170
-
Onwa
-
151Loading...
-
Vegan
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 11:00am-5:00pm, Wed-Fri 11:00am-5:00pm, Sat 11:00am-8:00pm, Sun 11:00am-5:00pm. Closed Tue.
© OpenStreetMap contributors
-
Loading...
-
- Outdoor seating
- Wheelchair accessible
- Accepts credit cards
- Free Wi-Fi
-
-
Last update on 26 Sep 2023 by KaFraMi
Update business info
-
-
100 Reviews
First Review by Stella774
Tainto
Points +15
Great taste! - Edit
Nice atmosphere, great food! We had the Karage Bowl - nice texture and flavor 10/10
Read moreGuest
SumnerNichols
Points +52
Great Little Nook with Friendly Service and Amazing Food - Edit
This place is only a five to ten minute walk from the station. It is there, don't worry! Just past another restaurant as you head south. Sneak in past the fence and be prepared to be greeted with smiling faces. A large variety of bakery sweets. Figs, chestnut, chocolate, banana, Japanese pear, etc. Can't remember them all. The fig (which was made fresh that day) was especially delicious and the chocolate was on par with the best of the vegan chocolate cakes I've had in Japan or the US.
Read moreI got the tacos and the rice bowl with the "fried chicken." This place didn't overly salt the crispy gluten chunks (I've noticed this trend at other places). Awesome presentation, delicious masa tacos, and all the traditional Japanese pickles. It was my birthday (thus the chocolate and fig cake indulgence) and they gave me a little candle, took my picture, and played a fun upbeat birthday song. Super English friendly, this was a truly wonderful experience! After you see all of Nara and climb the hill (I would get to Nara by 6:30 or 7 if you are coming from Osaka), don't even think about eating a different meal before getting to Onwa on the way back to the station (okay, not quite on the way back, but only a ten minute detour)!
Guest
griff-the-man
Points +42
A hidden gem (pinnacle of artisan vegan food) - Edit
This cafe is everything you can ever ask out of artisan vegan dining. It combines novel recipes (everything made from scratch) with international and local cultural staples (like basque cheesecake) to create a menu that is neither too large to maintain consistency or too small to feel restricted. The place is clean and artsy. The food is incredible and uses quality ingredients. The fried food is not too greasy, the desserts are flavorful without being overly sweet. Matcha was fantastic and the atmosphere was hipster and cozy. Passing this spot up would be a missed opportunity to say the least.
Read morePros: Desserts made from scratch , Matcha, Turnip cakes
Guest
YosukeSuetake
Points +79
from onwa stff 💕 - Edit
We will be closed today, 8/15 due to a typhoon.
Read moreWe will be open from Wednesday, August 16th.
Thank you for your cooperation.
Updated from previous review on 2023-08-13
Guest
ArtyChoke
Points +76
Hidden gem - Edit
This small but comfortable restaurant has superb all vegan food and a very nice staff. I went there with my family in my birthday, Highest rating!!
Read moreGuest
gwarg
Points +20
Wonderful - Edit
Fantastic food, great atmosphere.
Read morePros: Food , Atmosphere , Price
Guest
joel_laun
Points +999
Loved it! 🌱💞 - Edit
This is such a calm and friendly place. We came here for lunch and stayed about two hours because it was so relaxing and nice. :)
Read moreThe food was great, we had the karaage bowl and a suuuper yummy blueberry cheese cake matcha latte for dessert. Everything was lovely! Highly recomend it!
Pros: All vegan, Delicious food & cute place, English speaking staff + english menu
Guest
FiMarsh
Points +24
Wow! - Edit
Incredible restaurant tucked away in the back streets. Delicious food, great flavours and friendly staff. Must try the plum wine!!
Read moreGuest
KTVegan
Points +63
Hidden Gem! - Edit
Onwa blew us away with fresh, colorful, delicious food. We dined upstairs and went to town with: turnip cake, Karage, Veg Delight plate, and Karage bowls. All were amazing. Homemade kombucha too. We sampled nearly all their desserts, too: basque cheesecake, berry cheesecake, matcha cheesecake, and melon tart. A perfect spot for our first night in Nara and a birthday celebration.
