We check out AIN SOPH.ripple in Kabukicho, Shinjuku

The following was originally featured on dennisamith.com

When it comes to vegan restaurants, a restaurant chain that many people always feel confident in are AIN SOPH. restaurants.

AIN SOPH. is celebrating their 10th year anniversary in December 2019 and each restaurant offers different style and meal offerings.

With the main vegan restaurant located in Ginza known as “AIN SOPH.Ginza” near Higashi Ginza Station and has a vegan patisserie and Truberry cafe, parfait and sweets restaurant AIN SOPH.Soar in Ikebukuro and vegan restaurant at AIN SOPH.Journey in Shinuku and Kyoto/

But when it comes to vegan burgers and burritos, AIN SOPH.ripple is well-known for having the best and often attracting many people who want a healthy place to eat. And many proclaim the restaurant as “the best vegan burgers/burritos in Tokyo!”.

With a ripple restaurant located in Kabukicho, Shinjuku (Note: ripple2 which opened earlier in the year in Hiroo, Shibuya, recently closed down to slow sales at the end of April).

As my primary diet consists of eating veggie burgers, I’m always excited to try a very good veggie burger, so I couldn’t wait to try AIN SOPH.ripple.

The first thing you will notice is the wooden exterior and interior.

The water was self-serve but you can ordered numerous bottled drinks.

For the most part, tables were clean (note they are communal tables in the sense of high school or junior high lunch tables in the cafeteria, not individual tables) and there is a booth table facing the window.

Customer service was good. But it’s a different atmosphere compared to Mr. FARMER restaurants I have attended.

I noticed that possibly because of the Kabukicho location, there were more expats and foreigners eating at AON SOPH.ripple, whereas Mr. FARMER restaurants, I saw mostly all Japanese patrons.

I came for the ripple cheese burger (which features vegan cheese), french fries with cheese sauce and for desert, a chocolate brownie ice cream.

The ripple cheese burger is the most pricey burger on their menu (which is actually cheaper than a normal burger in Tokyo) at Y1250 and comes with a vegan patty, vegan cheese, guacamole, lettuce, tomato, onion and aurora sauce.

They also offer a normal ripple burger (without the vegan cheese) for Y1100, a crispy soy chicken burger (soy chicken, cabbage, tartar sauce) for Y1100 and falafel burger (falafel, hummus, lettuce, tomato, vegan sour cream) for Y1000.

For a PDF version of the menu, please click here

I found the veggie burger to be delicious, the sauce brought the flavor out and the vegan cheese was good. I didn’t have a bland burger or mushy burger.

The fries with cheese sauce and ice cream were also very good!

For the most part, I did enjoy AIN SOPH.ripple and I feel it’s a restaurant that I will visit again.

I feel that it was interesting that the restaurant is located in Kabukicho, not far from the host clubs and Robot Restaurant area. I would have imagined the placed to be located in Omotesando/Harajuku versus Shinjuku but considering the attraction of foreign travelers and expats to Kabukicho and the fact that many people do go ripple, I suppose Kabukicho was a very good choice of location.

I did like the vibe and ambiance and the healthy focus of AIN SOPH.’s message can be seen in the restaurant.

But if you were to ask me if I feel it’s the best vegan burger in Tokyo? It’s a subjective answer.

While AIN SOPH.ripple’s veggie burger was very good, I still give an edge to Mr. FARMER’s veggie burger, which I feel you get more bang for your buck (or yen).

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