NISHIOGI VEGAN GUIDE (Nishi-Ogikubo)

A Guide by the Authors of “Nishiogi Vegan”
[updated April 2024]

Nishi-Ogikubo is a quiet, cosy but independent town famed for its many antique shops and second-hand book stores. More recently it is the place in Suginami to find a variety of vegan or vegan-friendly eateries. The scene is ever-changing and places come and go, so we have compiled an up-to-date list of just some of the places you can enjoy great plant-based meals.

A couple of places are 100% vegan but generally it is best to always tell the staff that you’d like to have the vegan options to avoid any confusion and they can point out what’s available.

While the places in this guide are all eat-in, be sure not to miss Khanam (shown on the map) for take-out vegan sweets as well.

Written/Photographed by Minako & Ian

Café Kawasemi Pipelettes

Vegan Deli Plates and Toasties by Request

Starting from north Nishi-Ogikubo, Café Kawasemi Pipelettes is an organic vegetarian ecology café nestled along Zenpukuji River in close proximity to the verdant Zenpukuji Park. This cute, cosy café not only serves delicious vegetarian/vegan dishes and sweets and drinks, but also serves as a powerhouse for environmentally sustainable actions in the area by organising various talks and events. The deli plate is vegan and the toasties can be made vegan on request.
There is a delightful little garden with a few seats where you may spot a few birds including the cafe's namesake kawasemi (kingfisher). There is a good selection of reading material in a mini library, too. Wi-Fi is available, but please ask. The cafe is also pet friendly!

Price:

Seasonal deli plate: ¥1540, sweets around ¥550
Address:
1 Chome-30-9 Zenpukuji, Suginami, Tokyo
Distance from Station:
About 10 minutes via bus or 18 minutes on foot from JR Nishi-Ogikubo Station, North Exit
Phone:
03-6884-5507
Open:
(Saturday-Tuesday 11:00am – 5:00pm, Closed Wednesday-Friday) *Please note Pipelettes has been operating irregular hours since late 2023, so if you plan to visit please confirm first.
Communication:
Japanese, French and English.
  • no-smoking

Go! Muffins Go!

Savory and Sweet Vegan Muffins and More

Go! Muffins Go! is an all vegan baked goods and sweets shop and café in the north of Nishio-Ogikubo on Ome Kaido Road. Offering fun vegan sweet/savoury muffins, shortbread and other sweets and drinks.
As the name suggests, their muffins are the shop’s main item, large and filling with great tastes and texture. There are various flavors like Dark Chocolate & Banana or Chai, Raspberry and Cacao nibs and more savoury ones like Tomato and Onion. The shortbread, chocolate chip cookies, slices of Victoria sandwich cake (made with rice flour) and granola also make a delicious snack and there is vegan ice cream during the summer months.
English menu also on display as the proprietor speaks excellent English.

Price:

Muffins ¥390, cake slices around ¥500
Address:
4 Chome-2-3, Momoi, Suginami, Tokyo (Ogawa Building, 2nd Floor)
Distance from Station:
About 7 minutes via bus or 15 minutes on foot from JR Nishi-Ogikubo Station, North Exit
Open:
Thursday 12:00 – 4:30pm and Sunday 11:00 – 4:30pm
Website:
http://gomuffinsgo.com/ (external link)
Communication:
Japanese and English.
  • no-smoking
  • no-credit-card

Ganesha Ghar

Indian Restaurant on the River with Vegan Options

Ganesha Ghar is a friendly Indian restaurant situated by Sekine Bridge in the north of Nishi-Ogikubo serving an extensive menu including vegan friendly, halal friendly, and child friendly dishes. It's a comfortable space where you can take your time over the many dishes and admire the lovely idyllic mural of Ganesha (Pink Elephant god!) and other animals dancing against the Mt. Everest and Dhaulagiri background. There are always vegan options clearly marked on the menu! The set menu vegan Thali (platter) is a good meal in size. It includes wholemeal roti, papadum, rice, two curry dishes, pakoda, achaar pickle, salad and a drink.
The chickpeas in the Chana Masala are nice and plump, the Vegetable Curry has a healthy mix of different vegetables and if you’re a fan of eggplant, the Baingan Masala is irresistible.
It’s always nice to add one or two a la carte extras. Their veggie momo dumplings are vibrantly flavourful and highly recommended, but they need to be ordered in advance s be sure to call ahead or stop by if you will be wanting some.

Price:

Lunch from ¥1000, dinner from ¥1500
Address:
4 Chome-4-1 Kamiogi, Suginami, Tokyo
Distance from Station:
7 minutes on foot from JR Nishi-Ogikubo Station, North Exit
Phone:
03-5382-9441
Open:
Daily. Lunch 11:00 - 2:30pm, Dinner 5:00pm - 11:00pm (Last order 10:30pm)
Website:
https://www.ganesha0.com/ (external link)
Communication:
Japanese, Hindi and some basic English.
  • no-smoking
  • disable-access

Mondo Gelato

Fresh & Seasonal 100% Plant-Based Sorbet

Mondo Gelato is a Gelateria with a small eat-in space. Offering gelato with a milky-range and a sorbet-range, using fresh seasonal fruit as well as serving drinks. The sorbet range is all 100% plant-based. It's much more fun to combine two flavours. Chocolate flavour is usually available and others may be seasonal such as strawberry, rhubarb or pear.
Milky ones contain dairy so be sure to check at the counter, though vegan options are clearly labelled. It's quite close to the station so is a great place to pop in for a refreshing cold sweet after arriving on the train or walking around the town centre.

