20 brilliant vegetarian and vegan restaurants in Beijing
Vegetarian, vegan or just fancy something different? We've got you covered
Vegetarian in Beijing? You're not alone. Despite China's bad rap when it comes to meat-free dining (mince pork as a garnish, anyone?), vegetarianism has a longstanding history in certain parts of Chinese society, with roots tracing back to ancient Buddhism and Taoism.
Still, finding the best vegetarian restaurants in Beijing can be a challenge. That's why we've compiled a list of our favourite veggie, vegan and veggie-friendly restaurants in the city. With so many different styles of vegetarian restaurants in Beijing on offer, even the most die-hard of carnivores may just consider taking a night off.
Blossom Vegetarian (花开素食)
Perched on a busy corner of Dongzhimennei Dajie, the two-storey Blossom Vegetarian cuts an imposing figure that’s hard to miss. Inside, bamboo trellises and lotus-shaped lamps create a peaceful sanctum – even menus arrive on iPads, as if the rustle of paper would be too great a disturbance to the atmosphere.
Feast
With its striking curved rafters, live classical music and attentive service, this cavernous CBD establishment caters to Beijing’s oft-neglected vegetarian fine diners, specialising in elegant, meat-free banqueting. Clocking in at roughly 500 to 700RMB per head, sip on a chilled glass of black alkaline water as a team of nattily dressed servers serve up a parade of pared-down Chinese dishes, whisking away and replacing each course with military precision. If vegetarian cuisine is for the virtuous, then dining in Feast’s subterranean cathedral surely makes for a holy experience. Just expect to pay for the privilege – there’s an additional 10 percent service charge that may test the devotion of even the most evangelical of vegetarians.
King's Joy (京兆尹)
Lin's Dining Lounge (霖舍)
This elegant restaurant located on the second floor of the New Grand Dynasty Hotel draws a reliable lunchtime crowd of office workers thanks to its sleek, semi-private booths and equally sleek food. Lin’s is one of the few restaurants bringing modern flair to Chinese vegetarian cuisine, with elegantly presented dishes complete with trendy smears of sauce and artful plating. When it comes to vegetarian Chinese cuisine, mock meat can certainly be a bit hit or miss, but Lin’s vegetarian riffs on fish, abalone and even foie gras make for worthy replacements. Its shuizhuyu (Sichuan boiled fish, 198RMB for two people), in particular, is the stuff spicy dreams are made of.
Lotus (莲花空间)
Located in China World Mall, Lotus serves up vegetarian versions of classic Chinese cuisine alongside requisite views of the CBD's stunning city skyline (is a restaurant even in China World Mall if it doesn't have a view of the CCTV building?). Diners can enjoy the likes of soft tofu in pumpkin soup (28RMB), hot pot and steamed dumplings, though the sticky and moreish kung pao monkey head mushrooms are a particular standout.
Tianchu Miaoxiang (天厨妙香素食馆)
There’s always a buzz when you enter a fully packed dining room, and that's what Tianchu Miaoxiang is on most days. Located near the south gate of Tsinghua University (there’s also a second location in Chaowai SOHO), lunchtime sees a mix of students and dayworkers flock to this Wudaokou institution for hearty and low-fuss takes on authentic Chinese cuisine. Multitudes of mushrooms and bright green vegetables prove more than tempting on this ‘everything looks great’ menu, though mock meat also gets a look in with tasty renditions of sausage, goose and fish. Choosing is hard, but unusual dishes like tofu in coconut curry sauce are a welcome change if mock meat isn’t your thing.
The Veggie Table (吃素的)
A popular dining option thanks to its flavourful, Middle Eastern-inspired fusion cuisine, subsequent visits to long-running favourite The Veggie Table have since revealed the recent inclusion of dairy products in a few of their dishes – bumping the Wudaoying Hutong eatery from vegan to vegetarian. Menu changes aside, vegetarians and vegans alike will still find plenty to enjoy from the wholesome menu – try their falafels, veggie burgers and hummus – just keep an eye on the ingredients list.
Bestease (百易素食)
Specialising in hand-pulled noodles, this down-to-earth Chinese chain offers super affordable, satisfying riffs on all your favourite Chinese noodle dishes such as zhajiangmian, tomato noodles, liangpi and more. The house special here, however, is the Bestease lamian (12-20RMB), a comforting, steaming bowl of noodles, broth and tofu that comes in four different portion sizes (make sure you've got a healthy appetite before ordering the large). They also offer mushroom chuanr (12RMB for two skewers), which taste eerily like the real thing thanks to their deliciously crispy exteriors and liberal coating of cumin, plus an extensive list of cold dishes.
Bestease currently has three locations across Beijing in Chaoyangmen, Taiyanggong and Guomao.
Root Pop – sort of
Health food visionary Brandon Trowbridge's café offers vegan riffs on North American diner fare, including burgers, hot dogs and nachos, though unfortunately, Root Pop's Shuangjing café recently closed, though its food lives on at several Bruno Caffes across the city.
Vegan Hut (维根蔬谷)
Another long-time favourite, and no relation to Pizza Hut, Vegan Hut, as its name suggests, doles up casual, tasty vegan eats within its laid-back, sunlit confines. With a menu offering up both Western and Asian cuisine, diners can find vegetarian roast mutton, spring rolls, pancakes, dumplings and more.
