Besides Tokyo, Kyoto, and Osaka, Takayama is one of the most-visited cities by overseas tourists. Because the region’s typical must-eat food is Hida Beef, you might think that it would be hard to find vegan or vegetarian-friendly diners. However, that isn’t the case! The city is rather vegan-friendly compared to many other regional destinations in Japan. So refer to the below list and add some of them to your itinerary!
Takayama’s Vegan/Vegetarian-Friendly Restaurants
- EvilTex Hamburger and Mexican
- Heianraku (平安楽)
- Gluten-free options are available.
- Can cook without pungent ingredients.
- Suzuya Restaurant (寿々や)
- Halal menu is available.
- Tomy Muesli (トミィミューズリー)
- Tofu Cuisine Noguchiya (とうふ料理のぐちや)
- Center4 Hamburgers
- Kakushō (角正)
- Can cater to the gluten-free diet.
- Other Vegan/Vegetarian-Friendly Restaurants in Takayama
EvilTex Hamburger and Mexican
Just a few minutes walk from Takayama Station’s east exit, EvilTex is a vegan-friendly burger and Mexican place to grab a quick bite. The great news is that the diner can replace the meat patty with a soy vegetarian patty for all burgers listed on the menu. They can also make you a vegan burrito, a vegetarian enchilada, quesadilla, and chimichanga!
Its burgers are huge, so you will need to open your mouth to the maximum for a bite! While it might not look elegant, the important thing is the taste! The burgers are amazing, and so are the chips that come with it! If you are unsure which burger to order, how about an Avocado Burger? Each layer between the crisply-grilled bun adds to the burger’s presentation, with the avocado skillfully sliced and placed in a fan shape. So before the first bite, remember to take a photo and post it on social media!
You will love the homemade salsa and guacamole if you like Mexican cuisine. The vegan burrito is made from fresh ingredients and is full of flavor! Coupled with the nicely fried fries, your meal at EvilTex is definitely going to be satisfactory.
EvilTex’s Business Hours and Access Information
- EvilTex is open from:
- 11:30 am to 3 pm (L.O.) and 5 pm to 9 pm (L.O.) on Monday and from Wednesday to Saturday
- 11 am to 3 pm (L.O.) and 5 pm to 8:30 pm (L.O.) for Sundays and public holidays
- The restaurant is a 5-minute walk from Takayama Station.
Heianraku (平安楽)
Amongst all the vegan-friendly restaurants in Takayama, Heianraku is probably the most popular one. While the cozy restaurant isn’t a high-end spot, nor does it have anything unique on the menu, the Chinese restaurant was still once ranked first on Trip Advisor!
Heianraku was opened in 1963. The couple who currently runs it is the second generation. Their friendly and gorgeous smiles will definitely leave a great impression when you visit the restaurant. What is better than their cooking skill is Mr. and Mrs. Furuda’s hospitality!
A Chinese restaurant in a small town like Takayama in Japan is somewhat special. Although most of the dishes on the menu are Chinese, the menu is multi-cultured. In fact, the Heianraku is so accommodating that it sometimes gets requests from customers to cook fresh ingredients for them!
Thanks to the restaurant’s flexibility, a vegan menu has been available for over a decade. In fact, no matter what you order, they all taste like heaven. If you have a food allergy, let Mr. Furuda know. He will cook you a delicious meal without the ingredients you can’t eat!
Dining at Heanraku
You will be amazed by how much they know about the ingredients that go into your order. When Naoko-san (Mrs. Furuda) brings out your food, she will explain how the dish was made and what was used to make it. The portions of the food served at Heianraku are generous and reasonably priced.
Tip: The Veggie Dumplings (ベジ餃子) is a must-eat!
Besides the homemade side dishes on the counter, the cooking process only starts after receiving an order at Heianraku. Although this means you will need to wait a little longer, you won’t be bored while waiting. Naoko-san does a great job ensuring that her guests are being looked after in the restaurant. Offering complimentary healthy local snacks is one of the many tricks up her sleeve. This is why customers who appreciate the hospitality would revisit Takayama just to dine at Heianraku!
Don’t worry about language barriers. The couple speaks great English!
Important: Make a booking through their website HERE before visiting.
Tip: You can ask for an English recipe for the complimentary dish.
Heianraku and the Local Community
Enjoying the local sake is also what you can do at Heianraku. Because there are many choices, you might end up sampling most of it before getting an entire bottle. Other than drinking the sake, Naoko-san will also give you a brief background of the sake you ordered. By doing so, the couple also supports local businesses because the customers will know where they can buy the sake to bring home!
There are only 12 seats in Heianraku. The locals are usually really nice and sometimes give up their seats for overseas tourists because they can always come back another day. Appreciating the kind act, the couple gives them freebies the next time they visit the restaurant. Witnessing this scene and kind gesture really warms our hearts.
