📖 Table of Contents
🌱 Introduction
This guide is provided by the Plant-Futures DKU (Duke Kunshan University) Club as a resource for individuals who are vegetarians, vegans, or those interested in incorporating more plant-based foods into their diet.
If you have any suggestions or would like to report a closure of a restaurant, please email us at xingshi.cai@dukekunshan.edu.cn or leave a comment at the end of this post.
🏫 Eating at University Community Center
📖 The Menus
The following QR codes will take you to the weekly menus at the University Canteen. You can also just click this link.
🍚 Third Floor (Chinese Food)
The canteen management is committed to offering vegetarian options with proteins for both lunch and dinner. These options are available in both the Weigh-and-Pay and A-la-carte sections.
🥗 Second Floor
There is now a salad bar on the second floor from which you can choose vegetarian ingredients. Note that among the three sauces provided, only the oil and vinegar dressing (油醋汁) is vegan.
At the Teppanyaki section, you can occasionally find fried tofu. Check the menu for more details.
🥪 First/Ground Floor
Currently you can order Vegetarian Noddles (素浇面) Please remember to tell the staff that you want noodle with vegan soup.
Baguette bread available on this floor is dairy-free and egg-free, while the bagel bread contains egg. The vegetarian sandwich may include cheese and dairy-based sauce, but a vegetables-only version can be requested. Oat milk is available as a substitute for dairy in coffee, at an additional cost of 2 yuan.
The salad section now also sells fruit and vegetable cups.
You can request vegetarian noodles with the option to add a Tofu (素鸡) topping. However, the broth usually poured on the noodles is not vegetarian. You should ask for pure water instead of the broth.
🏪 FamilyMart
In the baozi/steamed bun (包子) section, two vegetarian options are available: one with cabbage and mushroom fillings and another with sweet taro filling.
The Guandong Zhu (关东煮), or Kanto-ni in Japanese, offers vegetarian skewers, but it is important to note that the broth is fish-based.
Additionally, plant-based protein snacks labelled as veggie meat (素肉) or dried-tofu (豆腐干) may be found on the shelves. (Note that they are not always available.)
🥢 Restaurants in Kunshan / 昆山
🥦 Vegetarian Restaurants
Zizai Pavilion Plant Cuisine (自在阁植物料理)
Natural Vegetarian Buffet Restaurant (自然风蔬食自助餐厅)
🍲 Vegetarian-Friendly Restaurants
Yidiantian Urban Farm (益点田城市农场)
- Location: Southeast corner of Xiaolin West Road and Yuanshi Road, Kunshan
- Description: Focuses on healthy, organic meals with several vegetarian choices.
- Links: 🗺️ Amap
Shark Burger (鲨鱼堡堡)
- Location: Building 36 at Hefengyasong (和风雅颂)
- Description: They serve vegetarian hamburgers. Relatively close to the campus.
- Links: 🗺️ Amap
Lanzhi (蓝治)
- Location: 169 Hongfeng Road, Kunshan
- Description: Salad and sandwhiches.
- Links: 🗺️ Amap
Dreamherb (梦田花园)
- Location: 179-3 Huanghe North Road, Kunshan
- Description: Offers Taiwan-style set meals with vegetarian options.
- Links: 🗺️ Amap
Shufeng Small Hotpot (蜀风小火锅)
- Location: 1st Floor Food Court, Da Run Fa, 46 Baimajing Road, Chao Hua City Plaza, Kunshan
- Description: Offers individual hotpot experiences with many vegetarian options.
- Links: 🗺️ Amap
Xibei (西贝)
- Location: Unit 403, Building 3, 1128 Renmin South Road, Kunshan
- Description: North-western Chinese cuisine featuring vegetarian-friendly dishes like Liangpi (cold skin noodles).
- Links: 🗺️ Amap
Kuafu Fried Skewers (夸父炸串)
- Location: Multiple locations across Kunshan
- Description: Specializes in fried skewers, including vegetarian options like tofu and vegetables.
- Links: 🗺️ Amap
Yanhuo Makes Skewers (烟火成串)
- Location: Multiple locations across Kunshan
- Description: Known for BBQ skewers, offering several vegetarian options.
- Links: 🗺️ Amap
🥢 Restaurants in Shanghai / 上海
🥕 Vegan Restaurants
No Need to Wait For Light Vegetarian Food (轻蔬不用等)
Fortunate Vegan Cafe (幸福咖啡店)
Vegegood (素来很好)
Pure Vegan (茹)
Ruo Wu (若无)
Carrot & Cleaver (蔬蔬食验室)
Yan Gege Vegetarian Hotpot (焱格格素食料理火锅)
Qingchun Perma (庆春朴门)
- Location: Shop WL401, 1-9 North District, Lane 500, Dongyu Road, Taikoo Li, Qiantan, Pudong New Area, Shanghai
- Links: 🗺️ Amap
🥦 Vegetarian Restaurants
A Bowl of Yangchun Noodles (一碗阳春)
Jade Buddha Temple Restaurant (玉佛寺素斋店)
Ci Guang Temple Restaurant (慈光素食部)
Chun Feng Song Yue Lou (春风松月楼)
Su Xin Su Shi (愫心素食)
Jujube Tree (枣子树) (Vegetarian Lifestyle)
- Locations:
- Jing’an District: 258 Fengxian Road (near Jiangning Road), Shanghai
- Huangpu District: L3 Floor, K11 Shopping Art Center, 300 Huaihai Middle Road, Shanghai
- Baoshan District: 1st Floor, Building 6, 320 Jiqun Road, Shanghai
- Description: Famous for its plant-based meat-alternative dishes.
