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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
KasiaStankiewicz
Points +22
Incredible! - Edit
Onwa is a really lovely and cozy cafe with a wonderful food. Each dish is composed very carefully with amazing care. The owner is welcoming and warm. I couldn't recommend it more!
Read morePros: Friendly staff , Excellent food, Good atmosphere
Cons: A little bit pricy
Guest
VeraVerra
Points +13
Nice food, vibes and owner - Edit
We had a lovely lunch at Onwa. It’s a bit on the outskirts of touristic spots but worth the walk if you want to enjoy a healthy, fresh vegan meal in a nice atmosphere with good music. The owner is super sweet too. Oh and try the Hojicha (roasted tea) ice cream, it’s incredibly good !
Read moreGuest
laurachiara
Points +747
Amazing little place - Edit
The food is amazing quality. The owner did everything by himself so the service was a bit slow but absolutely worth the while! Kara age (japanese fried chicken) was unbelievable. The koicha ice cream is something I have never tasted before. It is super bitter even for a matcha lover! The owner speaks some english and there is an english menu. The place is a little bit difficult to spot because it has a very narrow entrance. Inside is super cozy but with very little room. It is a very well cared for little cafe with a lot of heart! 💚
Read morePros: Food’s quality, Super friendly service, A lot of heart
Cons: Small
Guest
Solmaz
Points +20
A cute place - Edit
A very cute place. The food made with local products is really great. The owner was really kind to us :)
Read moreGuest
BeatrizCalderon
Points +20
A must - Edit
This is a place worth finding in Nara. Fabulous star plate: "Vegan delight", absolute feast of flavours! The owner was great and his music too. Cosy, friendly, inexpensive and tiny. We were treated to taste a delighful plum wine home-made by the owners partner. A highly recommendable experience ♡
Read moreUpdated from previous review on 2018-08-13
Pros: Food, Price, Friendliness
Guest
Stravaigfaodail
Points +69
Such a happy experience - Edit
THE EXPERIENCE: Came into Nara today to visit the wild roaming deer and thought I'd give this restaurant off the beaten path a try... what a gem! They had just opened for the day when I arrived so I had the whole place to myself and got to speak with the owner (speaks English well) about music, food, and drink, just casual conversation and I got a tour of the place. The upstairs has two private rooms great for entertaining large parties with sliding door balcony access. The owner and his sister work together and they are so friendly and generous. THE FOOD: ordered a fried soy meat veggie rice bowl that was so delectable! Made fresh on the spot and very filling. Then I finished the meal with a matcha vegan gelato that was the perfect answer for these hot summer days. Can't remember the last time I had vegan ice cream~ so good. Entire meal cost under 1500¥ so very affordable. Highly recommended, looking forward to my next visit!
Read morePros: Very tasty food including 4 gelato flavors, Great atmosphere, music, and friendly staff , Unique selection of sake and other alcohols
Guest
vegantron
Points +78
Best vegan cafe in Nara - Edit
Really love this cosy and lovely local cafe that serves vegan fare from the heart. Everything is made from scratch from the owner. Please support this place even though it is a tad “out of the way”. Close to JR Nara station, worth the visit for all vegans!
Read morePros: Great salads and Japanese style dishes, Excellent tea selection, Yummy sweets
Guest
greenturtle
Points +33
Healthy bowl of goodness - Edit
Visited this place cause it was close to nara station ! You can easily pass this place if you don't look closely, my friend and I had to use google maps to find this tiny place down an alleyway.
Read moreWhen we entered we were greeted by a lady and man. They spoke pretty decent English and I ordered the Buddha bowl and my friend ordered the Kara aged bowl. Tbh the wait approx 30mins and we were super hungry :( but time passed by as my friend and I spoke about our day at nara :)
The lady left halfway and the man did most of the cooking. The presentation of the bowls were beautiful and very colourful but small ! We demolished the bowls quickly - they were fresh, light accompanied by fried mushrooms and mock meat (made out of soybeans).
He was nice enough to give us an additional side of tofu and pepper. They paired really well with our bowls. You can think of it like eating a poké bowl.
It was a bit overpriced for our proportion, I was a bit full but later my friend had to buy sushi from a convenience store to fill her up (she has a big appetite tho) !!
