Chengdu is rich with Buddhist influences, so vegetarian dishes and restaurants should be available in abundance…

But, if a stroll down the average hotpot riddled street leaves you wanting more diverse and exciting vegetarian options, then this list is for you. The vegetarian restaurants below have devoted themselves to providing a myriad of tasty vegetarian (and some vegan) options that we think will reinvigorate your lacklustre diet and prove that being a vegetarian in Chengdu can be easy and exciting．

 Vegetarian Lifestyle

枣子树素餐厅

A very popular Ba Bao Jie area chain restaurant that comes to Chengdu via Taiwan. Specializes in vegetarian recreations of classic Chinese dishes. Located on the 4th floor near Wenshu Monastery though easy to find as the building has a sign high up Vegetarian Lifestyle Restaurant. This restaurant offers an extensive menu of vegetarian options to suit all. Featuring an extensive menu (including English), spectacular bathrooms, an attentive staff and a good atmosphere make this place stand out. The added bonus: you’re meal will include free tea and fruit.

Location:

Qingyang District, Qinglong Street No. 27, BoJin City, Building 2, F4 (between Carrefour and Pacific) 青龙街27 号铂金城2 号楼4楼

Opening Hours:

13:00 – 21:30

Tel:

028-86282848, 028-86282855

Mi XUN Teahouse

谧寻茶室·素食(太古里店)

Experience vegan dishes and various teas in a historic courtyard. Situated in Chengdu’s trendy retail hub and within a historical heritage building at No. 7-8 Zhanghuali Lane, the tea house is immersed in an ambience of elegance and tranquility that seems worlds away from the bustling city. Mi XUN is open from 11:00 am -09:30pm and predominantely serves afternoon tea. For something more substantial, there is a Temple Cafe, but this does not offer strictly vegetairan meals。Check out Mi XUN’s website for more information and to view their menu.

Location:

No. 81 Bitieshi Street, Jinjiang District, Chengdu

笔帖式街81号博舍酒店旁

Opening hours:

11:00 – 21:30

Tel:

+86 28 6297 4193

Baoguang Temple 宝光寺素餐馆

Enjoy a tasty meal after a relaxing stroll around the Baoguang Temple. The restaurant is suitable for vegans and perfect for enjoying a traditional Buddhist vibe. It can close in the afternoon, so an early start is recommended.

Location:

No.81 of Baoguang  Rd, Xindu District 新都区宝光街81

Opening hours:

Monastery open 08:00 – 17:30

Tel:

028-83067087

A lotus on the water

清水荷花素食餐厅(武侯祠店)

This restaurant serves a variety of main dishes including meat substitutes, soups, and vegtables. Located in the Tibetan area this restaurant offers an English menu and also offers some items to buy that you can take home to cook.

Location:

10-11, Shuhan Street

武侯区蜀汉街10号附11号(近武侯区政府)

Opening hours:

11:00am-20:30pm

Tel：

028-85532115

Qing Yang Gong Green Ram Temple  青羊宫

Five yuan will gain you entrance to the Palace of the Green Lamb. Inside the temple you’ll find a teahouse and a vegetarian restaurant to choose from. Yet another great place to get away from the busy streets and reconnect with traditional Chengdu.

Location:

Qingyang Temple, 9 West Section 2, First Ring Road, inside of Qingyang Temple

一环路青羊宫里面斋食

Opening Hours:

11:00 – 5:30

Tel:

87766584

Wenshu Monastery

文殊院香心素食馆

Within Wenshu Monastery you’ll find a bustling Teahouse, a buffet-style lunchroom and a restaurant on the first floor. The Teahouse is perfect for a quick thirst-quencher, offering freshly made juices as well as tea. Located within the grounds of the temple, the vegetarian restaurant offers a buffet style dining area downstairs as well as menu dining upstairs. The buffet-style lunchroom has a relaxed atmosphere and allows you to build and create your own meal. However, it is the restaurant that offers the most well-crafted dishes. If you’re a vegetarian starting out in Chengdu, Wenshu Monastery is the perfect place to begin.

If you are visiting the buffet at the monastery we recommend going to the noodle restaurant outside the temple (the one with the queue) and having the Tian Shui Mian, also vegetarian, this is one of the most famous spots in Chengdu.

Location:

66 Wenshuyuan Street, Qingyang District, Chengdu

成都市青羊区文殊院街66号

Opening Hours:

10:30 – 19:30

Tel:

028 – 86930017

15110406715

Yi Ye Yi Shijie Tibetan Vegetarian Hotpot  

一叶一世界藏茶素食火锅

This popular chain of Tibetan vegetarian hotpots have numerous locations around town (including one very near the American Consulate). They offer light completely meat free hot pot with green and fresh offerings of seasonal vegetables and tofu with the sauces you’re used to seeing at a regular hotpot; sesame, soy, vinegar with garlic, peanuts, and coriander. There are currently 9 locations around Chengdu and should be roughly 50-80RMB per person depending on what you order.

Location (Gaosheng Bridge): No.33, Floor 1, Building 2, No.19, South 4th Section, First Ring Road, Wuhou District

武侯区一环路南四段19号2栋1层33号

Tel: 028-61691799

Location (Jinhua Wanda): 3rd Floor, 68 Block, Jinhua Wanda, No.8 Jinhua Road, Jinjiang District

锦江区锦华路8号锦华万达68街区3楼

Tel: 028-87777051

Location (Global Centre): 1N3, Room 310, Northern Area, Global Centre, 103 Jin Yue West Road, Gaoxin District

环球中心北区锦悦西路103号1N3层310室 – Tel: 028-65279710

Location (Wenjiang): No.5 A005, Floor 5, Xinguangtiandi Shopping Mall, No.1599, Third Section of Guanghuadadao, Wenjiang District

温江区光华大道三段1599号新光天地商场5层05A005号

Tel: 028-67247676

Location (Huayang): No. 301, 3rd Floor, Unit 1, Building 2, Jingmao Chengguo, No. 2, Section 1, Huafu Avenue, Huayang, Shuangliu District

双流区华府大道一段2号景茂城果2栋1单元3楼301号

Tel: 028-85690790

Location (Shuangliu): No.88, Jiaolong Avenue, Jiujiang Sub-district, Shuangliu District (opposite to ICBC)

双流区九江街道蛟龙大道88号(工商银行对面)

Tel: 028-85699111

Return to Vegetarianism 归来素食生活馆

This quaint little restaurant, located in Tongzilin, brings a traditional rustic North East Asian aesthetic indoors. Serving gimmick “meats” (tofu made to resemble meat) there are plenty of other dishes to chose from if this doesn’t float your boat.

Location:

12, 3rd Floor, Master, №48, Section 4 of South Renmin Road, Wuhou District 人民南路四段首座48号3栋12楼

Opening Hours:

10:00 – 22:00

Tel:

028-83188366  18180617512

For some more suggestions of vegetarian and vegan spots in the city, we suggest you checkout www.happycow.com which has a great feature allowing you to search pretty much every city in the world for vegetarian and vegan restaurants.