Sendai is the biggest city in the Tōhoku region. So, if you are going to be one of the 20 million tourists that visit the city soon, the good news is the city has several vegan or vegetarian-friendly spots where you can enjoy Japan’s delicious food like everyone else! The vegan/vegetarian food served in the below restaurants and cafes is just as good and tasty as the meat/seafood dishes, if not better!
Sendai’s Vegan-Friendly Cafes and Restaurants
Ohisamaya (おひさまや)
Off the main road near Sendai Station, Ohisamaya is a cafe selling organic and macrobiotic cuisine. The spot, started by Shigihara-san (鴫原さん) and her business partner in 1981, has been loved by locals who prefer to eat healthily. While meat and fish were served when it first opened, the restaurant’s menu was largely veganized the following year to cater to the requests of the restaurant’s customers. Thanks to their requests, we can enjoy vegan and vegetarian food in Sendai’s city center.
Just like its name, Ohisamaya’s atmosphere, created by the wooden decor and the friendly staff, is as warm as the sun. Its vibe is one of the reasons that it is so popular among the locals! As the cafe receives many international tourists, an English menu is available, albeit the staff doesn’t speak much English. If you are unsure if an item is vegan, just ask!
Ohisamaya is particular about using as much organic ingredients as possible. As soon as the lunch plate, Ohisama-gohan (おひさまごはん), is brought to you, you know everything on the plate is good for your body. Yet, they are all delicious! The chef even managed to get rid of the unique smell of the brown rice that bothers some people!
While the lunch plate is filling, try their handmade cakes if you can! Their nutty carrot cakes are incredible, and so are their cheesecakes!
Tips:
☛ To reserve their bento boxes, call Ohisamaya at +81-22-224-8540. Same-day reservations can be made up to 3 p.m.
☛ It is possible to make your food allium-free.
☛ Apparently, brown rice tastes better with a pressure cooker!
☛ The natural food store next door sells natural and organically grown vegetables, bread and cookies made with natural yeast and other healthy miscellaneous goods.
Ohisamaya’s Business Hours and Access Information
- Ohisama is open from Monday to Saturday from
- 11:30 am to 3 pm for lunch
- 3 pm to 5 pm for afternoon tea
- The cafe opens on public holidays.
- The cafe is a 10-minute walk from Sendai Station (仙台駅).
Petit une feuille (プティアンフィユ)
After having lunch at Ohisamaya, how about heading to Petit une feuille on the other side of Sendai Station for some incredible vegan sweets? The desserts here are made with the customer’s health in mind, so you can consume them without feeling guilty.
The vegan sweets specialist was opened in 2023 by a Japanese lady called Hongō Sayuri (本郷 小百合), who has almost 20 years of sweets-making teaching experience. What made her change the ingredients in her sweets-making is a warning from the doctor. To avoid the fate of becoming an individual with diabetes, she started studying veganism. After much trial and error, her cakes and baked goods are so phenomenal that her non-vegan customers are surprised about how good the sweets taste.
In Hongō-san’s cafe, you won’t find anything overly sweet, so even those who don’t like sweet things can eat it all up in no time. For example, her carrot cake with tofu cream and spiced dough is very popular among the regulars. The soy cheesecake with soy yogurt and a hint of miso is light enough for breakfast.
Another thing worth mentioning is that there is no need to worry about paying a premium for something healthy but delicious. Hongō-san’s products are all reasonably priced. So, how about trying her cakes out with a cup of coffee at the counter seat before deciding what you want to take away?
Tips:
☛ The scones made using homemade yeast are great, too!
☛ You can also enjoy Petit une feuille’s sweets at Tsutsujigaoka Park nearby!
Petit une feuille’s Business Hours and Access Information
- Petit une feuille is open from 12 pm until sold out daily except for Mondays and Thursdays and alternative Sundays.
- The cafe is only a block away from JR Tsutsujigaoka Station (榴ヶ岡駅). From Sendai Station (仙台駅), it is a 12-minute walk.
Dashiro (だし廊-DASHIRO-仙台南町通り本店)
Because Ohisamaya doesn’t open at night, where to head for a Japanese-style dinner? Our answer is Dashiro! The ramen chain is often voted Miyagi Prefecture‘s top three ramen restaurants.
The ramen specialist offers a plant-based ramen noodle soup from 3 pm onwards. The stock of the Root Vegetable Soup Miso Potta (根菜だし 味噌ポタ) is made using over 10 different root vegetables. It goes perfectly with the homemade chewy medium-thick whole wheat noodles.
Ordering at Dashiro is done through the vending machine at the entrance. You can use one of Japan’s Translation Apps to read the labels on the machine. If you need help, don’t hesitate to seek assistance from the friendly and helpful staff! After you get the meal ticket from the machine, give it to the staff. Then, your vegan ramen will be served in no time while you enjoy the upbeat background music!
