Shibuya is one of the busiest areas in Tokyo, so it’s likely that you’ll have passed through at some point. With the giant Shibuya Scramble, you scramble your way around, trying to get by the huge number of people. It’s then likely that you’ll be after some food. But where? Sometimes it seems like there’s so much choice, you’ll be spoiled, but as every vegan in Japan knows, this simply isn’t the case. These are our go-to spots when we’re desperate for vegan food in Shibuya, and also those that we’ll travel across the city for.
Vegan Izakaya Masaka, Parco
Shibuya’s most fashionable department store has several vegan options, but our favorite has to be Vegan Izakaya Masaka. Technically, it’s Chinese pub food, but in reality, it’s more of a Japanese place, what with its tartare mock karaage (fried chicken with soy meat) and broccoli tempura.
You can’t reserve at Masaka and beware that the lines can get long and that the shop may close early when they run out of food, but it’s more than worth the risk. Make sure you try the tofu with Szechuan pickles, which is cold tofu topped with pickled vegetables and is incredibly flavorsome. The karaage is also a must-eat, and even meat-eater friends have been surprised by how delicious and juicy it is.
If Masaya is full, head to the Jikasei Mensho ramen store around the corner, as it does particularly good vegan ramen.
Tiger Gyoza Hall, Shibuya
Hidden in a Shibuya backstreet, Tiger Gyoza Hall is one of those places that you never think you’ll be able to enter as a vegan. It occasionally gets rowdy, and its cavernous space is somewhat surprising considering its central location, and even bigger parties can fit in here with a reservation (and sometimes without).
Ask them for a vegan menu and the staff will pull out a large sheet that’ll have your eyes pop in gratitude. Dishes such as ankake gohan (rice with starchy sauce) and mapo tofu are rare to find as a vegan, and make excellent gyoza accompaniments. Lunchtime service may be limited, but dinner service is open until late, making it a convenient spot for pre-last train meals.
Gonpachi, Shibuya
Gonpachi, most well-known for its Roppongi location which featured in Kill Bill: Volume 1, recently opened up a spot in Shibuya. It boasts a wonderful ambience and is fantastic if you like crowds, with the hiss and spit of frying things discernible under the hustle and bustle of diners’ chatter and waiters’ patter. Gonpachi is on this list for its vegan sushi, served at dinnertime and including local ingredients such as shiitake and myoga (Japanese ginger), to form an incredibly picturesque plate. Vegan yakitori (i.e. yakitori with vegetables) is also on the menu, as is vegan tempura (without the egg).
Gonpachi is perfect for vegans who’d love to try yakitori and sushi but aren’t sure where to start. Ask for the vegan menu and away you go.
2foods, Loft
2foods is one for the Instagram crowd, with its funky colored sauces and aesthetic donuts. But it’s also genuinely tasty, with several innovations we’re yet to see in other restaurants.
The 2foods take on omurice is perhaps one of its most original, replacing the egg with the brand’s own egg replacer, Ever-egg. There are a couple of omurice options, including demi-glace, which uses the demi-glace sauce in place of ketchup. Vegan versions of both eggs and demi-glace sauce are near-impossible to find in Japan, even in Tokyo, so this is highly recommended.
The donuts are also delicious and this 100% vegan shop serves noodles and burgers too.
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Los Barbados
While Los Barbados is broadly African with splashes of the Middle East, it is set up like a cute Japanese bar, so you get the Japanese café-cum-bar dining experience with classic afrobeat, afrosoul and reggae tunes. The food is incredible, featuring dishes from across the African continent, including from Ghana and Morocco. Many of the plates, such as fufu and even plantain, are hard to find in restaurants in Japan. The dining bar also serves African liquor, including boukha, a Tunisian spirit made from figs.
The space is tiny, so it’s advised to go solo or as a pair to get a seat.
