Sendai City, located in Japan’s northern Tohoku region, is one of the country’s largest cities and is renowned for its preserved history, academics, art, and flourishing nature.
Also known as the “City of Trees,” Sendai’s idyllic city center features parks, zelkova tree-lined streets, and the tranquil waters of the Hirose River. In this environment of urban and natural harmony, a number of restaurants embody inclusivity by catering to vegetarians and vegans, as well as individuals with religious dietary restrictions, such as halal. Whether you follow these dietary lifestyles or are simply looking for unique and delicious food, Sendai’s restaurant map is your perfect guide to the city’s food choices. From Italian to Indian to Japanese to Bangladeshi flavors, Sendai has cuisine for all your cravings. Read on to discover five restaurants that offer vegetarian or vegan dishes. Find your next favorite restaurant among Sendai’s picturesque streets!
Route227's Cafe TOHOKU
Vegetarian, Vegan, and Halal
Route227's Cafe TOHOKU, located in Kotodai Park, is a pleasant cafe that specializes in cuisine from Tohoku’s 227 cities, towns, and villages. Grab a seat on the cafe’s outdoor terrace and enjoy your meal while overlooking the renowned Jozenji-dori Avenue. The cafe’s natural tones, wooden detailing, plantlife, and beautifully plated dishes create an aesthetic mealtime experience where you can truly relax. The restaurant offers lunch, cafe, dinner, and drink menus and sells meat, vegan, and vegetarian options. A popular vegan option is the cafe’s peperoncino and mushroom pasta. This flavorful dish, garnished with crisp green onions, is full of local ingredients that embody the natural beauty of the Tohoku region. The cafe also sells several pasta dishes and ratatouille as vegan options. The menu is written in both Japanese and English and marks vegan choices with a “V.” After a delicious meal, enjoy the cafe’s luscious ice cream, tiramisu, crepes, and more — all lacto-ovo vegetarian options.
Website: https://route227.jp
Pizzeria vegetariana L'Albero
Vegetarian
If you are craving pizza, Pizzeria vegetariana L'Albero has you covered. Located to the west of center city along the Senzan line between Kumagane and Rikuzen-Shirasawa stations, L'Albero has an exclusively lacto-ovo vegetarian menu. The minimalist interior of white walls and dark wood floors provides the perfect contrast to the colorful, vegetable-filled pizzas. The pizzeria purchases organic and pesticide-free vegetables from local farmers, and crafts homemade dressings without any additives. Instead of using meat and fish, the restaurant creatively blends vegetables’ flavors and textures to create full bodied dishes. After the pizza is assembled, the restaurant bakes it in a handmade kiln, resulting in a crispy, yet tender crust. L’Albero garnishes its pizzas with a wide range of ingredients, including corn, pumpkin (seasonal), eggs, olives, chestnuts (seasonal), truffle oil, and more. Be sure to try one of the pizzeria’s dessert pizzas as well! Aside from pizza, the restaurant also serves pastas, salads, soups, appetizers, and desserts. Please note that L’Albero is closed every Thursday.
Website: https://albero-pizza.com
Dashiro
Vegetarian and Vegan
When it comes to globally popular Japanese food, ramen is likely one of the first dishes that comes to mind. For an authentic vegan version of this food staple, visit Dashiro, located in the heart of Sendai. The interior’s warm brown tones and stone walls create a cozy environment that reflects the toasty feeling of enjoying a bowl of ramen. The menu includes fish, meat, and vegetable soup bases and features traditional ramen toppings such as eggs and meat. The dishes are completed with homemade noodles. To create the deep flavors of its vegan broth, the restaurant combines more than 10 kinds of vegetables and several types of Sendai miso. It then garnishes the bowl of broth and noodles with fresh vegetables. The rich umami of the broth perfectly complements the chewy, yet soft noodles for a satisfying meal. Given its delicious options, this restaurant tends to be very busy around lunch and dinner time. However, the friendly staff work their fastest to ensure the shortest time possible between you and a memorable bowl of ramen.
Website: https://www.dashiro.com
Spicy Curry Halal Hub
Vegetarian and Halal
Spicy Curry Halal Hub, located about a 20 minutes walk from Kitayama Station, specializes in Bangladeshi curry and uses 100% halal ingredients. The restaurant’s quirky interior of mixed wooden, plastic, and brick textures decorated with trinkets creates a homey vibe that makes you feel instantly welcomed. The owner, a native of Bangladesh, brought his recipes from home to create a place where Muslims, Japanese natives, and visitors can come together and enjoy halal food. The restaurant is most popular for its three types of curry: chicken, mutton, and daal (vegetarian). For the daal curry, the restaurant stews three types of beans with an array of spices. The curry is then paired with fluffy basmati rice for an authentic bite of Bangladesh in Sendai. Pair your meal with a masala chai or mango lassi beverage to complement the spicy flavors of the curry. The restaurant offers Wi-Fi and has a Muslim prayer room.
Website: https://www.halalhub.jp
Vegan cafe ＆ restaurant Vegeto LIKO
Vegan and Vegetarian
For a modern and exclusively vegan restaurant, Vegan cafe ＆ restaurant Vegeto LIKO is the perfect place for you. This trendy establishment embodies the essence of vegan food and serves vibrant dishes that play with flavors, colors, and presentation. Located in center city and a short 3-minute walk from Aoba-dori Ichibancho Station, this recently established restaurant focuses on a macrobiotic lifestyle and has morning, lunch, cafe, and dinner options. Stop by around lunch time and dig into a set that includes a drink, organic brown rice or homemade vegan bread, daily soup and salad, and a varying main course that is always abundant in vegetables and protein for a satisfying meal. Other popular lunchtime options are the power salad and gluten-free burrito. Finish off your meal with a mini dessert set where you can sample various cake flavors. The cafe also sells takeout bento lunches during weekdays that you can purchase and enjoy as you explore the city. Please note that a reservation is required for the dinner course.
Website: https://www.instagram.com/vegeto.liko/
Discover more vegan and vegetarian choices in Sendai
While the popularity of vegan and vegetarian lifestyles is on the rise, finding food options can sometimes be intimidating when traveling abroad. Fortunately, Sendai is home to numerous restaurants, apart from the ones introduced in this article, that cater to a variety of lifestyles. For more information, check out Sendai’s Muslim food guide and vegetarian food guide! As you stroll along the city’s tree-lined boulevards or explore its historical remains, stop by one of these restaurants for a special taste of Sendai.