Heianraku’s Business Hours and Access Information
- Heianraku is open from Wednesday to Monday from:
- 11:30 am to 12:30 pm (last order)
- 5 pm to 7:30 pm (last order)
- Please refer to their business calendar HERE.
- The restaurant is a 7-minute walk from Takayama Station.
Suzuya Restaurant (寿々や)
Hōba Miso (朴葉味噌焼き) is the famous local dish in Takayama, albeit most restaurants specializing in grilled miso dishes are meat-based. Fortunately, Suzuya has a few vegan dishes for us to enjoy. So when you visit Takayama, stop by the family-run restaurant and try their tofu, vegetables, and mushrooms grilled with miso paste on a magnolia leaf!
If the weather is quite chilly, order the Sansai Miso Nabe (山菜みそ鍋). The miso-based hot pot is filled with fresh locally harvested produce and tofu.
Like Heianraku, the staff at Suzuya are known for their friendliness and passion for customer service. The owner speaks good English, too, so you can strike up a casual conversation with them if you wish.
Note that Suzuya is pretty popular, so there might already be a queue when you get there. But the dining experience there is worth the short wait, so don’t let the queue put you off!
Suzuya’s Business Hours and Access Information
- Suzuya is open from Wednesday to Monday:
- 11 am to 2 pm (last order)
- 5 pm to 8 pm (last order)
- Please refer to their business calendar HERE.
- The restaurant is a 10-minute walk from Takayama Station.
Tomy Muesli (トミィミューズリー)
If you like curry and/or vegan pie, visit Tomy Muesli. Although both dishes are something that you won’t expect to see in a muesli cafe, you won’t regret ordering them! Apart from the incredible food, Tomy Muesli has a bright but relaxing ambiance. If you are unsure what to order, the friendly staff who speak English will give you their recommendation for the day. You can even seek travel advice from them!
The cafe is run by a couple. The husband was from Swiss and promotes a healthy lifestyle. All savory dishes are prepared using multiple seasonal homegrown vegetables. Besides Heianraku, Tomy Muesli is the most vegan-friendly restaurant in Takayama. Of course, an assortment of homemade muesli and granola is available. You can also order one of their fruity soymilk smoothie!
Different from your typical Japanese or Indian curry, Tomy Muesli’s curry is actually quite dry. It is made by simmering over 14 different spices and vegetables, resulting in a rich, fresh vegetable flavor and very nice aroma. The taste is also just incredible!
Homemade cakes and other desserts are also available.
Tomy Muesli’s Business Hours and Access Information
- Tomy Muesli is open from 10 am to 7 pm from Wednesday to Monday.
- The cafe is a 15-minute walk from Takayama Station.
Tofu Cuisine Noguchiya (とうふ料理のぐちや)
As Hida Takayama is famous for its Hida beef, most restaurants will sell Hida beef sushi, Hida beef burger, Hida beef hot pot, or Shabushabu… which made us worry about whether we would be able to find a place for lunch!
But then we found this tofu cuisine restaurant buried among all the other small shops in Kami-Sannomachi (≧▽≦)!
The restaurant’s interior is so old-fashioned looking that we wouldn’t be surprised if it previously caters to samurais (´▽｀*).
That being said, it is still a clean restaurant that provides super delicious tofu dishes. We especially recommend the tofu steak!
The tofu steak itself didn’t appear too appetizing because it just looked like a piece of tofu sitting on an iron plate with sauce smothered all over it. BUT it was so delicious that we almost asked for the recipe (*´ω｀).
Important: Not all dishes are vegan. Please check with the staff before ordering.
Tofu Cuisine Noguchiya’s Business Hours and Access Information
- Noguchiya is open from:
- 10 am to 4 pm from December to March
- 10 am to 5 pm from March to November
- The restaurant is a 12-minute walk from Takayama Station.
Ebisu Soba, Takayama (手打ちそば恵比寿)
After strolling around the old townscape, you might probably feel hungry. If you fancy some chewy soba noodles, visit Ebisu, which opened in 1898. And don’t worry, Ebisu has a vegetarian section on the menu, including vegan broth!
The mushroom and kelp stock is delicious and has depth in flavor. Adding to the fact that the freshly handmade noodles are made each morning, the meal is amazing! The perfectly deep-fried tempura is also a must-order when you visit Ebisu.
Like most buildings on the same street, Ebisu’s building is more than a century old. If you can, climb up the steep stairs to the second floor, as it will be quite an experience! Sitting on cushions around the lower tables, the soba dining experience can’t be more fulfilling. Through the glass windows on the Yukimi Shōji (雪見障子) sliding doors, you can take a peek at the little traditional garden as you enjoy your food.
Whether it is your first time eating soba noodles, the informative comic soba-eating guide is interesting. As you wait for your order, read through the guide. You might learn something new about how soba noodles are consumed in Japan!
