Serves meat, vegan options available. Cafe on the 2nd floor offering food and drinks as well hosts international language and friendship events. Air-conditioned with view of the shopping streets below. Advertises a 'vegetarian tourists welcome' sign. Has 4 items on its vegetarian menu, written in both English and Japanese. Vegans specify and staff will assist. Near the Atomic Bomb Dome. Confirmed closed, Dec 2018.
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1-7-23 Otemachi, Naka-ku (at 2F Nakahara Bldg), Hiroshima, Japan, 730-0051
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Last update on 22 Dec 2018 by PatrickGreen
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81 Reviews
First Review by kylaah
SarinaCornelia
Points +30
very nice! - Edit
cozy little restaurant near the atomic bomb dome. easy to find because there are signs outside. the service is quite slow, everyone was so nice and polite. also has wifi. the food was great! I had the excellent Japanese platter with vegetable tempura and everything was delicious. would definitely come back.
Read morePros: delicious, convenient location, wifi
Cons: kind of expensive
Guest
Martyl87
Points +19
I love it! - Edit
We went in this restaurant twice because it is in a great position and the food tastes sooo good!! I ate udon with vegetables(super good!) , tenpura, edamame, miso soup and chocolate cake (all of that was vegan and presented in a very nice way) you have to try the chocolate cake!!!! One of the best vegan dessert I've ever tasted!! I took one slice of it away for my breakfast of the day after!
Read moreHost speaks english and she's very very kind!!
Guest
Sopipi
Points +51
très bon restaurant - Edit
le personnel est très accueillant, nous avons opté pour les Yakiudon (udon sautés aux legumes) et le plat du jour (soupe miso,tempura de légumes, edamane, tofu moelleux avec une sauce sucree et des carrés de potiron, tout était très bien cuisiné et goutu. Nous n'avions plus de place pour le dessert mais cela paraissait délicieux.
Read morePros: c'est une partie du menu qui est entièrement vegan
Guest
Skutbag
Points +116
Near the Peace Memorial Museum - Edit
Easy to miss but worth a visit, just outside the downtown market area and near to the Peace Museum and park. It was on the second floor opposite a hobby/games/otaku shop (also worth a visit). I wasn't expecting to find anywhere on our quick visit to Hiroshima but this place was a good find.
Read moreI had the Udon noodle dish and my partner had a mixed platter. We shared some tempura fried vegetables. The host spoke perfect English and was welcoming on a fairly quiet day. The dishes were presented on very upscale crockery. The prices were very fair and the dishes were very filling. Pudding was a chocolate cake for my partner and I tried the Banana Spring Roll - it sounds interesting, and is interesting, but I probably would have had something else in retrospect. Beer and wine reasonably priced.
Didn't have much time to explore Hiroshima restaurants but this was a lucky find.
Pros: Location, Variety, Value
Cons: Banana spring roll sounds better than it is
Guest
LikeAVegan
Points +117
Great Lunch or Dinner Spot Near Peace Memorial - Edit
During our 4 night stay in Hiroshima, we visited Art Elk Cafe 3 times. On the first two occasions we stopped by for lunch and had the Excellent Vegan Platter consisting of miso soup, onigiri, tofu, salads and tempura.
Read moreThe night we went for dinner the menu was much the same with a couple of additional side options. I had the Hiroshima Yakiudon which was delicious with a side of garlic bread which they were able to make vegan for me! I ended the meal with a banana spring roll.
All staff speak very good English as it seems like they hold English lessons in the cafe itself. The staff are friendly, knowledgable and attentive.
On our final visit the owner (?) came and spoke to us and while not vegan herself, was very interested in veganism and providing for her vegan customers.
Add this one to the must do list in Hiroshima!
Pros: Great location, Friendly Staff, Vegan options!
