Sometimes it is not easy being a vegetarian in China. The low education of many servers and cooks at normal Chinese restaurants leads to accidentally eating many things vegetarians should not. That is why we have made a directory of restaurants that we know only serve vegetarian food. Many of these restaurants are vegan and do not serve food with any animal products, garlic or onions. Even if you like meat we highly recommend these restaurants as the food is fresh, healthy and excellent.
1. Green Room（绿房子）is the answer to all of Shenzhen's prayers; this is a healthy and beautiful restaurant with a relaxing atmosphere and gorgeous, delicious vegan food made with the highest quality fresh ingredients.
Green Room is open for both luxurious lunches that satisfy the body and wallet, and delicious dinners that are not only healthy and fresh but also environmentally friendly and guilt free.
Green Room also serves late night tapas full of scrumptious bite-sized savory dishes, perfectly paired with homemade signature cocktails.
Green Room's weekend brunch features mouthwatering, western style breakfasts with a creative Green Room twist.
Address: the 3rd Wenxin Road. You can take the metro to Houhai（后海） and take exit D1, turn right onto the 2nd Haide road (海德二路) and walk all the way down under the underpass until you see Tiley Central Plaza on the right hand side, don't cross the street, just turn to the right.（天利名城西门B座一楼10号(渔夫隔壁)）
Website: Green Room's Website
Tel: +86 (755) 13641406225
2. Esthesis of Nature（赫斯提娅进出口有限公司）. This all-natural snack importer from Greece serves only the finest greek snacks. Their products are often found in five star hotels for a breakfast and their snacks go perfectly with an afternoon tea or coffee.150
The restaurant also imports soft drinks from Greece that are made using spring water that comes directly from a Greek mountain in Peloponnesus. They also import Yiamas red and white wine.
Address: Floor 26H, Flat C, No.3009, Heping Rd, Luohu District, Shenzhen China.（深圳市罗湖区和平路3009号C栋26H）
Website: www.esthesisofnature.com
Tel: +86 (755) 2585-5705-6
3. Indus Kitchen Restaurant（印达斯小厨）, one of the finest indian restaurants in the Shenzhen, offering its delicious range of excellent indian cuisine from different parts of India.
Its menu covers the Indian sub-continent from the thalis of Gujarat, the rich curries of North India and the Punjab, to the street-side food of Mumbai and the delectable dosas of South India.
It makes use of the freshest ingredients and finest spice combinations to create delicious cuisine that is exquisite in taste.
The warm hospitality of the staff combined with the unique decor of the restaurant ensures a memorable and enjoyable dining experience for all guests.
Address: 4012 Chenfeng Road, Luohu Buliding, Shenzhen China (Opp to Century Plaza Hotel) Near Luohu（中国深圳市春风路4018号世纪广场饭店（罗湖大厦对面，罗湖火车站附近））
Website: Indus Kitchen's Website
Tel: +86 (755) 82172783/82178297 (m) +86 13417350232 / +91 9879535934
4. Torango（福源天厨） is one of the more classy restaurants in Shenzhen, its meals are priced at about 75 to 100 yuan (US$12-16) a head. The smell of incense is strong, and the interior design is pleasant. Try the mock carp soup, vegetable dumplings, and their tofu dishes. But there is one problem: The menu has neither English translations nor pictures. If you can’t read Chinese, bring someone to translate, or just try randomly pointing at an item and see what happens — although, at those prices, that kind of adventurous spirit might not be worth it.
Address: 2ed Floor, Spring Hotal, South Baoan Road , Luohu District, Shenzhen（罗湖区宝安南路2068号春天酒店2楼）
Website: Torango (Buddhist Vegetarian Restaurants)'s Website
Tel: +86 2593 1238
5. Tsingyi Tea House（静颐茶馆）could be the best vegetarian restaurant in Shenzhen. The menu contains many photos so it's fairly easy for an expat to order. Some dishes actually use soya beans to simulate the taste and texture of real meat and seafood. In accordance with Buddhist custom they do not use any garlic or onions or serve alcohol. The 7th floor is styled as a more traditional Chinese tea house, while the 8th floor presents a nice modern look with an outdoor terrace for sipping tea.