Read morePros: Great flavor!, Colorful & seasonal, Cool vibe & tunes
Guest
KenPendola
Points +50
Great lunch spot - Edit
I got off the train at Nara station and made a very short walk to this place after checking happy cow. Glad I did! The staff was exceptionally friendly. The food was delicious and healthy with a variety of fresh veggies, rice, and vegan protein. Price point was also totally reasonable for what you get. Don’t miss this one when you’re in Nara!
Read morePros: Nutritionally balanced meal, Super friendly staff, Cute and quiet environment
Guest
Mowsea
Points +104
Yummy! - Edit
Super delicious and yummy food. My non-vegan friend also loved what she got as well. A great place to stop at before visiting the park
Read moreGuest
יעלחדד
Points +65
Very nice food and staff - Edit
We had very good experience!
Read moreFood is very esthetic
Guest
emmalovesanimals
Points +751
delicious & satisfying - Edit
We ate lunch here before spending the day in Nara. It’s quite convenient to the Nara JR station and east to find with google maps. The staff is friendly and welcoming. English menu is available and staff speak some English too. The food is delicious! And there’s a calm and cozy vibe in the small rooms upstairs (two rooms, each with two 4-person tables for floor seating on cushions).
Read moreWe tried the medium and large portions of the karaage bowl. If you’re pretty hungry, I’d go for large. Desserts looked tasty but we didn’t try them. You have to order a dessert and tea set if you want to enjoy desserts at the restaurant. Otherwise you can order just dessert for takeaway.
Highly recommend visiting while in Nara!
Updated from previous review on 2023-05-25
Pros: Convenient location , Delicious food, Calm and relaxed vibe
Guest
EvieP92
Points +45
Delish, charming and in back streets - Edit
I had a bit of trouble finding/getting into this place, but it was well worth it. Delicious karaage bowl, exactly what I needed after a long day, and refreshing iced matcha latte that came in what was basically a bowl! Staff spoke English and were lovely/helpful. Definitely recommend.
Read morePros: Food/drink, Staff, Atmosphere
Cons: Location/ease of getting to.
Guest
vegan.baddie
Points +359
one of our fave meals in Japan :) - Edit
So delicious and charming. This place is a short walk from the Nara JR station. After a longgggg day in the park and striking out at another place nearby, we came here and had an incredible lunch. The food is delicious. The karaage is out of this world. We also had a couple of pastries that were delicious as well! Service is lovely. Eat here if you are in Nara!!
Read moreGuest
vdMost
Points +747
Great spot for lunch - Edit
I had a very relaxed lunch here! The karaage bowl was delicious and I appreciated Four Tet playing in the background. Only con is that the pies are not cheap (700-1100¥ excl tax for a small piece)
Read moreUpdated from previous review on 2023-05-14
Pros: Cute place, Delicious meals
Cons: Expensive pastries
Guest
alexrrr
Points +225
Delicious food and great service! - Edit
This is one of my favorite restaurants in Japan so far! I loved the food, and the desserts look amazing. I tried the cheese cake, and it was amazing. Tea is also really good.
Read moreThe staff is extremely nice. They really go out of their way to make you feel good and help you with anything you need. They even called a taxi for me, since I was carrying a huge bag. So nice 😊
Guest
UltimateCyberVegan
Points +79
Really good food and pastries! - Edit
Loved the food and the pastries!
Read morePros: Great food and pastries!
Guest
MegSinclair
Points +46
Delicious food and wonderful staff! - Edit
The food was absolutely delicious, with lots of vegan cakes and sweets as well. All staff were so lovely and so accommodating. Such a cute little cafe, very welcoming
Read moreGuest
vegface
Points +69
Tasty little spot - Edit
Found this place on HappyCow - nicest vegan food we had in Japan. We had the happy lunch set - so many different tasty bits with good protein content too. We topped it off with a sweet each and some tea
Read morePros: Delicious food , Lots of vegan sweet options , Cosy atmosphere
Guest
Cherryboi
Points +133
High Quality Karaage Don and Desert - Edit
Found this place while in Nara, and while it was a bit of a walk from the sights and deer, it was extremely worth the walk there!