Guest
WeLoveGoodFood
Points +85
Super chocolate cake :) - Edit
We went twice to Art Elk Cafe to enjoy the delicious vegan chocolate cake they offer :)
Read moreBecause it is a "non vegetarian restaurant" happy cow only allows to give 4 out of 5 - the cake deserves a "5 stars" :)
Guest
jodiveganfit
Points +49
Lovely little Cafe in Hiroshima - worth a visit - Edit
We were very happy to come across the Art Elk Cafe (thanks to HappyCow). The food was fantastic especially the stir fried Udon noodles. We had to visit twice to get another feed of the delicious udon dish. The venue was fantastic and the decor lovely. The prices were not too expensive (and not cheap). Easy to find and the staff are fantastic with English too.
Read morePros: Delicious food , Good portion size, Lovely friendly atmosphere and venue
Guest
Bronwyn and Peter
Points +20
Elk Cafe & Bar Hiroshima, Japaan - Edit
Located in a prime area within 2 minutes walking distance of PEACE MEMORIAL PARK and recommended by our fabulous HIS tour guide NAOMI, my mother (non-vegan) husband & I (both vegan) visited, last night for dinner, the ELK CAFE & BAR at 1-7-23 otematchi, naka-ku in Hiroshima.
Read moreWe had the "EXCELLENT VEGAN PLATTER" which consisted of miso soup (no fish broth), tempura, rice balls, tofu steak and grilled veggies. Sake and homemade lemonade for drinks were also scrumptious. Vegan menu options written in English and prepared by owner and cook AYUMI were well presented, well priced and delicious.
The service was prompt, attentive and in very good English. The atmosphere was super-friendly and other guests also spoke excellent English.
I'll be back on my next trip to Hiroshima. Thank you Ayumi.
Guest
FT
Points +190
Delicious Vegan Japanese Food - Edit
A lovely, friendly and cool place and a haven for a vegan. Friendly staff and customers alike and the food is the nicest I've tasted in the 5 days I've been in Japan so far. Pudding too!
Read morePros: Separate vegetarian and vegan menu with vegan opti
Cons: Can see it would get full quickly and may be diffi
Guest
JamesW76
Points +1301
a good veggie option - Edit
I enjoyed the veggie set with tempura. It was very tasty and the lady serving was super helpful offering alternatives to the menu for my meat eating companion. The number of choices is limited.
Read moreGuest
meme
Points +71
Very nice - Edit
We had a nice Christmas Dinner at this place. Food was very good and staff was friendly and spoke English. Would go again!
Read moreGuest
EmilChristianJensen
Points +70
Go here and be happy ^_^ - Edit
The food here is really nice! They have a good English menu, the chefs speak English, it's cozy af.
Read morePortions aren't that big. My girlfriend and I ordered 3 dishes to fill us up, but hey that's ok I guess. We really did like the food! ^_*
Guest
Myev
Points +69
One of the best meal I ate in Japan - Edit
I highly recommend to stop by this place, it's cozy and the food is amazing. Plus it's an unbeatable value ( I rarely ate that much and that healthy for the price during my stay in Japan) . Ambiance is really nice and relaxed. Music is good. What else ? Thank you sooo much for the delicious meal !
Read moreAs I said to the kind owner: I wish I could eat like this everyday.
Pros: Food and beverage, Price, Ambiance
Cons: Hiroshima is so far from my home!
Guest
PatriciaKondoutsikos
Points +28
Delicious food! Best service ever experienced! - Edit
Stumbled upon this hidden gem accidently whilst visiting the memorial museum. Adorable little place with the friendliest most accomodating service I have ever experienced!!! The waitress(may have been the owner) was attentive to our needs and was helpful and informative. The vegan Japanese platter was a generous size with a delicious selection of items. We ordered the banana spring rolls which she advised they were out of and whipped us up a delicious caramelised cinnamon banana dish with raspberry sauce (not on the menu). The tofu steak was one of the tastiest I have ever had!!! Highly recommend to any vegans visiting Hiroshima. Pricing is reasonable for such a personalised experience. 10/10 service and an overall lovely experience! Will be visiting again!! Happy cow will only allow a 4 star review because this isn't a strictly veg restaurant but you would be a fool to let that deter you!
