Lucky Cat Vegetarian/Vegan Cafe has completely changed my perception of plant-based Japanese cuisine. This hidden gem tucked inside Hougang Community Club serves up convincing vegetarian versions of your favourite Japanese dishes that’ll make you question why you ever needed meat in the first place.
Getting to Lucky Cat Vegetarian/Vegan Cafe
Located within Hougang Community Club, this vegetarian cafe sits perfectly between Hougang MRT and Kovan MRT stations. The 15-18 minute walk from either station gives you time to work up an appetite. Can’t be bothered to walk? Hop on buses 25, 51, 55, 62, 72, 81, or 854 that’ll drop you right there.
Driving? The HDB carpark next to the community club offers plenty of outdoor parking spaces.
What Makes Lucky Cat Vegetarian/Vegan Cafe Special
This isn’t your typical vegetarian restaurant serving bland mock meat. Lucky Cat Vegetarian/Vegan Cafe focuses on authentic Japanese flavours using plant-based ingredients. Their menu reads like a proper Japanese restaurant – onigiri, futomaki, uramaki, sashimi, and donburi that look absolutely legit.
The presentation rivals any regular Japanese restaurant. You’d be hard-pressed to spot the difference between their vegetarian offerings and the real deal. That’s the beauty of plant-based cooking – when done right, it doesn’t feel like you’re missing out.
Dining at Lucky Cat Vegetarian/Vegan Cafe
Arrive early or prepare to wait. This cafe gets packed during peak lunch hour. The seating space isn’t huge, so you may have to share tables with strangers if you don’t wish to wait.
Place your order at the counter and pay upfront. Your dishes arrive at your table fresh and beautifully presented.
Special Weekday Menu
Lucky Cat runs a special weekday menu from 11am to 3pm that’s not printed on their regular menu. Local favourites like Hokkien Mee and Mee Goreng start from just $5.
Drinks Worth Ordering
The Matcha Latte ($6, add $0.50 for iced) delivers robust matcha flavour without being overly sweet. The milky texture balances perfectly with the earthy matcha notes.
The Yuzu Rose Black Tea ($5) blends subtle yuzu with a bittersweet tea fragrance. And the presentation? Totally Instagram-worthy — perfect for your feed.
Must-Try Dishes
Konjac Sashimi Platter ($13)
This dish blew my mind. The konjac-based ‘tuna’ and ‘salmon’ taste remarkably similar to actual sashimi, minus the fishy seafood taste. The texture feels juicy and spongy. Dip it in soy sauce and wasabi – it’s actually pretty good!
The salmon has a hint of carrot, which probably gives it that orange colour. The tuna feels a bit firmer than the salmon.
This is definitely perfect for those who want to try sashimi but can’t handle raw fish. The best thing is, konjac’s packed with fibre and has tons of health benefits too.
Shiitake Cream and Cheese ($7)
These thick, meaty mushrooms deliver incredible texture and flavour. When you bite into them, they’re still moist and juicy inside. The cheese and sweet chilli sauce on top adds richness without overwhelming the natural mushroom flavours.
Tofunagi Maki ($12)
Their signature dish features tofunagi on top of maki rolls filled with Japanese cucumber and enoki tempura.
The crispy beancurd skin and their special sauce really tie everything together. I’ve never been a fan of real unagi because of its muddy, earthy flavour — so this is definitely an upgrade!
Avocado Maki ($11)
Sliced avocado tops maki rolls filled with Japanese cucumber, konjac salmon, and konjac crabstick. You honestly can’t tell it’s vegetarian.
Eating this just feels really wholesome and healthy.
Lucky Tendon ($11)
This bowl packs enoki mushrooms, cherry tomatoes, broccoli, vegetarian prawns, shiitake mushrooms, monkey head mushrooms, vegetarian meat nuggets, and lettuce. Everything’s perfectly fried with a tasty batter. The vegetarian prawns are firm, like fishcake, but they kinda taste like real prawn.
The sauce is slightly on the sweet side, but it pairs beautifully with the crispy vegetables. Honestly, this beats a lot of regular tendon I’ve had elsewhere.
Value for Money
All prices indicated above are nett — no extra service charge or GST. Given the quality and generous portions, Lucky Cat Vegetarian/Vegan Cafe delivers excellent value. The weekday specials make it even easier to drop by regularly.
The real cat spotted outside after our meal felt like a lucky charm – perhaps that’s where the name comes from, haha.
Final Thoughts
Japanese vegetarian cuisine reaches new heights at this Hougang gem. Lucky Cat proves that plant-based dining doesn’t mean compromising on taste or presentation. Every dish we ordered exceeded expectations. The sashimi and tendon already make this place worth visiting.
When vegetarian food tastes this good, you don’t miss meat at all. 😉