2 October, 2013
Eat & Drink

Sassy’s Top 10 Veggie Restos in Hong Kong

2 October, 2013

When you tell people that you’re a vegetarian, a common response is: “That must be so hard in Hong Kong,” but to be honest, it’s one of the easiest places to eat meat-free! As well as a number of fabulous Western restaurants, there are also some great Asian spots to chow down when you feel like a meatless meal – so we’ve put together a list of Sassy’s Fave 10 Vegetarian Restaurants in Hong Kong for some veggie inspiration. Happy eating!

happy veggies hong kong

Happy Veggies
Vegetarian or not, this restaurant is one of Hong Kong’s best-kept secrets. A non-profit social enterprise, Happy Veggies actively recruits their staff from the deaf and hearing-impaired community. The food – particularly lunch – is so well-priced and absolutely delicious; the restaurant is run in a similar style to a canteen, where you can select two dishes plus rice, soup and a dessert for just $48. Happy Veggies is a regular lunch spot for me and definitely worth venturing to Wan Chai for!

Happy Veggies 1/F, Bayfield Building, 99 Hennessy Road,, Wan Chai
2529 3338 www.facebook.com/happyveggies

Maya Café
Another Wan Chai favourite, Maya Café has recently opened in the trendy Star Street area (right next to Ted’s Lookout) and offers home-cooked veggie food in a chilled-out setting. Do not miss their incredible deserts selection – their raw chocolate tart and baklava were winners for me!

Check out our full review of Maya Café here

Maya Café 5 Moon Street, Wan Chai
2529 3319 www.facebook.com/MayaCafeMediterraneanLifestyle

pure veggie house hong kong

Pure Veggie House
This restaurant located on Garden Road in the Mid-Levels is a gem – I cannot rave more about the incredible food and fab service. Pure Veggie House is a Buddhist vegetarian restaurant serving high-standard traditional cuisine in a rustic Chinese setting; my favourite dishes include the turnip puffs and clay pot mushrooms. Be warned though, being a Buddhist restaurant, no alcohol is served (although they do have alcohol-free beer!).

Pure Veggie House 3/F, Coda Plaza, 51 Garden Road, Mid-Levels
2525 0552 www.facebook.com/pages/%E5%BF%83%E9%BD%8B-Pure-Veggie-House/172812572765536

Light
Light serves up delicious healthy, homemade and organic vegetarian food in Sai Ying Pun. Perfect for a light (haha!) meal, this vibrant, colourful cafe serves up a small range of scrumptious dishes. If you’re in the area, check out their set menu – $110 for a soup, main dish, and a coffee or tea. We’ve heard great things about their black bean burger too!

Light Vegetarian Shop E, Lower G/F, 1 Second St, Sai Wan
2559 9098

grassroots pantry hong kong

Grassroots Pantry
I love having dinner at Grassroots Pantry – Chef Peggy (one of our former That Girls) has created such a lovely atmosphere and the food is always fantastic. Located in Sai Ying Pun, Grassroots Pantry is dedicated to serving wholesome and nutritious dishes that source local, sustainable and organic ingredients as often as possible. They also do takeaways, which is perfect for those nights you can’t be bothered to cook but feel like something healthy!

Read our full review of Grassroots Pantry here

Grassroots Pantry 12 Fuk Sau Lane, Sai Ying Pun, Western District
2873 3353 www.grassrootspantry.com/

Branto
Anyone who claims vegetarian food is boring and unfulfilling (you know who you are!) needs to check out Branto in Tsim Sha Tsui, which has been serving some of Hong Kong’s best “Pure Indian Vegetarian Food” since 1994. The decor is nothing impressive but for a well-priced Indian veggie meal, it scores top marks from me!

BRANTO 1/F, 9 Lock Rd, Tsim Sha Tsui
2366 8171 brantoindianvegetarian.com.hk/

mana hong kong

MANA!
MANA! caters to so many different diets, including vegan, raw and gluten-free, that it’s the perfect spot for grabbing some lunch with friends. The staff are really friendly and stepping into the café gives you an opportunity to wind down and chill out – it really does move at a different pace to the rest of Hong Kong! I’ve been known to venture from Wan Chai during my lunch break for one of their halloumi flats (the flats make for a great breakfast too!) and I’m also a big fan of the salads that they have to offer. Top photo also from MANA!

Read our full review of MANA! here

Mana! Fast Slow Food G/F, 92 Wellington St, Central
2851 1611 www.mana.hk

Chi Lin Vegetarian
For a bit of culture and fabulous veggie cuisine, look no further than Chi Lin Vegetarian in Diamond Hill – their braised taro with purple bean sauce gets two thumbs up from me! The tranquil environment and scenery of Chi Lin Nunnery and Nan Lian Garden (and the 10,000 Buddhas in Shatin, which also boasts a fantastic vegetarian restaurant too) are perfect things to do when you have any fellow veggie-loving friends in town.

Chi Lin Vegetarian Long Men Lou, Nan Lian Garden, 60 Fung Tak Road,, Diamond Hill
3658 9388 www.discoverhongkong.com/eng/see-do/culture-heritage/chinese-temples/chi-lin-nunnery-and-nan-lian-garden.jsp

lock cha teahouse hong kong

Lock Cha Teahouse
After a bad experience in the 90s, my mum had sworn off dim sum, claiming meat was in everything… but one morning at the traditional Lock Cha Teahouse in Admiralty changed all of that! This place is great for a meatless dim sum meal but be prepared for abrupt staff and a bit of a wait for a table.

Lock Cha Tea House G/F, The K.S. Lo Gallery, Hong Kong Park, Central
2801 7177 www.lockcha.com

Kung Tak Lam
I love Shanghainese food and for that, Kung Tak Lam hits the spot every time! Beware of the dishes involving faux meat (I’ve got no time for that – who wants to eat fake shrimp?!) and stick to traditional Shanghainese dishes. The noodles and dumplings are vegetable heaven!

Kung Tak Lam Kung Tak Lam, 10/F, World Trade Centre, 280 Gloucester Road, Causeway Bay, Hong Kong
2890 3127

P.S. If you have six months to spare… Amy’s Vegetarian
To get a table at Amy’s Vegetarian private kitchen, you need to book six months in advance – say what?! That said, there’s logic behind this ridiculously long waiting time; pure, unspoilt vegetables at their best. No MSG, no mock meat and fresh local produce prepared by Amy herself. Delicious!

Amy’s Vegetarian 13/F Overseas Building, 417 Hennessy Road, Wan Chai
2893 8760

These are just some of my favourite vegetarian restaurants, but I know Hong Kong has many hidden secrets! With so many great veggie restos in Hong Kong, I imagine I’ll have more than enough new places for another top 10 list sometime soon!

Thanks to Charlotte for contributing to this!

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