Originally published on metropolis.co.jp on April 2010

Tokyo often gets a bad rap for its lack of vegetarian dining options, but the truth is that you just need to know where to look. Stop by Koenji, Kichijoji or Nishi-Ogikubo and you’ll find some of the city’s best vegetarian, vegan and macrobiotic fare. Offering everything from big fat burgers to brown rice, these Chuo line veggie cafés prove that Tokyo ain’t such a bad place for herbivores, after all.

Deva Deva Café

Photo by Melissa Feineman

This bright eatery offers a rare treat for veggie diners in Tokyo—American-sized burgers, minus the meat. The homemade “Yogi burger” (from ¥990) is a popular pick, with toppings like avocado, cheddar cheese or spicy chili. The new Tex-Mex menu includes California-style burritos (¥1,400) with faux-meat “carne asada” and “chicken barbacoa.” The desserts change seasonally, but recent offerings have included chocolate cupcakes (¥400) and amazake carob Belgian waffles with berry and carob chocolate sauce (¥890). Deva Deva also doubles as a mini-store where you can pick up health-food essentials. It’s popular, too, so be prepared to wait.

2F, 2-14-7 Kichijoji Honcho, Musashino-shi. Open daily 11am-9pm (LO 8pm). Tel: 0422-21-6220. Nearest stn: Kichijoji, central exit. www.devadevacafe.com

Base Café

Photo by James Hadfield

If there’s a formula for the quintessential Tokyo veggie restaurant, Base Café seems to have it perfected. Take an old, derelict building, fill it with mismatched “elementary school chic” (read: wooden desks and chairs), add a young, stylish Kichijoji crowd, and serve. The lunchtime set menu (¥1,200) is a macrobiotic mix-and-match affair. Choose from dishes like garbanzo bean croquettes, burdock and hijiki with plum dressing, and three types of mushrooms with grated daikon, plus brown rice, miso soup and tea. There’s also a sweet set (¥1,000) with egg and dairy-free desserts like strawberry tofu cheesecake and baked apple with raisins and walnuts.

3F, 1-6-7 Kichijoji Minamicho, Musashino-shi. Open Wed-Sun 11:30am-10pm (LO 9pm), closed Mon-Tue. Tel: 0422-46-0337. Nearest stn: Kichijoji, park exit. www.organic-base.com/topic

Lotus and Flower’s Café One

Photo by Melissa Feineman

Close to Higashi-Koenji but still within walking distance from Nakano station, the über-girly Lotus and Flower’s Café One scores full points for its bright, cheery atmosphere and welcoming staff. The floral decor is unapologetically feminine, so it may not be the place to try to convince carnivores that meat-free can still be macho. If you can get them in the door, though, the food here will speak for itself. On our visit, the monthly lunch specials included a superb cabbage, cumin and coconut milk curry (¥980) and a hearty pasta with vegetarian “meat” sauce and salad (¥1,200).

3-60-11 Wada, Suginami-ku. Open daily 11:30am-2:30pm (LO) and 6-9:30pm (LO). Tel: 03-6304-9441. Nearest stn: Higashi-Koenji or Nakano. www.lotus-one.jp

Vege Shokudo

Photo by Melissa Feineman

Following the “supper club” trend, where renegade chefs occasionally take the helm at conventional restaurant kitchens, Vege Shokudo is a Wednesday-only affair. Chef Yoyo commandeers a tiny Koenji bar on their night off and whips up a colorful, filling and dirt-cheap vegan feast. Her dishes are dictated by her whims and what’s available, so the menu is always different. A recent dinner included broccoli fritters with fresh salsa, pasta salad, steamed rape blossoms with mustard-soy-mayo sauce, two types of salad, mashed potatoes and lentils, brown rice with sakura and azuki beans, and burdock soymilk soup. Oh, and did we mention that all this will set you back a mere ¥750?

3-10-1 Koenji-Kita, Suginami-ku. Open Wed only 5-10pm (LO 9pm). Nearest stn: Koenji, north exit. http://vegecanteen.seesaa.net

Café Mone

Photo by Melissa Feineman

Just off a busy shopping street in Koenji, Café Mone is a cozy little spot to fill up on healthy fare. The lunch menu (¥1,000) offers a macrobiotic twist on the standard teishoku meal of a main dish accompanied by a few sides plus brown rice, soup, pickles and tea. Mone doubles as a gallery and event space, so check their website for the latest happenings, like all-you-can-eat nights and community markets.

3-45-9 Koenji-Minami, Suginami-ku. Open Tue-Thu noon-8pm, Fri-Sun & hols noon-11pm. Tel: 03-3317-4645. Nearest stn: Koenji, south exit. www.cafemone.com

Hölon

Photo by Melissa Feineman

This Nishi-Ogikubo café has a certain charm—if you can get over the brusque staff and surprisingly small portions. The vegetable wrap (¥950, tempeh and carrot salad) sounded good on paper, but we almost laughed when we saw the size of it. If you’d like more substantial sustenance, go for the Hölon Plate (¥1,200), which on our visit included tofu loaf, spinach and sweet potato with sesame dressing, carrot salad, miso soup, and brown rice. Hölon also sells takeout bento boxes and a selection of macrobiotic sweets.

4-15-13 Kichijoji Higashicho, Musashino-shi. Open Fri-Wed 11:30am-3pm and 5-8pm, closed Thu. Tel: 0422-23-3638. Nearest stn: Nishi-Ogikubo. www6.ocn.ne.jp/~holon

Meu Nota

Photo by James Hadfield

A recent addition to the Koenji veggie scene, Meu Nota is a small but bustling café that hosts occasional live music events. The completely vegan menu is one of the most diverse on the Chuo-line circuit, reflecting a number of global influences: think two varieties of homemade hummus (chickpea, ¥500, and black bean, ¥520), seasonal vegetable curry (¥1,000), and a mouthwatering 30-ingredient taco rice (¥1,000).

2F, 3-45-11 Koenji-Minami, Suginami-ku. Open daily noon-11:30pm (LO 11pm). Tel: 03-5929-9422. Nearest stn: Koenji, south exit. http://meunota.cafe.coocan.jp