Important: Ensure you choose the vegan version when you purchase the meal ticket from the vending machine. Otherwise, your ramen will come with meat and eggs.
Dashiro Main Store’s Business Hours and Access Information
- Dashiro is open from 11 am to 9 pm or until soup runs out.
- The last order is taken at 8:30 pm.
- The restaurant is a 15-minute walk from Sendai Station (仙台駅). From Aoba-dori Ichibancho Station (青葉通一番町駅), it is a 4-minute walk.
Tip: Arrive early so the vegan option isn’t sold out!
Raj (インド料理 RAJ(ラジ)仙台店)
Indian restaurants often offer vegetarian and vegan options, which is the case for Raj. The Indian restaurant chain, which has its main store in Tokyo, is our top choice when it comes to curry. Not only is the food here extremely budget-friendly, but you will be surprised by the size of its naan bread! If the naan were hardened, it would become a good-sized fan (´▽｀*).
The interior of Raj is filled with an exotic atmosphere befitting an Indian restaurant. Opposite the counter seats are semi-private booths with bamboo partitions. As soon as you open the menu, you will be overwhelmed by the amount of choices. Fortunately, you only need to focus on the vegetarian/vegan options, making it easier to choose if you are indecisive. If you prefer your curry to have more ingredients, go with the Special Indian Curry Set (スペシャルインドカレーセット). While more expensive than the Indian Curry Set (ンドカレーセット), we reckon it is worth it.
The next decision you need to make is the spicy level. You can choose from 4 levels: mild, medium, hot, and very hot. Thus, even people who can’t eat spicy food can enjoy it. Upgrading your plain naan bread to flavored naan is also possible at a small cost.
Besides curry, you can also consider ordering vegetable Biryani.
Tip: If you are vegan, remember to ask the staff to replace naan bread with rice. Remind them not to put cream in your curry, too.
Raj’s Business Hours and Access Information
- Raj is open from 11 am to 11 pm.
- The restaurant is a 15 to 20 minute-walk from Sendai Station (仙台駅).
- From Subway Tozai Line’s Ōmachi Nishi-kōen Station (大町西公園駅), it is a 7-minute walk.
La Maison Rose (ラ メゾン ローズ)
Close to the Sendai Tōshōgū Shrine (仙台東照宮), La Maison Rose is a vegan bakery that makes European-style baked goods and desserts, such as Linzer Torte, scones, and cakes. Seasonal baked goods are also available to ensure that customers can enjoy different festivals like everyone else!
La Maison Rose is a place that will change your impression of Japan’s vegan sweets in a good way. We will be surprised if you find anything terrible from La Maison Rose. Of course, if you dislike an ingredient used to make a particular product, that is another story. Rose, the owner and the baker of La Maison Rose, is so skilled that they are able to replicate the taste and texture of the normally non-vegan items you find in bakeries.
For example, the cakes and cinnamon rolls have a good balance of sweetness and spice. Real ingredients are used instead of artificial essence, so the sweets have a nicer accent and taste much better. They also have the right amount of moisture. Rose also makes vegan whipped cream extremely well. If there are baked goods with whipped cream on the day of your visit, grab some. You won’t regret it!
Besides the baked goods on the shelf, you will also enjoy chatting to Rose when visiting the bakery. Her warm and sweet personality is reflected in the food she makes.
Coffee and other drinks are on the menu, too!
Tips:
☛ Brownies, cinnamon rolls, and scones are the must-try at La Maison Rose.
☛ Check La Maison Rose’s Instagram Account for the latest menu.
La Maison Rose’s Business Hours and Access Information
- La Maison Rose is open from Wednesday to Saturday. Refer to its Instagram Account for business hours.
- The bakery is an 8-minute walk from JR Tōshōgū Station (東照宮駅).
Curry Nangokudo (カレーの店 南國堂)
For those who love curry, it will be worthwhile to venture out of the city center to Sendai Subway Namboku Line’s Nagamachi-Itchome Station (長町一丁目駅). The South Indian restaurant is known as a spot loved by Japan’s famous actor, Ōizumi Yō (大泉洋). South Indian cuisine is typically lighter and is what Indians would have for breakfast.
Walking into Curry Nagokudo is like visiting a restaurant in southern India. The space filled with Indian furniture has the aroma of spices wafting through the air. The appetizing smell isn’t just from the curry but also from the spices displayed around the counter! The Japanese owner travels to India regularly to obtain Indian herbs and refine his cooking skills so his customers can enjoy the most authentic but creative South Indian food in Sendai.
All the curries at Curry Nangokudo are light, so they don’t strain your stomach. In fact, the curry made with a wide variety of spices is almost like medicinal food. Your body will warm up, and your accumulated fatigue will be relieved! While the rice used isn’t Indian rice, the Japanese mixed-grain rice somehow matches the curry!
