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Vegan
American
Pizza
Japanese
Macrobiotic
Western
Take-out
Gluten-free
Breakfast
Gluten-free vegan restaurant located a short walk east of Keihan Sanjo station. Menu items include fermented vegan cheese (also for sale), veggie burgers, soups, brown rice risotto, organic pasta, quiche, pancakes, raw cake, smoothies, hot drink. No fried food. Open Mon-Tue 9:30am-8:00pm, Thu-Sat 9:30am-8:00pm, Sun 9:30am-3:00pm, 5:00pm-8:00pm. Closed Wed. Last order for lunch 3pm, dinner 8:30pm.
352 Reviews
First Review by jennjt
ChloéBr
Points +67
Très satisfait - Edit
Nous y sommes allés deux fois. Les portions ne sont pas si petites que ça lorsqu'on est habitué à la quantité généralement servie au Japon (Je vis à Tokyo). Cependant si vous avez encore faim n'hésitez pas à prendre les pancakes, ils sont très rassasiants. Ambiance très cosy. Je recommande vivement d'y faire un tour.
Read morePros: Cosy, Taste, The water system
Guest
BigSwerty
Points +72
Tasty - Great artisan cheese! - Edit
Yummy in my tummy
Read moreGuest
EmilijaKa
Points +41
Awesome place for breakfast - Edit
I know it can be a bit complicated to survive as a vegan in Japan but this place was like a gem in Kyoto. I went there twice and I will go and go there while I'm in Kyoto. My recommendation it to go here for breakfast 8-10:30 you can get an amazing vegan breakfast in this place. They also have a big vegan cheeses edition. Mozzarella is insane, it's literally so good. You can try it on the Margarita pizza. Food it really good, but still healthy. Everything is gluten free as well.
Read moreUpdated from previous review on 2016-10-28
Pros: Friendly staff, Nice vibe and atmosphere , Excellent food
Cons: A bit expensive , Quite small portions
Guest
bcrossley
Points +86
Just 'ok' - Edit
Great atmosphere, ok food, expensive prices and small portions! The price of alcohol was a bit OTT too. The vegan cheese is fantastic but overall I don't think I'd visit again, there are many places to eat vegan in Kyoto where you can get more flavour and value for your money.
Read morePros: Atmosphere , Great staff, Homemade vegan cheese
Cons: Price, Selection
Guest
HappyOtter
Points +317
Delicious - Edit
As someone who loves wheat-based staples I was a bit suspicious of the pasta, but the pasta bolognese turned out to be absolutely fantastic. It's about the right size, too- it looks small, but the sauce itself is quite filling.
Read morePros: amazing cheese, good portion size
Cons: slightly expensive
Guest
kat.ross
Points +206
tasty food and beautiful decor - Edit
This place has been refurbished since the first time I went, and it is such an improvement. It feels a lot more fancy now, and the decor is warm and trendy, so cosy. I had the quiche and my friend had the cheese burger, and we were both happy with our food. They also do a really great soy latte. Next time I want to try their desserts!
Read morePros: great decor, nice variety of food, sells a few items - including a veggie cook book
Guest
stackcats
Points +66
beautiful cafe - Edit
I had a light dinner here, just the teriyaki pizza and some pancakes. Very good flavours and lovely staff. Perhaps a little pricey for the portion size.
Read moreGuest
EmmaCebuliak
Points +1890
Slightly Pricey, But Really Good - Edit
I've been to Choice twice now - first time just to try their cheese platter with a friend, and then for brunch with my husband. The cheese platter was really nice, but we found it was just a bit too pricey for the amount. Also, although I understand, we really just wanted to share the platter but were asked to order 1 menu item each. I really enjoyed going for brunch, however, and although the portions were still small, it was delicious. The chocolate pancakes in particular were SO YUMMY. The atmosphere is nice and the staff are very polite (first time we went they were a little cold, but second time they were super friendly). They had no objection to me staying for a long time working on my computer after my husband left, and offered to let me use the power outlet without me even asking. I was incredibly impressed when they gave me a free soy latte because I voluntarily moved to a counter seat when the place filled up! This isn't somewhere I'd go regularly, due to the expense, but it still gets 5 stars because I think the quality deserves it.
Read moreUpdated from previous review on 2017-02-11
Pros: Nice, slightly upscale food, Pleasant decor and atmosphere, Decently sized 100% vegan menu
Cons: Expensive
Guest
jess.e.e
Points +36
food was amazing! - Edit
Food was so lovely. Had a pizza and taco salad. Even the husband loved it! The vegan cheese is insanely good.
Read morePros: fast service, delicious food, good portion sizes
Cons: bit pricey
Guest
Tamagotchi
Points +24
Delicious Food, Warm Atmosphere and Lovely Staff - Edit
This was my first vegan restaurant visit in Kyoto and I must say, I was not disappointed with the absolutely delicious food! I had the vegan basil pizza with a soy latte and a chocolate cake for dessert. I didn't want the food to end! My only complaint with this place was the portion size. The pizza was really much too small for me, I was still quite hungry when we left.
