When you’re planning and researching for your trip to Japan, you’ll probably discover a lot of different Japanese foods to try. Amongst them, most likely on the top of your list is ramen, and the good news is that I found one of the best places to have vegan ramen in Tokyo!
T’s Tantan is a vegan ramen restaurant in Tokyo with 4 locations. They have a range of ramen, curry, salads, gyoza, soy meat meals, and a special menu that changes seasonally. A few of them are also some of the top-rated in Tokyo on HappyCow!
So, if you’re looking for fantastic Japanese ramen that you can be 100% sure is vegan, you’ve found the right place!
At a glance:
V/VO: Vegan
How to order: Depends on each branch
Payment: Card and cash accepted- payment at the end
Reservation required?: No
What is tantanmen?
Tantanmen (めん, men = noodles) is the Japanese version of a Chinese noodle dish called dandanmian. It’s a bowl of ramen noodles served in savoury sesame or peanut-based broth and soy milk, seasoned using a blend of garlic, ginger and doubanjiang and usually topped with spicy minced meat.
The space
It is dependent on each branch, but you may sometimes have to wait to be seated as the restaurants aren’t very big. I’ve had to wait most times I have visited the Tokyo Station branch, but with a quick turnaround, the wait luckily isn’t that long!
Each T’s gives a nod to traditional Japanese ramen restaurants with wooden bench-style seats mixed in with normal restaurant chairs and tables. The interior is very light and casual with T’s Tantan signage around the walls showing that no animal products are used in their meals.
T’s also has a restaurant called T’s Restaurant with an amazing fully vegan menu in Tokyo!
The menu
T’s Tantan is probably one of the few vegan restaurants in Tokyo that has a great range of ramen on their menu. With five permanent items on their menu, delicious sides, and an ever-changing specials menu, The choice is amazing and I can’t resist trying it all!
Often when you go to other restaurants with vegan ramen in Japan, you’ll be met with creamy soymilk ramen. As much as I love soymilk ramen, it’s nice to be able to have lighter-based broths which T’s Tantan offers for those days you fancy something less heavy and rich.
The menu comes fully marked with the allergens for each item. Some parts of the menu have illustrations of the allergens but at the back of the menu is a full list of each item and their allergen which is quite rare for Japan. Super handy for those with intolerances and allergies.
When ordering your bowl of ramen you have the option to change to konnyaku noodles which are jelly-like noodles made from yams. Or, have a larger serving of ramen noodles. Both options cost an extra ¥100 (£0.55/ $0.72) to change your meal.
| White sesame tantan | ¥980 (£5.42 / $7.02) |
| Black sesame tantan | ¥1,100 (£6.08 / $7.88) |
| Soupless tantan | ¥980 (£5.42 / $7.02) |
| Japanese yuzu ramen | ¥980 (£5.42 / $7.02) |
| Golden sesame tantan | ¥1,100 (£6.08 / $7.88) |
How to order
How you order your vegan ramen depends on each store. In the Tokyo station store, they will come to your table, ask about any allergies and take your order. However, I’ve also been to one (in Ikebukuro, I think?) where you order off a touchscreen menu first, pay, and you’ll be called over once your meal is ready.
T’s Tantan is a quick-serving restaurant so is a great option, especially if you’re in a hurry. However, if you plan on going to the Tokyo Station ramen restaurant, you will have to factor in the waiting time too, as well as the actual time it takes to find it (I always get so confused and lost… haha!)
When I’ve visited the other stores, I have been able to be seated straight away which has been nice, especially for those times when you’re very hungry.
Eating at T’s Tantan
At T’s Tantan the drink options are limited, it’s either beer or free water from a jug which is on each table. This is not an issue for us, as all we basically drink on a daily is water. However, it may be strange/different for people who are used to having other drinks with their meals.
Black Seasame Tantan | 黒胡麻たんたん麺
The only spicy option on the menu this ramen has a great balance between Japanese pepper and black sesame. It has a bit of a kick but not overly spicy.
Price: ¥1,100 (£6.08 / $7.88)
White Sesame Tantan | 白胡麻たんたん麺
This ramen broth made from white sesame has a mild flavour.
Price: ¥980 (£5.42 / $7.02)
Golden Sesame Tantan | 金胡麻たんたん麺
My favourite item on their menu! This sesame-based ramen has the same broth as the white sesame but with the added peanut cream adding richness and creaminess to the flavour.
Price: ¥1,100 (£6.08 / $7.88)
There hasn’t been a bowl of ramen that I’ve not enjoyed from T’s Tantan. Most time we visit, we order the golden sesame tantan which is our favourite. The noodles themselves are delicious with a satisfying chew and the broth is so creamy, delicious and fulfilling!
