It's Vegetable: Taiwanese vegetarian cuisine in Tokyo

Vegetarian restaurant, vegan friendly

A random Wednesday off today gave me a chance to check out a place I'd been meaning to go to for ages. Back in August I went on a short trip to Taiwan and since then I've been craving another dose ever so delicious Taiwanese veggie cuisine.

A 30 minute subway ride away from Shibuya, It's Vegetable is a bit of a hike out the areas of Tokyo I usually frequent, but a satisfying meal tonight and a good book for the train convinced me it was time well spent.

Some of the reviews on Happy Cow had mentioned that it was necessary or at least a good idea to make a reservation for this place, but I got the feeling one would be fine without one.  That being said, the restaurant was nearly full when I left around 7pm (on a weeknight), so perhaps during peak times a reservation would be a good idea.

 Lunches run buffet style, with all you can fit on a small, medium or large plate system (with some weight restrictions).  Dinner can be ordered from an extensive menu of dishes, most of which feature soy based fake meats.  Many of these items can be ordered either small (630¥) or large (840¥).  I tried the braised "chicken" and mixed veggies with hot sauce, a flavorful dish with chewy meaty bits reminiscent of the sweet and sour pork of my childhood.

While nearly all of the menu is handwritten in both Japanese and English, the soup noodle section curiously has no English translations.  The friendly owner kindly walked me through the soup varieties, and I selected the first one on the list, a shoyu (soy sauce) based soup topped with a variety of veggies (900¥).

My only regret with this dinner was that with only one stomach, I was limited in the number of items I was able to try.  Given that there were so many yummy looking options I'd like to sample, I'll try to return here with friends and share a feast of little dishes.

It's Vegetable is easy to find.  From Kinshicho (on the Hanzomon and Sobu Lines), head to exit 5, turning to your left as you exit.  Take the first left from there, and you'll find the restaurant on your right within the first block.

As mentioned on the menu, while all items are vegetarian and contain no egg, some items do contain dairy products.  If you are vegan, let the staff know and they'll point you in the the right direction.

Practical information...

address: 東京都墨田区錦糸4-1-9


4-1-9 Kinshi, Sumida-ku, Tokyo


telephone: 03-3625-1245

closed on Mondays

opening hours: lunch 11:45-2:30 (last order 2pm), dinner 5:30-10:00 (last order 9:30)