Read morePros: Mouth-watering Food, Beautiful Interior Design, Friendly Staff
Cons: The portions were too small for me!
Guest
smilingsunflower
Points +71
Not very impressionable - Edit
I really tried to like choice, hence I went there twice, but each time I went the food was not anything to rave about and the portion size is very small. It is a very nice, well lit, and neat cafe but it feels like a doctor's office (the owner of the restaurant is a doctor, which is probably why it feels that way).
Read moreThe first time I went with friends, we ordered a pizza, and two pastas. The pizza crust was very thin and a bit oily. The cheese texture was almost like real cheese but overall it did not really taste like a pizza and was quite bland. There were two different pastas that we ordered, one was a mozzarella and tomato pasta and the other was a cheese cream sauce one. Again the cheese was very good, almost like real cheese, but both pastas did not leave a lasting impression. There were three of us and the amount of food we got was probably enough for two people at most.
The second time I went, I ordered the burrito. For about 1000 yen I was expecting the burrito to be medium size but when I got my food it was almost a kid's size portion. It was good but it was not filling and surprisingly very oily (but the oil was what gave it any flavor). I decided to give the cream sauce pasta another chance and ordered it again, but the result was the same as the last time.
Overall this is a good place for tea time or a light meal, for vegans and vegetarians, but I do not recommend this place for lunch or dinner because you will definitely leave hungry and disappointed,
Updated from previous review on 2016-09-27
Pros: Completely vegan, good vegan cheese, very clean
Cons: Portion size , not very filling, overprized
Guest
RemyWilliams
Points +94
A great choice for vegans - Edit
We went here for breakfast, and amongst 3 people enjoyed the chocolate pancakes, the teriyaki burger and the basil tomato burger. All food is gluten free, making it a great choice for celiac's. The pancakes are Japanese style; meaning they are thick & small. The teriyaki burger was my personal favourite. It was drizzled with teriyaki, and topped with caramelized onions! The cafe is also a relaxing refuge from the heat. It's fitted out with plants, comfortable seating and a selection of books to flick through whilst you eat. Additionally, the staff are helpful & friendly. Overall a lovely cafe.
Read morePros: Gluten free, Nice settings
Cons: Less flavoursome than other vegan food in Kyoto
Guest
Stevie
Points +11765
Choice Cafe, Kyoto - Edit
Excellent food. There's less expensive places in the world but that's Japan.
Read morePros: All vegan, Tasty food
Guest
nonnis
Points +28
Tasty but expensive - Edit
Had açai bowl (1200¥) and GF pancakes (1400¥?). Good and tasty but nothing special and thus a bit expensive.
Read morePros: open quite early (compared to other vegan places)
Cons: expensive
Guest
Ajolote
Points +1777
good service, average food, pricy - Edit
Maybe I'm spoiled living in California and being a shareholder of the best vegan cheese in the world, in any case, the five cheese platter had tiny portions and was very expensive -2000¥. My pizza was tasty, but it was actually a crepe and the burrito was a rolled up crepe. The burger was the winner of the night. The desserts were pretty good too
Read moreGuest
Bridiekate
Points +68
a great choice - Edit
It was a relief to find this cafe being a vegan coeliac. All of the menu is gluten free except for the pasta. Portions are small and on the pricey end but any coeliac would be happy to pay for a tasty, safe meal in Japan. After just a few days I've found it hard to get anything without wheat. So thank you choice for a great meal. I will be back again while I'm in Kyoto.
Read morePros: lots of gluten free, great vegan cheese, lovely at
Cons: price, portion size
Guest
Skutbag
Points +144
Western options and gluten free - Edit
Agree that the time and location listed are not correct. If you get to Sanjokeihan tube stop you are close, don't give up! It's not in the nearby block/section of 5-6 restaurants where I initially thought it would be. It is only over the other side of the river so very possible to visit if you have been mainly hanging around the center.
Read moreSadly we failed to find this on our first attempt and only revisited twice before our time in Kyoto was up. We would have loved to try the breakfast/brunch as it is near impossible to find a vegan breakfast anywhere.
However, once we had found it it was worth the effort. Service good, staff spoke good English and there was quite a good variety for dinner. All in all if you are in Kyoto for more than a day or two, you will probably want to try this place.
The pizzas, while nice, would probably make an Italian confused, arguably I would say they are savoury crepes more than pizzas. Although I have no idea how to make a gluten free pizza so credit to them for this. The pasta dishes we had on our second visit were a bit more interesting and filling. The wine, beer and sake are all reasonably priced.
The star was the chocolate pancakes though which comes in a size sufficient for two to share with chocolate faux ice cream.
Everything is gluten free though neither of us had an issue with this. There are interesting Japanese books and comics around which appear to be informational/educational about various dietary issues. However the staff aren't pushy about this if it concerns you that you might get a lecture!
