Best Vegetable Tempura in Tokyo: 4 Top Picks for Plant-Based Diners

Navigating Tokyo’s Tempura Scene: Egg-Free vs. Vegetable Options

In Japan, more and more restaurants—including high-end establishments featured in the Japan Tempura Best 100 list—are offering vegetarian options. Tempura, with its generous use of vegetables, is relatively easy to adapt for vegetarians. However, since the batter traditionally contains egg, fully vegan diners may find making reservations more challenging.

When requesting vegetarian or vegan options, it’s important to clearly specify any ingredients you cannot eat at the time of booking. The restaurants featured here have been carefully selected by the OMAKASE editorial team for their vegetarian-friendly tempura offerings, and some of them can even be booked directly through this site.

Top 4 Recommended Tempura Restaurants in Tokyo

1. Tempura mochiku (てんぷら 茂竹)

Founded in 1914, Tempura mochiku is a long-established tempura restaurant that has been selected three times for the Japan Tempura Best 100. Here, tradition meets creativity, offering a fresh, modern take on classic tempura.

The restaurant offers vegetarian menus made entirely from vegetables, available for both lunch and dinner bookings through the OMAKASE platform. When making a reservation, be sure to specify any ingredients you cannot eat. Please note, however, that the tempura batter contains egg, so fully vegan diners cannot be accommodated.

Ingredients are carefully sourced from the Tsukiji and Toyosu markets, with a focus on seasonal freshness. The frying oil is a custom sesame oil extracted using the traditional Edo-era “tama-shime shibori” method. Slowly pressed to a rich amber color, the oil preserves the natural flavor and sweetness of sesame.

The tempura is prepared by Yuta Nishizawa, the fourth-generation chef, who trained at high-end ryotei (traditional Japanese fine-dining restaurants) in Tsukiji. He adjusts the batter thickness, oil temperature, frying technique, and cooking time to perfectly enhance each ingredient’s natural flavor.

The restaurant’s interior exudes Japanese charm and history, with only eight seats at a white-wood counter. Diners can enjoy an immersive experience, watching the chef’s skilled techniques up close. English menus are available, making it easy for international guests to savor this refined tempura experience.

2. Tempura Asakusa SAKURA

Just a one-minute walk from Asakusa Station, Tempura Asakusa SAKURA offers a truly unique tempura experience where tradition meets innovation. Lunch and dinner reservations are available through the OMAKASE platform. If you require vegetarian options, be sure to specify the details when booking. The dashi (broth) can also be prepared without bonito, making it fully plant-based.

The restaurant’s signature tempura features a gluten-free batter made from rice flour instead of wheat. Even the soy sauce used in the dipping sauce is specially gluten-free, making it safe for diners with wheat allergies. The frying oil is a 100% plant-based blend of white sesame and rapeseed oil. By carefully controlling the frying technique, oil absorption is minimized, resulting in a crispy, light texture. With a wide selection of seasonal vegetables, even vegetarian diners can fully enjoy the tempura experience.

The interior exudes Japanese charm, with only ten L-shaped counter seats. Cherry blossoms in full bloom adorn the ceiling, evoking hanami, the traditional Japanese custom of enjoying the beauty of flowers in spring. The counter surrounds the kitchen, allowing diners to watch the chefs at work up close. English menus are available, and all staff are able to communicate in English, ensuring international guests feel completely at ease.

3. Tempura “Sakura” / Hilton Tokyo Odaiba

Located on the third floor of the prestigious Hilton Tokyo Odaiba, Tempura Sakura offers a refined dining experience. Lunch and dinner reservations are available through the OMAKASE platform, but vegetarian requests must be made at least five days in advance. Be sure to specify any dietary restrictions when booking.

The restaurant makes generous use of seasonal vegetables, allowing diners to enjoy a full meal of tempura without ever feeling bored. The frying oil is an original blend, enhanced with camellia oil from Kagoshima, creating a smooth batter and perfectly fried tempura that brings out the natural flavors and sweetness of each vegetable. The result is crispy and light, with none of the heaviness often associated with fried foods. An original seasoning, made by slowly simmering Seto Inland Sea salt, dashi, and brown sugar, further enhances the tempura’s flavor.

The intimate interior seats only ten guests at the counter. From the panoramic front-facing window, diners can enjoy stunning views of Tokyo Bay and the iconic Rainbow Bridge in Odaiba. Here, meticulously prepared tempura meets a picture-perfect setting for a truly elevated experience. English menus are available, ensuring international guests can dine with ease.

4. Marugoto Vegan Dining Asakusa (まるごとVeganダイニング浅草)

Marugoto Vegan Dining Asakusa is a dedicated vegan restaurant where every item on the menu is fully vegan-friendly. Many of the staff, including the owner, are vegan themselves, and the restaurant prides itself on providing hospitality tailored to vegan diners.

Every ingredient—from dashi and seasonings to extracts—is entirely plant-based. Except for beer, all menu items are gluten-free, and the kitchen avoids additives and the “five pungent vegetables” (garlic, onion, leek, chives, and shallots) to create a fully mindful dining experience.

Tempura here features seasonal vegetables coated in a chickpea flour batter, served with a simple sprinkle of seaweed salt. Diners can enjoy five to seven varieties of seasonal vegetable and mushroom tempura. Since the restaurant is not exclusively a tempura restaurant, it also offers a wide variety of other dishes. A standout is the vegetable curry, made entirely from the natural sweetness and flavors of vegetables. The most popular choice is the curry topped with tempura—an indulgent yet wholesome signature dish.

Conveniently located just a one-minute walk from Asakusa Station on the Tokyo Metro Ginza Line, the restaurant features an open, bright interior with stylish wooden tables and chairs. Seating options include counter seating, tables, and an open terrace, catering to different dining preferences. English menus are available, making it easy for international guests to enjoy this fully vegan experience.

View Details