The vegetarian curry options can be made vegan upon request. The restaurant can also cater to a gluten-free diet. Also, the curry plate’s rice portion can be chosen. The curry portion is adjusted according to the rice portion.
Curry Nangokudo’s Business Hours and Access Information
- Curry Nangokudo is open from Thursday to Tuesday from
- 11:30 am to 2:30 pm (L.O.)
- 6 pm to 9 pm (L.O.)
- The restaurant is a 5-minute walk from Sendai Subway Namboku Line’s Nagamachi-Itchome Station (長町一丁目駅).
Vegan Restaurant ORGAN (オルガン)
ORGAN is a vegan cafe in Akiu Onsen Town. The cafe’s concept is Organic + Raw Material + Vegan, and thus the cafe’s name, ORGAN. Everything served at this cafe is free of animal products. On top of that, no white sugar is used. And many menu items are gluten-free!
The most popular menu at ORGAN is the Vegan Veggie Burger (Vegan ベジバーガー). The taste and the texture of the burger are just mind-blowing. While the price tag might seem slightly elevated, every penny spent will be well worth it (^_-)-☆.
Tip: Although all menu items are packaged to take away, you can still enjoy the food at the terrace seats.
One of the ingredients used to make the buns is mineral-rich bamboo charcoal, reinforcing the cafe’s theme color, black. Why black? Because it won’t be dyed by any other color, a metaphor for sticking to one’s belief.
Although you might not think much about the vegan patty, it contains a variety of vegetables, including shiitake mushroom, carrots, onions, burdock, tofu, garlic, oatmeal, and brown rice!
A dessert or a drink after the vegan burger is also recommended. It is the best place to enjoy a dairy-free cup of coffee or hot chocolate!
Tip: More savory options are on the menu on weekends and public holidays.
ORGAN’s Business Hours and Access Information
- ORGAN is open from 10 am to 4 pm on weekends and public holidays.
- If you plan to take a bus, get off at Nakayachi (中谷地).
L’Albero (アルベロ)
If you are on your way to Sakunami Onsen (作並温泉), stop by L’Albero for an Italian lunch or dinner made from freshly harvested ingredients. Takahashi-san, the owner, used to work at an Italian restaurant in Tokyo before opening the restaurant in 2009. He hopes L’Albero is a place surrounded by nature where people can enjoy delicious vegetables grown by local farmers. Thus, the restaurant was named Tree in Italian, and its menu features healthy pizzas and pastas that use the sweetness and texture of vegetables, without using any meat or fish.
The interior of L’Albero is decorated with lighting purchased from antique shops, creating a space reminiscent of Italia’s countryside. A large fake tree is placed in the middle of the restaurant to make the customers feel like they are surrounded by nature.
The Food at L’Albero
Different from most Italian restaurants in Japan, no animal products other than eggs and dairy products are used at L’Albero. Vegan dishes are also available. That said, the chef puts a lot of effort into bringing the taste of Italy to his customers by using traditional Italian techniques as much as possible. The texture of seafood is replicated with mushrooms. The herbs and spices that often go well with seafood dishes also match with mushrooms. For meat dishes, beats, burdock, and soy products (such as the area’s famous triangular deep-fried bean curd from Jōgi Tofu!) are simmered for hours to evoke the image of a dish using wild meat.
The pizzas at L’Albero are baked in a wood-fired oven made by the owner using bricks. The pizzas are baked at 500°C, which ensures the sweetness and flavor of the vegetables aren’t lost. Moreover, all of the dressings are homemade and additive-free. Alcohol that goes well with Italian food, including those brewed at Nikka Whisky Sendai Factory nearby, are also on the menu.
L’Albero’s Business Hours and Access Information
- L’Albero is open from
- 11 am to 9 pm from Friday to Tuesday
- 11 am to 4 pm on Wednesdays
- The restaurant is around a 20 to 25-minute walk from JR Rikuzen-Shirasawa Station (陸前白沢駅) and JR Kumagane Station (熊ヶ根駅).
Other Vegan-Friendly Spots in Sendai
- hauskaa (also known as Nᴏɪʀ Cʟᴀɪʀ)
- A vegan craft bakery offering amazingly desserts not far from Subway Tozai Line’s Ōmachi Nishi-kōen Station (大町西公園駅).
- Walking into Hauskaa is like entering an art gallery. The interior design is elegant, the perfect setting for some quiet moments.
- Note that the seating is extremely limited.
- Gluten-free baked goods may be available on the day.
- It is best to enquire about/make a booking through hauskaa’s Instagram Account before going, as the cafe doesn’t open every day.
- Soup Stock Tokyo (スープストック・トーキョー)
- A soup restaurant chain in Sendai Station’s B1. In addition to a couple of vegetarian/vegan options, gluten-free options are also available.