After we finished eating he told us that this place was opened 6months ago and that they were not as busy as they would have liked. He said that he himself is vegan and that he found it strange why ppl don't eat vegan food and why they aren't many places in nara - he wanted to make vegan food a pleasant experience for everybody. He basically wanted to spread the word of vegan food and that it was nutritious and tasty if you cook it well :) totally agreed with what he said and I hope he has more customers through the door.
Overall, very nice simple and nutritious meal. Please support his little business, would defs recommend if you come by at nara after a long day and want a healthy and hearty meal ;)
Pros: Very fresh , Delicious
Cons: Long wait cause he's the only person there
Guest
JonasJ
Points +116
Cosy cafe with good food! - Edit
As the former reviews have stated, this is a very good restaurant! Lovely owner that explained everything on the menu and recommended two dishes that we got. Really felt like authentic Japanese food, and was very tasty.
Read morePros: Cosy cafe, Good food, Nice owner
Guest
ClaudiaLeana
Points +22
Amazing - Edit
The food was really good and so was the matcha tea! The owner was really sweet and like other reviews said spoke English. I don’t usually review places but my experience here made me want to. The atmosphere of the restaurant was homely, I think because it is slightly away from the temples and everything so not as much foot traffic. Very close to Nara station though. Highly recommend and if it in Nara again I will definitely go back :)
Read morePros: Good food , Amazing service
Guest
MickeyV
Points +30
Amazing food. Not expensive. Great atmosphere - Edit
We just ate here and had one of the best meals in all of Japan. The owner is super friendly and does everything by himself. Everything is very transparent. You can watch him cook in his own kitchen. And really not expensive either. We will definitely be back.
Read moreNote: it's cash only!
Guest
Jheow
Points +16
Amazing food, mood and service - Edit
I came to the place sort of unsure if I was at the right place or not, since there was no door and you enter through beside a fence in quite narrow space, but although the place is small, the place is well maintained and clean, the owner can also speak English, and very friendly.
Read moreAlthough the preparing of the food took a while to make, but the taste was worth the wait. The mockmeat made of tofu with some spicy taste is absolutely delicious. It's the first time I ate a dish that compliments all the other vegetables so well. I hope the store will remain opened so I can come back to taste it again next time! Thank you.
Pros: Delicious food, Friendly owner
Cons: Wait time , Limited space
Guest
samdarnley
Points +21
Highly recommend!!! - Edit
Loooove this cute little cafe. The food was amazing and the owner was so lovely. I had the vegan plate and the matcha parfait. It was super close and easy to find from Nara station.
Read moreGuest
Ananasninja
Points +104
Sooo great! - Edit
The restaurant is small and cozy- perfect after a long day of sightseeing in Nara. We had a really great dinner including a rice bowl and the vegan plate (salad and vegetables, rice, delicious tempura and ice creme). Everything was very tasty, freshly made and perfectly seasoned. Thank you!!
Read moreGuest
Lanybird
Points +22
Best vegan meal in Japan - Edit
We had a great experience at onwa. The place is small so service is very personalised and the space has a great vibe. The owner/chef was very nice with perfect English and we had a nice chat. I had the vegan plate which was delicious and carefully prepared while we waited and enjoyed local Japanese beers. The food was so colourful, fresh and healthy. My meal included tempura veg, avocado, salads, rice and an amazing sesame dressing. If I’m ever in Nara again I’ll definitely be back!
Read moreGuest
JamesLinz
Points +15
Excellent lunch spot - Edit
Great little restaurant by the station that has a simple but delicious menu. Great atmosphere, friendly staff and multiple drink options.
Read moreGuest
Redga
Points +20
A must in Nara - Edit
It is like eating in heaven!
Read moreWhen in Nara you should definitely come to Onwa to get everything from the menu!
The chef is a great person and very friendly.
Fresh ingredients and exquisite taste makes this place the best vegan restaurant I've ever been.
I've tried the bamboo on an onigiri from a convenience store and did not impress me at all, but here it blew my mind away and beyond!
Pros: All
Cons: Nothing!
