Taipei is easy for vegetarians and vegans. Taiwan has a long Buddhist vegetarian tradition, meat-free restaurants on main roads and back alleys, and an official labeling system. Look for the character 素 (sù, vegetarian), learn the difference between 全素 (fully plant-based) and 奶蛋素 (with dairy and eggs), and say 我吃素 (wǒ chī sù, "I eat vegetarian"). Three vegetarian restaurants are on the 2026 MICHELIN Bib Gourmand list.
The five vegetarian labels
Packaged food sold in Taiwan as vegetarian must say which kind it is, under a Ministry of Health and Welfare rule. You will see the same five words on menus and shop signs:
| Label | What it means |
|---|---|
| 全素 or 純素 (quán sù, chún sù) | Vegan: plant-based, and also free of the five pungent plants |
| 蛋素 (dàn sù) | Vegan plus eggs |
| 奶素 (nǎi sù) | Vegan plus dairy |
| 奶蛋素 (nǎi dàn sù) | Vegan plus dairy and eggs |
| 植物五辛素 (zhíwù wǔxīn sù) | Plant-based, but may contain the five pungent plants; any dairy or egg must be named in the ingredients |
The five pungent plants (五辛) are scallions, garlic, chives, rakkyo (a small onion) and asafoetida. Many Taiwanese Buddhist vegetarians avoid them along with meat, which is why the strictest label leaves them out too. If you are vegan but happy with garlic and onion, 植物五辛素 works for you, as long as the ingredients list no dairy or egg.
Good to know: the labeling rule covers packaged food, such as the rice balls and sandwiches in convenience stores. Restaurants and stalls use the same words, but if you are strict, ask.
Vegetarian buffets
The everyday way to eat vegetarian in Taipei is the vegetarian buffet (素食自助餐). Look for the 素 sign at lunchtime: inside are trays of stir-fried vegetables, tofu, mushrooms and mock meats. You fill a plate or a box yourself, and the cashier either weighs it or prices it by what you chose. It is fast, cheap and filling. Some dishes may contain egg or dairy, so ask if you are strict.
MICHELIN-listed vegetarian restaurants
The MICHELIN Guide Taiwan 2026 lists these vegetarian restaurants in Taipei:
| Restaurant | MICHELIN 2026 | Area | MRT |
|---|---|---|---|
| Little Tree Food (Da'an Road) | Bib Gourmand, Green Star | Da'an | Zhongxiao Fuxing (BL15, BR10) |
| Serenity (Zhongzheng) | Bib Gourmand | Zhongzheng | Shandao Temple (BL13) |
| Clavius | Bib Gourmand | Songshan | Songshan Airport (BR13) |
| Yangming Spring (Shilin) | Green Star | Yangmingshan | None nearby |
Little Tree Food (Da'an Road)
- Michelin Bib Gourmand and Green Star, 2026
- Hours Daily 12:00 to 21:00
- Address 17, Lane 116, Section 1, Da'an Road, Da'an District
- MRT Zhongxiao Fuxing Station (Blue Line BL15, Brown Line BR10)
Little Tree Food (小小樹食) is a plant-based take on an American bistro: pastas and pizzas, plus dishes with Sichuan, Korean and Thai flavors, like spicy tofu dumplings and fried cauliflower with a gochujang glaze. It is the easiest pick for a group with mixed diets.
Serenity (Zhongzheng)
- Michelin Bib Gourmand, 2026
- Address 1, Lane 1, Zhenjiang Street, Zhongzheng District
- MRT Shandao Temple Station (Blue Line, BL13)
Serenity (祥和蔬食) is, as Michelin describes it, Taiwan's first Sichuan vegetarian restaurant: spicy, meat-free cooking, with dishes that can be made vegan or ovo-lacto. Michelin's pick is a basil-scented mock "crispy tripe" made from deep-fried king oyster mushrooms.
Clavius
- Michelin Bib Gourmand, 2026
- Hours Closed Mondays; lunch on Friday to Sunday only. Check hours on Google Maps
- Address 120 Fujin Street, Songshan District
- MRT Songshan Airport Station (Brown Line, BR13), then a walk
Clavius (雲川水月) serves Taiwanese plant-based whole foods with Asian flavors and modern plating, in a calm room with big windows onto a green patio. Michelin suggests going at lunch for the light.
Yangming Spring (Shilin)
- Michelin Green Star, 2026
- Address 119-1 Jingshan Road, Shilin District (Yangmingshan)
- MRT None nearby; it is up on Yangmingshan, so plan on a taxi
Yangming Spring (陽明春天) is a restaurant and garden on the mountain north of the city, fully vegan since 2020. It serves two set menus with Japanese and Western courses, and Michelin gives it a Green Star for its work on food waste and sustainability. Make a special trip of it.
→ How the MICHELIN Guide Taipei works
Breakfast and night markets
- Breakfast: soy milk (豆漿) is plant-based, and sweet or plain soy milk is safe for vegans. Salty soy milk usually comes with dried shrimp. An egg crepe (蛋餅) is fine for ovo-vegetarians if you ask for it without ham, and a rice roll (飯糰) normally has pork floss, so ask for 不要肉鬆 (bú yào ròusōng). → Taiwanese breakfast
- Night markets: look for stalls with 素 on the sign, and ask before you order anything else. → Taipei night markets on NightMarket.tw
- Convenience stores: packaged food that claims to be vegetarian carries one of the five labels, which makes 7-Eleven and FamilyMart an easy fallback.
Useful phrases
| Say or show | Pinyin | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 我吃素 | wǒ chī sù | I eat vegetarian |
| 我吃全素 | wǒ chī quán sù | I'm vegan |
| 有素食嗎？ | yǒu sùshí ma? | Do you have vegetarian food? |
| 不要肉 | bú yào ròu | No meat |
| 不要蛋 | bú yào dàn | No egg |
| 不要奶 | bú yào nǎi | No dairy |
| 可以吃蔥蒜 | kěyǐ chī cōng suàn | Onion and garlic are fine |
Save the characters on your phone and show them; it works better than pronunciation.
Halal food
For Muslim travelers, Taipei City Government's travel site keeps a page on halal food with a list of Muslim-friendly certified restaurants and accommodations. → Halal in Taipei (travel.taipei)
→ Food guide · What to eat in Taipei
Sources
Vegetarian labels: Ministry of Health and Welfare, 包裝食品宣稱為素食之標示規定 (amended September 10, 2013, Taiwan FDA). Buddhist avoidance of the five pungent plants: Taiwan Business TOPICS (AmCham Taiwan). How buffets work: National Chengchi University, Being vegetarian in Taiwan (2024). Restaurants: MICHELIN Guide, vegetarian restaurants in Taipei and the pages for Little Tree Food, Serenity, Clavius and Yangming Spring. 2026 Bib Gourmand list: NOWnews and TVBS. 2026 Green Stars: Commercial Times. Breakfast dishes: our breakfast page. Halal: travel.taipei.
Checked October 2026.