Tokyo ramen group Soranoiro (ソラノイロ) specializes in vegan, vegetarian, and gluten-free ramen. They're delicious to the point of earning nods from Michelin!
Vegan Ramen – Spicy and Shoyu
Soranoiro has changed their menu over the years and their latest vegan ramen is a spicy tantanmen. There’s a grand creaminess from the sesame seeds alongside hot chili oil. Tomatoes lend an acidic pop and mizuna a leafy crunch.
They also have a vegan shoyu (soy sauce) ramen. It’s maybe prettier than the tantanmen but in my opinion, not as tasty. It’s a light shoyu and is closer to a healthy vegetable soup.
Gluten-Free Shio Ramen
Soranoiro is one of the few places in Japan that serves gluten-free ramen. Theirs is a shio (salt)-based ramen. The gluten-free noodles are made from brown rice and taste earthy and have a texture closer to soba.
Note that this one isn’t vegan – chicken slices and egg come with it. It’s rare to find broccoli in ramen!
My Favorite – the “Veggie Soba”
This is the ramen that made them famous, including recognition from Michelin in their Bib Gourmand Guide. It used used to be vegan but now the ingenious carrot purée broth includes clam extract and butter.
But it’s still chock-full of veggies, with 1 bowl taking care of 75% of your recommended daily vegetable intake. Renkon (lotus root), basil-infused barley, carrots, tomatoes, cabbage, pumpkin, and broccoli.
The orange noodles are just as unique as everything else in the bowl. They use smoked paprika alongside wheat flour to make them. In the corner of every veggie soba bowl is a dash of yuzu kosho and hot miso paste -delightfully spicy and citrusy.
Seasonal Ramen available too
Now this one here is a seasonal…cold ramen with a niboshi (dried sardine) broth. The myouga, or Japanese ginger provides a nice garnish and matches the salty, cool noodles and shrimpy taste from the niboshi.
Keep an eye out for seasonal specials when you’re there.
At Tokyo Station or in Kojimachi
Soranoiro has a few shops around Tokyo, each one with a slightly different menu. The ramen you’ve seen here are available at their Tokyo Station shop, on Tokyo Ramen Street (“Soranoiro Nippon”).
Their flagship shop though in the Kojimachi / Hanzomon neighborhood. If you’re looking for Tokyo vegan ramen, look no further…Soranoiro is the place.
Tokyo Ramen Street:
Kojimachi Shop: