Life in Taiwan is easier than in Hong Kong for Caicai — a collection of vegetarian spots in Taipei

Text and photos bymiss kitB

Life in Taiwan is so much easier than in Hong Kong for Caicai!! There are tons of delicious vegetarian restaurants in Taiwan, and even regular eateries usually offer plenty of veggie options — you’ll never have to worry about going hungry. Eating vegetarian helps reduce greenhouse gas emissions, avoids harming animals, and you don’t have to stress as much about dodgy lard either. (Also, people who go vegetarian out of love for the planet and animals often seem to be very conscientious, carefully selecting their ingredients for peace of mind.)
Before my next trip to Taiwan, I compiled a list of vegetarian restaurants for easy reference when hunting for food. Feel free to choose one from the list if you want to eat with me~ haha.
----
Note: This Caicai follows an “ovo-lacto vegetarian” diet, eats alliums, and can accept “side-of-the-wok vegetarian” food. But I’m also a bit picky (no spicy food / no coriander / no tri-color bell peppers / no bananas / no green kiwis / no papaya, etc.), which is kinda annoying.

Because of Lian Tong (he would definitely eat here when he visited Taipei — had a collision once and was sold), Huilou is our go-to spot for group meals, especially during those concert trips with a bunch of fangirls. The menu rarely changes, prices are on the high side, and they often use local wild greens that you can’t quite tell what they are. Be mindful of their service hours (no lunch served, and they close early), but you can still go there for tea and snacks even if you’re not having a full meal. The food is genuinely tasty, prepared with care and natural ingredients, so it’s safe and comforting to eat. The ambiance is serene and quiet, filled with natural light and breeze, right next to Yongkang Park.

Huilou
Address: No. 9, Lane 31, Yongkang Street, Taipei City
Phone: 886-02-2392-6707

Ayuan (yes, the brand that sells natural handmade soap, in case you didn’t know) opened its first concept store here, located along Tamsui Old Street. The three-story building has soap and other products for sale on the ground floor — you’ll be greeted by a faint fragrance as soon as you walk in. The second and third floors serve tea and light meals. The space is designed with lots of solid wood and green plants, plus plenty of natural light, making it extremely cozy. The staff are always attentive in explaining the various foods and drinks. There are more vegetarian options than expected, and while they’re light meals, they’re quite filling. Prices are on the higher side. I really like the terrace seats overlooking the inner courtyard — perfect for a laid-back, lazy experience.

Tamsui Tian Guang (Tamsui Daylight)
Address: No. 216, Zhongzheng Road, Tamsui District, New Taipei City
Phone: +886-02-6637-8277
Website:https://www.facebook.com/Yuan.TienGuan

A youth-oriented vegetarian restaurant, the atmosphere is simple and relaxed — you won’t feel restricted chatting and laughing with friends. The menu features global flavors, leaning toward hearty Western-style vegetarian cuisine with a good mix of Mexican ingredients. There's a wide variety of dishes, mid-range pricing with generous portions, and everything from mains to desserts is appealing.

The V:F 舞蔬弄果 / Gongguan Branch
Address: 1F, No. 151, Section 3, Tingzhou Road, Zhongzheng District, Taipei City
Phone: +886-02-2367-2255
Business Hours: 11:30 ~ 22:00
Website:http://www.thevffvthe.com

A small corner shop with limited seating, offering fully natural, whole-food vegan meals. The menu mainly consists of rice salads, veggie burgers, and sandwiches. It’s better suited for those who’ve been vegetarian for a while and enjoy the natural taste of food. Also worth trying are their freshly blended energy juices and raw (egg-free, dairy-free) desserts.

OOh Cha Cha
Address: No. 207, Section 2, Nanchang Road, Taipei City (Exit 2 of Guting Station)
Phone: +886-02-23677133
Business Hours: 10:00 ~ 21:00 (Monday to Friday), 10:00 ~ 18:00 (Saturday & Sunday)
Website:www.oohchacha.com

A Japanese-run vegetarian restaurant known for making cakes with vegetables — magically turning ingredients like tomatoes, potatoes, and carrots into sweets that don’t taste grassy at all, which is quite fun. Aside from cakes, they also serve meals, including lunch sets (with soup and dessert), as well as pasta and risotto, all with a Japanese-Western flavor.

