Teppan Tavern Tenamonya
Teppan Tavern Tenamonya is a small teppanyaki restaurant in Kyoto that serves high quality, A5 wagyu beef. They also have vegetarian and vegan options, which is very rare – in fact this is the only restaurant I’ve found in Japan that does! So if you’re a vegetarian or vegan travelling together with meat eaters who want to try Japanese wagyu beef, you can both enjoy a meal together.
It’s a small, cosy restaurant run by a couple who both chefs. They’re so friendly, which makes it a lovely experience to spend time there. There are only a couple of tables, plus seats around the grill, so they can only accommodate 7 tables each night.
The walls are covered in messages and gifts from customers from around the world, and it’s easy to see why so many people love it so much.
A5 Wagyu Beef
On this trip, we were on a quest to find genuine wagyu beef. This quest took us through Tsukiji Market and Kobe. In Kobe we really struggled to find anywhere with vegetarian options that served Kobe beef, as most restaurants focus on just beef, with set menus. We also tried Tajima beef at a ryokan in Kinosaki, which was very good, but the A5 wagyu here at Teppan Tavern Tenamonya was even better. It’s the real deal, cooked perfectly by a skilled teppanyaki chef – and for a very reasonable price.
The most popular options are the set menus that include wagyu beef, from only 3000 yen up to 3650 yen, for the medium-sized serving of beef. You can also order beef a la carte to create your own meal.
It’s served with wasabi, freshly grated from a wasabi root, which is fragrant and a whole taste experience in itself. Most wasabi, even in Japan, isn’t fresh and doesn’t always contain real wasabi (it can be a mix of horseradish and food colouring). I’d definitely recommend trying it if you get the chance!
What else is on the menu?
As well as wagyu beef, there are various grilled meats, fish and vegetables. Like many teppanyaki restaurants, there’s also okonomiyaki (shredded cabbage in batter with toppings) and yakisoba (fried noodles).
You can browse the whole menu on their website (in English).
We were extremely happy with everything we ordered, and wanted to try everything on the menu!
I tried negiyaki, which is like okonomiyaki but made with spring onions, so it’s lighter:
See what it’s like
See what it’s like – and most importantly, what the food’s like! – in my video on YouTube:
Vegetarian / Vegan Options
There’s a whole page of vegetarian options on the menu – plenty for a whole meal, and there’s enough that there’s a choice! This really is a luxury in Japan, where most restaurants don’t have any vegetarian options. Many dishes are also vegan – just watch out for egg.
Gluten-Free Options
There’s a small selection of gluten-free options on the menu, including gluten-free gyoza.
Drinks
There’s a large, izakaya-style selection of drinks, including Japanese beer, sake, whiskey, plum wine and cocktails.
I tried the sake tasting set for 1000 yen, which was a great way to try different varieties and compare the difference in flavour. This is the beginner set, and there’s also an advanced selection:
Easy for non-Japanese speakers
The couple who run the restaurant spoke excellent English. The whole experience is very accessible for foreigners, and yet it’s still a very authentic, small Japanese restaurant with a local feel – the best sort of place! There’s an English menu, their website’s available in English and you can make reservations easily online.
Location
Teppan Tavern Tenamonya is in central Kyoto, on the edge of Gion and walkable from the main Southern Higashiyama sightseeing area around Kiyomizudera.
The restaurant’s on Google Maps – but be aware it’s at basement level, so look out for the sign. You’ll need to go down some steps in a doorway to get to it (shown in the video).
It’s right by Yasaka Shrine, which is a lovely spot for an after dinner stroll – it’s so beautiful at night with the lanterns lit up, and much, much quieter than during the day.
How to make a reservation
You can reserve a table on their website, in English.
As they only take 7 bookings per night, it’s sold out every day. You can check the calendar on their website to see when you can reserve. I’d recommend setting a reminder and reserving as soon as you’re able to! I’d definitely recommend it – it was one of the best meals we’ve had in Japan!
As it’s a small restaurant, there’s a maximum group size of 4 people.
More restaurants with vegetarian options
It’s not easy being vegetarian in Japan, especially when you’re travelling with meat eaters and don’t want to drag them to vegetarian restaurants every day!
I have a list of restaurants in Tokyo with vegetarian options, focussing on Japanese styles of food – because if you’re travelled all the way around the world to Japan, you want to try authentic, local food! It’s not all brown rice and salads. Here’s the list:
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