Vegan Food in Kobe

Dec 22, 2017

Vegan Food in Kobe

New year, new game. So how about heading into it with some healthy food by trying some great vegetarian and vegan places in Kobe? After all those delicious creamy pieces of Christmas cake, the Japanese Bo-nen-kai (year-end) parties and the overall rather hearty food that we tend to eat around the end of the year, let’s get some fresh greens into your body to provide you with the necessary energy to reach your goals this year. And lucky you, if you are in Kobe! There are plenty of nice restaurants, cafes and even supermarkets to choose from, which feature not only vegan options but also organic and regional food. The places that I will introduce are mostly located near the city center and easy to access via public transportation (near JR Motomachi station or Sannomiya station).

Modernark Pharm Café

Although it is called “café”, it feels more like a mix of a cozy café and a vegan restaurant with a warm and farmhouse-style atmosphere. The food is healthy, reasonably priced and looks absolutely gorgeous. The dishes range from soups and salads to cake and vegan curry. On top of that, the service is excellent and friendly (as most places in Japan) and they also have English speaking staff. So don’t worry, if you are not that proficient in Japanese, yet. This place is quite popular especially amongst foreigners and in my opinion this is for a good reason! If you haven’t been there yet, you should definitely go and enjoy their lovely food in this great café.

Address: 3-11-15 Kitanagasa, Chuo-ku, Kobe City, Hyogo Prefecture
Open: Monday-Sunday, 11:30 a.m. – 8:00 p.m.

Vegan Café Thallo

This café is a recommendation if you are looking for a place to have some nice and satisfying vegan lunch or to go for a tea / coffee with someone. And not only do they offer all-vegan dishes, but the combination of vegan and gluten-free, which is rather rare to find in Japan. Especially the quiche seems to be very popular and for sure worth a try. The prices are quite reasonable for a Japanese café, so you will pay around ¥1,400 for a lunch plate and ¥200 for a coffee.

Address: 4-7-12 Kitanagasadori, Chuo-ku, Kobe City, Hyogo Prefecture
Open: Monday-Sunday, 10:30 a.m. – 5:30 p.m. (Lunch only from 11:30 a.m. – 2:30 p.m.)

Kanauta

This cute little bakery, which is located just across the street from Kobe Daimaru Department store, really is a hidden gem. You will find a small, but very delicious assortment of vegan baked goods, smoothies and yoghurt. Most of their ingredients are produced on farms in Hyogo Prefecture, so you even are supporting the local economy while biting into one of these great chocolate waffles. But the best part is that the prices are low that allows you to try a few different things. And even if you are usually not eating all-vegan, it is delicious!

Address: 1-1-1 Motomachidori, Chuo-ku, Kobe City, Hyogo Prefecture
Open: Monday-Sunday, 10:30 a.m. – 08:00 p.m.

Natural House

Last but not least, if you enjoy cooking at home and like to play mix-and-match in your bento box, I suggest that you check out the “Natural House” supermarket. They stock a good range of various vegetarian and vegan, but also organic and regional products. It’s not the cheapest place to go for grocery shopping, but the quality is great and you will also find products that the usual supermarket does not sell.

Address: 2-7-7 Motomachidori, Chuo-ku, Kobe City, Hyogo Prefecture
Open: Monday-Sunday, 10:00 a.m. – 08:00 p.m.

By Suzette – www.suzette.nu from Arnhem, Netherlands [CC BY 2.0], via Wikimedia Commons