Restaurants with lots of Veggies in Central Kyoto
While not 100% vegetarian, and certainly not vegan, you can still veg-out and eat well at these restaurants. Tawawa and Harvest are buffet oriented and Nishiri is a course format.
Tawawa Restaurant
Concept: Kyoyasai (Kyoto vegetables) Dining and Kyoyasai Buffet (lunch) and fresh fruit desserts.
Not vegan but heaps of veggies! The kyoyasai buffet is incredible.
Entries often come with meat or fish, but a meal can be had just from the buffet.
Tawawa website (Japanese language): http://www.kyo-tawawa.co.jp/index.htm
Location: Shinpukan Shopping Center (新風館) is on the east side of Karasuma Street between Sanjo and Oike Streets. From the Karasuma Oike Subway Station, use exit #5.
Shinpukan website (Japanese language): http://www.shin-puh-kan.com/access.html
Harvest (ハーベスト)
Another amazing buffet format restaurant in central Kyoto that offers lots of vegetables, all dishes offered are excellent!
Concept: Lots of veggies, healthy, natural food, all you can eat!
Harvest website (Japanese language): http://www.create-restaurants.co.jp/shop/00218-1.26.0.0.0.0.0.0.2
Location: Shijo-Kawaramachi intersection, 8F of Hankyu Department Store
Nishiri
Nishiri is one of Kyoto’s largest tsukemono (Japanese pickles) companies with stores all over Japan. At Nishiri’s Gion store there is a restaurant on the second floor that offers several excellent and novel course, at a reasonable price.
Tsukemono Kaiseki
A kaiseki meal of tsukemono! Very novel indeed! At less than 3,000 yen it is a deal. There are about 10 courses of Nishiri’s tsukemono prepared in various ways. There is even daikon tsukemono tempura. The last course is a large selection of tsukemono and rice, second helpings of rice are available. Dessert is a tsukemono apple with sour yogurt.
Tsukemono Sushi
Tsukemono sushi is excellent and novel, but a rather light meal. (I have only had this once and I recall it being around 1,500 yen.)
Tsukemono Chazuke
Tsukemono on rice with hot tea poured over it. A light meal.
Tsukemono Ice Cream and Sorbet
Somewhat weird, a hardcore foodie would probably not want to miss it though.
Nishiri website (Japanese language): http://www.nishiri.co.jp/
Gion Location (useless webpage): http://www.nishiri.co.jp/mise/gion/gionbtm.html
Location: Nishiri Gion-ten is located on the south side of Shijo Street just west of Yasaka Shrine. This is about 5 minutes on foot from Shijo-Kawaramachi.