Read morePros: Service 10/10, Meals are delicious , Pricing is reasonable
Guest
CarlyDonohue
Points +16
Super friendly, accommodating, and beautiful food! - Edit
My friend and I stumbled across this restaurant on our way to the Peace Park and we are so glad we did! Large portion of vegan Japanese food, complete with miso soup, edamame, rice, pickled veg, and an amazing tofu steak! The tofu steak was incredible - beautifully pan fried with a delicious sauce. The owner/chef hand picked fresh mint from the window box just outside the window next to our table for our iced teas. When they had run out of spring roll wrappers, the chef made us a different dessert from bananas and cinnamon and raspberry compote - simple but amazing! They were careful to make everything vegan and were very accommodating. The price is low-moderate - around 4500 yen for two courses and large iced teas for two, not sure why others are complaining about the price. If anything, the service and friendliness of the staff is worth the price alone! Wish we were spending more time here so we could come back tomorrow. Will visit again in the future! Thanks for an amazing meal.
Read moreUpdated from previous review on Tuesday November 24, 2015
Pros: friendly staff, considerate staff, generous portions
Cons: literally nothing
Guest
Anagaraj100
Points +18
fantastic food and great service! - Edit
Highly recommend this spot! Excellent and healthy food at a great price. Very friendly staff.
Read moreGuest
Kookiez
Points +127
okay for veggy dinner - Edit
We first wanted to try this restaurant on a wednesday for lunch, but it was closed. Even though it should have been open (open hrs are 10:30 to 22:00 and they were closed at 12:30). We tried again Thursday evening for dinner and they were open. Vegan platter was good although the tofu steak is just marinated tofu, not steak. Don't bother ordering a cocktail as there is no alcohol in them.
Read moreGuest
Nicolajmoss
Points +17
Lovely, well presented food - Edit
The cafe is on the first floor very close to the atomic bomb memorial. A little confusion with the waitress at first and needed to confirm chicken is not vegetarian. However, after checking with the chef I was confident my order was understood. I opted for the vege set menu which was delicious and looked wonderful. Lots of flavour and very tasty tofu steak with an amazing dressing. Chatted with the chef and other staff who spoke good English and were extremely friendly. No regrets in trying this place!
Read morePros: Great set meal option, reasonable price, friendly staff
Cons: little confusion with waitress, not many options
Guest
AndreasTylla
Points +37
Very friendly restaurant never expected that service - Edit
We did not know that the restaurant closes 6pm on Wednesday and so we came 7.30 pm. There were still personal in the restaurant. As we asked if it is open as there was no one in they said closed and asked if we are vegetarian or vegan. As we said yes, they offered to cook for us as they knew it is difficult to get vegan. That was so kind as we never would have expected that. We got a very delicious vegan meal. We only can recommend that place. Beside that it is very close to the A Bomb dome and peace memorial park.
Read moreCons: Cheap to moderate
Guest
CharlotteDrene
Points +163
Don't be an absolute fool. - Edit
Don't be fooled by the fact this place also sells meat. You'd be an absolute fool not to go here.
Read moreThe staff are so goddamn friendly and speak great English. My waitress was so lovely and helpful, and even said my Japanese was amazing... Which is a lie, albeit a nice one.
The vegan food was phenomenal. I've been in Japan for three months trying a lot to vegan food, and this was by far the best tasting and best quality food I've had. Goddamn it was good. And big portions! My Omni boyfriend also loved his Omni meal.
The dessert was so good that I literally ordered two of the same and ate them back to back. And they added extra cream and some fruit sauce onto my second one because they are awesome.
seriously. Go here.
Pros: everything is good
Cons: nothing is bad
Guest
bengordon
Points +13
Delicious vegetarian options and a very friendly environment! - Edit
Lovely and welcoming cafe with vegetarian and vegan options. The staff were very pleasant and I even got to taste a new vegetarian dish! The vegetarian platter itself was delicious. Very welcoming place for happy cow users and very close to hiroshima peace Park. highly recommended :)
Read morePros: Great vegetarian options, some vegan too I believe
Cons: None
Guest
Berylvt
Points +195
excellent Egan-friendly service - Edit
Great service. See rate vegan/ veg menu. Two f us had the european lunch set and found the pancakes a bit bland. Two had the Japanese set and really enjoyed it. The men found the servings a little small and we would all have liked more of the mushrooms! We all enjoyed the vegan mud cake though. definitely worth a visit.
