Where to Find Vegetarian Food

Dedicated Vegetarian Restaurants

Taiwan has approximately 6,000 vegetarian restaurants - an extraordinary number for an island of 23 million people. These establishments range from humble street-side noodle shops to upmarket restaurants featured in the Michelin Guide.

How to Identify Them

Look for the character 素 prominently displayed on signage. Some restaurants use 蔬食, which literally means “vegetable food” and is similar to the Western term “plant-based”, it’s more neutral and less religion-focused.

What to Expect

Traditional Buddhist vegetarian restaurants typically operate as buffets（素食自助餐）, especially at lunchtime. You select dishes from a heated display, and staff weigh your plate to calculate the price, usually between NT$80-150 for a satisfying meal. The food tends to be completely vegan (no eggs, though dairy is rarely used anyway), and crucially, there’s no garlic or onions.

Modern vegetarian restaurants offer more diverse cuisine like Japanese, Korean, Vietnamese, Malaysian, Indonesian, and creative fusion. These establishments increasingly cater to health-conscious diners rather than purely religious motivations, so you’ll find garlic and onions used liberally. Some even offer “Western vegan” options clearly labelled as such.

A Word on Mock Meats

You’ll encounter an astonishing variety of mock meats in vegetarian restaurants. Some dishes on the menu will have names like “vegetarian chicken” or “vegetarian duck,” which might initially confuse you: these are always plant-based versions, never actual meat. Taiwanese mock meats have been refined over centuries and are made from soy protein, wheat gluten (seitan), mushrooms, or konjac. They’re designed to mimic not just the flavour but the texture and appearance of meat, allowing vegetarians to enjoy traditional Taiwanese dishes that were originally meat-based.

However, be aware that many mock meats contain dairy (usually whey protein) to improve texture, and some contain eggs. To be safe, stick to clearly labelled 純素 products or choose simple tofu and obvious plant-based ingredients.

Night Markets and Street Food

Taiwan’s night markets are legendary, and fortunately, many stalls offer vegetarian options: some entirely by accident of traditional recipes.

Vegetarian-Friendly Street Foods

• Stinky tofu（臭豆腐）: Usually vegan, though always ask, as some vendors deep-fry it using lard
• Green onion pancakes（蔥油餅）: Ask them to skip the egg; also verify they don’t use lard
• Sweet potato balls（地瓜球）: These crispy, chewy balls are typically vegan; also verify they don’t use lard
• Grilled corn and sweet potatoes: Simple and reliable; always ask about the ingredients in the sauce when ordering grilled corn
• Steamed buns（饅頭 / 包子）: Vegetable-filled versions are common; ask for 菜包 (literally vegetable-filled buns) or no filling ones（饅頭）
• Douhua（豆花）: Tofu pudding in sweet syrup with toppings like peanuts or red beans
• Mochi and rice cakes: Traditional versions are plant-based
• Fresh fruit: Night markets have fantastic fruit stalls

What to Watch For

Many night market foods are fried in shared oil, which may have been used for meat or seafood. If this concerns you, ask “Is this fried together with meat?” Also, bubble tea shops rarely stock oat milk despite its popularity in coffee shops, so if you’re vegan, you’ll need to order drinks without milk.

The Key to Success

Use apps like Happy Cow (which has extensive Taiwan coverage) or Google Maps to identify vegetarian-friendly night market stalls before you visit. Some night markets like Shilin in Taipei and Fengjia in Taichung have well-known vegetarian vendors. Look for the 素 character on stall signage.

Regular Restaurants

Non-vegetarian restaurants vary wildly in their vegetarian friendliness. Buddhist vegetarian culture means many Taiwanese people eat vegetarian occasionally, particularly on the 1st and 15th of the lunar calendar, or for 49 days after a family member’s death, so restaurants often accommodate vegetarian requests. Also, you can use apps like Happy Cow or Google Maps to identify vegetarian restaurants.

Some restaurants mark vegetarian dishes with a green leaf icon. Fancier establishments increasingly list ingredients or have English menus. In smaller cities and rural areas, expect language barriers: having key phrases written down on your phone is invaluable.

Hotpot Restaurants

These are surprisingly vegetarian-friendly. Order a vegetable broth base（蔬菜湯底） and select from the extensive array of vegetables, mushrooms, tofu products, and noodles. Just avoid the meat and seafood sections. Taiwanese shacha sauce（沙茶醬）, commonly used for hotpot dipping, traditionally contains dried shrimp, but vegetarian versions made with mushrooms are increasingly available.

Convenience Stores

Taiwan’s convenience stores like 7-Eleven, FamilyMart, Hi-Life, etc., are genuinely convenient for vegetarians, stocking far more than crisps and chocolate.

What You’ll Find

Since 2020, major chains have launched dedicated vegetarian ranges. 7-Eleven and FamilyMart has its own vegetarian brand with over 300 products. You’ll find:

• Ready meals (rice bowls, noodle soups, dumplings, curry): take to the counter for microwaving
• Ready-to-eat food: Onigiri, steamed sweet potato, steamed buns
• Nuts and dried fruit: check for 素 symbol as some nut mixes include dried fish
• Soy milk and plant-based drinks
• Instant noodles: many vegetarian options, clearly labelled

Critical Warning

Don’t fully rely on English labels that say “plant-based” or “vegetarian” on convenience store items. Some products labelled “plant-based” may still contain eggs or dairy. Taiwan’s plant-based marketing often means “mostly plants” rather than “exclusively plants.” Always check the Chinese ingredients label or look for the official vegetarian symbols（純素, 全素, or 蛋奶素）. Use Google Translate’s camera function to scan ingredients lists if you can’t read Chinese.