Osaka is a vibrant and lively city. From the iconic Osaka Castle to the bustling Dotonbori district, this city has a lot for you to explore and experience.
Even though Osaka is often refers to as the “Kitchen of Japan”, does that apply to vegan food as well?
In this guide, let me show you the diverse vegan food scene in Osaka including traditional Japanese dishes like ramen and okonomiyaki, and photogenic desserts like ice cream parfait.
Osaka Travel Information For Vegans
Best Time To Visit Osaka
Osaka is great for travellers all year, but avoid summer as it can get quite rainy and hot. Consider visiting late March to early April for cherry blossom season, or late October to mid November for red leaves season.
Osaka Amazing Pass
Probably one of the best-value passes for your Osaka trip. This pass gives you free access to over 40 tourist attractions, as well as unlimited for subway and buses. I used it to visit Osaka Castle (also check out the Museum of History which is just 5 minutes away), Tsutenskaku (be sure to try their slide as well), and Sakuya Konohana Kan (one of the best beautiful greenhouses I've visited). See the details of Osaka Amazing Pass here.
Where To Stay In Osaka For The Best Food
For my Osaka trip, I stayed in Toyoko Inn Osaka Namba, which is a modern hotel that's close to many tourist attractions like Dotonbori and the big shopping centres in Namba. Because of the location, it's also in walking distance from many vegan friendly cafes and restaurants.
Other popular areas to stay in Osaka include Umeda and Shin-Osaka. As long as you stay near a train station, getting around should be relatively convenient even if you are not in the most popular areas.
Internet & Data
For my trip, I used Airalo for mobile data. It’s one of the cheapest options in the market and the reception is great throughout my trip. With some light scrolling on social media, checking maps and translating Japanese, I used about 1gb of data per day. And most coffee shops and shopping centres have free wifi as well.
Aju
Nakazakichō
This small, hidden vegan izakaya serves classic Japanese dishes like okonomiyaki (savoury pancake) and yakitori (chicken skewers). It's a one-person operation, with the owner handling everything from cooking to serving. Be prepared for a wait if there are other customers. There’s even a card saying that he can’t handle more than 4 customers at a time.
The menu features veganised versions of izakaya staples like okonomiyaki and yakitori. I tried the okonomiyaki, which had the classic look and flavour, topped with mayonnaise and seaweed, with mock meat inside. The yakitori plate uses soy protein, konjac, and other vegan ingredients to mimic the look and texture of different grilled chicken skewers. Both options are delicious and a great way to sample these authentic Japanese street food dishes.
OKO Takoyaki
Shinsaibashi
OKO Takoyaki offers an all-vegan menu of takoyaki (a classic Japanese street food of octopus balls) and kushikatsu (deep fried skewers). This small upstairs restaurant has an eclectic interior featuring colourful walls covered with customer messages.
They offer takoyaki plates with five variations of different sauces like classic takoyaki sauce and spicy sauce. I chose the one with the classic sauce, with vegan mayo and seaweed on top. While the takoyaki is a bit too starchy without chewy bites in the middle or the crispy shell, it’s still delicious with good flavours. With the takoyaki plates being 1,000 yen, I’d recommend it as fun and affordable vegan option in the area.
Their sister shop, OKO Okonomiyaki, is just a block away specialising in vegan option okonomiyaki, but keep in mind that they serve meat in that location.
Paprika Shokudo
Shinsaibashi
This popular cafe serves delicious all-vegan food with a focus on organic ingredients. The ambiance is cozy with wooden accents, and if weather allows, choose one of the outdoor terrace seats facing a quiet local street.
Although the menu is a bit on the expensive side, the quality of the food justifies the price. Try the popular vegan oyster which is made with tofu and mushrooms, or the soy meat karaage that has an excellent texture. For dinner, they offer set meals that include a main dish (like the oyster or karaage) with salad, miso soup, and rice. I tried the karaage plate, which came with a generous amount of tasty karaage.
Other than the vegan plates, they also serve rice bowls, pasta, and pizza. Leave room for dessert, as they offer vegan cheesecake, brownies, and ice cream.
Ocha Ohana Montblanc
Ibaraki-shi
Located in the Ibaraki suburb between Osaka and Kyoto, Ocha Ohana Montblanc is a gorgeous all-vegan dessert cafe that you cant miss. Despite being a bit off the beaten path, it only takes around 30 minutes to reach from Osaka.
