Monpan Shokudo - Kyoto

Very wholesome, healthy food and a very beautiful restaurant.

The best food we had in Japan during 4 weeks of travelling. Really nice couple that cooks fresh and with A LOT of vegetables!!! My husband and I found them on happycow when we searched for a vegetarian friendly restaurant in Kyoto (which is not easy at all, if you don't have a lot of money). Let me tell you, going there doesn't feel like a restaurant , it feels like visiting your aunt and uncle after a long time! They have a table outside, 2 japanese style tables and 2 normal tables, so the restaurant fits about up to 16 people at max, more likely 12. They have a really big vegetarian menu! The food is really awesome!!! Their specialty is Mon Pan (monguru pan/mongolian bread), which is a fried flatbread filled with a lot of salad, veggies and a few extra toppings your can order. You can also get sweet Mon Pan as a dessert, really good aswell!!! They have a lot of other dishes aswell, like yakisoba, budda bowl, stirfry and brown rice. We had such a good time there that we went there three times in four days! And the food was not expensive, what is really rare in Kyoto. We were really sad when we had to say goodbye to them on the last day.

This charming little restaurant offers the most delicious Mongolian bread filled with fresh seasonal ingredients. The menu may change depending on availability, and they even offer vegetarian options, which is uncommon in Japan. In addition to their mouthwatering bread, dishes like boar curry and grilled shiitake are also highly recommended. The cozy atmosphere makes you feel like you are dining in the owner's living room, surrounded by local neighbors and occasionally international students. It is a comfortable and delightful dining experience.

Place does not see a normal restaurant and it is on a very quiet street but I would recommend to go there if you are nearby. Owner was a very nice lady and understood when I ordered the food vegan and also considered my allergies (I had them in Japanese on a paper. We ate the bread. Delicious! The owner has a cat that might come down, but not while we were unfortunately there:

A great little jewel. This place offers a wide range of vegan fusion dishes, all customizable. At the entrance they asked the owners whether we were vegetarians or vegans, and they understood perfectly what vegan meant and offered to make any dish vegan. I had the Monpan and my friend had the vegan Buddha scarf. Both were delicious and very full! The restaurant is very unique and at home, the owners extremely friendly, and the food was amazing! It felt like going to a beloved grandma for dinner. They offer an English menu and one of the owners speaks English, so it is very tourist friendly. A large selection of drinks is also available, and the price is very reasonable! All in all, I recommend this place. If I could, I would give it 5 stars.