English article2024.12.23

Italian Cuisine that Lets the Vegetables Do the Talking

Scripts by Tomoko Kahara　Photo by Koichi Higashiya　English by Gareth Swain

Looking for quality Italian cuisine without meat, fish, or dairy? We’ve found just the thing in Matsuya-machi, central Osaka: an all-vegan Italian restaurant! Everything—cheese, bechamel, you name it—is made from whatever ingredients are available.

“My body told me it was over meat and fish.”

Even in “the nation’s kitchen” Osaka, completely vegan Italian cuisine is rare. Owner Junji Kanai, who learned his trade over 12 years at an Italian restaurant, says he took up yoga during the Covid years, and one day his body told him it didn’t want meat or fish anymore.

Sukhasana Pozzuoli owner Junji Kanai — Owner Junji Kanai named his restaurant after the sukhasana yoga pose.

A pasta dish at Sukhasana Pozzuoli — Penne arrabbiata with aged sake lees and organic tomato sauce: ￥2000. The vegetable tempura garnish was inspired by curry soup.

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Vegetables have enough flavor for a satisfying meal

Kanai believes there’s no need for a meat substitute; vegetables and traditional Japanese ingredients contain enough flavor for a satisfying meal. The pizza cheese is made with soy milk and mochi rice for stretchiness, the pasta Bolognese sauce includes sake lees for a mince-like texture, and the appetizers are a playful assortment, including vertically sliced lotus root tossed in arrabbiata sauce and daikon radish spiced à la Indian achar pickles.

A pizza at Sukhasana Pozzuoli — Pizza of the day: Lotus root and sweet’n’spicy mushrooms in a Genovese aioli: ￥2,200. Julienned mochi rice and soy milk are strained together for a cheese-like sauce.

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Pairs well with saké and wine

Sukhasana Pozzuoli serves a variety of saké and organic vegan wines that go well with the menu. Kanai enjoys a tipple himself, and insists that combining vegetarian cuisine with drinks makes for milder next-morning aftereffects. Good news for those who are partial to a drink or two!

Appetizers at Sukhasana Pozzuoli — Clockwise from left: Tomato stewed eggplant and celery tacos; lotus root arrabbiata; spiced roasted butternut; rice paper croquettes with gluten-free penne; and radish and raisin achar pickles.

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Name: Sukhasana Pozzuoli
Address：1st fl., Heights Sawa, 5-24 Matsuya-machi Sumiyoshi, Chuo-ku, Osaka City
Phone：06-6765-0999
Hours：11:30-13:30 (last orders), 17:00-20:30 (last orders), Sundays 12:00-16:00 (last orders)
Closed：Wed.
Getting there：8 min. walk from Matsuyamachi Stn. on the Osaka Metro
Seating： 8 counter seats, 12 table seats
Menu：Lunch (pizza or pasta + salad, soup): starts at ￥1,000. Dinner (pasta, e.g., spinach and moringa in soy milk Genovese sauce): starts at ￥1,650. NB: (Dinner only) Add 3-item appetizer platter to your pasta or pizza order for just ￥500.
English-language menus available
Website：https://sukhasana.amebaownd.com/
Instagram：https://www.instagram.com/sukhasana_pozzuoli/