Vegetarian Restaurants in Shanghai: 7 Places Our Guides Like

Looking for vegetarian restaurants in Shanghai? Our Shanghai-based guides like these seven places, ranging from Michelin-starred tasting menus and century-old pure vegetarian restaurants to Sichuan-inspired plant-based food and temple noodles. Whether you are a lifelong vegan or a flexitarian, these choices fit naturally into a day built around one of our Shanghai tours or a long walk through the city.

Spring is especially inviting, as Shanghai turns lush and the cherry blossoms bloom. The city’s vegetarian scene is world-class, with everything from historic mansions to hidden temple noodles.

The “Treat Yourself” Spots: Michelin and Zen

For a special occasion or a meal that looks like art, these are the treat-yourself choices. Both pair seasonal food with distinctive, meditative settings.

福和慧 (Fu He Hui)

Fu He Hui is a benchmark for vegetarian dining in Shanghai. Located on Yuyuan Road, this Michelin-starred restaurant offers seasonal tasting menus that change with the rhythms of nature.

The spring menu is especially noteworthy, with creative dishes such as perilla chickpea spring rolls and tomato desserts designed to highlight each ingredient. Set in a historic mansion, the restaurant has a Zen-like elegance suited to special occasions.

📍 Address: 1037 Yuyuan Road, Changning District

⏰ Opening Hours: Lunch 11:30-14:00; Dinner 17:30-22:30

💰 Average: 1,182/person

叶叶菩提 (Ye Ye Pu Ti)

Ye Ye Pu Ti is another highly acclaimed option. Its Taiyuan Villa branch occupies a heritage building with small bridges and flowing water, creating a meditative atmosphere.

The seasonal “Mountain Home” set menu includes artfully presented dishes such as jade-like bean curd, lotus seed pod buns, and “gold and jade fill the hall.”

📍 Address: Taiyuan Villa, 160 Taiyuan Road, Xuhui District

⏰ Opening Hours: Monday to Sunday 11:00-14:00, 17:00-21:00

💰 Average: 488/person

The Old-School Legends

Shanghai’s old-school vegetarian classics deserve attention alongside its newer restaurants. These establishments have histories stretching back about a century.

春风松月楼 (Chunfeng Songyue Lou)

Founded in 1910, Chunfeng Songyue Lou is Shanghai’s oldest pure vegetarian restaurant and is renowned for its vegetarian noodles, dim sum, and dishes. Its fragrant pure vegetarian steamed buns are a signature in the City God Temple area.

The noodle broth is slowly simmered with mushrooms, bamboo shoots, and soybeans, producing a pure, savory flavor.

📍 Address: 23 Bailing Road, Huangpu District, near Fangbang Middle Road

⏰ Opening Hours: 07:00-20:00

💰 Average: 37/person

功德林 (Gong De Lin)

Gong De Lin is a century-old establishment known for classic dishes such as stir-fried vegetarian crab roe and pineapple sweet-and-sour vegetarian pork. They are crafted so skillfully that they could almost pass for the dishes they imitate.

📍 Address: 441, 445 Nanjing West Road, Huangpu District

⏰ Opening Hours: 06:30-09:30, 11:00-13:30, 17:00-19:30

💰 Average: 75/person

Fresh and Trendy

For cool, creative food that is easier on the wallet than a tasting-menu splurge, look here. Qing Chun Pu Men and Duli bring distinct approaches to vegetarian food in Shanghai.

庆春朴门 (Qing Chun Pu Men)

With origins at Lingyin Temple, Qing Chun Pu Men has earned Michelin Bib Gourmand recognition. Its locations in Taikoo Li Qiantan and Xintiandi Dongtai Li are both highly popular.

Creative dishes include black truffle wild rice pine nut rice, osmanthus-flavored taro, and quinoa peppery tofu. A special spring menu adds more seasonal choices.

📍 Address: 111 Ji’an Road, Huangpu District

⏰ Opening Hours: 10:30-21:00

💰 Average: 107/person

度粒Duli

Duli stands out for creative plant-based cuisine infused with Sichuan flavors, bringing fresh energy to Shanghai’s vegetarian dining scene. Founded by Dutch vegetarian Thijs, the restaurant combines the bold, aromatic character of Chengdu cuisine with Western cooking techniques, challenging the idea that vegetarian food is bland or boring.

Mapo Tofu with Hummus is a star dish that blends Chinese mapo tofu with Western hummus. Fragrant, mildly spicy chili oil coats silky tofu and creamy hummus, which is served with freshly baked pita bread. Diners have described its layered flavor as sophisticated and complex, with a richness reminiscent of foie gras.

📍 Address: 227 Yanping Road, Jing’an District

⏰ Opening Hours: 11:00-22:00

💰 Average: 147/person

Hidden Gems and Temple Eats

Some memorable vegetarian food in Shanghai can be found in unexpected places, including one of the city’s temples.

龙华寺 Longhua Temple

Locals swear that Longhua Temple has the best vegetarian noodles in Shanghai. It is a peaceful choice for lunch after a morning of exploring.

📍 Address: 2787 Longhua Road, Xuhui District

⏰ Opening Hours: 07:00-15:30

💰 Average: 20/person

Practical Tips

Book ahead for special-occasion restaurants such as Fu He Hui, where a reservation is important. For Qing Chun Pu Men, arrive slightly before or after the main lunch rush to avoid the lines.