Vegan
Japanese
Beer/Wine
Take-out
Vegan restaurant est. 2018 in Jiyugaoka. Offers Japanese vegan cuisine with focus on vegetables and mushrooms. Choices include individual dishes of katsu, soba/noodles, curry, vegan eel and as well as bento sets. Serves vegan sake and wine, pancakes, ice cream, and cheezecakes. Has menu in English. Last orders 2pm for lunch and 10pm for dinner. Open Mon-Tue 12:00pm-3:00pm, 6:00pm-9:00pm, Thu-Sun 12:00pm-3:00pm, 6:00pm-9:00pm. Closed Wed. Last orders 7:30pm.
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Last update on 17 Apr 2024 by sasham
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Added by marukochan on 18 Sep 2018
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223 Reviews
First Review by Humus_Erectus
katbar
Points +1156
Most AMAZING culinary experience 😍 - Edit
This was the most incredible culinary experience!! I reserved a month in advance for the 5 course meal. I enjoyed every course, especially the ramen with what looked and tasted like egg. The food was not only delicious but the presentation was so aesthetic too! Super friendly staff as well! Right after, I tried to make another reservation but unfortunately, there were no availabilities. Looking forward to returning here again in the future though 😍
Read moreUpdated from previous review on 2024-07-19
Guest
Harpy23
Points +827
Wide variety of great food - Edit
We were looking forward to the seven course meal at Saido. It looked like it was a greatest hits list of iconic Japanese foods. We were served: edamame, sushi, corn soup, vegetable tempura, yakitori (with edible charcoal), okonomoyaki, ramen and a raspberry mousse (served with a tea).
Read moreEverything was delicious! The yakitori was a highlight. It was really tasty and I'd not had anything like it before. The edible charcoal was a bunch of chips that I assume had some sort of charcoal coating. Some of the sushi was great, the eel, mushroom and corn. Some of it was not as good, I found the pepper ones to be a bit too vinegar sharp. The corn soup was really good, the sweet corn flavour worked very well and it had some bits of what I think was puffed rice for a bit of texture. The raspberry mouse was light and full of flavour, with a good nut crumb on the top for texture. There was also a little bit of cake atop a pretzel.
The ramen was a bit of a disappointment. I don't think it's as good as many of the other vegan ramen I have had recently. The broth was good, it had a good peppery kick to it. I thought the fake egg was good and I liked having a big piece of corn rather than scattered sweetcorn on top. Some of the vegetables didn't really work for me though. The noodles were plentiful and tasty, and green (I'm not sure what they were made from).
I know we signed up for the big menu and I was expecting plenty of food but it really was too much. By the time the ramen came around we already had 5 courses, one of which was 10 pieces of sushi. To then get a full sized ramen bowl was a bit much.
I'm happy to give 5* as the food was enjoyable and I really appreciated the range of food on offer.
Guest
DHchen
Points +67
非常優秀的定食套餐 - Edit
素食鰻魚飯完全不輸真實的鰻魚飯！
Read more天丼也是非常推薦，蔬菜炸的酥脆可口
會讓人想一去再去
Pros: 餐點非常美味, 服務親切英文流利
Cons: 請一定要先預定位置
Guest
barbers05
Points +20
Amazing - Edit
We ordered the 7 course meal and were impressed with the presentation and taste of the dishes. The highlights was the cheese salad, meat skewer with charcoal fries, and the entrees. We ordered the dishes which resembled katsu and unagi. Wished we had tried it sooner on our trip as we definitely would have gone back for a second round. Highly recommend checking out the restaurant if you are in Tokyo.
