If you are looking for a gluten-free restaurant with vegan options, visit Where Is a Dog (ウェア イズ ア ドッグ?) in Kichijōji. The gluten-free cafe is located in a small lane that intersects the Nakamichi-dōri Shopping Street (中道通り商店街). It is also a spot for cat lovers. While it isn’t a cat cafe, nor does the owner keep a cat on the premises, you are accompanied by numerous cat decors and photos!
Table of Contents
- About Where Is a Dog
- Our Visit to Where Is a Dog
- Where Is a Dog’s Business Hours and Access Information
About Where Is a Dog?
The cafe is run by a friendly couple. We were nicely greeted as we entered their cafe.
As soon as you step into the cozy diner, there isn’t a single corner in the cafe that isn’t decorated by anything cat-related. A dog is hidden in all the cat madness, so you might wonder, “Where IS the dog?”!
Where Is a Dog’s chef does a great job at making curry rice. It isn’t overly spicy, either. Besides curry, vegan plates, rice bowls, vegan sandwiches, and bagels are also available. The fresh and delicious dishes have good portions, too, and there is no doubt that you will feel satisfied after dining at Where Is a Dog!
All vegan dishes on the cafe’s menu are clearly marked. Most dishes also have English notation underneath the Japanese notation. Although all the desserts should also be vegan, please check with the staff when you get there, as this may change!
You can refer to their Instagram Account for the current menu.
Where Is a Dog is also a heaven for those who dislike sweeteners and are health conscious. Their smoothie is made with only vegetables and fruits. While this might not be as sweet as your typical smoothie, it still tastes nice!
As a gluten-free cafe, the bread is made with rice flour. So, if you haven’t tried something made with rice flour but are unsure about the taste, check with the staff to see if they still give out samples! You will be amazed by how delicious it is.
The staff there are friendly and welcoming, so be sure to ask them questions if you need clarification on anything!
Tip: The monk fruit hot chocolate is really nice. Gluten-free beer might also be available.
Our Visit to Where Is a Dog
We got to the cafe at around 1 pm. Fortunately, there was an empty table. We thought about trying out their famous green curry but decided to order the Curry Doria (焼カレー) instead (refer to the second photo in the IG post). After all, we love cheese!
Because vegan cheese was used, the curry doria didn’t have the typical cheesy taste or texture. The dish had the right amount of root vegetables and chick peas; surprisingly, the onion didn’t taste as pungent as the ones we had, which was great!
The other savory dish we ordered was the Vegan Rice Bowl. It went perfectly with the warm weather of the day. The rice was covered with flavored soy meat mince. Above the mince is a thick layer of fresh vegetables that balances the soy meat’s heavier taste.
Before our orders were brought out to us, samples of the cafe’s gluten-free bread were served (refer to the third photo in the IG post).
On the plate was a small piece of their gluten-free toast and baguette. Because they were made from rice flour, the interiors were much chewier than those made from wheat. The baguette was particularly good, so we bought one for the next day’s breakfast.
The main dishes were brought to us around 15 to 20 minutes after we ordered. We utilized the time to hunt for the only dog decor. It was initially a little bit tricky to find because the dog was placed close to the ceiling in a darker corner, and the cat couple nearly caught our attention.
Pastas made from rice flour are also available on the shelf. If you are celiac, bring a few packs home!
Where Is a Dog’s Business Hours and Access Information
- Where Is a Dog? is open from 12 pm to 9 pm.
- The restaurant is a 5-minute walk from Kichijoji Station.
Other Vegan-Friendly Restaurants in Kichijōji
Kichijōji in Tokyo has many amazing cafes and restaurants, but many don’t cater to a vegan diet. Fortunately, a couple of places still offer meat and vegan options, which is perfect for those who travel with non-vegan families and friends!
So refer to our article on Vegan-Friendly Restaurants in Kichijōji for other options!
