Vegan and Vegetarians and Gluten Free

Vegetarian? Vegan? Gluten Free?

It comes as a surprise to many people that there are many vegetarians in China and many vegetarian restaurants. Since China historical has had a large Muslim and Buddhist presence, there are many halal and vegetarian options.

Furthermore, these restaurants have for hundreds of years excelled at the art of turning tofu into meat like dishes and fish like dishes.

Even if you aren’t vegetarian or vegan you can experience a culinary journey while travelling in China.

Depending on the length of your visit, you might struggle with eating a huge range if you’re not planning on cooking a lot yourself.

There are Buddhist restaurants, usually close to temples, that don’t use animal products in preparation.

 

China Vegetarian Restaurant Listings – Happy Cow App and website!

Here is a great app for finding Vegan restaurants throughout the world. The listings for China are up to date. The options you can select are helpful, and it has a map feature as well!

Discover the Best Vegan Restaurants Nearby!

For over 20 years, HappyCow has been the number #1 guide for finding delicious vegan and vegetarian dining options wherever you travel. With over 220,000 listings in 185 countries, we make it easy to explore the world of plant-based and gluten-free cuisine.

This website lists vegetarian restaurants throughout Asia.

https://www.happycow.net/asia/china/

 

Beijing

Here is a great webpage regularly updated with information about Vegetarian and Vegan options.

https://healthandsafetyinbeijing.com/beijing-vegetarian/

Also, use the search feature of Google maps or Apple maps to search for vegetarian/vegan restaurants. Type in “Su Shi ”  素食 to search for vegetarian options on Baidu, or wechat or any map or take-out website or app.

 

Gluten Free?

On a trip to China I had some friends visiting who needed to be gluten free for health reasons.  Many restaurants were accommodating in their request. One restaurant even wrote out their special needs in Chinese characters that they could show to other restaurants on their journey.

The following page has such a card and also additional information on how to be gluten free in China.  It lists the dishes and ingredients that may cause problems for people who need a gluten free diet.

https://www.chinaodysseytours.com/knows/tips-for-a-gluten-free-trip-to-china.html