Guest
Wispsi
Points +63
Really great place - Edit
The owner was super nice and spoke good English. The atmosphere of the place was really great. He prepared a very tasty meal (just named vegan plate, using local ingredients of the season) that clearly had a lot of thought and effort put into it. We had the lemon dressing and it was lovely. The ice cream they have is amazing, the normal almond milk one was the best vegan ice cream I have had (I used to love plain ice cream and was the one thing I never found a good replacement for) never found a good replacement. The whole meal as well as being super tasty is also super healthy which is a great bonus!
Read morePros: Very tasty for good price in Japan, Friendly owner who makes best ice cream! , Very close to Jr train station
Guest
tizoc23
Points +20
Great food - Edit
Service was great, the hostess was nice and very helpful, the food was amazing. The atmosphere was nice, you definitely get what you pay for, the meal for two came out to like 4,000 yen, I would definitely go back again.
Read morePros: Vegan options , Great atmosphere , Great service
Guest
wicherwill
Points +48
yet another vegan omakase style meal - Edit
Small cafe near the JR Nara station. Came for lunch during an event featuring a local tea farmer, sort of a tea pairing for the set meal of the day. Everything was delicious and clearly a labor of love, from the plating to the atmosphere. Highly highly recommend.
Read morePros: Inexpensive, filling meal
Guest
barbicanben
Points +856
Best salad dressing I've ever had - Edit
We went after a day looking at temples and deer, and the owner was kind enough to serve us the lunch menu. This started off with a saldad which we had the choice of beetroot or orange dressing. We both went with orange, and it was unbelievably good! Then the rest of the meal had various bits and pieces, including some tofu which had been prepared with a blow-torch (and was also delicious). All the time the music was excellent, and the atmosphere in this cozy place fantastic. The highlight of our trip to Nara.
Read morePros: Really delicious food, Cozy atmosphere, Great music
Cons: none
Guest
Elizi1549
Points +95
Fantastic! - Edit
I LOVED this place. We arrived at about 5pm after walking around all day and were so hungry, but discovered after sitting down that they were only doing tea and desserts at that time. We would have stayed just for that and gone on somewhere else for more food after, but the owner was so kind and offered to make us up a salad plate each for the 'lunch' price (which was really good value). It included a gorgeous salad, fried delicious tofu and onions/greens, bread rolls and potato with matcha (plus really good tea). Everything was delicious and so much care and artistry had gone into the food preparation - the desserts of matcha ice cream and the sweet bean soup with grilled mochi were also excellent!
Read moreThe owner is a really nice man who speaks good English - as other reviewers have said, he was lovely to talk to and just generally very kind. We also bought sweets and tea to take home.
(I didn't love my time in Nara - it was extremely busy and hot when we went - but this restaurant was so good it was the highlight of the city for me and I'd go back again in a moment just for this food. Thank you!)
Pros: excellent food, excellent value, such a friendly owner
Cons: I wish they served their bigger meals all day
Guest
CharlotteMcNicholas
Points +28
Amazing Japanese vegan food - Edit
We visited Onwa today after walking around Nara park. The owner was very friendly and welcoming. I had a lovely homemade black tea and my food was very tasty and fresh. Included rice and tofu with seaweed and more. Finished nicely with gorgeous almond milk matcha tea ice cream. Wonderful find and a wonderful little place. Only a 10 minute walk from Nara station :)
Read morePros: Friendly, Great food, Close to station
Guest
fungus1487
Points +18
Excellent Host and Lovely Meal - Edit
We had the lunch menu. The tastes were wonderful and well worth the price. The fried tofu was delicious and it's the first Japanese potato we have had :)
Read moreI had a ginger beer made fresh and again it was excellent.
The host was a lovely guy, he explained all the food on the menu and dishes and took the time to talk to us about our visit. His English was really good. Not far from Nara park so I recommend this one if you are visiting the area for lunch or just a spot of tea.
Nice to make a new friend and I hope his business does well.
Pros: Local produce, Fresh ingredients, Price
Cons: Limited seating
Guest
Stella774
Points +20
Amazing Food and Lovely Atmosphere - Edit
Service was so great, and the tea and sweets we had were delicious. The whole place had such a wholesome, quaint vibe. We could’ve stayed for hours.
Read moreGuest
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