The food here is prepared to perfection with painstaking attention to details. The seasonal vegan parfaits are easily the stars of the show here. Meticulously constructed with countless layers of high-quality, vegan ingredients, these parfaits are works of art on a plate. The flavour rotates regularly, so be sure to check their social media for the current offering. I tried the strawberry sakura parfait during Spring, and it has a total of 16 elements with contrasting flavours and textures like an edible sakura-flavoured leaf, matcha mochi, sakura chestnut montblanc.
Other than parfait, you’ll also find other seasonal desserts and savoury dishes like pasta and salad. I also tried the garden pasta lunch, which came with a tomato pasta with lotus roots and edible flower, a muffin and a vinegar soda.
The cafe is just as beautiful as the food. As soon as you step into the second-floor dining area, you're greeted by a breathtaking view of the entire ceiling covered in a kaleidoscope of dried flowers.
A few tips for your visit: the cafe only accepts cash, so come prepared. They have limited operating hours for dine-in, only opening two days a week at the time of writing. And due to the tiny size with just three tables upstairs, I’d highly recommend making a reservation for your visit. The online booking system requires a Japanese phone number. Given that you don’t have one, I'd recommend messaging them on Instagram to book.
Vegan And Gluten Free Osaka
Umeda
My experience dining at this vegan place was interesting and weird. They operate as ‘Second Room Cafe’ during the day which serves meat, but transition to a fully vegan menu at night and operate under a different name. Diners get their own private room, with the one I was in having floor seating, pipes running through one side, and a children's toy set in the corner. The vibe was strange and the room wasn't the cleanest.
On the menu you’ll find veganised versions of famous Japanese dishes like okonomiyaki, takoyaki, karaage and more. One positive aspect is that they lists the ingredients for each dish which makes it clear that it’s vegan. I tried the takoyaki (1,089 yen for 10 pieces) and karaage (858 yen for 5 pieces). Unfortunately, the food quality was subpar compared to other options in Osaka.
The takoyaki was mostly batter with hardly any other ingredients inside, and was a bit undercooked, making it too soft and starchy, and lacking in the crispy outer layer that a traditional takoyaki has. The karaage was just deep-fried soy protein chunks that were too oily and under-seasoned for my taste. Although it's commendable that they are offering a vegan menu, the execution of the dishes fell short, giving the impression that they may have been trying to cater to tourists traveling to Osaka who may not know the authentic quality of those dishes.
Optimus Cafe
Kitahama
Optimus Cafe is a bustling vegan eatery in Osaka. If you're lucky enough to secure a riverside seat, you'll have a delightful view of the river and the Osaka City Central Public Hall across.
This cafe, one of the few in the city to open early, provides a great option for a vegan breakfast. Go for the ‘Have a good day plate which comes with toast with a tofu and hummus spread, house-made vegan sausage, a side salad, and pickles. Their lunch menu offers hearty options like soy milk ramen, curry rice, and buddha bowls. The food leans towards the simple side, but the flavours are good.
You’ll also find vegan treats in their cabinet including matcha brownie, gluten-free cookies and carrot cake.
Vegan Ramen By Playpen Friends
Yotsubashi
Vegan Ramen by Playpen Friends is a trendy vegan ramen restaurant in the heart of Osaka. They offer 3 types of ramen broth: miso, shoyu (soy sauce) and tomato.
I tried the miso ramen which comes with soy meat, fried veggies, seaweed and more. The miso broth was decent but lacked the depth in flavour I was looking for. Despite that, it’s still a decent choice given its central location and friendly service.
Iyemon Cafe
Umeda
Famous for their matcha offerings, Iyemon Cafe near Osaka station has some vegan desserts. The vegan options are marked with a red “Vegan” box with a leaf. Options include matcha anmitsu, hojicha tiramisu and matcha affogato.
The vegan version of the anmitsu has a scoop of matcha ice cream instead of soft serve ice cream in the non-vegan version. It also comes with agar agar jelly, fruits, mochi and sweet red bean paste.
For drinks, try their matcha latte with soy milk or almond milk. However, there are no savoury vegan options in this Iyemon Cafe.
More Vegan Cafes & Restaurants In Osaka
There are a lot more vegan cafes and restaurants in Osaka that I didn't have time to cover in this guide. In my ebook, The Vegan Foodie Guide To Japan, I've covered a total of 26 places with amazing vegan food, as well as information of all the vegan options in Universal Studios Japan. You'll also discover vegan options in Kyoto, Osaka, Nara and more to help plan your perfect foodie trip.