Special menu items at T’s Tantan
As mentioned, T’s Tantan often has special or seasonal items alongside its usual menu. These often come as a set with ramen, a rice dish or a soy meat side and a dessert and are usually cheaper than buying the items separately. Although you can order just the special item ramen if you’d like to. The special menu is the only time they have desserts here, they don’t do it otherwise.
A seasonal special: Soy sauce-based and mushroom ramen with mushroom rice and yoghurt. A delicious and lighter bowl of ramen with meaty textured mushrooms. The yoghurt for dessert was very refreshing and broke up some of the oiliness!
Black sesame tantan, gyoza and the seasonal rice and dessert set. Red bean rice with soy meat chunks and yoghurt with brown sugar syrup and kinako powder – so sweet and refreshing!
Summer 2023 special menu
Currently, for summer 2023, their special menu item is “Black Sesami Cold Tantan Noodles”. A spicy noodle dish which comes with bean sprouts, mixed greens, fried eggplant, marinade goya and watermelon radish for ¥1,200.
For ¥1,500, you can also make it a set meal where you have two different options. Vegetable gyoza and plain rice or a mini bowl of rice with char-siu and a soy milk yoghurt with strawberry sauce.
Although I haven’t tried it yet, this dish sounds like the ideal meal for the sweltering Japanese summer!
Handy information about T’s Tantan
For those of you who haven’t got time to sit down and eat, they do a takeaway bento box that you can take with you and eat on the Shinkansen or later when you reach your destination!
Food to go:
Char-siu (soy meat) Bento | 雑穀ごはんの大豆チャーシューのヴィーガン弁当
Price: ¥1,000 (£5.53/ $7.17)
Allergens: wheat, peanuts, soy, sesame
Vegetable gyoza (10pcs) | 全部野菜の焼き餃子
Price: ¥1,000 (£5.53/ $7.17)
Allergens: wheat, peanuts, soy, sesame
Pot noodles
In each of their ramen restaurants, they sell pot noodles individually a special deal set or sometimes as a box of 12. Travelling around Japan, I would highly recommend picking some up as they are so convenient.
They are a must for us when exploring new areas of Japan, especially when we’re not sure what would be available for us in a new location. They’re incredibly handy on travel days when it’s late and we’re too tired to go anywhere – a great and reassuring item to have on hand, even if it’s just for a backup option. It’s saved us on numerous occasions!
Flavours of T’s Tantan pot noodles:
- Soy sauce ramen
- Tan-tan noodle soup
- Hot and sour noodle soup
You can also pick up these pot noodles at Natural Lawsons, a convenience store with vegan options, aimed at health-conscious consumers. If you’re in Chiba, Saitama, Kanagawa and Tokyo you’ll be able to find a Natural Lawsons nearby.
Things that are close to T’s Tantan Tokyo Station
- Imperial Palace | 13 min walk
- Go and find the Godzilla statue | 15 min walk
- Tokyo Tower | 30 min train, 46 min walk
- Senso-ji Temple | 18 min train
- Yaesu Shopping Mall | 4 min walk
Vegan options close to T’s Tantan Tokyo Station
V = vegan, VO = vegan option
- 2foods (Yaechika) | V | 5 min walk
- VEGs Japan | V | 9 min walk
- Chaya Macrobiotics (Hibiya) | VO | 31 min walk, 16 min train
- Revive Kitchen Three (Hibiya) | VO | 15 min walk, 11 min train
- KOMEDA is | V | 24 min walk, 15 min train
- Tenzo | V | 30 min walk, 17 min train
- Edo Kuzumochi | V Ice cream | 11 min walk
How to get to T’s Tantan Tokyo station
T’s Tantan – Gransta Tokyo (Keiyo Street)
The restaurant is inside the JR Line, so unless you’re travelling through the station, you will have to buy a ticket. It’s rather tricky to find as the station is so big, I’ve not managed to find it yet without getting lost.
Make sure you’re on the first floor and follow the signs for Keiyo Line. You’ll eventually come to Keiyo Street and once you find that, T’s Tantan is at the end, near the escalators on the right-hand side.
Address:
1F JR Tokyo Station, Marunouchi 1-9-1, Chiyoda, Tokyo, Japan, 100-0005
Nearest station:
T’s Tantan is in Tokyo Station
Open:
10:00 – 22:00 Monday to Sunday
T’s Tantan other locations
Ueno
Ikebukuro
Narita Airport Narita Terminal 1
Narita Airport Terminal 2 (It looks like the T’s in Terminal 2 is temporarily closed)
T’s Tantan is one of the few vegan restaurants in Tokyo that most people know about and the first vegan restaurant I had ever visited in Japan so I can’t believe it’s taken me so long to write about it!
Since then I’ve tried a LOT of vegan ramen in Japan, but T’s is up there on my favourites list. Not only for the taste but the variety, location, and convenience all makes it one of the best vegan ramen restaurants in Tokyo for me.
If you want to check out some more vegan ramen in Tokyo, you’ll definitely like this restaurant!
