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Vegan
Japanese
Macrobiotic
Organic
Western
Beer/Wine
Take-out
Little cafe tucked away in the back streets serving lunch and dinner. Offers salads, fried soy meat bowl, a vegan plate that changes according to the season, burgers, and other Japanese dishes. In the afternoon there's high tea with cakes. Sake, beer and wine available. Chef owned, English is spoken. Lunchtime can be very busy, so reservations are advised. Open Mon-Fri 11:00am-5:00pm, Sat 11:00am-8:00pm, Sun 11:00am-5:00pm.
187 Reviews
First Review by Stella774
Patrickljaimes
Points +106
One of the best meals I’ve had recently in Japan - Edit
Very good taste, atmosphere, presentation
Read morePros: Everything is vegan
Cons: A tad bit expensive but worth it for the quality
Guest
Betty.21
Points +72
Cute little place for great food - Edit
I came by here before taking the train back home from Nara Station. It is maybe a ten minute walk into a neighborhood. So you have to look for the sign as it will be kind of hidden. The ladies helped me make a choice between all the different food on the menu. It is definitely a healthy place that has lots of vegan & gluten free options!
Read morePros: Healthy food 🥰, Quiet place to relax after a whole day of walking
Cons: Little bit on the expensive side
Guest
StephVHe
Points +581
Mega lecker! - Edit
Ein Muss wenn ihr in Nara seid. Hatten hier 3 Hauptgerichte, alle waren mega gut. Definitiv zu empfehlen.
Read moreHatten noch den Karottenkuchen mitgenommen, der allerdings etwas trocken war. Die anderen Kuchen sahen aber auch sehr gut aus.
Guest
vegotanuki
Points +1610
Beautiful strawberry tart - Edit
Enjoyed the karaage but the definite highlight was the strawberry tart. The most expensive place we’ve eaten in Japan, but worth the money and the walk from the deer park. Also enjoyed sitting on the floor to eat!
Read moreGuest
BedeRX7802
Points +14
Excellent service, excellent food - Edit
Came in after spending all day travelling from Naoshima Island, greeted with the biggest smiles, the best service and the most amazing vegan food I’ve had here. The plum wine is astounding!
Read moreGuest
Dharmachanda
Points +160
Cute yet serious - Edit
Super-cute cafe with seriously good vegan food. After paying I noticed their gorgeous cakes so we sat down again and scoffed them before the bike ride back to the hotel.
Read moreGuest
Tsukimi
Points +8106
Very good - Edit
Always a good option when in Nara. Easy access from JR Nara Station.
Read moreThe food is good, but I feel tho the quality decreased a bit over the years. I feel the plate is quite expensive for what you get now. The oriental plate had mainly fried stuff and mostly cold veggies. For the price of 2400yen, I would expect at least a soup. But it's a tourist spot, so it can't be helped.
Updated from previous review on 2025-02-25
Guest
DaniChalmers
Points +40
Incredible Vegan find in Nara - Edit
Such a delicious and great find in Nara. The dishes were perfect. An assortment of different foods to try that balanced really well. So nice supporting this cute little cafe. Don’t let the size of the cafe fool you it’s so cute inside and the ladies were so lovely! Must try when in Nara
Read morePros: Delicious food , Great service
Guest
JuneOk
Points +358
good! - Edit
a lil $$ but good! very cozy spot right by nara station
Read moreGuest
the_rusty_knight
Points +261
Cute cafe serving delicious food - Edit
A cute little establishment tucked away in a side road in Nara. I dropped by for lunch during my visit to the city. I got the vegan delight which was a platter with all the different dishes they have to offer. Everything was really tasty and the ladies who served me were lovely. I really wanted to try out a cake but I was full from the lunch. Maybe next time!🤩 #Veganuary
Read morePros: Vegan delight platter, Ambience and vibe
Guest
csklar
Points +13
Excellent meal! - Edit
This is a wonderful little restaurant tucked behind a 7/11. The food is first rate- interesting blend of flavors, delicious chocolate mousse-type dessert, great organic ginger ale and terrific service.
Read morePros: Meal, Dessert, Service
Cons: None, None, None
Guest
pixel_pusher
Points +83
Amazing little cafe - Edit
Onwa was one of my favorite restaurants during my recent trip to Japan. The owners and staff are really attentive and can speak some English. The food is delicious and there's such a wide variety too. I had the Vegan Delight which has a sampling of everything. I would have gotten a dessert too if I weren't so stuffed. They looked amazing. There's a little display at the front of the cafe to tempt you as you walk in. If I ever return to Nara, I'll definitely eat here again.
Read moreAlso, it may not be apparent at first glance but the entrance is on the right side of the fence. There's a small walking path that's covered by the fence and the ivy.
