Tokyo’s plant-based food scene is experiencing a surge of growth and innovation, with new restaurant openings and events catering to the city’s growing vegan community. Next Restaurant is a new vegan dining establishment located in the heart of Tokyo, in the enormously popular Omotesando location that has become the epicenter of vegan eating only this month.

Next Restaurant, which is a plant-based pickup and delivery restaurant concept of Wayback Burgers Asia Inc., is the next in line for customers to experience. The cooking style means the restaurant is able to effectively be contained within a small area and offers a plethora of vegan and gluten-free options. Some of what to expect in the different bento boxes are the Next Foie Gras Kalbi Bento, Next Short Rib Bento, and Next Vegan Cheesesteak, which is entirely on no meat or dairy products.

Koichi Ishizuka, CEO of Wayback Burgers Asia, explained the concept behind Next Restaurant: So, we are creating a brand new post-COVID restaurant business model based in Tokyo and moving outward. The old school restaurants are now struggling with high cost of food acquisition and the problem of labour to prepare good healthy food is equally pressing, yet on the other consumers are demanding better value to their money.

The company also has big plans for growth in the near future, with the Kumamoto second franchise store scheduled for launch before the end of the financial year 2024. Wayback Burgers Asia is also currently open for franchise applications as it plans to expand within Japan and beyond.

Besides new restaurants, the vegans of Tokyo are looking forward to the Tokyo Vegan Gourmet Festival in September, 29, 2024. The event will be held at Kiba Park and the new edition of the annual event will present a variety of vegan and plant-based food products. Visitors can expect to sample innovative plant-based dishes, learn about sustainable food options, and connect with like-minded individuals from 10:00 AM to 4:00 PM.

This rise in fame of the festival represents the expansion of consumers’ choice of plant-based products in Tokyo. Closely tracking the last rest data from Happy Cow, there are almost 800 vegan and vegetarian restaurants in NYC today that were not in previous years.

If successful conventional restaurants that cater to vegans were opened in the first place then they are also now continuing to perform well. Saido Japanese is still popular for being an exclusive vegan dining place that serves tasty and authentic Japanese dishes. The restaurant aims for a greater dining experience and flexitarian kitchen prepares several different courses of vegan Japanese food, such as vegan sushi, tempura, or ramen.

The two restaurants called 2foods are in Tokyo, and customers are still frequenting this venue largely due to the variety in the menu – a section with Western delicacies and temptations and a section with Japanese favorites. Their vegan Omurice, which is the Japanese version of an omelet, usually prepared with beef, has been a favorite among the people in Sri Lanka and other visitors.

T’s, a veteran in Tokyo’s vegan scene since 2009, has expanded to four locations across the city, testament to the growing demand for plant-based options. Another big hit at the restaurant is the vegan ramen which has also become a really popular dish for vegans and non-vegans tourists in Tokyo.

As Tokyo’s vegan food scene continues to evolve, it’s clear that plant-based dining is no longer a niche market but a significant and growing part of the city’s renowned culinary landscape. As fresh ideas such as Next Restaurant open new consecutive establishments, or serving vegetarian and vegan food for decades, Tokyo strengthens its position as one of the best places for vegan cuisines Visitors from all over the world will appreciate.