Recently I shared three of my favorite spots in Tokyo to get your hands on some vegan friendly eats, and I wanted to also talk about a couple of vegan options in Kyoto that I’ve tried and was thoroughly impressed by. Whether you’re a vegan yourself, you’re traveling with friends or family who are, or you just appreciate a tasty feed, these two spots should be on your eating itinerary!
Morpho Cafe
If you could summarize the cuisine at Morpho Cafe in just a couple of words, comfort food would probably fit the bill. We ordered a few different dishes off their menu, including the green curry and the faux-meat sauce pizza, but there were loads of other hearty options including soy meat burgers and vegan ramen, to name a couple.
There is also a dessert menu that seems to rotate seasonally. We didn’t indulge in any sweets here on our visit, but they had a variety of cakes and even a dessert pizza available. If you have a sweet tooth, be sure to leave some stomach room!
Ain Soph Journey
If you’ve been to Tokyo and you’re a vegan it’s likely that you’ve heard of the Ain Soph group of restaurants – there are several in the city there. However, Ain Soph Journey in Kyoto only opened earlier in 2018, so it’s a newcomer to the vegan eats scene!
If you appreciate aesthetics and attention to detail when you eat, then you won’t be disappointed here at Ain Soph. The dishes are all gorgeously presented, but also taste amazing – so much so that the group we were traveling with decided to go back a second time just to eat there. On our first visit we stuck to pancakes, because can you ever really go wrong with pancakes? They even have a couple of different pancake varieties!
The vegan (and gluten free) matcha pancakes caught my eye and I couldn’t resist – they’re served up with some fresh berries, a white chocolate matcha topping and vegan ice cream. If you’re a fan of all things matcha you can’t miss these!
If you’re more of a traditionalist they have regular vegan pancakes too, served up with fruits, jam and vegan ice cream. There’s plenty of color on the plate!
They also do an amazing vegan gateau chocolat or cheesecake, if you didn’t already get enough of a sweets fix from the pancakes.
If you prefer savory eats over sweet treats, they have you covered there as well. We tried the vegetable paella and a brown rice dish which was filled with veggies and nuts – it was flavored with a delicious blend of spices that had us craving more! Aside from the two dishes we enjoyed, there are plenty of other savory options such as green curry, a vegan taco rice, tofu omelets, and much more.
We also really liked the unique touches they had, like the fruit infused water! It made a nice change from regular water and was really refreshing.
If you’re looking for somewhere to eat in Kyoto that serves up vegan friendly fare, either Morpho Cafe or Ain Soph Journey is worth a visit!
Information
Morpho Cafe
- Website: https://www.morphocafe.com/ (Japanese)
- Hours: Lunch 11:45 a.m. – 2:30 p.m. (L.O. 2 p.m.), dinner 5 p.m. – 8:30 p.m. (L.O. 8 p.m.)
- Address: 309 Saikachicho, Kamigyo Ward, Kyoto, Kyoto Prefecture 602-8242
- Access: If you’re headed there via train, the closest station is Imadegawa Station. The cafe is approximately a 15-minute walk away.
Ain Soph Journey Kyoto
- Website: http://ain-soph.jp/kyoto/
- Hours: Lunch 12 p.m. – 5 p.m. (L.O. 4 p.m.), dinner 6 p.m. – 10 p.m. (L.O. 9 p.m.)
- Address: 538-6 Nakanocho (Shinkyogokudori), Nakagyo Ward, Kyoto, Kyoto Prefecture 604-8042
- Access: The closest station is Kawaramachi Station and from there the restaurant is approximately three minutes on foot.