Vege'ology (暖蔬)
Decked out with luridly green walls and a faux shrubbery façade (not to mention an actual living indoor tree), this Sanyuanqiao hole-in-the-wall practically wears its plant-based mission on its sleeve. Noodles are the name of the game here, and Vege’ology serves up a refreshingly restrained selection from across the globe, including pho (49RMB), ramen (46RMB) and pesto-topped noodles (42-49RMB). The noodles themselves run the gamut from buckwheat- to goji-berry-based, while its herbal broth – the starting base for all of Vege’ology’s noodle soups – is made with 28 spices and herbs for ‘balancing, detoxifying and nourishing’ your insides. Dubious claims on detoxifying aside, these hearty noodles are the real deal.
Vege Tiger (素虎净素)
Chinese chain Vege Tiger has long played a key role in Beijing's dining scene thanks to its highly affordable, all-vegan, all-day buffet. For just 51RMB per person (children are 26RMB, people over the age of 60 are 39RMB), diners can help themselves to an almost overwhelming selection of vegan options – from plant-based dishes to mock meat soups and stir-fries, and even desserts. Currently with six branches across Beijing, including in Wudaokou, Qianmen and Chaoyangmen.
ZeroGo (环球健康蔬食)
We’re not entirely sure what the story is behind this cheery vegan café’s name, but we definitely recommend the opposite of zero-going. Despite its location in a particularly isolated corner of Wangjing, ZeroGo is worth making the trek to with its tasty Western eats and uncompromising set of values, pledging to be 100 percent vegan without the presence of any MSG, mock meat or artificial flavours. Serving up everything from protein bowls (58-78RMB), pizza (58RMB) and raw vegan cheesecake (38-38RMB), ZeroGo also does a towering, plant-based riff on a Big Mac (58RMB) – house-made vegan cheese included. For those with strict dietary requirements, the easy-to-read menu also features a handy guide letting diners know which dishes are gluten-free, fully raw or contain any of Buddhism’s five forbidden vegetables (garlic, onions etc).
Arrow Factory Brewing
Liangmaqiao brewpub Arrow Factory has been serving up tasty brews and food (including traditional roast lunches) for a while now, but a fairly recent menu overhaul in collaboration with Vineyard Café now sees a whole gamut of excellent vegan and vegetarian options join its ranks. Vegan punters in need of satisfying pub food can find deep-fried battered kale (35RMB), vegan nachos topped with Yeyo sour cream and vegan cheese (50RMB), cauliflower wings (50RMB), falafel pitas (60RMB) and more. And as always, the ambitious brewers are still serving up their ever-excellent Pulling-Me-Jack burger (65RMB), made of barbecued, smoked, then pulled jackfruit.
Avocado Tree (Sanlitun)
This fast-food chain, now with five branches across Beijing, bears an uncanny resemblance to US Tex-Mex chain Chipotle. Serving up grain bowls, wraps and burritos, vegetarians and vegans alike are easily catered to with their range of pick-your-own toppings and array of meat- and dairy-free options.
Gung Ho! Pizza (Sanlitun)
Gung Ho's also one of the few, if only, pizza joints offering the option of house-made vegan cheese, meaning that anyone can grab a slice of the action – including Beijing's much-neglected vegan subset. Vegan options (all coming in at 86RMB) include the Robert Plant, a vegetable-loaded pizza including roasted okra, asparagus and bell peppers, the Peking Popeye, featuring smoked tofu and spinach, and the Mushroom, loaded with three different kinds of mushroom, cherry tomatoes, microgreens and a trickle of truffle oil.
Moka Bros (Sanlitun)
An indispensable part of Beijing brunch culture, café chain Moka Bros serves up a variety of wholesome bites, ranging from power bowls and soups, to sandwiches and waffles. Try the smoked tofu banh mi (60RMB) with its punchy combination of smoked tofu, hummus, pickled veggies, coriander and sriracha sauce, or one of their filling grain bowls (58-78RMB), made with rice, quinoa and a mix of toppings.
Nooxo (育膳房店)
Chunxiu Lu’s food court Yu may be a confused mélange of premium (Canvas) and passable (Mr Shi’s) food and beverage outlets, but it’s more than worth visiting for the refreshingly inclusive approach to nutritious eating at Nooxo. Colombian native Jairo Jimenez (Jay) and his team run a simple menu of fresh and filling grain bowls, smoothie bowls, desserts and soups, the majority of which are – or can easily be – served in the key of vegan. All products are dairy-free and largely gluten-free, and with the option to add meat to your meal (grilled chicken is an additional 15RMB), Nooxo is pretty much everything to everyone. Priced a notch below its competitors (all grain bowls are 48RMB), Nooxo is your easy, guilt-free go-to.
Side Street
Taking over where Ron Mexico used to call home, relative newcomer Side Street could have easily gone down the tried-and-tested route of standard, bar-friendly fare, but its creative menu instead sees Western, Indian and Mexican flavours collide in a variety of hearty vegetarian, vegan and meat-heavy options. Try the Country Roads burger (58RMB) for its homemade cottage cheese patty topped with a spicy mint and coriander dressing, or vegan Spicy Lentil Sambar (48-58RMB) for its punchy mix of lentil and vegetable stew slow-cooked in a tamarind and curry leaf broth.
Tribe (Sanlitun)
Another dependable Beijing staple, Tribe offers up a range of vegetarian and vegan options on both its regular and seasonal menus, including pizza, sandwiches, wraps and grain bowls. Vegan highlights include the All-In Smoked Tofu Grain Bowl, Tenacious Tofu Voodle Ramen and Vegan's Delight Wrap.
For full details on all of the restaurants listed here, hit 'Read more' below.
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