20 Vegan Friendly Restaurants to Add To Your Fukuoka Itinerary!
Meet Kori! Born in Texas, United States, Kori has lived in Southern Japan for over 8 years!
Kori is 100% vegan, and has volunteered at local vegan festivals and is a huge advocate of cruelty-free living. I’ve asked Kori to help me compile a list of the best vegan options in Fukuoka for you to check out, and I’ve added the few that I can personally vouch for as well!
Scroll down to the bottom to find an interactive google map where you can save all of these vegan options to your phone!
Kori: Lights used to be a proper restaurant in Daimyo but has since moved to a delivery and take-out operation, run out of a small apartment near Yakuin Station. Their menu consists of quick, tasty vegan lunches and a few desserts! The restaurant has now turned into take-out only with reservation, which can be made a day in advance from their website or their official instagram account.
Rota Cafe And Dining
Kori: Rota is the most convenient vegan spot in town. Located right in downtown Tenjin, across from popular shopping spots, it is also quite roomy. The bottom floor is a mini vegan market with pastas, desserts, and cooking ingredients, while the top is the dining floor. You can never go wrong with the “Bihada” plate. I personally like the faux fish most, and the plate comes complete with rice, soup, and many sides.
Takamiya Hanten
Kori: They’re a Tawainese-Chinese restaurant serving up all the favorites, traditional AND veggie-friendly. With the shark fin and other dishes such as pig feet, it’s clearly not a vegan restaurant, but they can make pretty much anything on the menu vegan. I’ve lost track of how many times I’ve been here too. My favorites are the gyoza, black sesame tan tan noodles, and the ever popular mapo tofu. Everything is so good. Everything. Plus they’re cheap and quick. If you're up for a very short train ride from Tenjin, please give them a go!
NICE Plant Based Cafe
Kori: NICE is a burger and “nice cream” shop in Kego, and it really lives up to that name. These are hands down the best veggie burgers in Fukuoka! According to the staff, the avocado burger is quite popular, but they also have teriyaki, classic burgers, and even a burger covered in ratatouille! The dessert menu is also large and features frozen dessert bowls with banana and soy milk “nice cream.”
Macrobiotic Cafe Evah Dining
Kori: Evah Dining is a bit of a Fukuoka chain — They have three or four bento shops/delis and one sit-down cafe in Riverain Mall near Nakasu Kawabata subway station. The cafe is a bit inconvenient considering they basically serve the same dishes as the bento shops but fresh and with soup. The delis, on the other hand, are lifesavers in a pinch. Located in both Hakata and Tenjin Station, as well as the basement of the department store Iwataya in Tenjin, they make getting a quick vegan, macrobiotic lunch super simple. (There is a lot of plastic though.)
I highly recommend the famous Miyazaki chicken nanban style seitan and the fake fried oysters! It's amazing what they can do with vegetables and carefully selected seasonings.
Chandan Cafe
Kori: Chandan is a cute little cafe located near Fujisaki Station on the Airport subway line. They specialize in homemade bread, raw sweets, and smoothies. The bread is soft and comes in a variety of flavors (as an avid bread lover, this is a huge selling point for me!) They also usually have a lunch plate with a salad, some sides, and of course bread! It's a bit far from the city center, but in Fukuoka — everything is close! Make a day out of visiting Fujisaki and then heading down to Momochi Beach.
Lily Valley
Kori: Lily Valley is a small bakery and cafe in Akasaka (not far from the Akasaka Starbucks!) They sell dairy-free muffins (some contain honey, so they aren’t 100% vegan) in a variety of rotating flavors, as well as smoothies and a few lunch plates. They do serve a meat sandwich and some salads with cheese, etc. so make sure to get the veggie sandwich or mention you’re vegetarian or vegan, and they’ll set you up! The veggie sandwich lunch is my absolute favorite. It comes with a deliciously soft bread bun, filled with grilled eggplant and peppers, avocado, lettuce, sauce and more, plus a soup and a drink.
TOFFEE PARK Soy Milk Cafe
Fukuoka Eats: Located in a prime location downtown along the river, TOFFEE (Tofu + Coffee) combines soymilk and tofu from local tofu vendor Mihara Tofu-Ten, and sells coffee, lattes, and various soy-based snacks.
With open-air seating along the riverside, this is a pleasant place to visit on a clear sunny day, but also takes on a different vibe at night time when all the surrounding businesses have lit up. Some products contain milk, but are indicated as so on the menu! When in doubt, don’t be afraid to ask.
PanicBurger パニックバーガー
Fukuoka Eats: Another vegan burger restaurant operating in central Fukuoka City, Panic Burger is a popular choice during Fukuoka’s Vegan Fest every year, where their vegan burger food truck creates lineups through the park. The cafe serves burgers, fries, iced coffee, tea, and other soft drinks, but also offers limited-edition ranges of vegan sweets from time to time as well. Keep your eyes peeled and check their Instagram for the latest updates!
Bear Bear
Fukuoka Eats: An allergen-free cake-shop that makes gluten free / vegan cakes and snacks! Located just around the corner from Fukuoka Castle and Ohori Park, this is a nice place to stop and grab a small dessert for a picnic from.
Enjoy your vegan / gluten free snacks while sitting in the park, or admiring the historical remains of Fukuoka Castle. Large cakes can be reserved for special events as well. Check instagram for the latest updates and operation hours!
Hanafusa 精進自然食
Fukuoka Eats: Shojin-ryori, or macrobiotic dining, is based on zen buddhism and strives to achieve a natural yin and yang balance within a meal, all without using any animal products. This low-key buddhist restaurant is hidden in a small neighborhood between Ohori Park and Fukuoka Castle, and serves both lunch and dinner courses filled with macrobiotic delights.
