【Cafe Neighbors】A cozy, vegan-friendly cafe where the owners welcome you.

"We hope people will feel free to drop by as if they were visiting our neighborhood."

Named after such a wish, “Cafe Neighbors” is located on a quiet street corner in Kyoto, a short distance away from the busy center of Shijo-Omiya in Kyoto City. There, you will find not only special vegan menus, but also a comfortable atmosphere created by the “warm-hearted people” and "cosy space".

From office worker to cafe owner

The cafe is run by a husband-and-wife couple who had worked as office workers for many years.

While cherishing their daily lives, they suddenly realized that they had long dreamed of opening a café someday. Since they loved learning English, they decided to start Neighbors Cafe as a place where they could enjoy English conversation and have a good meal at the same time.

The beginning of “vegan-friendly”

What surprised them when they opened the restaurant was the large number of visitors from overseas. Today, more than 90% of the customers are from overseas, especially in the mornings, and they are tourists from Europe, the United States, the Middle East, and Asian countries. Of course, the cafe is also available in English, and events are regularly held to enjoy English conversation.

Cafe Neighbors is dog-friendly and vegan-friendly. Guide dogs and pet dogs are of course welcome.

It was not that we had specifically put out a “vegan-friendly” policy from the beginning. 

They naturally became a “vegan-friendly” cafe, as they politely responded to individual requests through conversations with customers.

Some customers also want to be gluten-free or have religious restrictions. As they continue to talk with people with such backgrounds, their “let's start with what we can do” attitude has created an atmosphere of a café where anyone can stop by and feel at ease.

Gentle flavors made with local vegetables and domestic ingredients

They try to use local vegetables, domestic flour, sugar, and other ingredients as much as possible. “I don't have a strong preference for domestic products but I just feel that it makes the food taste better and more secure.” Ms. Takahashi says.

For example, the most popular carrot cake is made with Japanese brown sugar to give it a deep and gentle flavor. The popular “tacos” are also made from corn flour, and the dough is baked each time. Recipes without meat, eggs, or alcohol are also available. The menu can be enjoyed by anyone, satisfying the hearts and stomachs of travelers visiting Japan.

A cozy place to be remembered

When we asked Mr. Takahashi, “What is the charm of this store?” He quietly said, "More than the special coffee, I want people to enjoy the time and space of drinking coffee with someone else.

Rather than having special dishes, we want this place to be "a place that you will suddenly remember on your way home. On the walls of the restaurant, pictures and artwork by artists and university students are displayed on a monthly basis, making it a place that is open to the local community.

Customers are naturally open and tolerant with each other, and the entire café has a warm and welcoming atmosphere. That is why, you may feel “I kind of like this café,” even if you speak a different language or culture.

Please visit the cafe of the owners, who will welcome you friendly and warmly.

【Cafe Neighbors】

Address：47-5 Mibubojocho, Nakagyo Ward, Kyoto, 604-8804

Opening Hours：8:30 ~ 18:00

Close Day：Tuesday & The 1st and 3rd Wednesday

HP：https://cafe-neighbors.com/

Instagram：https://www.instagram.com/cafe_neighbors_kyoto