I absolutely love Taiwanese food — one of my all-time best vegan dining experiences was actually in Taiwan. The flavours were unforgettable, and the quality was next-level. Definitely in my top three ever!
So during my recent trip to Tokyo, I couldn’t resist trying out a Taiwanese spot I’d heard great things about. The owner, who’s half Japanese and half Taiwanese, opened it with a deep passion for Taiwanese tea culture and vegetarian cuisine (known as su-shi in Taiwan).
They serve:
• Authentic Taiwanese tea brewed from carefully sourced leaves imported directly from Taiwan
• Beautifully crafted vegetarian dishes with a creative mix of Asian and Western flavours
A true gem for tea lovers and plant-based foodies — full of heart, flavour, and elegance.
Here’s what I ordered!
Ma-ra-Soboro donburi with veggie dumpling & tofu pudding
Ma-ra-Soboro donburi with veggie dumpling & tofu pudding – 1480 Yen
This dish is available on the lunch menu only, and it’s a flavour-packed fusion you won’t want to miss.
“Mala Soboro” brings together the bold, numbing heat of Chinese mala spice with the savoury, crumbled style of Japanese soboro—all made plant-based using Taiwanese herbs. The spiced mince is rich and aromatic, with a hint of sweetness and a generous topping of fresh coriander for balance.
Served alongside are handmade dumplings paired with a fragrant dipping sauce made from black vinegar, ginger, mala, and coriander. A perfect blend of heat, tang, and herbaceous depth — absolutely delicious.
If you order this dish, you can ask for no egg to make it fully vegan!
Chimaki set
Homemade Chimaki comes with spring rolls, salads & fruits – 1100 Yen
Chimaki is a traditional sticky rice dish wrapped in bamboo leaves and steamed to perfection. My hubby and I absolutely love chimaki! Ours is packed with peanuts, chestnuts, shiitake mushrooms, and soy ham — first stir-fried with sticky rice, then steamed until fragrant. So yum… I’m completely obsessed!
My lunch set included the original Taiwanese tofu pudding, which my hubby loved so much he ordered one for himself too.
There are three types of Taiwanese tofu pudding, but he chose the “Taiwanese Medicinal Tofu Pudding” (Yaku zen tofu) — which isn’t too “medicinal” in flavor, a plus for me. This beloved dessert features silky tofu pudding in black sugar syrup, topped with tapioca pearls, jujubes (red dates), goji berries, black glutinous rice, Job’s tears, azuki beans, mung beans, oats, and black beans. Loved all the toppings! It had a gentle, sweet, and comforting flavor. You can choose it warm or cold; he went for the warm version.
Ginger tea latte
Ginger tea latte – 680 Yen
While I was trying to decide which Taiwanese tea to order—so many tempting options—my hubby’s black sugar ginger latte arrived… and it was absolutely gigantic! Possibly the biggest tea cup I’ve ever seen. He struggled to finish it, so I skipped ordering my own tea and just shared his. It’s a tea-based latte, not overly sweet (a big plus for me), with a rich, earthy flavour from the black sugar and a warming kick of ginger. Perfect choice too, since he was starting to feel unwell.
This restaurant follows Buddhist dietary principles and does not use the five pungent vegetables (garlic, onion, chives, leeks, and shallots). Even if you or your friends aren’t usually into Taiwanese food, there are other options like pizza and curry available too.
Check out my Instagram here for my experience!
Restaurant name: Tsumugu Cafe
Address: 1st floor, 3-36-20 Nishi-Ikebukuro, Toshima-ku, Tokyo *Along Rikkyo Street
Website: https://tsumugu-cafe.storeinfo.jp
DO YOU NEED HEALTHY VEGAN COOKING INSPIRATIONS?
Do you know I run a cooking school in Sydney?
Please come and join my healthy Japanese superfoods cooking class in Sydney. We offer vegan, vegetarian, gluten-free cooking classes that are filled with tasty and easy recipes. You will learn not only cooking skills and tips but also how to use Japanese ancient wisdom on a daily basis for your health, energy, and beauty! Don’t be afraid to make it a group event, corporate team building cooking classes, hens party cooking classes and other group classes are available, the more the merrier! Join my cooking class from HERE or leave me an inquiry HERE.
You don’t live in Sydney?
Don’t worry, there are two ways to learn Japanese cooking with me.
NEW Japanese online cooking classes coming soon! More information to come, subscribe HERE so you don’t miss out!
Plant Based Cookbooks
If you want to cook more easy and tasty Japanese vegan meals using Japanese superfoods – real key for Japanese health, please grab my vegan cookbook “Japanese Superfoods” or “Top 3 Japanese Superfoods for Natural Weightloss” or even better, you can have “Japanese Superfoods combo deal” to master Japanese Superfoods.