Pros: Nice interior, Welcoming staff, Breakfast, lunch and dinner
Cons: Pizza-esque, Ever so slightly over priced
Guest
Beeble
Points +34
Saviour - Edit
My boyfriend is coeliac and I can't have cows milk and prefer vegetarian. Particularly gluten-free is difficult in Japan, and so we didn't book in any breakfasts in any hotels, knowing that most wouldn't be able to cope. Come in this amazing place. Great location next to one of the major tube stations/roads. We ate breakfast there every morning during our stay in Kyoto and always was the service lovely and quick. It's usually quite quiet, which is actually quite nice and peaceful. To have both vegan and gluten-free has been amazing. The vegan cheese is very creamy and flavourful - I wish I could take some home with me. We were also there for an evening and again service was nice and food delivered quickly. I personally think the price is not expensive for such special food at all!
Read morePros: location , gluten-free as well, nice drinks
Guest
Brinielou
Points +169
Over Priced and Disappointing - Edit
Firstly the closing time and location on Happy Cow are slightly wrong. They were open Sunday until 9 and it is a little further down the street than what the map tracks.
Read moreI had the risotto which was nice but nothing special.
My partner had the Teriyaki Burger and was so disappointed. The dough for the bun wasn't completely cooked and it had such little lettuce, if you even wanted tomato you had to pay more. For these two, quite small portions and a juice it was $3,300.
Restaurant was empty and we weren't too surprised after
Pros: Nice interior
Cons: High Prices, Small Portions, Average Food
Guest
SusanRoberts
Points +1006
Really delicious! - Edit
Tasty, cheesy, comfort food! Pasta with cream sauce very satisfying, particularly in combination with the cheese plate and organic wine. Pancakes are a perfect dessert (if you're sharing and still have room! Loved it all.
Read moreGuest
madoublethew
Points +382
Not a good choice - Edit
I would not recommend Choice. The menu was uninspired, the portions were small and the prices were comparatively high. Do not under any circumstances order the burrito. The pasta was fine, but again, a waste of money. I had the cheesecake dessert, which was okay, but overpowered by cocoa powder which was garnishing the plate. There are plenty of other places in the vicinity that are better.
Read moreGuest
Arthama
Points +20
incredible food - Edit
They have an impressive menu. They also produce own cheese made of raw cashews. Delicious cheeses, by the way. For my short stay in kyoto I plan to come back. Simply amazed.
Read moreGuest
thecholl
Points +117
Not bad for gluten free - Edit
I believe this place is a gluten free joint. I had a burger while my partner had a pasta dish. Both were good though my partner felt his dish was a little mean-portioned.
Read moreWe also enjoyed a couple of smoothies, but again, I felt they were a little mean for a small size (especially, if some of the glass is taken up with ice -- not good form!)
I was not especially enticed by the choices on the dessert menu so we skipped this.
Pros: Non smoking
Cons: Could be better value for money
Guest
Tbms1992
Points +131
Yummy vegan pasta and cheeses! - Edit
My partner and I being self confessed fat vegans loved having a bowl of cheesy pasta and cheese cake for dessert! Visited here twice. Restaurant itself is very relaxed, playing jazz music and the waitress spoke good English. They make a range of delicious vegan cheeses which you can buy on their own. The baguettes at the French chain Via de France are also vegan so my advice would be to buy a baguette and some cheese from Choice and enjoy (if you are a carb fiend like we are) ;)
Read moreGuest
mamba
Points +1392
Great food! - Edit
The restaurant is clearly health-oriented, the atmosphere rather "clean". But, anyway, the food is really really good! I wish I had visited this restaurant earlier, so that I could have come back for a second or even third time... I had quiche, soup, salad, bread, everything was good, the quiche and the bread were outstanding! They also have more creative dishes on their menu, and a huge selection of vegan cheese!
Read moreThe location is easy to find and near tourist spots!
Pros: the food, easy to find
Cons: lack of atmosphere
Guest
SagaVigreBohinen
Points +1079
Healthy food with wonderful staff! - Edit
This is a beautiful decorated vegan cafe/lunch/restaurant. It has a cozy cafe vibe and the staff is super nice and helpful. If you have a hard time finding herbal tea for your stay in Kyoto they sell some teas and also chocolate!
Read moreWe went there twice during our stay in Kyoto because it was about 1 min from our hotel! We had the pasta with their home made vegan cheese one night and pancakes the other night! The food is a bit expensive for how much you get, I would suggest ordering a starter first but don't come here if you're on a tight budget. The pancakes are great but a bit dry, which I didn't mind!
Overall a nice cafe but not a must-visit!
Pros: Wonderful interior , Cosy atmosphere, Great staff
Cons: Too expensive , Small portions
Guest
Greenkangaroo
Points +21
average - Edit
Western style menu. We ate risotto and vegetarian stroganoff. A place to go but nothing special and rather expensive.
Read moreCons: quite expensive
Guest
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