Tokyo Metropolitan Government Building Cafeteria (Shinjuku)

October 18, 2023 Shinjuku

Vegetarian Dish

Even to general public, The Tokyo Metropolitan Government’s cafeteria is open as long as we follow the proper procedures.

In fact, until the other day, I myself thought that only TMG employees were allowed to use the cafeteria.

Moreover, depending on the day of the week, vegan and vegetarian lunches are available!

So I went there right away and will tell you about the Tokyo Metropolitan Government’s cafeteria and its veggie menu.

Access

The nearest station is Tochomae Station on the Toei Oedo Line.
From Tochomae Station, the Tokyo Metropolitan Government Building No. 1 is right in front of you as you exit from Exit A3.

If you are coming from Shinjuku Station, the West Exit is the closest.
It takes about 10 minutes on foot.

Here I’ll show you how to get there from the underground passageway at the west exit of Shinjuku Station.

First, go to the West Exit Underground Plaza (西口地下広場) on the first basement floor of Shinjuku Station.

On the way to the West Exit Underground Plaza, you will see a signboard that says “Direction to Tokyo Metropolitan Government Building / Central Park(東京都庁・中央公園方面)”.

From the West Exit Underground Plaza, walk in the direction of the Keio New Line (diagonally to the left), and you will see a sign overhead that says “Direction to Tokyo Metropolitan Government Building(東京都庁方面)”.

Follow the sign and you will arrive at a wide passageway with a pedestrian walkway.

Continue straight through the underground passageway to the ground level, then continue straight for about 300 meters, and you will see the Tokyo Metropolitan Government Building on your left.

Google Map of Tokyo Metropolitan Government Building

 

To Tokyo Metropolitan Government Building No.1

Vegetarian menu is available every Monday at the cafeteria of Tokyo Metropolitan Government Building.

Top of it, on the first and third Monday of every week, the menu is vegan!

So, since I wanted to try the vegan menu, I came to the Tokyo Metropolitan Government Building No.1 on the third Monday of the month.

I hadn’t been to the TMG since I visited to see an exhibition of Banksy’s painting a few years ago!

When you enter the first floor, there is a visitor reception machine where you enter your name, purpose, etc.

A piece of paper with a bar code comes out and I hand it over to the receptionist waiting in front of the elevator.

And you will then be given a temporary pass.

With this, I went through the gate and took the elevator to the 32nd floor.

I was stunned by the size of the cafeteria, it is indeed the Tokyo Metropolitan Government.

It was around 1:30 p.m. and there were a good number of people, so I did not take a picture of the whole place, but the total number of seats was over 800!

I wondered where was the vegan menu, went to take a look and then

To my surprise, it was sold out today!

Vegan dishes of soy meat were all sold out!

I came all the way to the TMG just for this lunch!

I didn’t expect this, it’s already 1:30 p.m., well, I should have come earlier.

Still, it says 690 yen (About $4.6) for a bowl of rice, side dish and soup is pretty cheap!

So, let’s go home… no, I couldn’t give up, and what I remembered was the Tokyo Metropolitan Government Building No.2.

“That’s right, let’s go to the TMG Building No.2”

Actually, the cafeteria of Tokyo Metropolitan Government Building No.2 also offers a veggie menu on Mondays.
But the cafeteria of TMG Building No.2 offers its vegan menu only on the first Monday of the month.

However, for a vegetarian menu, it is also available every Monday.

There is a big possibility of the vegetarian menus are sold out, but since I came all the way here, let’s just check!

Move to Tokyo Metropolitan Government Building No.2

So, I head to the Tokyo Metropolitan Government Building No.2.

TMG Building No.2 is next to the TMG Building No.1 that it is only a one-minute walk.

You can walk out from the 2nd floor of the TMG Building No.1 and see TMG Building No.2 in front of you.

Here, too, I finished the entry process at the visitor reception desk, borrow a temporary pass, and take the elevator to the 4th floor.

There was a map of the cafeteria on the floor.

With a faint hope in my heart, I go to check the menu.

I found it!!

Soy Meat Bulgogi Lunch Set is still available!

It was good I came here just in case!

So I went to the ticket machine and bought the meal ticket right away.
By the way, only cash is accepted at the ticket machine, so don’t forget to carry Japanese cash.

At this counter, I hand the meal ticket over the staff.
It reminds me of the cafeteria when I was a student or working part-time at a department store!

As I waited, the staff served rice and soup in front of me, and the other side dishes were already cooked, so it took only a few dozen seconds to get the lunch set.

Green tea and water are available here free of charge.

This cafeteria is also quite large, as is the TMG Building No.1.
I only took a picture of a part of it, but actually there are over 700 seats.

I want to enjoy view outside while eating, so I came to a window seat.

There was Shinjuku NS Building in front.

Review of Soy Meat Bulgogi Lunch Set (Vegetarian Lunch Set)

So here is the vegetarian dish of Soy Meat Bulgogi Lunch Set!

The price is about $4.6 (700 yen)!

It comes with rice, side dish and soup for 700 yen!
It is a very reasonable price!

By the way, this is not vegan but vegetarian menu, so egg is used in the meal.
Now I’m gonna try soy beat bulgogi first.

Yes, it has a sweet and spicy flavor!

Just a little bit spicy, but I am quite sensitive to spicy food that a normal person would barely recognize it.

The volume is quite large.
To be honest, I could eat another bowl of rice just with this side dish.

Speaking of rice, this is cereal rice mixed with barley and black rice.
It is tasty and has a crunchy texture.

This is namul of okra and wakame seaweed.

As the name “Namul” suggests, it does have a slightly Korean flavor, and I wonder if sesame oil is also used as a seasoning.

It is lightly seasoned, but it must be delicious when served on top of rice as a Namul Bowl!

The last dish is egg soup!

I see, this lunch set is vegetarian because this soup has egg, isn’t it.

The seasoning was delicious with a strong Korean or Chinese flavor.

Overall, I would say that the meal was Korean flavor and a little lighter than usual.

I personally felt that only the soybean meat bulgogi would have tasted better if they had added saltiness and little less sweetness.

Still, I felt that about $4.6 (700 yen) was a very reasonable price for a menu that was both hearty and well-balanced.

 

Summary

At any rate, I am glad I was able to try the vegetarian menu although the vegan menu was sold out this time!

The price was reasonable and the food was tasty!

Every Monday only, the vegetarian menu can be available in both TMG Building No1 and TMG Building No2.

If you would like to try the vegan menu, please visit the TMG Building No2 on the first Monday or the TMG Building No1 on the third Monday.

It is recommended to arrive as early as possible during lunch time, between 11:00 and 12:00, to avoid being sold out like I was this time!

I would like to try the vegan menu next time!!