Pivot Base Cafe & Bar ＠dotonbori

Visited this purely vegan restaurant in Osaka. It’s a great option for people who want only vegetarian/vegan food and don’t want to worry about non-veg ingredients being mixed in the dishes. The food was very good and they also have a nice selection of liquor. We had the Takoyaki set, stir-fried vegetables, and ramen along with Japanese whiskey. For dessert we tried mango panna cotta which was nice. One interesting drink to try here is beer with tomato juice. Overall, a great place for veg or vegan travelers looking for good food in Osaka.

- Santhosh Bhadran -

One of the vegan restaurant open over the new year and I had to personally find out for myself why they also received Happycow Award. Went there for dinner 2 consecutive days. Here's my rating: Tantan Ramen - Recommended by the Japanese guy. Spicy, creamy, finely chopped ingredients, love every spoonful of it. Takoyaki - Was softer than expected, but it goes well with the vegan cream served. It's served hot. Matcha Latte - Not on the sweet side but is still acceptable. The deep fried skewer thing - Love every aspects of it, goes well with the sauce that the wait staff had to introduce. (Look at picture for reference) Hamburg - The Italian guy introduced this dish as his favourite. Although I know how it came from, but nonetheless when deep fried with quality batter and oil, I would nonetheless introduce to people here. Gyoza - Was softer than expected, but perhaps I have not eaten enough gyozas in Japan to be able to comment on this. Yakisoba - Tasted soya sauce on the very sweet side, perhaps this is how it's cooked in Japan, would recommend as sharing plate instead of taking it down alone like me. The food is not only memorable, the wait staffs including the Burmese ladies are some of the most genuine people I spoken to, I wish I could come back again in near future with my loved ones rather than myself.

- Phillip Ho -

I’d give this place six stars (or even 10) if I could. Pivot Base was our go-to place for delicious vegan food in Dotonbori. I say this because the restaurant stays open without closing between the lunch and dinner rush. Finding a place that is open consistently so as it fits in with your plans can be tricky for vegan travellers trying to find a bite in Japan. Across several days I had the privilege of trying the vegan takoyaki, katsu curry, tantanmen ramen, gyoza, curry fries, and yakisoba… it was all superb. Worth every cent. My non-vegan partner enjoyed it all too! The staff were exceptional. It’s a nice vibe at Pivot Base and you can tell the staff are a true team. The kitchen is mostly within view of the tables, so it’s lovely to hear employees have fun with one another and singing softly to the tunes on the sound system. Despite their fun, it’s an incredibly relaxed and calm atmosphere in the cafe, and it is easy to chat to whoever you’re visiting with. Visiting Pivot BASE Cafe & Bar @ Dotonbori is a must for vegans in Osaka!

- Sarah Iuliano -