Price:

Cup: 1 flavour ¥450, 2 flavours ¥500. Cone: 1 flavour ¥500, 2 flavours ¥550
Address:
3 Chome-18-10 Nishiogi-kita, Suginami, Tokyo
Distance from Station:
3 minutes on foot from JR Nishi-Ogikubo Station, North Exit
Phone:
080-5974-4832 (Japanese only)
Open:
Varies but normally closed Monday-Wednesday. Weekends open 12:00 – 5:00pm, other days 2:00 – 8:00pm
Website:
https://www.instagram.com/mondo.gelato/ (external link)
Communication:
Staff speak Japanese only.
  • no-smoking

Organic Cafe Yukisuki no Kuni

Organic, Vegan, Gluten-Free Curry and More

Yukisuki no Kuni is also known as "a kitchen pharmacy" providing healthy food, sweets and drinks made with carefully selected ingredients in a calm and therapeutic atmosphere. Even well water is running below! This is an ideal place for vegans who love to take time to savour the many flavours and textures of vegetables.
One of their specialties, “Organic Yakuzen Curry (vegetable)”, is vegan and gluten-free. It is made with medicinal herbal cooking method incorporating 3 kinds of dhal, over 30 kinds of spices and a paste made from 8 different nuts and fruit. You can even get a quick health check-up by you telling the staff the predominant flavours you had from the first mouthful and the after-taste at the end!

The Vegetable Deli platter includes over a dozen vegetable dishes all prepared separately, served with a bowl of rice, pickles, Yakuzen soup and a mini dessert. The ingredients are chosen to suit the body’s requirements for the current season.
Various sweets are on offer either individually or as a platter. Cakes are free from gluten and refined sugar.
*As they serve non-veggie items as well, make sure that the staff know that you opt for vegan dishes.

Price:

¥1200 - ¥2000
Address:
3 Chome-16-3 Nishiogi-kita, Suginami, Tokyo
Distance from Station:
3 minutes on foot from JR Nishi-Ogikubo Station, North Exit
Phone:
03-6913-9370 (usually Japanese only)
Open:
11:30am - 5:00 pm, Closed Mondays & Thursdays
Website:
https://www.facebook.com/organiccafe.yukisukinokuni/ (external link)
Communication:
Japanese, English speaking staff sometimes available.
  • no-smoking
  • no-credit-card

Cafe & Salon Hana

Veggie Gyoza Dumplings and Vegan Japanese Sweets

Moving onto south side of the station, Cafe Hana is in a quaint old house tucked away in a side street that places azuki red beans and well-being at heart, offering a holistic environment with delicious, healthy food and drink. Their menu could be described as mainly Japanese with an essence of Korea, plus their own original twist. A lot of their dishes have warming properties for the body. They easily adapt most dishes to be vegetarian or vegan on request.
The Veggie Enzyme Rice Bibimbap has a delightful, rich sauce with subtle spiciness. The Veggie Gyoza are savoury dumplings with a ground azuki bean filling.
Other main meals include Spice Veggie Curry and an Enzyme Rice. There are also Enzyme Rice Balls (which can be taken out) and Enzyme Rice Nori Rolls.
The desserts are mostly vegan, such as “Ohagi” mochi covered in azuki bean paste and “An de Truffles” which contain anko (red bean jam), nuts, cocoa and date jam— these normally come with honey which can be omitted for vegans. Yakuzen Zenzai, hot sweet red bean soup with ginseng extract and nuts on top is another tasty option.

Price:

Set meals from ¥1000
Address:
3 Chome-37-2 Shoan, Suginami, Tokyo
Distance from Station:
3 minutes on foot from JR Nishi-Ogikubo Station, South Exit
Phone:
03-5344-9393 (Japanese, Korean and some English)
Open:
11:30am - 5:30pm (Last Orders 5:00pm), Closed Mondays and Thursdays
Website:
https://nishiogi-hana.com/ (external link)
Communication:
Japanese, Korean and some English.
  • no-smoking
  • no-credit-card

Darts & Vegan Bar Meteora

All Vegan Hard Rock Bar

Bar Meteora, a recent addition to the town (at the time of this writing) is a 100% vegan bar with darts, 80's heavy metal music plus occasional WWE themes-- an interesting combination that is bound to be a match made in heaven for some folks!
The food is entirely plant-based, aiming to use pesticide-free Japanese produce wherever possible.
Dishes are made from scratch, and miso and some sauces are homemade by the proprietor. Nibbles include in-house roasted nuts, pickles and miso-marinaded tofu. Side dishes include Green Gyoza dumplings with wrappers made with komatsuna (Japanese spinach) and filled with soy meat and cabbage, Tempeh Goreng that is flavoured with spices and kombu dashi, as well as French fries cooked in olive oil.
The main dishes which can change according to the season may include Keema curry which has a tomato-based sauce with a delicious blend of spices. A regular item is the Over-rice with soy meat and an intriguing mix of beans and vegetables topped with tomatoes and original soy mayonnaise. There is, of course, a wide choice of vegan alcoholic and other drinks available.

