Back in 2018, Jonny and I were lucky enough to stumble upon this fully vegan cafe in Nikko. We had such an unexpected and lovely meal in a relaxed atmosphere! So, planning our trip to this small city once again, we knew where we were having lunch!
Serving delicious vegan food since 2009, Yasai Cafe Meguri is a small cafe, 17 minutes away from Tobu Nikko Station and the only fully vegan restaurant in Nikko! They have a simple “teishoku” menu or “menu of the day”, which includes three mains, a selection of sweets and a range of drinks. They use organic, pesticide-free local produce that is “kind to the body”.
They also happen to be one of my favourite places I’ve visited in Japan! So although I’ve already written about them, 7 years on, things have changed, so I thought I’d create a separate and updated post. You can read the original post here!
The space
Yasai Cafe Meguri is in what used to be an antique art store gallery. From a distance, you’ll probably think it’s still that instead of a cafe as the owners have left marks of the old shop on the building. From the old gallery sign to the large painting inside on the ceiling, references to the old shop can be discovered throughout. It’s very unassuming and I love that hints of history can still be seen.
Inside is small, with room for approximately 10 guests. The main floor has now been filled with partitioned shelves and one table that seats two.
They also have sections on the shelves where they sell vegan-friendly products such as matcha tea, takuan pickles, maple syrup, coffee beans, pots, organic-looking plates, local craft products, as well as eco and sustainable products.
The raised tatami seating is still the same. However, instead of having long bench-type of tables, they have replaced those with smaller tables so more groups can sit up here and watch the world go by.
Just make sure to take your shoes off before getting up there!
I really love the vibe here, it’s very laid-back and relaxed. It could be all the natural calming materials surrounding you, the music that’s played or maybe (and perhaps most likely) the lovely owners themselves. In any case, sitting here on the tatami floor seating, watching the world go by and eating delicious food is very tranquil!
The main menu
Their lunch is 100% plant-based, made from “body-friendly” produce that’s locally grown and pesticide-free, and they also tend to use seasonal products.
The last time we visited, the menu offered Japanese food that included a main, a soup and a salad, have a look here. At some point, they introduced a limited Korean menu but due to its popularity, they kept the Korean menu on a little longer and I’m so glad we could try it!
Just a heads up, they didn’t have an English menu this time so make sure you have access to the internet and use Google Translate. However unless they have changed their menu, the three items are what we ordered!
At Yasai Cafe Meguri, they stop serving lunch at 14:00, which is a little earlier than many places, so make sure to visit between 11:30 to 14:00 to grab a meal. After lunchtime, only drinks and sweets will be available.
Let me show you what we ordered ↓
Vegan Tteokbokki | からだに優しいveganトッポギ
This meal is the only warm option on their menu. I’ve heard about Tteokbokki and also seen it in Kdramas but had never tried it before. It was a yummy and chewy rice cake dish cooked in a red, creamy and spicy broth.
A popular street food in Korea and I completely understand why! It’s so moreish! Luckily it was just the right amount of spice for us and came with a side of kimchi and takuan pickles.
Price: ¥1290 inc tax (£7.22 / $9.25)
Cold soymilk noodles (kongguksu) | 冷製豆乳麺（コングクス)
A cold and thin noodle dish using soymilk that is topped with cucumbers and a side of takuan pickles and kimchi. This is honestly so tasty. We were told to add kimchi to this dish, which I honestly wasn’t too sure about.
Up until this point, I wasn’t keen on kimchi but this dish changed my mind completely! It elevated the dish and added another texture and depth to this dish!
It’s light and so refreshing, perfect for the humid Japanese summer!
Price: ¥1290 inc tax (£7.22 / $9.25)
Cold Somen Bibim noodles | 葛素麺のビビン麺
Spicy cold noodles topped with crunchy cucumber and nori seaweed. Another dish great for the summer, especially for those who love a bit of spice! It’s so refreshing, super tasty and doesn’t leave you feeling heavy after eating.
Price: ¥1290 inc tax (£7.22 / $9.25)
The dessert menu
The dessert menu is a new addition, they didn’t have this when I last visited in 2018! They have four crepes made from Hokkaido wheat flour, soy milk, Kagoshima raw sugar, pressed rapeseed oil and organic vanilla.
