Among many tourist attractions in Kansai region, foreign tourists are highly satisfied with Nara including deer in Nara Park and Big Buddha of Todaiji Temple.
The City is bustled day after day with tourists coming from all over the world.
Along with the better recognition of food allergies as well as personal food preference becoming more diverse, the number of restaurants serving vegetarian or vegan dishes has increased in Nara.
It seems that owners of those restaurants in Nara tend to treat customers with warm hospitality.
Here I introduce restaurants serving nice vegetarian or vegan dishes for tourists who have little choices of where to eat due to allergies or personal preference.
With consideration of how to make customers enjoy eating vegetables, especially of local products, owners of those restaurants study day after day. So, it is worth checking their dishes.
“Aigake Vegie Curry” serves two kinds of vegetarian curries in one plate@Wakakusa Curry Honpo
Located in Nara where there are many delicious curry shops, “Wakakusa Curry Honpo” is well-known for vegetarian curry.
One of two vegetable curries is “Vegie Wakakusa Curry” made without meat and fish. The other one is “Sesame & Vegetables Vegie Curry” which contains neither meat and fish nor five pungent roots such as onions and garlic.
Since it has a strong impression of rich sesame flavor and a heavy feeling on the tongue, sesame lovers find “Sesame & Vegetables Vegie Curry” irresistible.
Wakakusa curry is spinach based spicy curry with mushrooms and beans. Colorful steamed vegetables are used in it. You can enjoy freshness of those vegetables.
“Aigake vegie curry” is a luxurious dish to enjoy those two kinds of vegetable curries which are totally different from each other in taste.
| Name of the restaurant | Wakakusa Curry Honpo |
| Tel | 0742-24-8022 |
| Address | 38-1 Mochiidono-cho, Nara-shi, Nara-ken |
| Map | |
| Business Hours | 11:30am ～ 3:00pm 5:00pm ～ 7:30pm Wednesday,Thursday 11:30am ～ 3:00pm |
| Closed | Non |
“Vegetarian lunch of the day” does not contain animal protein at all @Kinatei
All the dishes at “Kinatei” are vegetarian dishes. Not only ingredients but also seasonings and cooking oil are animal protein-free.
It’s one of few true vegetarian restaurants in Japan.
Highly recommended dish is today’s lunch special. A variety of side dishes made with organic vegetables are additive-free. Also, gluten-free arrangement is available.
Their meat- and fish-like dishes actually made with vegetables and tofu are substantial. Even non-vegetarians can be satisfied with their dishes.
The owner is fluent in English and she speaks Chinese, too. Therefore, she can explain to you in detail if you want to know about ingredients and dishes. Moreover, vegetarian products are sold in the shop as well.
| Name of the restaurant | Kinatei |
| Tel | 080-6119-6105 0742-22-6105 |
| Address | 25-1 Suruga-machi, Nara-shi, Nara-ken |
| Map | |
| Business Hours | Lunch 11:30am – 2:30pm Dinner 5:00pm – 9:30pm |
| Closed | Monday *Please check the restaurant schedule as we might be closed temporarily on some occasions. |
| Reservation | kinatei@icloud.com／LINE：kinatei2 |
The original gluten-free “brown rice noodles” @KURURU
Dishes served at “KUKRURU” are made with the theme of body healing from the point of food therapy.
All the dishes are vegetarian or vegan which contains neither fish, meat, dairy products nor flour. They carefully select grains and vegetables for which additives and chemicals are not used as much as possible.
Their food is not only for vegetarians and vegans but also for everybody because they are effective to adjust the condition of internal organs which has been weakened due to travelling and also as diet meals while fasting.
Even without reservation, they would arrange the menu to adjust to the request of customers with food allergy. They are considerate of food concerns of customers.
Organic brown rice they obtain from the contract farmer can be eaten as noodles, too. Those gluten-free cold and fresh noodles are nice in spring and summer.
“KURURU” also offers aroma therapy, herb treatments, foot bath and yoga at their salon, and their studio menu is to help “heal” the body internally and externally. So, it is a right place for recovery from tiredness arose from sightseeing and relaxing, as well as for the maintenance of your body.
| Name of the restaurant | Total Therapy cafe salon KURURU |
| Tel | 0742-24-7156 |
| Address | 2F-A・B Inoue Bldg, 5-1 Higashimukiminami-machi, Nara-shi, Nara-ken |
| Map | |
| Business Hours | 9:00am – 10:00pm |
Delicious “fermented brown rice lunch” is good for those on carb restricted diet. @Vegancafe Ramuna
Being in Nara bustled with tourists, Takabatake-cho is rather quiet and relaxing. There is a small Japanese style building matching the atmosphere of the town is there.
It is “Vegan cafe Ramuna.” Their ingredients as well as seasonings and others contain no animal products as it is a thorough vegan cafe.
A recommended menu there is a cake set. Various sweet desserts include gateaux chocolat and slices of cakes without dairy products, and ohagi Japanese sweet without sugar. Even those who are concerned about carbohydrate intake can feel free to enjoy their desserts.
Among the meal menu, fermented brown rice lunch is highly recommended as you can try a little bit of many different dishes. Gentle flavor of good quality vegetables reaches every part of the body. It is an ideal restaurant to adjust the body condition which has been disturbed due to traveling.
| Name of the restaurant | Vegancafe Ramuna |
| Tel | 0742-42-9395 |
| Address | 1028-5 Takabatake-cho, Nara-shi, Nara-ken |
| Map | |
| Business Hours | Friday/Saturday Sunday by appointment only 12:00pm – 4:00pm (L.O. 3:00pm) 6:00pm – 9:00pm (L.O. 8:00pm) |
“Vegan classic burger” is made with selected organic ingredients and vegetables produced in Nara @ONWA
“ONWA” offers vegan dishes in which Nara’s local vegetables are mainly used.
They try to use organic ingredients as much as possible. Generally speaking, vegetarian restaurants in Japan serve rather small portions, however, here at “ONWA” even men are satisfied with their big and filling dishes.
Vegan classic burger is king-size unlike vegan food. Its buns, pate, and sauce are all homemade. The sauce made with tomatoes and pickles produced in Nara is great.
Since they serve fast food such as teriyaki-burger and cutlet-burger you cannot find at other vegetarian restaurants in Japan, this place is very popular among foreigners.
Moreover, they are particular about tea as well as food, and so, they have various kinds of organic tea made in Nara.
| Name of the restaurant | ONWA |
| Tel | 0742-55-2534 |
| Address | 3-23 Sanjo-omiya-cho, Nara-shi, Nara-ken |
| Map | |
| Business Hours | 11:00 am – 5:00 pm (until 8:00pm on Saturdays). *Reservation is recommended as it is usually crowded during lunch time. |
| Closed | Monday & Tuesday |