Read morePartner and I ordered large Karaage Dons, and found this to be more than enough food, with a variety of nice vegetables in the bowl, a large bed of rice, and a plentiful serving of the Chick'n itself (which was some of the best I've had, period).
Finished it off by sharing a Creme Brûlée Parfait, which was also of a high quality, and left feeling very well-fed.
Updated from previous review on 2022-11-21
Pros: High quality food , Great atmosphere and staff, Reasonably priced
Cons: A little out of the way from the sights of Nara
Guest
LimorRaviv
Points +317
Everything was perfect! - Edit
Delicious vegan and gluten free food, lovely staff, amazing cakes. Yummy!
Read moreGuest
Nikachu
Points +273
one of the best vegan places in Nara! - Edit
a very cute vegan place in Nara! they have delicious lunch plates and really amazing cake! the parfait is one of the best ones I've ever eaten.
Read morePros: many different cakes, seasonal vegetables/fruits used, kind staff :)
Guest
itsrinokt_
Points +2897
Lovely cafe - Edit
Been wanting to come here for a long time based on the excellent reviews. Amazing food and great service. Thoroughly recommended.
Read moreDon’t forget to order some cakes!!
Updated from previous review on 2021-12-30
Pros: Relaxed vibe and friendly staff
Guest
BethS76
Points +275
Great food but best to reserve - Edit
Visited for a friend's birthday lunch on January 9th 2022.
Read moreOnwa is quite small and get's very popular on weekends and holidays so it's best to reserve if you can. We reserved and were seated in a private room upstairs (floor seating). The food was fantastic as usual. I had the vegan delight plate, mikan soda and fruit Tarte. Everything was fresh and delicious.
I think the prices for the main dishes are on par with most vegan restaurants in Japan, but the cakes are a little pricey, so it can get expensive if you have main, dessert and drink like we did. The bill came to about 3,300yen each.
The young male member of staff was very friendly and communicated quite well in English with the non-Japanese speaking member of our party.
Pros: Delicious food and cakes, Convenient location for JR Nara Station, Helpful staff
Cons: A bit expensive, Location far from Kintetsu station & Nara Park, Can get very busy
Guest
daninhavegan
Points +198
Disappointed - Edit
We waited our food ONE hour after driving from Nagoya for almost 2 hours and half, we were starving, but as we were waiting our friend there, we were patient, but one hour?
Read moreWhen the food came we couldn’t believe that. The set was with hamburger, but the hamburger was too small, very small portion of rice, some vegetables, a salad with no tomato (???) and two pieces of fried soy chicken COLD, btw, all the hot dishes were cold, unbelievable, for ¥1800? For those who don’t like to seat on the floor I don’t recommend to go to upstairs, it’s uncomfortable, specially for old people. The cakes were good, but pricey! When I went to pay, the male staff asked sorry for the long wait but he didn't even give a discount for that. The male staff was friendly, the lady wasn’t friendly at all. Our lunch was very expensive and we left the restaurant hungry. I was following them on Instagram for years and I was so excited to go there to have their food, but it was a disappointing experience.
Pros: Cakes are good
Cons: Tasteless, cold food, Long wait, expensive
Guest
tokyonick
Points +257
The rave reviews are correct - Edit
Happy Cow used to list the wrong hours, so I barged in 90 minutes after the place had closed and everyone was preparing to go home. The chef revved up the kitchen and made me a spectacular bento. It was so good I went back the next day for more. Easily the best vegan food in Nara.
Read moreGuest
For Members
Why was my review removed? Guidelines for writing a review View our privacy policyFor Business Owners
Claim this business
See inaccurate information? Submit an update here Link to this page from your site See an unfair review? View full terms & conditionsThis page has been viewed 20611 times.