The four options are:
- Additive-free chocolate, organic bananas, homemade soy milk ice cream
- Organic maple syrup, organic bananas, homemade soy milk ice cream
- Vegan butter, organic maple syrup, salt (natural salt), homemade soy milk ice cream
- Vegan butter, lemon (pesticide-free from Aichi prefecture), raw sugar (from Kagoshima prefecture), homemade soy milk ice cream
Chocolate, banana and soymilk ice cream crepe
I went for this one and loved the chocolate chunks inside. The crepe itself was really nice too, not too dry, not too soggy just perfectly cooked!
Price: ¥1290 inc tax (£7.22 / $9.25)
Maple syrup, banana and soymilk ice creme crepe
A solid combination you can’t go wrong with! The homemade ice cream is so smooth and yummy!
Price: ¥1290 inc tax (£7.22 / $9.25)
Butter, maple syrup, salt and soymilk crepe
Salt on a sweet pancake? An odd combination I thought, but It was SO GOOD! I kind of regretted not going for this option.
Price: ¥1290 inc tax (£7.22 / $9.25)
Drinks
They have a variety of drinks on offer, from smoothies to ginger ales, juice, matcha latte, and cocoa, as well as home-roasted speciality coffee that’s free of pesticides and chemicals.
We got ↓
Cafe Mocha
If I’m being honest, was not a lot of difference between the mocha and the latte. The mocha had the additional chocolate chunks that were used on the crepe. Although not a strong mocha taste it was bloody delightful nonetheless!
Price: ¥690 (£3.81 / $4.89)
Cafe Latte
A latte using oat milk. Probably one of the nicest, creamiest coffees I’ve ever had! It came with a small information card about the coffee which I thought was a special touch. You could even purchase the coffee beans if you wanted to.
Price: ¥690 (£3.81 / $4.89)
Matcha Latte
This matcha oat milk latte was so nice that we had to buy some matcha powder from their store!
Match latte is one of my go-to orders at Starbucks in Japan, and luckily they’ve brought a cold version just in time for summer too!
Price: ¥690 (£3.81 / $4.89)
Things that are close to Yasai Cafe Meguri
- Shinkyo Bridge | 3 min walk away
- Kanmangafuchi Abyss | 21 min walk / 15 min bus
- Futarasan Shrine | 16 min walk / 11 min bus
- Kirifuri Falls | 22 min bus
- Kegon Falls | 33 min bus
Vegan food options close to Yasai Cafe Meguri
V = Vegan VO = Vegan Options
- Azuma | VO | 17 min walk away
- CONTACT NIKKO – Food Stand | VO | 6 min walk way
- Gyoshintei | VO | 10 min walk away
- Gyoza no Umechan | VO | 14 min walk away
- Kishino | VO | 11 min walk away
- Hippari Dako | VO | 1 min walk away
How to get to Yasai Cafe Megiri
Address:
321-1402 909-1 Chubachiishicho, Nikko City, Tochigi Prefecture
Nearest station:
17 min walk from Tobu Nikko Station
Open:
10:00-18:00
(↑ according to their website but conflicting information online)
Closed Thursday
Keep an eye on their social media for up-to-date irregular closed dates.
Phone:
080-9343-0831
Website
Instagram
Facebook
This was my first time eating Korean food so I have nothing to compare it to. And I’m sure some of the food wasn’t as spicy as it would usually be in Korea, however, we all thought it was just amazing – so fresh, light and mouth-wateringly good!
As everything is made to order, the service isn’t fast. We were hoping to enjoy our drinks with the crepes but the crepes came after we had finished them. This wasn’t an issue for us as we got to enjoy our time for longer in the cafe. But could be worth noting if you’re on a tight schedule.
This was one of the last meals we had when our family came to visit us. After a jam-packed 3 weeks, it was so nice to unwind and have a delicious meal in a relaxed atmosphere. I can’t recommend Yasai Cafe Meguri more, if you get a chance you must come and visit this vegan cafe in Nikko!
After some more memorable dining experiences? You might like to try this vegan ramen in Kyoto!
