Quick answer
Hong Kong is manageable for vegetarians. Buddhist vegetarian restaurants serve excellent mock-meat and tofu dishes, Po Lin Monastery on Lantau serves a vegetarian lunch, and Tsim Sha Tsui has the city's biggest cluster of Indian restaurants, including pure-vegetarian ones. Dim sum, noodle soups and congee usually contain pork, shrimp or meat stock, so ask before ordering.
How easy is it to eat well?
Vegetarian & Jain friendliness
5 = easy everywhere, 1 = plan every meal
Indian food availability
5 = Indian restaurants everywhere, 1 = rare
What to order (and what to ask about)
Buddhist vegetarian (zhai) meals
Tofu skin, mushrooms, gluten mock meats and greens at dedicated vegetarian restaurants across the city. Many avoid onion and garlic.
Po Lin Monastery set lunch
Soup, spring rolls, braised vegetables and rice beside the Big Buddha on Lantau.
Mango pomelo sago
Chilled dessert of mango, pomelo and sago in coconut milk, served at dessert shops and dim sum restaurants.
Douhua (tofu pudding)
Silken tofu in ginger syrup, a light dessert at traditional sweet shops.
Hong Kong milk tea
Strong black tea with evaporated milk, served at every cha chaan teng cafe.
Cheung fun (rice noodle rolls)
Silky rice rolls with soy sauce. The plain version is vegetarian; the usual fillings are shrimp, beef or char siu pork.
Vegetable dumplings
Offered at some dim sum restaurants, but fillings may include pork fat or dried shrimp. Ask, or go to a Buddhist vegetarian dim sum place.
Egg tart
Custard in flaky pastry, often made with lard. A must for egg-eaters, a skip for strict vegetarians.
Pineapple bun (bolo bao)
Sweet bun with a crackly sugar top and no pineapple at all. The topping usually contains lard and egg.
Egg waffle (gai daan jai)
Bubble-shaped street waffle; the batter contains egg.
Wonton noodles
Shrimp-and-pork wontons in a broth made with dried fish and shrimp.
Roast goose and char siu
Cantonese roast meats hanging in shop windows; the shops often share kitchens with rice and noodle dishes.
Phrases that help
| Say | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Ngo sik jai | I eat vegetarian |
| Mh yiu yuk | No meat, please |
| Yau mou yuk ah? | Is there meat in this? |
| Mh yiu ha, mh yiu yu | No shrimp, no fish |
| Mh yiu daan | No egg |
| Jai gun | Vegetarian restaurant; look for the character for jai on signs |
Is Hong Kong good for vegetarians?
Better than its reputation. Cantonese cooking is built around pork, seafood and roast meats, and many dishes that look vegetable-based use meat or seafood stock, oyster sauce or dried shrimp. But Hong Kong also has a long tradition of Buddhist vegetarian cooking, a large Indian community and a growing number of vegan restaurants. With a little planning, eating well is easy.
Where vegetarians eat in Hong Kong
- Buddhist vegetarian restaurants: look for the character for jai on signs. They serve tofu, mushrooms, mock meats and vegetarian dim sum, and many avoid onion and garlic.
- Indian restaurants: Tsim Sha Tsui has the largest cluster, including pure-vegetarian South and North Indian restaurants. Chungking Mansions' ground floor has cheap Indian food stalls.
- Po Lin Monastery: the vegetarian set lunch beside the Big Buddha is one of the easiest meals in the city.
- Vegan cafes: Central, Sheung Wan and Wan Chai have plenty of modern plant-based cafes.
Dim sum and street food
Dim sum is the meal everyone wants to try, and it's tricky. Most dumplings contain pork or shrimp, and even vegetable fillings may include pork fat. Safer picks at ordinary restaurants are plain rice noodle rolls and desserts such as mango pudding. For a proper vegetarian dim sum spread, go to a Buddhist vegetarian restaurant. Street favourites like egg waffles and egg tarts contain egg, while curry fish balls and siu mai are fish and pork.
Jain travellers
Jain meals are possible at some Indian restaurants in Tsim Sha Tsui with notice, and Buddhist vegetarian restaurants often skip onion and garlic, though root vegetables are common. Disneyland and Ocean Park have limited options, so carry snacks.
In Hong Kong, "no meat" may not rule out seafood or oyster sauce. Ask specifically about fish, shrimp, oyster sauce and egg.
Budget meals with the Hong Kong trip cost, choose a base from where to stay in Hong Kong, and see things to do in Hong Kong for the Po Lin Monastery trip. Entry rules are in the Hong Kong visa guide.
Frequently asked questions
Where can I find Indian vegetarian food in Hong Kong?
Is dim sum vegetarian?
Is street food in Hong Kong safe?
How we checked this page
Last reviewed
Written and fact-checked by the Elitech Travels editorial desk in New Delhi, drawing on our consultants' day-to-day booking work and the official sources below. Rules, fares and fees change — always confirm anything critical with the issuing authority before you travel. Our editorial policy.