Pros: Delicious food, Staff is really friendly
Guest
Konita
Points +273
Huge variety of vegan cakes 😋 - Edit
We tried the basque matcha cake and the chocolate one… They were really good. The staff super kind and friendly. We wish to come back soon. You must try it😊🌱🫶
Read morePros: The good selection of cakes, The flavor , The positive vibes
Guest
Birgit
Points +2289
Local vegan food - Edit
Onwa is a 40 min.walk from the deer park and even if it seems long it’s worth it. We chose the taco lunch set and the oriental lunch set. Both were beautifully presented and came with all kinds of little morsels to enjoy. The hojicha tea and seasonal kombucha were refreshing and flavorful. For dessert we had the warmed baked apple cake ( the best I ever had ) and the basque cheesecake. The owner chef is so kind and accommodating and has all the talent needed to make her customers very happy. We were!!!!
Read moreGuest
G.M.
Points +80
Nice place, awesome cakes and lovely staff - Edit
The place is warm and cosy.
Read moreI took the vegan karaaghe dish and it was very good. Their cakes are AWESOME. The banana-chocolate cake was my favourite. The staff is super nice.
Pros: Cakes, Staff, Place
Guest
Bridge4_Stella
Points +85
Nice little place with good food and terrific cakes - Edit
Just behind the Nara RJ station. The place is nice and cozy, and as a plus it has a toilet inside (it's not standard to have one in Japan, as far as I can say).
Read moreI had the karaage bowl and it was really good, with fresh vegetables and a tasty rice as side. It comes in medium or large size. I had the medium size and it was enough for me.... also I strongly suggest to reserve some space in your belly to try the cake! There was a lot of choice, I went with the muscat one and it was delicious. The cake comes with a cup of tea of your choice, hot or cold as you prefer.
5 stars, totally earned!
Guest
lillyiaschelcic
Points +118
Desserts are amazing - Edit
Went there for food which was nice but felt too light as we were hungry but the desserts were mind blowing. Took away a few options as really loved them.
Read moreGuest
SwainC02
Points +295
Great little cafe! - Edit
The staff were very friendly and the food we ordered was delicious (dumplings and an oriental vegan plate). A brilliant find and well worth the trip there, especially if you have allergies to garlic as well as not being able to eat animal products or gluten.
Read morePros: The menu, The selection of cakes!, The staff
Guest
n1234
Points +65
Great karaage! - Edit
I checked this place out because of the great reviews and yes, it’s worth it! The karaage really is amazing. Very cute spot and kind staff.
Read moreThe food tastes very fresh and healthy. The pickles were nice on a hot day. The menu even shows the speed that you can expect the dishes (good if you’re waiting on a train).
It took about 30 mins to walk here from Nara Park and it’s very close to the train station if you’re catching a JR train.
Guest
Jalan333
Points +643
Cute little vegan cafe - Edit
Superb karaage and also the cake selection was amazing. The pear cheesecake was so tasty.
Read morePros: Cakes, Karaage set, Friendly and quiet
Guest
teriimiuu
Points +131
Small restaurant tucked away from street - Edit
Very cute atmosphere and delicious food
Read moreGuest
angii
Points +242
Buonissimi karaage - Edit
Il locale è piuttosto piccolo, con i tavoli disposti su più piani. Ho ordinato i karaage con riso e verdure ed era buonissimo!
Read moreUpdated from previous review on 2024-09-29
Guest
RabbleRousy
Points +259
The best Karaage I‘ve had - Edit
Had the karaage bowl which was absolutely mind blowing! The matcha latte was also one of the best ones I‘ve had. All the sweets also look soooo good, I want to go here again so badly! Must visit when in Nara!
Read morePros: Karaage, Matcha Latte, Sweets
Guest
soiboi3000
Points +108
Outstanding little restaurant - Edit
Very much worth a visit if you're in Nara for a daytrip. I would even recommend coming here judt for the Onwa experience alone.
Read moreThe restaurant is about a 10 min walk from JR Nara station and quite hidden. You can choose between two cozy rooms upstairs (floor seating, shoes off) or the first floor which has standard tables and chairs. Upstairs ambiente is very laid back with some groovy music and cozy pillows.
Highly recommend the Vegan Delight plate which has a bit pf everything. Definitely don't miss out on a side of karaage because you will find it in the vegan delighy plate and will want for more!
Dessert selection was various tartes, cheesecakes and chocolate cake. Picked prach tarte and matcha and was in heaven.
Easily one of the best and most wholesome places if eaten at.
Pros: Tasty food, Very laid-back atmosphere, Amazing desserts
Guest
ShelA
Points +539
Delicious little spot - Edit
We visited on a weekday for lunch. Service was kind and efficient, food was delicious. We will go back again…tomorrow! We really enjoyed it that much.
Read morePros: Traditional , Delicious , Friendly
Guest
mvshrln
Points +125
Perfect little cafe! - Edit
We visited here for lunch and tried the set meals - both of which were fresh, tasty and filling, and paired very well with the matcha. The staff are friendly and the atmosphere is relaxed.
Read moreGuest
mxijyx
Points +541
best experience in japan - Edit
a tiny hidden gem in the Nara city centre, amazingly nice staff speaking both English and Japanese.
Read morePros: all vegan, tasty , open kitchen
Guest
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