Potager Garden 菠啾花园
Address: No. 300, Yangguang Street, Neihu District, Taipei City
Phone: +886-02-8978-6068
Business hours: 11:00 ~ 22:00
Website:http://www.potager.com.tw // Facebook

Enjoy thoughtfully made cakes in a little shop filled with nostalgic antiques. Their business hours are a bit special—cakes are sold out when they run out, so you can check their Facebook page for the menu before you go.

Often here
Address: No. 35, Lane 194, Songjiang Road, Taipei City
Phone: +886-02-2562-1618
Business hours: 13:00 ~ 18:00 (Thursday to Sunday)
Website:https://www.facebook.com/bwgeneralstore

A well-known Taiwanese cuisine restaurant. For vegetarians, the main offering (which comes with the meal) is sweet potato congee (lol). The vegetable omelet and three-cup mushrooms are really good. Usually go here with meat-eating friends who want to try Taiwanese food—everyone gets something to eat.

Din Tai Fung Taiwanese Cuisine (Zhongxiao Branch)
Address: 2F, No. 112, Section 4, Zhongxiao East Road, Taipei City
Phone: +886-02-2752-9299
Business hours: 11:00 ~ 15:00, 17:00 ~ 22:30
Website:http://www.shinyeh.com.tw/

A Cantonese restaurant located on the 31st floor of the W Hotel, boasting an incredibly high vantage point with sweeping views of Taipei. It's a dining space surrounded by the city’s beautiful scenery. Both the head chef and dim sum chef are from Hong Kong, crafting exquisite dishes that are as refined as art—tiny garnishes on the plates also go through patient preparation, and they’re delicious, of course. In addition to à la carte vegetarian side dishes and dim sum, you can also try the specially designed vegetarian set menu by the chef—visually and gastronomically satisfying.

Ziyan Chinese Restaurant
Address: 31F, No. 10, Section 5, Zhongxiao East Road, Taipei City
Phone: +886-02-7703-8768
Business hours: 11:30 ~ 14:30, 18:00 ~ 22:00
Vegetarian set menu price: NT$2,200 (+10%) / per person
Website:http://www.yentaipei.com/zh/

Those familiar with Taiwan’s food scene have probably tried Good Cho’s bagels. Aside from buying them in-store for home consumption, you can also dine at some of their branches. The Sisan South Village branch (the one near the Simple Market on weekends) is more popular due to its central location, while Yuanshan branch offers ice cream sundaes and is also good for picnics at the Flower Expo Park. The Tienmu branch, a newer location that requires a bit more travel, has the most space—with grassy outdoor seating, cute interior design, and a whole floor of lifestyle goods on the second floor. It opens early enough for breakfast and is definitely worth a visit if you have time.

Good Cho's / Tienmu Branch
Address: No. 2, Lane 16, Alley 38, Tianyu Street, Shilin District, Taipei City (near Tienmu Circle)
Phone: +886-02-2873-5889
Business hours: 08:00 ~ 21:30 (closed on Mondays)
Website:https://www.facebook.com/goodchos

A small shop covered in plants and green walls, passionately promoting a fully vegetarian diet and frequently developing new menus. There aren’t many seats inside, and the dining atmosphere is relaxed, serving trendy Western-style vegetarian food.

miss green
Address: No. 143, Wenchang Street, Da’an District, Taipei City (Xinyi Anhe MRT Station)
Phone: +886-02-2703-9026
Business Hours: 11:00 ~ 21:00 (Sunday to Thursday), 11:00 ~ 22:00 (Friday to Saturday)
Facebook:https://www.facebook.com/missgreenlocaltw

A restaurant specializing in unique sandwiches, the lunch set comes with soup, appetizer, salad, and dessert, each component offering several choices for high flexibility. Main dishes are sandwiches/burgers themed around different countries, with several vegetarian options available, and special requests can be made to the staff. The restaurant has floor-to-ceiling windows on both street-facing sides, filled with natural light and lively green street views. The portions are generous, the flavors are great, and it’s very satisfying.