The staff at Ebisu is friendly and attentive. They know very well what veganism is. If you are a vegan, remember to ask the restaurant to remove eggs from your order. Menus in English and other languages are also available.
Ebisu Soba’s Business Hours and Access Information
- Ebisu Soba is open from 11 am to 3 pm from Wednesday to Monday.
- The last order is taken at 2:45 pm.
- If Tuesday is a public holiday, it closes on the next business day instead.
- The restaurant is a 15-minute walk from Takayama Station.
Tip: You can get a free parking coupon for Parking MITAKA (みたかパーキング) if you spend more than 1,500 yen at Ebisu Soba.
Center4 Hamburgers
Center4 Hamburgers is another vegan/vegetarian-friendly burger place in Takayama. It is a great place to visit if you are after some comfort food. Located close to Shiroyama Park on the other side of the town, it is the perfect spot to stop by to boost your energy level after trekking the Higashiyama Walking Course.
Center4 Hamburgers has an American interior and is full of character. The friendly owners have made the whole place welcoming and cozy. While there is only one vegetarian sandwich and the restaurant can only remove meat from the burgers, the sandwich and burger taste fantastic! The chips are amazing, too, as they are crispy on the outside and fluffy on the inside!
For burgers, go for the Whit Mushroom Burger, which is filled with three types of mushrooms and topped with white sauce. If you are vegan or you don’t consume eggs, ask the staff to exclude mayonnaise from the sandwich.
Tip: If you plan to visit Center4 Hamburgers, it is best to make a reservation. Please call +81-577-36-4527.
Center4 Hamburgers’s Business Hours and Access Information
- Center4 Hamburgers is open from Thursday to Tuesday:
- 11 am to 2:30 pm (L.O.)
- 5:30 pm to 7:30 pm (L.O.)
- The restaurant is a 15-minute walk from Takayama Station.
- Follow the sign on the road to the restaurant behind a shop.
Kakushō (角正)
For a high-end dining experience in a traditional setting in Takayama, visit Kakushō! The famous Shōjin Ryōri restaurant, which opened in the Edo period, is housed in a heritage building completed more than 250 years ago. Being able to dine in the large traditional former samurai complex already partially justifies the meal cost. In addition, Kakushō is the oldest restaurant in Gifu Prefecture. The same family has run it for 12 generations, and the culinary skills passed down are unbeatable!
As expected, Kakushō’s service is top-class. Together with the incredibly tasty food, your experience at Kakushō will be wholesome and unforgettable. It is a place where you will be amazed by every bite. Going through the intricately aesthetic presented morsels, your five senses are treated to an impeccable feast.
If you plan to visit for lunch, you can also adore its vast, stunning garden from the private room while eating. The staff will also explain the next dish to you in English and/or Japanese between courses.
Tips:
☛ If you are uncomfortable sitting on the tatami mats, the restaurant can prepare a table for you.
☛ Making a reservation and letting the restaurant know about your dietary requirements is best. They can cater to a gluten-free diet too. You can reserve through byFood, an English restaurant reservation platform.
Kakushō’s Business Hours and Access Information
- Kakushō is open from:
- 11 am to 1:30 pm (L.O.) for lunch
- 5:30 p to 7:30 pm (L.O.) for dinner
- The restaurant is a 15-minute walk from Takayama Station.
Other Vegan/Vegetarian-Friendly Restaurants in Takayama
- Chahan Hana (炒飯 花)
- A small family-run Chinese restaurant that can exclude animal products from most of their dishes.
- The staff is friendly and speaks some English.
- Guest House Tabinoshiori (ゲストハウス旅のしおり)
- A cozy traditional-style guest house in the center of Takayama. The guestroom overlooks the courtyard and the old townscape.
- It can cater to a vegan diet if you inform them beforehand.
- The cafe on the ground level can also adjust the ingredients upon request. Please make a booking if you need this arrangement.
- The coffee at the cafe is amazing.
- The couple who runs the place is sweet and friendly.
- If the apple pie is available on the day, order it!
- Miyama Ouan (匠の宿 深山桜庵)
- A ryokan that can cater to those with special dietary requirements in Hirayu Onsen, close to Takayama.
- Private onsen tubs are available for guests to use.
On Takayama City’s website, there is a webpage with restaurant information for Muslims. A few of them do indicate that a vegetarian menu is available.
Or you can always refer to our Japanese Phrases for Vegetarian article if you ever get stuck with communication (=ﾟωﾟ)ﾉ.
Explore Takayama’s Attractions
Now that you know where to find vegan/vegetarian food in Takayama. Let’s find out which spots in the rural city you would like to visit. We are sure you will enjoy the city’s old, well-preserved townships. If you like sake, there are a few sake breweries you can also visit for sake tasting. Moreover, the Shinhotaka Ropeway at the far back of the city is Takayama’s best spot for those who love nature.
For more information, refer to our article on Takayama!
