Even Benihana Has Vegan Food—Try These Dishes on Your Next Visit
Folks dine in at Benihana for the theatrics—the chefs will cook up your dinner tableside. And as the vegan revolution continues, people who have ditched meat, dairy, and eggs can enjoy the same experience, since this traditional Japanese sushi and steak restaurant now offers delicious dishes free of animal-derived ingredients.
Here are the vegan options at Benihana that you have to try:
Appetizers
- Edamame: The beans are served warm and sprinkled with sea salt.
- Seaweed Salad: This tasty salad is seasoned with soy sauce, sesame, and lemon.
Sides
- Benihana Salad: This dish combines crisp greens, red cabbage, carrots, and grape tomatoes in a homemade tangy ginger dressing.
- Brown Rice
- White Rice
Sushi
- Vegetable Roll: This roll comes stuffed with green leaves, avocado, cucumber, red cabbage, and yamagobo. (Let me save you a Google search—yamagobo is Japanese pickled burdock root.)
- Cucumber Roll: This is a classic roll filled with cucumber.
Entrées
- Spicy Tofu Steak*
- Fried Rice: This dish isn’t on the menu, but the restaurant will prepare it especially for vegans. Just be sure to specify that you want it with vegetables instead of chicken and egg.
- Imperial Salad: This garden salad features edamame, grape tomatoes, cucumber, yellow pepper, and assorted other fresh vegetables.
*The Spicy Homemade Sauce contains a vegan “Supreme Beef Flavoring.”
Vegan Dressings
Garnish your dishes with these vegan dressings:
- Wasabi dressing
- Ginger dressing
- Balsamic vinegar and oil
Pro tip: Many online reviews state that Benihana chefs are eager to cater to vegan customers. Be sure to let them know you appreciate their efforts—they may even grill you up something really special.
*****
Looking for more vegan options at popular eateries? Check out PETA’s guide to ordering vegan at chain restaurants. And if you’re ready to do something great for animals, your health, and the environment, go vegan today!