Cozzi Kitchen
Address: No. 178, Section 2, Minsheng East Road, Taipei City
Phone: +886 02 7706 3398
Business Hours:
Weekdays (Lunch) 11:30~14:30 (Afternoon Tea) 14:30~17:00 (Dinner) 18:00~22:00
Weekends (Brunch) 09:30~16:00 (Afternoon Tea) 14:30~17:00 (Dinner) 18:00~22:00
Website:http://www.hotelcozzi.com/minsheng/

A reliable restaurant in Ximending where you can sit comfortably and enjoy high-quality food. It's a great place to rest and eat after a long day of shopping. Vegetarian options aren’t particularly abundant, but there are one or two sandwiches, and their side fries are extremely delicious (friends who’ve tried them rave about them). The decor is cute, with large wooden bookshelves used as dividers, filled with books and toys. The bar resembles a laboratory, with some drinks served in beakers and test tubes. You can also order cute cupcakes from the dessert bar downstairs.

Chiba
Address: 5F, Eslite Hotel Ximending, No. 77, Section 2, Wuchang Street, Taipei City, Taiwan
Phone: +886-02-2375-2075
Website:http://www.amba-hotels.com/tc/dining/chiba.php

An affordable hot pot chain with branches all over Taiwan. You’ll see blazing flames outside the store—so cheerful. My favorite is the Ximending branch because I once stayed nearby and knew the location well. On cold days, nothing beats a hot pot. Each pot is pre-arranged for one person; you pick your preferred flavor when ordering. Choose between seafood, meat, or—my choice—vegetarian. Inside are lots of veggies, tofu, mushrooms, and a few mock meats. After boiling, an egg is added, then the whole thing is placed on an individual burner at your table, along with a bowl of rice. Seasonings, utensils, and drinks are self-service. It’s cheap, warm, filling, and comforting.

Samma Stinky Hot Pot / Ximending Branch
Address: No. 85, Kunming Street, Wanhua District
Phone: +886-02-2375-7763

A budget-friendly all-you-can-eat vegetarian chain with multiple branches in Taipei, often found in Eslite Mall food courts. Countless vegetarian small dishes line long tables—vegetables, mock meats, and many creatively prepared vegetarian dishes you didn’t know existed. The flavors and cooking styles lean toward traditional Chinese vegetarian cuisine, which means they’re a bit oily and rich. You pick what you want (you can try a little of everything), and it’s charged by weight. Additional options like vegetarian rice with meat sauce or dry noodles are available.

Mingde Vegetarian Garden / Taipei Station Breeze Store
Address: 2F, No. 3, Beiping West Road, Taipei City
Phone: +886-02-2361-3566
Business Hours: 11:00 ~ 21:30
Website:http://www.minder.com.tw/
Facebook:https://www.facebook.com/minder.vegetarian

A themed shop selling bean products, proudly using locally grown Taiwanese soybeans/black beans and practicing eco-friendly cultivation. Besides original-flavor soy milk/black soy milk, they also offer colorful soy milk with added vegetables. The menu includes baked light meals, vegetarian set lunches, and even soy milk ice cream. It’s a thoughtful little shop that’s definitely worth supporting.

mini bean / Taipei Zhongxiao Branch
Address: No. 16, Lane 4, Alley 251, Section 3, Zhongxiao East Road, Taipei City, Taiwan
Phone: +886-02-2752-9711
Business hours: 07:00 ~19:00
Website:http://www.minibeanshop.com/
Facebook:https://www.facebook.com/likeminibean

OK, being vegetarian can still be really cute. Aranzi Cafe is opening more and more branches now. Except for their decorative cakes — which are a bit all show and not very tasty — the other meals are pretty good. They offer vegetarian options for sandwiches, muffins, brunches, etc. There are savory ones and sweet ones, making it suitable for dates with girlfriends.

Aranzi Cafe / (Shin Kong Mitsukoshi Nishi-Ximending Branch)
Address: 4F, Shin Kong Mitsukoshi Nishi 2, Taipei
Phone: +886-02-2522-4608
Website:http://www.aranziaronzo.com
Facebook Fan Page

Continuing with another dessert/muffin itinerary — I still can’t go fully vegetarian because of the desserts. This is a Japanese-style pancake shop, and the highlight is the super thick pancakes shown in the picture above. The texture is slightly like sponge cake but still retains a bit of that pancake feel. Just look at the picture and you’ll know it’s super filling.