Read moreGuest
VioletVorpal
Points +25
The best meal I’ve ever had - Edit
My fiancé and I had booked our reservation for lunch and it was superb! The waitress and chef were very friendly and nice. I speak a little bit of Japanese but if you don’t speak any Japanese that wouldn’t be an issue as the waitress spoke English to us. The atmosphere of the restaurant was peaceful and we had a pretty view of the flowers from the next door garden shop at our table by the window. We each got two drinks. I really enjoyed the kombucha and the apple juice was delicious. My fiancé had a whiskey highball and a fruity soda and he enjoyed both. For the first part of our courses we both had soup which was Jerusalem artichoke soup that was perfectly made. My fiancé is a picky eater but he absolutely loved all the food. Next our salad was not only a visually stunning with smoke and a beautiful sculptural presentation, but the taste was scrumptious. I loved the “moss ball” that the salad leaves were “growing out of”. The “moss ball” was delicious vegan cheese and the “pebbles” were perfectly cooked lentils and beans. I think the “butterfly” on top was delicately crafted from puffed rice? It was gorgeous. I loved the imagination the chef had, it was definitely a delight for all of the senses! My fiancé had the ramen for the main course with chlorella noodles and he loved the faux vegan egg, I tried it too and it was the best I’ve ever had! I had the unagi and it was perfectly prepared. I savored every bite. I would eat that unagi everyday if I could! I also loved the miso soup and pickled veggies on the side. For dessert, we both got the apricot sorbet which was served on top of a gorgeous parfait and topped with another delicately constructed (puffed rice sculpture?) this time in the shape of a leaf. The apricot was so flavorful! It almost reminded me of mango because it was so fruity and juicy! I’ve never had an apricot that tasted that good, I loved every bite! The parfait part of the dessert was also amazing. The granola, berries, and vegan yogurt were the perfect balance of sweet and tart. The dessert was perfectly harmonious and a wonderful ending to an incredible meal experience. I highly recommend Saido and I can’t wait to book another reservation when I travel back to Tokyo in the future. ごちそうさまでした ❤️
Read moreGuest
Tsukimi
Points +4614
Must go! - Edit
5 stars for the food which was very unique and delicious as expected. But I had to give 4 bc I think the restaurants atmosphere/interior doesn’t match the food/price. At a closer look the place is very messy/dirty especially the kitchen.
Read moreAlso, we had a reservation at 18:00, but showed up like 5 minutes early and as we opened the door we were sent out with a harsh “we open at six!” 😕
Guest
GustavoWoltmann78
Points +50
Perfect - Edit
Saido surpassed all expectations. Opting for the 9-course menu, every dish was not only inventive but also exceptionally delicious. The 'egg' stood out as a particular highlight for me! Having been a vegan for 7 years, I've never encountered vegan cuisine of this caliber. The staff was incredibly friendly, adding to the overall positive experience. I highly recommend it and only wish they had a presence in the UK. Additionally, the value was outstanding – the cost of the food was only half of what I would anticipate for fine dining of such high quality.
Read moreGuest
AniH4
Points +120
The most amazing meal in Japan - Edit
This restaurant is a hidden gem with a lovely atmosphere, super friendly staff and the most delicious food!!
Read moreWe ordered most of the things on the menu but the Karaage was a highlight. I don't think there was anything we didn't like however, everything was full of flavour, innovative looking and just fun!
I highly recommend!!
Pros: Delicious , Lovely staff , Lots of choices
Cons: A bit pricey but you get good quality!
psuc1
Hi, do you need a reservation or can just walk in (for dinner). Thx
Read moreAniH4
I seem to remember we had to book because it's quite popular and it's also not the biggest restaurant. You might get lucky with a walk in but since it's also a bit out of the way, if you can book ahead I would recommend doing that just in case!
Read morepsuc1
Thx. I tried the booking website but next Saturday is already full.
Read moreGuest
AriannaBorriello
Points +77
Oishii - Edit
Saido è un ristorante di altissima qualità. I piatti sono curati e lo chef è fenomenale. L'accoglienza è stata stupenda.
Read morePeccato vivere in Italia.
Guest
Ruthy
Points +175
The best vegan food we've ever had. - Edit
Saido was incredible. We had the 9 course menu and everything was so amazing, inventive and delicious. The 'egg' was a highlight for me! I've been vegan for 7 years and never had better vegan food. Such friendly staff too, cannot recommend enough and only wish they had one in the UK! Also amazing value, food was half the price I'd expect for fine dining this standard.
