Vegan in Tokyo: Saido Restaurant

Down a dark alley in Tokyo’s quiet Jiyugaoka neighbourhood I had the most creative meal of my life. Saido restaurant is voted one of the best vegan restaurants in the world on Happy Cow, and for good reason.

The chef, Kusumoto Katsumi, opened his restaurant in 2018 after spending years working in private members clubs, catering to different dietary needs and preferences. Saido restaurant started life as a pop-up, but is now a permanent fixture of Tokyo’s vegan scene.

Planning my first visit to Japan, Saido popped up in searches for vegan restaurants, and the reviews were so good I had to snag a reservation. I’m so glad I did, because even now, a year on, it’s still one of the most memorable meals I’ve ever had.

The restaurant itself is small and unassuming, with a casual but welcoming vibe. To get to the entrance, you must walk past a small plant shop, with shelves of greenery flanking you as you make your way to the restaurant.

Inside, the decor is simple and clean, lighting is warm and seating is a mix of banquette and chairs. It’s a small space that feels intimate, ready to focus all of your attention on the food.

While I wouldn’t consider Saido somewhere especially fancy that you need to be stiff and formal for, it is so unique that I’d think of it as somewhere for a special occasion or date night. The small, intimate setting helps you truly appreciate and respect the incredible culinary effort on display.

While the staff is incredibly welcoming, this is, in my opinion, not the right setting for large, loud gatherings or for young children who might need space to move around and play. If you are going with a group, I recommend keeping it small, about 6 or fewer.

I’ll be blunt with you here: all of the artistry, creativity and effort at Saido restaurant is naturally going to be more expensive than other restaurants you may visit.

The seven-course dinner set that we went for came to ¥5,280 per person.

If you’re converting that to a currency like GBP (about £26) or USD, the price feels like an amazing deal for such a beautifully crafted, multi-course meal. In London, that would get you a main and maybe a glass of wine, before service charge. For a world-class vegan dining experience, Saido gives incredible value for money to tourists.

However, it’s important to put this into perspective because I so often see people talking about how “cheap” Japan is: relative to local Japanese prices, ¥5,280 is a higher price point than a standard dinner out, which may run around ¥1,500. This is an investment in a highly skilled, specialised culinary experience, not an average weeknight meal.

At Saido restaurant, the chef’s philosophy is straightforward: recreate the experience and flavour of traditional Japanese kaiseki (a traditional multicourse meal, similar to what you may find in a ryokan) without using animal products or the “five pungent roots” (garlic, onion, leeks, chives and scallions). Chef Kusumoto uses plant based ingredients to create a traditional Japanese cuisine that is deeply flavourful, while also being incredibly creative and artistically presented.

As part of the seven course set menu, we were asked to choose one “main” rice or noodle based dish. We were advised by staff that only one of us could order the Vegan Eel, as they place a limit on the amount per table. We decided to get one order of the “eel” and one of a katsu “chicken” style dish, both served in lacquered boxes on a bed of rice.

To me, the eel was hard to distinguish as plant based and had a fishy, slightly rubbery texture. Although pinch of salt here, I have no idea what “real” eel tastes like, as I’ve been veggie since 1998. My husband, however, ate meat up until we both went vegan in 2020. He’s a much more reliable judge of mock-meat realism and gave the Saido eel his stamp of approval.

Dinner at Saido restaurant was one of the culinary highlights of Tokyo for me. It’s an experience rather than a meal, and all of the little details like the plant pot, the sweet potato “charcoal”, the fun tableware make the whole experience theatrical, creative and unique.

For me, Saido is a must try experience, but it’s not necessarily somewhere I’d return to over and over. Part of what makes it special is that it’s so unexpected. On my most recent trip to Japan, we decided not to visit Saido again, preferring to try new restaurants in Tokyo. However, if I go again in a year or two, it’s somewhere I’d love to revisit. It’s somewhere that deserves to be savoured and celebrated, and for me to truly appreciate it, I want to leave space in between my visits.