8 to 10 varieties of leafy greens are offered daily — enjoy healthy and delicious vegetarian luwei (braised snacks).

▲ Vegetarian luwei is surprisingly tasty too.

Reported and photographed by Huang Shiyuan, ETtoday

In recent years, the food industry has seen a surge in vegetarianism, emphasizing natural and healthy eating while minimizing the consumption of meat that burdens the environment. Across Taiwan, vegetarian restaurants have been popping up one after another, and there are even vegetarian luwei options. The Shufu Healthy Gourmet Restaurant prides itself on using a vegetable-based braising broth made from over 20 kinds of Chinese herbs and vegetables, and offers 8 to 10 types of vegetables daily, aiming to make vegetable consumption “comfortable.”

The owner of Shufu Healthy Gourmet Restaurant, Mr. Wei, who retired from civil service, opened the restaurant in December. He said he had always wanted to provide healthy food, and it took him two years to develop the vegetarian luwei broth. Only after perfecting the recipe did he open this eatery. Initially, Mr. Wei just planned to set up a simple stall, but following his son’s suggestion, he found a storefront and decorated it to resemble a cozy café — creating an environment where you can enjoy not just the food, but the whole experience.


▲ Fresh greens are displayed on the wall for customers to pick themselves.

▲ It looks like a tree.


▲ Tatsoi.


▲ Purslane.


▲ Japanese mizuna.

It took nearly two years to develop the vegetarian luwei broth. The main reason was that although Mr. Wei’s wife had a tasty traditional luwei recipe, adapting it to be fully plant-based left the flavor lacking something. After numerous trials, they finally settled on a mix of over ten fruits and vegetables such as carrots, apples, tomatoes, and cabbage, combined with more than 20 types of Chinese herbs including licorice, star anise, fennel, cinnamon bark, peppercorns, Sichuan peppercorns, dried tangerine peel, and cloves. Unlike the aged broths used at many traditional shops, the broth here is freshly simmered every morning. Its flavor is lighter and can even be enjoyed as a soup on its own, placing no burden on the body. Mr. Wei said he didn’t want the broth to overpower the taste, so that the original flavors of the greens and wild vegetables could shine through. The mild-flavored broth allows diners to savor the true essence of the vegetables. The broth can be refilled, but to avoid waste, a smaller portion is given initially — you can always ask for more if needed.


▲ Daily fresh-brewed luwei broth. (Photo provided by Shufu Healthy Gourmet Restaurant)

As soon as you step into Shufu Healthy Gourmet Restaurant, you’ll see a “vegetable wall” lined with jars of greens. Mr. Wei explained that these vegetables are handpicked early each morning at the wholesale produce market. In addition to common greens like Shanghai bok choy, sweet potato leaves, and water spinach, they also offer less common wild greens such as watercress, tatsoi, and purslane. Mr. Wei emphasized that eating leafy greens only brings benefits. Pricing is set at NT$35 per serving for common greens, and NT$40 for rarer wild varieties. Mr. Wei noted that while the profit margin isn’t high, encouraging people to eat a wider variety of greens is the priority.


▲ Other food section, all washed and pre-packaged in plastic.



▲ There are also more filling options like glass noodles and wheat-based noodles.

As for other ingredients, the focus is on natural root vegetables and fruit-type produce such as carrots, {Jwhite bamboo shoots, baby corn, bell peppers, broccoli, mushrooms, and more. There are few soy products, with only a few types like dried tofu. To satisfy those with bigger appetites, the restaurant also offers glass noodles, instant noodles, steamed noodles, and udon. Prices range between NT$20 and NT$35.


▲ Interior seating.


▲ Exterior resembles a café.

Shufu Healthy Gourmet Restaurant
Address: No. 35, Lane 366, Section 2, Bade Road, Songshan District, Taipei City
Phone: 02-2731-7772
Business hours: 11:30–14:30; 17:00–20:30

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