Read moreUpdated from previous review on 2023-10-15
Guest
azuki_monster
Points +657
Very good restaurant - Edit
I really liked our visit at Saido.
Read moreWe were there for dinner.
I would recommend getting one of the two more expensive set meal options. The set meal for 3.500¥ is not that filling and you might need to order extra (It's three relatively small dishes with no rice or noodles).
But the dinner was really lovely, I highly recommend it.
The cheese they have is awesome and the people are really nice.
Guest
RainbowTrainy
Points +1198
Amazing vegan Japanese food! 🌱 - Edit
Amazing from start to finish! Lovely service, cosy venue and amaaazing food 😭We had the 8-course set. We even got a little suvenir with us (a t-shirt)! All the dishes were so beautiful and tasty, and the two employees were really amazing ✨ Jiyugaoka is also a super cosy area to explore, and Saido gave us a good reason to 🌱
Read morePros: Amazing and beautiful food , Lovely atmosphere , Extremely friendly staff
Guest
HermanoGranger
Points +346
A must visit for every vegan in Tokyo - Edit
What I ate:
Read moremain:
- kastuju
Sides:
- yakitori
- vegan cheese salad w/ genovese sauce
- edamame
- fried vegan cheese with yam wrapped in tofu skin
dessert:
- raspberry mousse
drinks
- white wine
- kombucha
Even the edamame were amazing. Perfectly salted and fried in their skin. Gave them a toasty flavor.
The fried cheese came with organic basil sauce and salt lemon pepper to dip. Filled with vegan molted cheese and spinach. What can I say. Everything is better deep-fried. And this creamy, salty snack is no exception.
The cheese in the vegan cheese salad was so creamy and smokey. I've never had vegan cheese like this before. Just give me a whole block of this please. The genovese sauce seemed to be a pesto which went well with the cheese.
It also had grapes, tomatoes, figs, small white flowers (jasmine?) in it. Beautiful presentation and absolutely delicious.
The Yakitori were sweet, crispy, salty goodness. No sauce needed, I could just eat ten of these. If this is how the original tastes, I get why they are popular street food. Served over a fancy small grill w/ charcoal in it and a little tasty surprise I don't want to spoil for you.
The kastuju came in a black wooden box with a lid on. The waitress told me to film the opening. And damn she was right. It looked beautiful. It was served with an amazing Umami miso soup with shiitake mushrooms and some pickled veggies.
The kastuju itself was a dream. Crispy and salty with the meatiest texture a vegan dish ever had for me. On top was a sweet sauce with hints of ginger.
It was on top of rice that honestly was a little bit disappointing after all the amazing dishes. It looked fancy but just tasted like plain unsalted rice. Maybe a hint of sweetness and seeweed.
For dessert I chose the raspberry mousse, which was served in the cutest way possible. Like a little bonzai tree in a little pot. The leaves was a matcha cake. The the tree trunk a pretzel stick and the dirt was nut chunks. Under the nuts was a amazing sweet and creamy raspberry mousse. This was probably my favorite dessert ever. And I usually hate dessert.
This might seem pricey but it's three sides, edamame, 2 Drinks and a main dish. And it's definitely worth it for the experience alone. I can honestly not say anything bad about this place except that the rice under the kastuju was a bit too plain for my taste. Only downside is that it's hard to get a table. So try to reserve early.
Pros: Amazing food, Charming Staff, Beautiful presentation
Cons: A bit pricey
Guest
daniel__ka
Points +897
Best find in Japan! 5 ⭐️ - Edit
Incredible experience at Saido Tokyo. The best restaurant in Japan so far. 💚😋
Read moreThe chef and the waitress were really nice and helpful with us. They have an English menu.
This place was rated the #1 vegan restaurant at Happy Cow Worldwide and at the moment of writing this review it’s the #2 in the World.
We didn’t get to try the lunch set menu, as it was sold out so we tried 2 types of ramen, a vegan meat dish and two desserts. All of it was amazing! The presentation, the flavors and the chef’s culinary creativity overall.