- Links: 🗺️ Amap 🐮 HappyCow
- Locations:
Gongdelin (功德林)
🍲 Vegetarian-Friendly Restaurants
Ganesha (咖乃芗)
Wagas
Green Friday
- Locations:
- Pudong New Area: 5F Sanlin Impression Plaza, 188 Yixing Road, Shanghai
- Pudong New Area: 1559 Pudong Avenue, Binjiang Guanghe New Building (opposite KFC on the first floor of the shopping mall), Shanghai
- Description: A fusion restaurant offering Western-style vegetarian dishes, including plant-based meat burgers.
- Links: 🗺️ Amap 🐮 HappyCow
- Locations:
🥢 Restaurants in Suzhou / 苏州
Lotus Veg Cafe (水中莲)
Sumanxiang (素满香)
🍜 Noodle Restaurants
Noodle shops are a convenient vegan option, as noodles are cooked in plain water. While most toppings may not be vegan, alternatives like Veggie Chicken (素鸡) or tofu are often available. If vegan options aren’t listed, request veggie noodles—staff are usually accommodating. Noodle shops offer flexibility, especially for travelers.
🫕 Hotpot Restaurants
Hotpot (火锅), originating from Sichuan, involves cooking ingredients in a simmering broth. While broths are often beef-based, mushroom or water-based options exist, making it vegan-friendly when paired with tofu and vegetables. Chains like Haidilao (海底捞) offer vegan options, but always confirm the broth’s ingredients.
🐐 North-Western Restaurants
Liangpi (凉皮), cold noodles made from wheat or rice flour, is a vegan dish from north-western China. It’s served with cucumber, purple cabbage, chili oil, vinegar, and soy sauce, commonly found in restaurants like Xibei (西贝).
🥐 Breakfast Restaurants
Baozi (包子), steamed buns, are a breakfast staple. While many fillings are meat-based, vegan options like vegetable and mushroom are available.
🥟 Dumpling Restaurants
Dumplings, made from wheat-based dough, are filled with meat, vegetables, or egg and can be boiled, steamed, or fried. Vegetarian options are common, but vegans should check for egg in fillings.
🍢 Skewer Restaurants
Skewers, whether grilled, fried, or boiled, are often customizable for vegans. Popular places like Kuafu Fried Skewers (夸父炸串) and Yanhuo Makes Skewers (烟火成串) offer options, but note that vegetarian and non-vegetarian skewers are often cooked together.
🍙 Other Restaurants
Standard restaurants often offer a variety of vegan dishes, including:
- Mapo Tofu (素麻婆豆腐): A spicy and savory tofu dish, traditionally made with ground pork, but can be prepared without meat for a vegan version.
- Three Treasures of the Earth (地三鲜): A hearty stir-fry featuring eggplant, potatoes, and green peppers, often in a savory sauce.
- Dry Fried Beans (干煸四季豆): Crispy green beans stir-fried with garlic and spices, offering a satisfying crunch.
- Garlic Broccoli (蒜蓉西蓝花): A simple yet flavorful dish of broccoli sautéed with garlic, highlighting the freshness of the vegetable.
- Sweet and Sour Cabbage (酸甜洋白菜): A tangy and sweet cabbage dish, balancing flavors for a delightful side.
- Sautéed Bok Choy (清炒小白菜): A light and healthy stir-fry of tender bok choy, seasoned simply to let the vegetable shine.
- Chinese Scallion Pancakes (葱油饼): Crispy, flaky pancakes infused with the mild spice of scallions, perfect as a snack or side dish. Note that these sold in grocery stores often contain lard.
- Shredded Potato Stir-Fry (土豆丝): Thinly shredded potatoes stir-fried to a tender crisp, often seasoned with vinegar and chili for a tangy kick.
- Braised Tofu (红烧豆腐): Tofu braised in a rich, savory sauce, often with mushrooms and other vegetables.
- Eggplant in Garlic Sauce (鱼香茄子): Soft, tender eggplant cooked in a fragrant garlic sauce, typically sweet and slightly spicy.
🛒 Order Food Online
For those interested in more unique vegan products, online platforms like Taobao or JD offer a wide range. One recommended brand is “Whole Perfect Food” (齐善食品), known for their plant-based protein products like smoked vegan sausages.
For Western vegan options like vegan burgers, Beyond Meat burgers are available on JD. Additionally, the WeChat mini-app Butler & White and Epermarket offer a range of products, including vegan burgers, bread, and spreads.
We have created a Excel sheet to collect information on online stores which sell vegetarian food in China. You can view it here. Feel free to add more shops if you know any.