Note: The Japanese website says that reservations are prefered, but Google Reviews seems to indicate that you can indeed try your luck and drop by for lunch unannounced. I would recommend reservations for dinner.
Hakata Hiiragi Taiyaki
Fukuoka Eats: Japanese sweets (wagashi) are often rather vegetarian/vegan friendly, but the famous Taiyaki fish cake filled with hot red bean paste can sometimes be made with egg and milk. At Hakata Hiiragi, the original Japanese Taiyaki is both egg and dairy free. Depending on the season, they may have other vegan-friendly snacks available as well, but be aware that the ice cream they serve with their summer taiyaki does have dairy in it.
Fortune Kitchen
Fukuoka Eats: Another “allergen-free” patissiere that specializes in vegan cakes! These can be reserved in advance for a special day, or smaller cakes can be picked up “to-go” on the day. Gluten-free cakes can also be made, if requested in advance! Check the website for details and pricing (Japanese only.)
Kafe Toruko
Fukuoka Eats: A newly opened Turkish Cafe a short walk from Ohori Park, Kafe Toruko has a vegan lunch set, and a vegan pita sandwich available for takeaway! Stop by and hang out in the cool turkish-style interior, or even try their special coffee fortune telling!
There are a lot of cool backstreets in this area to explore as well, so drop by for lunch and have fun walking around and exploring this trendy residential neighborhood (tons of hidden cafes here!) while you’re at it.
Torikai Cafe
Fukuoka Eats: Right outside Ropponmatsu Station, and a short walk from Ohori Park, this cafe offers 100% soy-based vegan ice cream, vegan donuts made from okara, vegan raw chooclate cakes and a vegan keema curry lunch set. Cakes, donuts, and ice cream are gluten free as well! Not all menu items are vegan though, so communicate to the ladies at the register that you are vegan or gluten-free and they will help you choose the right foods inside of the showcase.
Canezees Donuts
Fukuoka Eats :A popular local donut stand with several purchase points throughout the city! Canezee’s doughnuts are glazed (non-vegan) or baked (vegan & gluten free) and can be purchased either at their original shop — a short walk from Ohashi Station, or in the city at their Imaizumi Cafe location (sit down with a black coffee!). You may also find the donuts at Honey Coffee, Reganet, or Bon Repasu in Ropponmatsu. The baked donuts last a few days in their packaging, so pick up a few when you can and you’ll always have a vegan/gluten-free snack handy during your travels!
Hiruneko (Itoshima City)
Fukuoka Eats : Originally located in the city, Hiruneko has re-opened in Itoshima as of June 2020. With a 100% vegan menu that features pasta, burgers, and home-made sweets, this cozy cafe is a safe haven for vegans making the trip out to Fukuoka’s famous Futamigaura Shrine and Palm Beach area in the warmer months. Check their Instagram for the latest updates regarding operating hours and holidays - as the schedule can change quickly due to personal circumstance. A one minute walk from Ikisan station along the Chikuhi line, this location is accessible by train if coming from the city!
Funadeya (Koga City)
Fukuoka Eats :Although it is a bit of a trek out of Fukuoka City to visit Funadeya, it is by far one of the most popular vegan restaurants in the prefecture. Accessible by train from Hakata, Funadeya is a short walk from Shishibu Station, and is a great half-day trip out of Fukuoka, Combine it with a trip to the nearby seaside, or make a day of exploring the countryside of Fukuoka Prefecture. The portions are big and the plates are very colorful here, so you will not be disappointed!
VeVegan (Kokura City)
Fukuoka Eats :Located up in Fukuoka’s northern city of Kokura, in Kitakyushu, VeVegan is popular for it’s American-style comfort foods, big and hearty portions and decadent sweets. The only 100% vegan restaurant in Kokura, there is so much variety that there will be something for everyone! There is a shop attached where you can also buy vegan goods to use in your own kitchen, or bring home as souvenirs. If you’re planning to spend a day in northern Kyushu, make sure to stop by!
Haze はぜ (Kurume City)
Kori : Nestled in the foothills of Minoyama in Kurume City in an old traditional Japanese house, Le Restaurant du Haze is a gem. It prides itself on being simple, modern, and natural, combining Japanese classics with French inspired Macrobiotic cooking and a beautiful view of the surrounding nature.
Chef Hirata studied both French cuisine and Macrobiotic cooking in Tokyo and has won numerous awards for his cooking. He truly likes to keep it simple and moderne. They offer three course meals at lunch ( a daily pasta, curry, and chef’s choice) and a single special course at dinner. Dinner is by reservation only and may be considered costly by some (¥5400), but it is absolutely worth it. They start with a vegetable and fermented food appetizer and h’or d’earves, things like a salad with both raw and cooked veggies and a Koji dressing, and always provide a pasta, a soup, and a main course. The meal is finished off with brown rice, miso soup, and pickled vegetables followed by dessert. Everything is so fresh and flavorful, and I always leave completely stuffed but never uncomfable.
As Haze is a bit on the fancier and relaxing side, they do ask they you don’t bring small children. This is the perfect place for an anniversary date or sophisticated dinner with close friends.
↓ Don’t forget, you can save this google map to your phone, and refer to it when travelling through Fukuoka City! ↓
For more up-to-date restaurant listings and reviews (in ENGLISH!) be sure to check out my Instagram feed below!
Did I miss anything important? Let me know your tips and recommendations in the comments below! I always love hearing when you’ve gone and tried any of my recommendations, so don’t hesitate to reach out to let me know if you’ve enjoyed something—or even if you didn’t! Your tips can help other travelers plan their itineraries when they come to visit, so all information is helpful!