You can watch a little video of out experience at our instagram www.instagram.com/wearitallveganstore
We truly loved it. 100% recommended!! We’ll definitely go back! 💚⭐️
Guest
Cameronnn3
Points +60
A great experience - Edit
I got the ¥3300 set meal (i think it was the cheapest) and it was delicious. The quality of food was incredible for this price. The waitress was very friendly. The chef and waitress gave me a souvenir to take back to the states, which was incredibly nice of them.
Read morePros: Gracious waitstaff, Delicious food
Cons: A tiny bit of clutter in the corner of the room
Guest
Hubbit200
Points +21
Todo delicioso! - Edit
La comida esta tan buena como dicen todos los comentarios - delicioso todo! Una muy buena experiencia, seas o no vegetariano/vegano. Y los empleados muy simpáticos todos!
Read morePros: Buen precio, Empleados muy simpáticos, Comida deliciosa
Guest
Hangar1
Points +31
Great Japanese restaurant - Edit
A wonderful expereince with great food!
Read moreGuest
vegan.baddie
Points +698
Beautiful magical amazing - Edit
My favorite restaurant in Tokyo. You can see why this was voted best restaurant in the world on happy cow a few years ago. It’s incredible. The service is lovely. The food is *beautiful*. It’s like eating art. The ramen was incredible and the vegan egg was the closest thing to egg I’ve ever had. It’s hard to get a reso, make sure you make one in advance by emailing them. If you have the chance to come here, do it. You won’t regret it!!
Read moreGuest
kstearn
Points +47
Life-changing - Edit
If you eat anywhere in Japan please eat here. Everything we had was so amazing and had really cute presentation. I would highly recommend the yakitori (with edible “charcoal” potatoes), eel, and tonkatsu. I don’t know how they are able to make it taste so authentic. We also had delicious handmade melon sodas and raspberry mousse made to look like a pot of dirt with a tree growing in it! Definitely make a reservation in advance online. The owner and waitress were so nice too and gave us little custom made stickers!
Read morePros: Phenomenal taste, Creative and appealing presentation, Friendly staff
Guest
itsrinokt_
Points +4154
Outstandingly great Japanese food - Edit
Came here for Sunday lunch with my friend. We genuinely enjoyed all the dishes from a salad to a dessert. No wonder why it was ranked 1st on HappyCow’s best vegan restaurant ranking list. It was fully booked so reservations are highly recommended.
Read moreUpdated from previous review on 2023-05-12
Guest
Nattata
Points +365
Awesome experience - Edit
Good place to try veganized versions of classic Japanese dishes. Reservation required and recommended to come in a group so you can try what the rest of your party orders. The chef came out and chatted with us for a bit and gave us fun stickers! The good is very grammable as well, if you care about that kind of thing!
Read morePros: Great options you won't find elsewhere, Staff happy to chat with tourists, Photogenic food
Cons: Bit far from tourist hotspots, but worth it, Reservation required
Guest
srigiri
Points +16
Amazingly Delicious - Edit
We dined at Saido a few days ago and were blown away by the delicious dinner we had. The dishes were beautifully presented and delicately flavored leaving us savoring the many flavors in each of the Japanese vegan dishes. Service was friendly & prompt even though we were a large group. Special kudos to Chef Kusumoto on his creations.
Read morevegan.baddie
How far in advance did you need to make a reservation? Thanks for your help!!
Read moreGuest
LexYe
Points +136
Unique and Nice - Edit
Definitely recommend this place. Friendly staff, nice food and very unique dish decoration.
Read moreUpdated from previous review on 2023-03-26
Pros: Unique Dishes Decoration, Nice and Tasty Food, Friendly Staff
vegan.baddie
Hello! Do you recommend advance reservations for SAIDO?
Read moreGuest
hotmilk993
Points +452
Special dining experience with creative and delicate food - Edit
100% get the yakitori, I would eat it every day. How did they get it to taste so…fatty?
Read moreBonus points for the fake egg in the noodles, the “yolk” and “white” were 2 separate components, first time I’ve seen an attempt at recreating a boiled egg and it was pretty cool.
