Veggie food in Hong Kong
Hong Kong is known as one of the world’s food capitals – think roast goose, char sui, dim sum and hotpots. But, as a veggie, you need your wits about you. Even the traditional sweet pineapple buns are sometimes made with lard, so it’s a traditional meat- and fish-based place.
I was there for ten days and had no problems with the food. It’s just a case of doing a bit of research. Or you can use my guide to help a bit. There are thousands of places to eat in Hong Kong and I’m just mentioning five. Two are special occasion places; it’s sometimes hard to find such places in a foreign city.
Big Buddha vegetarian restaurant
I’m sorry to say, although I was drawn to this monastery restaurant near the Big Buddha because it was veggie, the food was disappointing, insipid and expensive. The soup was like dishwater, and it went downhill from there. I found the servers brusque and unhelpful. I don’t like to criticise, but if, like me, you would be tempted, I’m giving you a heads up.
Ladies Sik Faan
You may have read about the dai pai dongs (street food stalls) that are dying out. Well, Ladies Sik Faan (two sites) was established about a decade ago and tries to replicate the idea, but it’s inside, rather than outdoors and squeaky clean.
They have old signs on the walls and vintage round cafeteria style tables and chairs with lots of chatter and family groups enjoying themselves. It’s where I’d bring my daughter if she was with me. No English is spoken generally, but my tip is to find a young person, and they may take pity on you and help with the all-Chinese menu. But these are all good signs; it’s not filled with tourists, but locals, so the food must be tasty. And it was.
Server Vicky suggested I order noodles, fried aubergine and tofu. Paul had fried fish. It was all delicious – not greasy but tasty. I ate far too much because it’s nice to have fabulous food. With my jasmine tea and one beer for Paul, it was around £48 for both of us, which is bargain territory in Hong Kong. (Sik faan is the Chinese equivalent of ‘enjoy’ when you start to eat. So not a corruption of silk fan at all.)
No website. It’s a bit hard to find, on the first floor. Tung Choi St, 1A-1L Witty Commercial Building
Mandarin Oriental cake shop
It’s a tiny place on the first floor but it’s handy for a snack or light lunch. They do deals like coffee and cake. I had a small mushroom quiche with salad and some wonderful Jing leaf tea, and Paul had coffee and cake. It was so nice here, we came back twice. This cost us around £25.
It’s centrally located. https://www.mandarinoriental.com/en/hong-kong/victoria-harbour
Pici Italian pasta bar
It might seem mad to go to an Italian in Hong Kong, but it’s only because a Sicilian recommended it as the place where he eats out. They have several branches, but we went to this one twice. Their pasta is all homemade daily and scrumptious. Very big portions, excellent, freshly made salads. Paul was happy with the Italian cocktails and vermouth. £55 ish for two.
A walk up a steep hill rewards you with this wonderful find. No. 16 St. Francis Yard, Wan Chai https://pici.hk
Special occasion
Very occasionally, I’ve spent a month’s mortgage on something memorable. I once blew the lot on two diamond rings. If you are rich, the price is chickenfeed, but for us lesser mortals, we need to spend wisely. The next two places are worth a blowout. The first if you enjoy tradition and old-style French dining and the second, for a more modern environment but traditional Cantonese cooking
Gaddi’s at the Peninsula
My experience here was perhaps enhanced by the knowledge that my mother used to dine here when I was a child. It’s swanky but not in a pompous or overbearing way.
My hair had morphed into a bird’s nest with the Hong Kong humidity, and could have been served in a soup, but no one batted an eye. It’s going to cost you an arm and a leg, but a Michelin star restaurant is never going to be cheap. Go with someone special and make a memory.
Service is exemplary and the cooking peerless. I often find it a bit compromised as a vegetarian, but here it’s spot on. The lovely French chef Anne-Sophie Nicolas uses her delicate touch to present the food beautifully. (She comes around to see everyone.) They make everything in house.
Before the main event, we had melt-in-your-mouth cheese beignets, sourdough bread with the most delicious home churned butter I’ve ever tasted and amuse bouche to blow you socks off. I love tasting menus as then I get to try a variety of different little things – I normally get bored with a huge pizza or a big bowl of risotto.
It’s old-fashioned – they had a three-piece ensemble with singer discreetly performing popular songs – but in a charming way. I loved the thick pile carpet, the well-spaced tables the ironed linen, the heavy vintage cutlery and the soft pink roses. Depending on what you order to drink (as you know, I don’t) you may not get much change from £700 if you both have the tasting menu. But what a night!
https://www.peninsula.com/en/hong-kong/hotel-fine-dining/gaddis-french-restaurant
Duddell’s
This Cantonese specialist has also garnered a Michelin star (along with 75 other places in HK) and it’s recently (2025) been tastefully refurbished with separate dining spaces, a small private room and an outdoor upper deck for more casual dining, brunch and cocktail sipping.
We had dishes chosen by the chef, and the vegetarian options were delicious. In fact, I imagine they were vegan. In particular, the spring roll was larger than normal and square; chef told me this is how they should be. The pastry was wonderfully flaky and the filling more tasty than usual, with marinated tofu and beansprouts.
There is a separate vegetarian a la carte menu with vegetarian chicken with okra, double boiled shiitake mushrooms with Chinese cabbage, and steamed eggplant with glass noodles as examples.
Again, the executive chef came to see us – Chan Yau Leung – as he does with all his diners. Staff are attentive and charming and not overbearing. (I was meeting a friend I hadn’t seen for a while, and they kept their distance to let us chat.) The a la carte menu is online. With drinks, a modest meal would be at least £200, but one to remember.
https://www.duddells.co/home/en/
Disclosure: the meals were all sponsored apart from the Mandarin Oriental cake shop and Pici, where I paid for myself. September 2025