Address: 7th & 8th Floor, King Tan building, 3038#, south Baoan Road, Luohu District（深圳市罗湖区宝安南路3038号金塘综合大厦7-8楼）
Website: The Summer Tea House (Tsingyi Tea House)'s Website
Tel: 0755-25574555, 25586555
6. Ziyuan Tea House（紫苑茶馆）is part of Shenzhen Ziyuan Cultural Development Co. Ltd,. They offers tea parties, tea tasting activities, tea-culture programs, as well as many other activities.
Ziyuan Tea House has remained consistent in its own style and business model since opening. They have gradually built their own brand after ten years of development and have won extensive popularity within the industry.
By moving old houses, built during the reign of Qing Dynasty Emperor Jiaqing(1636－1912), into a modern city in South China, Ziyuan takes an ancient and simple exterior and adds a twist with a modern interior design. Here, you can find healthy and delicious food complimented with art culture.
Address: the Oct Bay, Baishi Road, Nanshan District, Shenzhen(深圳市南山区白石路欢乐海岸)
Website: Ziyuan Tea House (The Purple) (OCT Bay)'s Website
Tel: +86 (755) 83152999
7. Very Siam（暹罗泰）is a Thai restaurant with a few locations in Beijing and has now arrived in Shenzhen. Opposite to the international youth hostel in OCT-LOFT.
Very Siam features authentic and high quality Thai food at a reasonable price. Pure vegetarian food is also served upon the guest's request. The servers are well-trained and attentive and can answer any questions you have about the food. Don't panic if you find the restaurant crowded, take a seat at the bar, they have ice-cold imported Thai beer waiting for you. Expect the meal to be under 150 RMB per person.
Address: Floor 1, A3 Building, Xiangshan East Road, OCT (Opposite the Shenzhen Youth hostel and just to the left of the OCT-Loft North section Entrance) If taking the subway walk from Qiachengdong Metro station and turn on Enping Rd. Walk all that through to the end of OCT-Loft South section and cross Xiangshan Rd.（OCT创意园香山东街A3栋1楼）
Website: Very Siam (OCT Loft)'s Website
Tel: +86 (755) 86233225 86233226
8. La Vegan（登品素食府） is a casual restaurant nice for a simple date, but not for business dinners. The staff are very friendly and helpful, and the informal style makes this place feel more like a regular restaurant. They have a buffet during lunch hours from 11:30 a.m. to 2 p.m., and also for dinner from 6 to 9 p.m. The menu is very diverse, with an international flair. The many Cantonese dishes include faux herb chicken, spicy pork strips, and the usual fried rice and noodles. Unfortunately, the menu does not feature any English translation, but it does have pictures. Expect to pay around 60 RMB per person.
Address: 3rd Floor of Juntin MingYuan, South Baoan Road, Luohu District, Shenzhen（宝安南路2107号骏庭名园3楼）
Website: La Vegan Vegetarian Restaurants's Website
Tel: +86 0755 25908588
9. T Commune（T馆）was the first western vegetarian restaurant in Shenzhen. The restaurant is surrounded by a fence and a garden full of flowers. In the garden there are ponds with coy fish swimming in it. The restaurant is split into 2 parts: one is the public area that only serves vegetarian food, and the other is the private dining area with six private rooms. In general this is a large restaurant with an impressive outdoor garden area.
To cater to all kinds of vegetarians, from buddhist vegetarians to vegan, T Commune labels each item on their menu to denote what is in the food. The staff are quite helpful and are always eager to answer questions when you ask them. This restaurant is one of the best in town and is worth checking out even if you’re not a vegetarian.
Be prepared to pay about 200 RMB per person.
Address: 101, Building B3, OCT Loft, Nanshan District（南山区华侨城创意文化园B3栋101）
Website: T Guan / T Commune's Website
Tel: +86 (755) 8294 3111
10. Jinhai Ge Vegetarian Restaurant (Luohu) （金海阁素食馆）. Founded in 1999, Shenzhen Jin hai ge Vegetarian Restaurant was one of the earliest vegetarian restaurants in Shenzhen. It balances delicious vegetarian food, balanced nutrition, unique flavors and high quality service with a low price. A favorite for many, this restaurant is a must for any vegetarian living in Shenzhen.
Address: No. 53, Guiyuan Road, Luohu District, Shenzhen（罗湖区桂园路53号(电影大厦对面)）
Website: Jinhai Ge Vegetarian Restaurant (Luohu)'s Website
Tel: +86 (755) 2546 6500/2556 3063
(source: Shenzhenparty.com)
(Edited by Stephanie Yang, Charles Hatfield)