Read morePros: vegan menu. great staff
Cons: small serves, some bland dishes. , limited choices.
Guest
ravivasudevan
Points +137
Good food, Friendly staff - Edit
Had a really awesome time at Artcafe ELK while staying in Hiroshima. Their vegan chocolate cake was great and they have a nice vegan set Japanese menu. The price is a little high, but the staff was amazing to make up for it. One night I went there to just get a drink and some cake and I sat with some people trying to work on their English. I had a really fun conversation with people at the bar and the staff and then they ended up paying for my food because I helped them with English. Definitely stop by if you are vegan and support this awesome place.
Read morePros: Friendly staff, Great taste, Chocolate Cake!
Cons: A bit pricey, Could use some more vegan options
Guest
LiaTraballero
Points +1900
ELK we'll miss you - Edit
We went to Artcafe ELK twice, the first one we instantly felt we were in the right place, surrounded by a friendly atmosphere. The place was full, so they let us stay at the lunch counter, that was in front of the kitchen. We had the chance to talk all evening long with the owner, the chef and some customers.. We loved it! We felt like in a friend's house.
Read moreThey have a Vegan/Vegetarian Menu, with multiples options. We tried 3 different things and we liked them all.
We've been traveling around Japan for a month, we've been trying lots of Vegan restaurants and we can tell that it is not easy to find places like this in Japan! If you come by Hiroshima, you must come here (and have Yaki Udon!).
Pros: Friendly atmosphere, Great food (and cake!), Staff speaks english very well
Guest
necius
Points +457
Friendliest restaurant I've ever been to - Edit
We arrived at Artcafe ELK very hungry after a long day with little food, to find them closed. However the owner/chef was still inside and opened up just for us. There were no vegan items on the menu, but after saying I was vegan, the owner/chef understood and modified the meal for me. I had vegan panini with a salad, lotus root chips, and mashed potato. It was delicious, and I was overjoyed.
Read moreThe next day was our last day in Hiroshima, so we decided to go back. This time we sat at the bar and spent the evening talking to the two people working. They both had excellent conversational-level English, and were all round incredibly friendly and helpful people, advising us on various vegan ingredients that can be sourced in Japan. That night I had vegetable stir-fry (not on the menu, but it was delicious), the "vegetarian plate" which was just miscellaneous vegan food items (very nice), and a dessert of green tea flavoured shaved ice with red bean (don't judge it, it was much better than it sounds).
Overall it was a fantastic experience. If I ever go back to Hiroshima I'll be sure to visit again.
Pros: Friendly, helpful staff, Excellent English, Great food
Cons: Limited vegan options on menu
Guest
BradenPollock
Points +626
friendly service - Edit
The place was nice and the staff very friendly. It also helped that they al spoke English. The portions were small so we each ordered 2 dishes. Much better for vegetarians than vegans. Not many options.
Read moreGuest
kylaah
Points +20
Vegan relief! - Edit
We spent several days in Hiroshima and were fed up of rice balls and inari, when we stumbled upon Artcafe ELK on our way back from Hiroshima Peace Park. Right at the end of Hondori Shopping St on your way to the park, the big sign 'Vegetarian Tourists Welcome' was a massive relief! The staff spoke perfect English, were incredibly friendly and accommodating, and had a separate vegetarian menu offering a lunch plate, pizza, panini and soup and understood exactly what vegan meant and how to adapt the menu to suit. We ordered the panini no cheese and no original sauce (they added salsa instead) and the pizza with no cheese - and it was delicious! At 700 yen each, it was an incredibly cheap meal too :) We went twice, and would recommend it to any vegans/vegetarians in the area!
Read morePros: Cheap and delicious, Friendly staff, Relaxed vibe
Guest
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