Tucked away between the vibrant neighborhoods of Shimo-Kitazawa Station and Sazazuka Station, Vegan Soba Tokyo Ayler is a hidden gem that effortlessly blends modern vibes with mouthwatering vegan delights. From the moment you hear the lively jazz tunes spilling onto the street to the first sip of their expertly brewed coffee, Ayler promises an unforgettable experience. Whether you're a soba enthusiast or simply seeking a cozy spot with high-energy charm, this compact yet stylish eatery will leave you coming back for more. Let’s dive into what makes Ayler a must-visit for anybody in Tokyo!
About Vegan Soba Tokyo Ayler
Vibrant music will let you know when you are near-by the shop: When my friend and I went, the owner was blasting catchy jazz music on an old record player, and occasionally asking us what our music preferences are to adjust the vibe.
The front of the shop is open, letting in lots of light and inviting people passing by to have a glance at the counter with coffee and cooking equipment, easily getting curious about this unique place.
The inside is quite small, with just two seats at a small table and a few standing spots to eat at the counter. However, it felt very cozy in there. The energy of the restaurant and staff were amazing, very high vibe and up-lifting. I thoroughly enjoyed my stay there. Also, don’t worry if you cannot speak Japanese. The staff’s English was very good!
As for food, you can choose between three different soba dishes and they temporarily have udon on the menu es well. They also offer sweets, but apparently not on the day I went. The best part: Everything is 100% vegan!
Dishes I tried
This was my very first time being able to eat soba at a restaurant, as I was already vegan the first time I came to Japan about 9 years ago. I thought about going for the traditional soba dish where you dip the noodles into tsuyu - a soy sauce based dipping source that usually includes fish sauce. However, if one brings their own vegan tsuyu, this kind of soba can be enjoyed at lots of places. Therefore, I went for the tempura soba which was a more soup-like dish and not as easily veganizable at other restaurants. I definitely want to try the traditional soba next time though!
The soba is nihachi soba, which means that the noodles consist of 80% buckwheat and 20% wheat flour.
Tempura Soba (Kakiage)
I had already seen pictures of this dish before on instagram and really wanted to try it because it looked so mouthwatering! I could easily tasted that everything was freshly prepared with lots of care. The soft but firm soba noodles were carefully placed in a large bowl with a rich broth that included kombu (a kind of seaweed often used for soups as it adds umami taste), which gave it a very deep and Japanese taste.
The tempura was kakiage-style, which means that instead of just one large fried vegetable, several different ones are cut into small pieces and mixed into the batter, making every bite taste unique! It was very crispy and flavorful, but even after getting soggy after a while it still tasted amazing because it sucked in the rich flavor of the broth. I absolutely enjoyed every bite of the dish and it made me very full and happy. The portion was quite large, but if you are extra hungry, for only 100¥ you can get an even bigger portion.
Oat milk latte
The restaurant is equipped with a full blown professional espresso machine, and the staff seems to be a professional at it, because the latte tasted amazing! It didn’t have that strong oat milk flavor some oat lattes have, and was super creamy. The coffee in it was perfect as well - It had the just the right amount of bitterness and no sour note at all.
I also wanted to try their sweets, but I couldn’t see them at the counter or on the menu. I will try to get some next time! I think they would go amazingly with the coffee. And I find it such an amusing combination that they sell coffee, sweets AND soba. Definitely one of my favorite vegan spots in Tokyo now!
Details
Price span
500¥-1500¥
Hours
09:00-16:00
Closed on Sundays, Mondays
Adress
4 Chome-24-15 Kitazawa, Setagaya City, Tokyo 155-0031
What is Veganism?
"Veganism is a philosophy and way of living which seeks to exclude—as far as is possible and practicable—all forms of exploitation of, and cruelty to, animals for food, clothing or any other purpose; and by extension, promotes the development and use of animal-free alternatives for the benefit of animals, humans and the environment. In dietary terms it denotes the practice of dispensing with all products derived wholly or partly from animals.“
- The Vegan Society
Reasons to choose vegan alternatives:
Protect animals from suffering horrendously and getting killed
A whole-food plant-based vegan diet has the least environmental impact
A whole-food plant-based vegan diet is extremely healthy and can help reversing various diseases like type 2 diabetes or heart diseases.
For people, as a vegan diet requires only one third of the land needed to support a meat and dairy diet.
PLANT-BASED: A Guide to a more Sustainable Lifestyle
Check out my Kyoto Sightseeing x Vegan Food Guides
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