UZNA OMOM Apricot Peach Pancake House /
Address: No. 16, Lane 19, Aly. 216, Sec. 4, Zhongxiao E. Rd., Da’an District, Taipei City
Phone: +886-02-2771-2977
Business hours: 11:00 ~ 22:00 (Sunday to Thursday), 11:00 ~ 23:00 (Friday and Saturday)
Website:http://www.uznaomom.com/
Facebook Fan Page

Cai Cai Zi usually finds something to eat at Italian restaurants — there’s always one or two mushroom pasta or risotto dishes, or the classic tomato cheese thin-crust pizza (my favorite margherita, definitely thin crust, please), so I quite like Italian food (Indian food is a close second). If you also like Italian cuisine and buffet, you can try this place. The price is reasonable and there’s really a lot of food. The pasta bar has over twenty different types of pasta to choose from, and you can select your own toppings and sauces for the chef to cook on the spot. There are also many types of salads and desserts, plus you can order pizza. You’ll need to save room for this meal.

Just Italian – Gourmet Canteen
Address: 2F, No. 83, Section 4, Roosevelt Rd., Da’an District, Taipei City
Phone: +886-02-7735-5077
Website:www.justsleep.com.tw/NTU/zh/restaurant
Buffet Prices:
Weekdays
Lunch (11:30 ~ 14:30): NT$480+10%
Dinner (17:30 ~ 21:30): NT$580+10% (Monday to Thursday), NT$680+10% (Friday)
Weekends and Holidays
Brunch (10:30 ~ 12:30): NT$580
Lunch (12:30 ~ 14:30): NT$580+10%
Afternoon Tea (14:30 ~ 16:30): NT$580
Dinner (17:30 ~ 21:30): NT$680+10%

I'm quite fond of this charming little specialty charcoal-fired pizza shop. The photo above shows their semi-outdoor Gongguan branch, but I usually go to their Ximen branch when I'm in the area. All toppings are vegetarian, with whole wheat crusts, offering both savory and sweet options as well as some creative combinations. I've tried most of the flavors, and they're all delicious. Plus, it's quite affordable, making it very popular among students.

So Free Charcoal Pizza / Gongguan Branch
Address: 1F, No. 28, Lane 283, Section 3, Roosevelt Road, Taipei City
Phone: +886-02-2364-3351
Business Hours: 11:30 AM – 9:00 PM (Daily)

There are more and more Italian restaurants popping up. This brand has a bright and distinctive design and has already made a name for itself. The space and menu are full of design flair, so dining here makes you feel quite sophisticated. The prices are on the higher side of mid-range, and while the food isn’t mind-blowingly amazing, it’s at an acceptable level.

Thin-crust Handmade Italian Pizza
Facebook

A coffee shop very popular with Hong Kongers. The Hong Kong Causeway Bay branch still has long queues since its opening (and I still haven’t tried it). Since they’re opening more branches, you no longer need to queue up in Taiwan. I’ve eaten there so much I’m over it (laughs), but I usually go with friends who are trend-chasers or have heard about it but never tried it. As long as my friend gets to eat something, that’s fine—the fruits are quite large and fresh.

Coffee Lab (Dunhua Branch)
Address: No. 42, Lane 187, Section 1, Dunhua South Road, Taipei City
Phone: +886-02-2711-1910
Website:http://www.coffee-alley.com.tw

A cold noodle shop that became famous because many Hong Kong celebrities raved about it. Taiwanese people might not understand why Hong Kongers are so keen on going there, especially when there are more authentic and tastier options (laughs). Anyway, if you haven’t tried it and you’re a big fan of Chef Chen or really curious, go ahead and check it out. I think their cold noodles are pretty good, and they’re open 24 hours, so it’s a good option if you’re hungry late at night.

Chen’s Cold Noodles
Address: No. 29, Lane 123, Section 5, Nanjing East Road, Taipei City
Business Hours: 24 Hours

A scallion pancake shop at the intersection of Yongkang Street, where there’s often a line. It seems to be getting more popular these days. The auntie uses a machine to flatten the pancake dough, then cooks both sides on an iron griddle until golden brown, occasionally pressing it loose with a spatula. Scallion pancakes are usually served with toppings—the basic version comes with egg, but I prefer the cheese egg version. The half-melted cheese paired with the chewy scallion pancake is incredibly flavorful, greasy, indulgent, high-calorie, and unhealthy.

Tianjin Scallion Pancake
Address: No. 1, Lane 6, Yongkang Street, Taipei City

miss kitB
A core member of the "Unserious Association," also known as a "multifunctional cross-media freelance creator." Believes boredom is the mother of creativity and happiness is life’s greatest asset. Eats breakfast every day and travels the Earth daily.
Blog:http://kitx.mysinablog.com/index.php