If you are after 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 in a small lane intersects with 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 a cat good. Within all the cat madness, there is a dog hidden. So, you might wonder if you are impatient, the question that will come out of your mouth is, “Where is the dog?”!
Where is a dog’s chef does a great job making curry rice. It isn’t overly spicy. Besides curry, vegan plates, rice bowls, vegan sandwiches, and bagels are also on offer. The fresh and delicious dishes have good portions. 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. All the desserts should be vegan as well. But please check with the staff when you get there as things might 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 means it is less sweet than a smoothie elsewhere, it 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 and 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 here are friendly and welcoming. Thus, talk to them if you are unsure about anything!
Tip: The monk fruit hot chocolate is really nice. Gluten-free beer might also be available.
Our Visit to Where Is a Dog
Our Visit to Where Is a Dog
We got to the cafe around 1 pm. Fortunately, there was an empty table that we didn’t need to queue. We were going to try their famous green curry but decided to try 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 nor did the cheese stretch. But, the dish has 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 by flavored soy meat mince. Above the mince is a thick layer of fresh vegetables that balance out the soy meat’s heavier taste.
Before our orders were brought 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 interior was 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 in around 15 to 20 minutes after ordering. We utilized the time to hunt the only dog decor. It was a little bit tricky to find because the dog was placed close to the ceiling in a darker corner and the cat couple near caught our attention.
Pastas made from rice flour are also 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, there are still a couple of places for us vegan and vegetarian to visit. Most offer meat and vegan options, 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!
