Tanpopo Noodle Shop
$$ - average
Japanese
Casual, homestyle, Japanese
Tanpopo recently re-opened in the warehouse district of Saint Paul. Though primarily a noodle soup and teshoku spot, there are a couple maki options and familiar appetizers such as edamame and age-dashi tofu. The restaurant is located in an airy warehouse space. The noodle soups have a mushroom broth option for $1 extra. One of the most economical Japanese restaurants in the Twin Cities.
Every Tuesday in April also features an all-vegan prix-fixe $15 menu which includes (among other things) green tea soba noodles, cherry blossom rice and red bean yokan (Shojin Ryori Zen Buddhist cuisine).
- Large Group-Friendly
- Quiet
Added by Rachel Widome on Oct 2 03 (updated Apr 29)
Reviews
Our first dining out experience as new vegans. We had previously experienced Tanpopo as omnivores and enjoyed it very much.
vegan comfort food at it's best! make sure you order mushroom broth so it's vegan. kids love this place. it's inexpensive and lovely. highly suggested.
I brought my 5 year old son here to celebrate his birthday. He specifically requested noodles and tofu for his birthday and a friend suggested Tanpopo. What a good choice!
We had the cold tofu appetizer, Japanese pickles, the wild mushroom soba soup (veganized, of course!), and mochi for dessert. It was all delicious....especially the mochi!
A zen-like atmosphere and delicious (affordable) food make this homestyle Japanese restaurant a favorite of mine. The mushroom udon is delectable--spongy noodles, yummy, salty broth and a variety of wild mushrooms. Check the kitchen--the owner is usually in the back cooking and watching to see that every dish sent out meets her high standards. Now that's quality control!
Great simple inexpensive Japanese food in a cool settting. The wild mushroom soup is my favorite.
I went to Tanpopo for the first time this week after hearing rave reviews for a while. It is def. one of my favorite Japanese places in the Twin Cities. The food is made with love and care. Simple and high quality. My dish was totally yummy! Their new space is really nice and peaceful. A cool thing about Tanpopo is that it doesn't hurt your pocketbook as much as other Japanese places in town -- a typical soup is about $8.
Tanpopo is a wonderful restaurant. It looks and feels like a home and, indeed, the food is cooked "home-style" and is simple and tasty. There is ample parking nearby and the service is friendly and fast. I appreciated that they have a beer and sake menu, which makes for an even better occasion. Finally, the food is simple but delicious; they substitute vegan mushroom broth for their noodle-soup dishes, whcih are ample, fresh, healthy and well-seasoned. I loved their tofu soba noodle bowl (kitsune) and will try their wild mushroom bowl next time. Highly recommended. My only gripe is that they don't have more vegan options, other than the kitsune and mushroom bowls; other than that, they only have one or two vegan appetizers.