- Vegan/vegetarian/gluten-free options are clearly marked on the menu.
- In addition to the soup + bread combination, curry rice is also on the menu.
- A soup restaurant chain in Sendai Station’s B1. In addition to a couple of vegetarian/vegan options, gluten-free options are also available.
- Zaytoon (ザイトゥーン)
- An Arabian restaurant near Sendai Station that offers delicious falafel and hummus.
- There are a couple of vegetarian and vegan options on the menu.
- The owner/staff speaks fluent English.
- Allium-free options are available.
- Refer to HERE for Zaytoon’s menu.
- Millis Dining Bar (ミリスダイニングバー)
- A restaurant serving Israeli/Mediterranean cuisine that offers a couple of vegan choices clearly labeled on the menu, including falafel, pita bread, fresh hummus, and salad.
- The falafel here is spectacular. The crispy, deep-fried street food goes well with the tahini sauce.
- An 8-course vegan menu is also available on top of the regular menu.
- Try their smoothie if you want a drink to go with your meal!
- The dining bar has a chill atmosphere. You definitely won’t feel rushed when dining here.
- The restaurant can cater to an oriental vegetarian diet.
- Note that shisha is allowed in the restaurant.
- The Most Cafe
- An American-style cafe near Sendai Station that offers a savory plant-based plate.
- Note the same cooking utensils used to make the pancakes and other side dishes on the plate are also used to prepare non-vegan dishes.
- The cafe only opens at 10 am so you can come for brunch or lunch.
- An American-style cafe near Sendai Station that offers a savory plant-based plate.
- Namaskar (ナマスカ)
- Opened in 1986, Namaskar is Sendai’s oldest Indian restaurant.
- The restaurant bar has a fancy interior and usually has Indian movies playing on the big screen.
- There are a couple of vegetarian options on the menu. Many of them can be made vegan upon request.
- The cheese naan is very popular here. Depending on which set menu you order, the naan bread might be free to get more!
- Kuranoshō (蔵の庄 総本店)
- An izakaya with a large traditional hearth in the middle near Sendai Station.
- The restaurant’s menu includes several vegan/vegetarian side dishes, including seasonal ingredients cooked over the open hearth. Vegetable tempura (such as the huge tempura burdock in the Instagram post below), Sendai’s famous deep-fried tofu, and other iron-plate cooked options are also available.
- If you don’t mind seeing meat/seafood being cooked over the open hearth, we highly recommend the spot because of its unique and incredible atmosphere. It is one of the most-visited high-end izakayas in Sendai.
- Note there is a small table charge per person.
- Curry Nangokudo (南國堂)
- A south Indian restaurant near Sendai Subway Namboku Line’s Nagamachi-Itchome Station (長町一丁目駅). The restaurant is known as a spot loved by Japan’s famous actor, Ōizumi Yō (大泉洋).
- Many Indian restaurants serve north Indian food, which has heavier seasoning. South Indian cuisine is typically lighter and is what Indians would have for breakfast.
- All the curries at Curry Nangokudo are light, so they don’t put a strain on your stomach.
- The vegetarian curry options can be made vegan upon request. The restaurant can cater to the gluten-free diet as well.
- The owner travels to Indian regularly for Indian herbs and refine his cooking skills so his customers can enjoy the most authentic Indian food in Sendai.
- A south Indian restaurant near Sendai Subway Namboku Line’s Nagamachi-Itchome Station (長町一丁目駅). The restaurant is known as a spot loved by Japan’s famous actor, Ōizumi Yō (大泉洋).
- Restaurant Symphony (シンフォニー)
- A restaurant inside Westin Hotel Sendai that can cater to the vegan diet for lunch and dinner if you make a reservation a week in advance.
- You can contact the restaurant by emailing [email protected].
- Restaurant Symphony is located on the highest floor of the Westin Hotel Sendai, offering the best view of the city center.
- Cooked by well-trained chefs using freshly harvested ingredients, your lunch or dinner is guaranteed to taste good. Of course, the presentation and service are top-notch!
- Oak Natural Store (オーク仙台)
- A macrobiotic natural food store that is a 10-minute walk from Sendai Subway’s Kotodai-koen Station (勾当台公園駅).
- The small grocery store offers plenty of vegan/vegetarian products that are not stocked elsewhere, including baked goods, plant-based ramen noodle packs, grains, and other groceries.
- Vegan bento boxes might be available.
Discover Other Fantastic Attractions in Sendai
You might not be aware of it, but Sendai, the Tōhoku region‘s biggest city, receives more than 20 million tourists each year!
So if you want to find out how Sendai managed to attract so many people to visit it, refer to our article on Sendai, which is filled with historical, cultural, and natural attractions (=ﾟωﾟ)ﾉ.
