If you are after a nice boutique Italian diner in Tokyo, visit momento (モメント) in Kichijōji! The chef of this vegan-friendly restaurant near Inokashira Park was trained and had worked in Italian restaurants in Italy. Thus, the dishes he cooks using a mixture of both local and Italian ingredients are authentic. Moreover, momento won an award at Japan’s vegan cooking competition in 2020! While we don’t normally just visit a restaurant based on its awards and prizes, our taste buds were pleasantly treated when we decided to go for an early celebration for Mother’s Day.
Table of Contents
- About momento
- Lunch-and-Dinner-at-momento
- Our Visit to momento
- momento’s Business Hours and Access Information
About momento
The restaurant’s motto is to provide heavenly meals that are earth-friendly and healthy. Thus, natural ingredients are used as much as possible. Dining at Momento would feel like contributing to a better world for future generations.
Because Arimoto-san (momento’s chef) is so talented, even if you visit momento for their Chef’s Omakase Dinner Course several times, you won’t be served the same dish. Whether it is a meat-based or vegetable-based course, they are all prepared using only fresh seasonal produce.
With the chef’s phenomenal cooking skills, the natural taste of the raw ingredients is brought out to the maximum. The desserts there are light and delicate. Thus, by the end of the meal, you will feel satisfied instead of uncomfortably full.
Lunch and Dinner at momento
Lunch sets or a lunch course are available during lunchtime. Each consists of an entrée, homemade bread, and a pasta dish. The most expensive lunch set also comes with a main dish. You can choose from a couple of options for pasta and main.
Refer to their menu HERE.
Because momento only has one chef, who spends a lot of effort making each dish, please be patient with him. Apart from that, the staff there is friendly and provides top-notch service to all customers. You will get a detailed explanation of each dish served like you would at an upscale restaurant.
Tip: The restaurant is popular and has limited seating. It is best to make a reservation by emailing [email protected].
Our Visit to momento
We visited momento during the Golden Week. Before the restaurant opened, there were already three groups of people waiting. As we were the last group to arrive before opening, the small restaurant was already half-full when we were seated. Probably because we had reserved the lunch course menu, our table setting looked a little bit different from the other table. It looked slightly more luxurious with the dark red serviette!
There was only one server, but that was all the restaurant needed. We were greeted by the polite and attentive staff who worked really well with Arimoto-san. Observing their work and listening to their conversation was like watching a tango performance. Because of their dedicated teamwork, even though the restaurant was full, the timing between each dish served was adequate.
Speaking of momento’s top-notch service, the staff brought over a jar of water for refill just when we needed it! It was almost as if he could read our minds!
The Amazing Food at momento
The course meal consisted of four dishes, a dessert plate, and a drink. Each dish was nicely presented and tasted incredible! I was especially surprised that I enjoyed the entrée, as eggplant is one of the two vegetables that I dislike. Combined with the nicely seasoned bamboo shoot on top, it was the best eggplant dish I ever had.
The dessert plate was amazing too! Again, the chef managed to turn something that I don’t normally like into something that I would crave for more. The chocolate cake has the right amount of sweetness, cocoa, and nuts. I didn’t have a problem finishing the cake in seconds. Not to mention the orange sorbet that went nicely with it!
If you are wondering why there is a candle on my mum’s cake, the staff thought it was her birthday rather than a Mother’s Day celebration. I didn’t correct the misunderstanding in the reservation emails, as it was meant to be a special meal anyway.
momento’s Business Hours and Access Information
- momento is open daily except for Tuesdays and the 1st, 3rd, and 5th Wednesday from:
- 11:30 am to 2:30 pm (L.O.)
- 5:30 pm to 9 pm (L.O.)
- You can also refer to their Business Calendar.
- The restaurant is a 2-minute walk from Kichijoji Station’s south exit.
Discover the Attractions in Kichijōji
Now you know a restaurant where you can find amazing food, this part of Tokyo has much more to offer! The neighborhood that was rated “The Most Desirable Area to Live” in is great for almost everything. It is also where the famous Ghibli Museum is located!
For more ideas of what to do in the area, refer to our Kichijōji article!
Other Vegan-Friendly Restaurants in Kichijōji
Kichijōji in Tokyo has many amazing cafes and restaurants, although many don’t cater to a vegan diet. Fortunately, there are still a couple of places for us vegans and/or vegetarians to visit. Most offer meat and vegan options, perfect for those who travel with non-vegan families and friends!
Refer to our article on Vegan-Friendly Restaurants in Kichijōji for other options!