Price:

Cover charge (w/ free side dish) ¥300, Drinks from ¥500, Main dishes from ¥800, Darts (1 game) ¥100
Address:
2 Chome-20-3 Nishiogi-minami, Suginami, Tokyo (basement B1)
Distance from Station:
4 minutes on foot from JR Nishi-Ogikubo Station, South Exit
Phone:
03-6454-2469
Open:
5:00pm – 12:30am (shortened hours during the pandemic), Closed Monday & Tuesday
Website:
https://www.instagram.com/bar_meteora/ (external link)
Communication:
Japanese and English available, with some Indonesian and Malay.
  • no-smoking

Racoon

Gluten-Free Specialty Cafe with Vegan Curry and Sweets

Raccoon is a comfortable café with a relaxing ambience that specialises in gluten-free curry and raw sweets free from wheat, white sugar, dairy and eggs.
The curry choice is either meat or vegetable which is vegan and amazingly tangy without being too spicy and a good variety of seasonal vegetables.
Using plenty of nuts, good quality oil and seasonal fruits, the raw sweets are all vegan, made without undergoing heat over 48C to retain enzymes within the ingredients. They are healthy, guilt-free and also suitable for those who are on a diet or health conscious.

Price:

Curry from ¥900, sweets around ¥600
Address:
3 Chome-4-1 Nishiogi-minami, Suginami, Tokyo
Distance from Station:
5 minutes on foot from JR Nishi-Ogikubo Station, South Exit
Open:
Friday & Monday: take out only 11:30 – 3:00pm, Saturday & Sunday: eat-in 11:30 – 8:00pm
Website:
https://www.facebook.com/raccoon.tokyo (external link)
Communication:
Staff speak Japanese only.
  • no-smoking

Sing

Vegan Quiche, Baked Goods, Light Snacks and Drinks

Sing is a sweets café which is mostly vegan. It has a gentle vibe that is an interesting mix of smooth concrete, rustic elements, and beautifully designed light fittings. It’s set back slightly from the road with some nice greenery in front.
Sing’s focus is on baked goods, offering delicious, healthy cakes as well as other sweets and savouries and drinks. The vegan quiche is delicious with a great crust and creamy flavourful filling, and the gâteau au chocolat is a favourite-- it’s so firm and rich. There are usually fruit scones and muffins and tarts on offer too.
Drinks include coffee, caffeine-free grain ‘coffee’, various teas including herbal varieties and juices. An excellent place when you want a light snack rather than a big meal.

Price:

Cakes and muffins from ¥400, drinks from ¥550
Address:
1 Chome-19-20, Nishiogi-minami, Suginami, Tokyo
Distance from Station:
7 minutes on foot from JR Nishi-Ogikubo Station, South Exit
Open:
Monday–Wednesday, Saturday–Sunday 1:00pm – 6:00pm, Closed Thursday & Friday
Website:
https://infosingcafe.wixsite.com/mysite (external link)
Communication:
Staff speak Japanese only.
  • no-smoking

Tsuchitone (at Teineini)

Healthy Vegan Meals in a Japanese Atmosphere

Tsuchitone is just one of many food provided at the shared cafe space, Teineini. Tsuchitone is serving weekday evening meals there (Tuesday to Friday 18:00-20:30). Situated in a quaint 60 year-old Japanese building 8 minutes south of the station, its ambience makes you feel at home. You can eat at the counter or on the tatami mats, where there are even kotatsu tables (Japanese tables with heaters built into them).

Tuesday is sweets takeout-only day (baked or steamed). Wednesday to Friday there are two types of daily set meals, both vegan and non-veggie to choose from, using plenty of fresh seasonal vegetables, some of which the chef grows herself. Sweets are mostly vegan, however, occasionally some may contain dairy and eggs so it’s best to ask.
Bento (takeaway box) is also on offer which can be ordered at the restaurant, however, it's recommended to contact and order in advance to avoid long waiting times when busy.

Price:

Most meals around ¥1200
Address:
1 Chome-18-11, Nishiogi-minami, Suginami, Tokyo
Distance from Station:
8 minutes from JR Nishi-Ogikubo Station, South Exit
Open:
Tuesday - Friday 6:00pm - 8:30pm (Tuesday is takeout only), [Other vegan and plant-based services (besides Saturdays) operate during other times]
Website:
http://teineini.com/cafe/ (external link)
Communication:
Staff speak Japanese only.
  • no-smoking