really enjoyed the colorful salad with local ingredients. The chocolate cake was also super good! #Veganuary
Read moreUpdated from previous review on 2025-01-29
Guest
vickerbasket
Points +1399
Light and Friendly - Edit
I think dinner starts around 5pm. I arrived 4:50 and I was already the 2nd to last seat of 7. There were definitely people waiting outside by the time I left before 6pm.
Read moreI ordered the dumpling set as this seemed to be the most popular. I kind of wish I had ordered the katsu curry that was the special that night. The dumpling set was quite mild. The chocolate cake was good.
The owner is very friendly and definitely tries to chat with everyone.
Guest
PieraRiccio
Points +27
Such a nice experience - Edit
The food was super nice and light, including the amazing chocolate cake. The owner and the staff are extremely nice, welcoming and talkative. It was a very nice experience, I felt lucky to be there!
Read moreGuest
Cbeans
Points +67
Light and delicious - Edit
This tiny place is tucked away on a side street, but not too hard to find. The staff were really friendly and welcoming. A local neighbor (the cutest little elderly man) was eating there and was also very welcoming. I had the ginger soy meat plate and my husband had the dumpling plate. Both dishes were plated beautifully and the chef explained all the ingredients when presented to us. The soymeat was very tender and flavorful, as were the dumplings. Very delicious, light, and fresh. We followed it with a piece of chocolate cake, which was slightly dense but very yummy. Highly recommend!!! #Veganuary
Read moreGuest
AnitaDollar
Points +5503
Amazing! - Edit
Staff is so lovely and food is delicious and fresh! The salad is made with seasonal veggies and I really enjoyed the ginger meat.
Read moreCan't wait to go back soon :)
Guest
the_rusty_knight
Points +134
Hidden little restaurant serving healthy, tasty food - Edit
One of the first vegan restaurants I tried in Japan, the food at Zirael was fantastic and refreshing. It was a bit tricky to find as it’s tucked snugly between two buildings. The chef recommended the dumpling platter and that’s what I went with. The food at Zirael comes in the form of platters including a fresh salad and rice. I also had the vegan yuzu beer. Really enjoyed my lunch here, would definitely recommend if you’re in Kyoto. #Veganuary
Read morePros: Dumplings and salad, Service, Ambience
Guest
benedetta98
Points +36
Nice vibe and great food - Edit
Only serves few plates but they all taste really good
Read moreThe staff is friendly and really try to make you feel at home
Guest
sreyz
Points +34
Dinner in Kyoto - Edit
The food was amazing, and the owner created such a relaxing and open environment. It was easy to speak to fellow travellers. The chocolate cake is the best I’ve ever had, better than the ones back home in Toronto!
Read moreGuest
hwing
Points +1739
Hearty and healthy vegan meal and a friendly owner - Edit
Arrived about an hour before closing and waited for about 15-20 minutes but it was well worth the wait! The owner is fluent in English and very welcoming, which adds to the small and intimate vibe of this lunch spot (as the restaurant only sits about 8 people counter-style). The other waitstaff are also very kind.
Read moreThe lunch menu changes daily. They had run out of the Hamburger platter by the time we arrived, but we were happy with our order.
We ordered the Dumpling platter and the Zirael platter as well as a side of the fried soy meat so we could try all the main proteins available for the day. The owner said the Dumpling platter is the most popular option, and I can see why! The soup dumplings were quite possibly the best vegan dumplings I’ve ever had—very flavorful and great texture! The curry soup that was the main staple of the Zirael platter was also delicious. The side of fried soy meat was crunchy and well seasoned. The salad was very fresh and colorful. Wish there was a higher ratio of protein to salad. Ordered the orange juice which was good but not the best I’ve had.
Updated from previous review on 2024-11-13
Guest
gggggggggg
Points +134
Friendly spot - Edit
Very friendly staff, perfectly good food
Read moreGuest
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