AlexKalopsia
OMG that cute fake egg
Read morevegan.baddie
How far in advance did you need to make a reservation? Thanks for your help!!
Read morehotmilk993
I actually just called an hour before I wanted to go and asked if they had a table! I think online if you want to reserve, you should do it a few weeks in advance. But try calling if it’s last-minute!
Read morevegan.baddie
Thank you! :)
Read moreGuest
Garry_Evans
Points +155
Lives up to its reputation - Edit
Very original dishes: yakitori on charcoal blocks that you can eat (they are potato fries), mouse that looks like a plant in a pot. But these are not just gimmicks. Food tastes really good too. All the 5 star reviews on Happy Cow are not a mistake. If you are vegan and visiting Tokyo, you need to eat at Saido at least once. Fantastic restaurant. Can’t believe it doesn’t have at least a couple of Michelin stars.
Read morePros: Super, original food, Very friendly chef and staff, Great choice of wines, beer, sake etc
Cons: None
vegan.baddie
How far in advance did you need to make a reservation? Thanks for your help!!
Read moreGuest
andyjng
Points +4991
#1 Vegan Restaurant - Edit
I'd like to dedicate this review to my late brother on his birthday today. Happy 31st, bro! It took me a few years to follow you and go plant based but you remain a big reason why I'm still alive, healthy, and here today. I love you.
Read moreWhile Tokyo still has a lot to catch up to become a better vegan-friendly destination, restaurants like Saido give me so much hope and promise. I made reservations online for lunch here and after nearly missing it, am so glad that I got to experience my now favorite vegan restaurant in Japan.
This cafe started in 2018 by Chef Katsumi Kusumoto and should be on everyone's must-try list, especially if they are curious or wanting to experience veganized Japanese cuisine. It's tucked away on a not-so busy street so it really feels like you're being swept away for a wonderful experience.
Lunch sets set us back ¥2970, which included soup, salad, main entree, dessert, and two drinks (including wine and beer). The journey began right away with soup and salad, where its presentation matched that of fine dining restaurants. For our mains, I tried the Unaju (braised eel rice bowl) and my partner's Katsuju (fried cutlet)...
H O L Y. P L A N T.
This was the BEST vegan unagi-don I have had yet in Japan! The texture, taste, and composition resembled eel like I had remembered it in my past life. Smoky, teriyaki flavors infused the eel and it was exactly what I hoped it would be. The katsu was also incredibly crispy, juicy, and tender. This is no simple soy-meat that's been deep fried, it was on another level.
The experience concluded with another glass of wine with our sweet dessert - the blueberry cheesecake that's tucked away in a small pot that you eat with a mini shovel, and their seasonal sorbet which was creamy and refreshing.
Without a doubt, they have made their mark on the vegan food scene and we are not 'missing out' on anything when food is simply this good and good for you.
Reservations are HIGHLY recommended. I made a reservation through tabe-log as well as messaged the business on Facebook. The manager Hitomi-san was super friendly and fun to chat with about the business, and it left a wonderful impression on me to return in the future.
I cannot stop raving about my experience at Saido. Thank you Chef Kusumoto, Hitomi-san, and your entire team for this amazing lunch. I will do my best to come back every time I plan a trip to
Pros: Excellent lunch deal, Cute ambience, Wonderful service
vegan.baddie
How far in advance did you need to make a reservation? Thanks for your help!!
Read moreGuest
Soulhookedonfood
Points +16
A great experience at a humble restaurant - Edit
This is the first place after I landed and it did give me a very good kick-off of my holiday.
Read moreI have ordered the Vegan Cheese Salad, Vegan yakitori, vegan eel don and raspberry mousse. I went with an empty tummy just so I can try more food. Everything was so good. The service was great and the restaurant manager was very willing to explain the dish to me.
The chef was very observant and attentive too. He would always makes sure the food arrive at just the right temperature and he would adjust his pace according to my eating speed. This is something that is often forgotten on food business.
Highly recommend this restaurant and I would go again!
Updated from previous review on 2023-02-15
Pros: Good food, Attentive services, Authentic recipes
Guest
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