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When you’re traveling internationally, one of the sheer joys of visiting other countries is enjoying the cuisines that you encounter.

There is that one exception to the rule though and that is the one involving having to follow a certain diet – i.e. vegetarian. Now let’s take that a step further and make traveling in China part of the equation. You’re in the beautiful city of Shanghai and you need to find a vegetarian restaurant. Here’s a list of recommendations for vegetarian restaurants in Shanghai.

• Chong Zheng Natural Vegetarian

Vegan-friendly, Chinese cuisine. Chong Zheng also has an English menu with pictures of the food. The restaurant is a little difficult to find as it is located in an 8th floor high-rise location on Nanjing Road East (not west). Fortunately, there is a direction sign stating “Vegetarian Restaurant 8th Floor.”

• Chunfeng Songyue Lou

Vegan-friendly, Chinese cuisine. This cuisine was actually founded in the Qin Dynasty and features veggie delights in Yuyuan.

• Gong De Lin

Vegan-friendly, Chinese take-out restaurant. This is an 80-year old business that features a “mock-meat” menu plus a lot of cookies and desserts. Despite the fact that the staff speaks very little English, some of the menu items are in English. Be aware that they do use MSG in some foods so be sure to ask.

• Jade Buddha Vegetarian

Vegetarian Chinese cuisine. The restaurant is located at an old traditional-style Buddhist temple so it isn’t hard to find. It is a nice setting and it is also one of the better values, but there is no English menu and most of their staff does not speak English either. A word of caution – the entrance to the restaurant is not clearly marked and they only take cash.

• Jendow Vegetarian

Ovo, Vegan-friendly Buffet in both Chinese and Taiwanese. The restaurant is located next to Longhua Buddist temple and is a Vegetarian buffet-type restaurant. Their hours of operation are Sunday through Saturday, from 11:30am to 2:00pm (lunch) and 5:30 to 11:00pm (dinner).

• L’Arbre de Provence

Chinese and International cuisine, buffet, juice bar, and take-out restaurant all-in-one. This is another restaurant that is difficult to find as it is located on the 4th floor of the metro city shopping mall.

• Lotus

Vegan-friendly, Chinese take-out restaurant. They do not serve alcohol at this facility nor do they allow smoking. On a positive note, they do not use MSG in any of the dishes they serve. Hours of operation are 9:30am to 9:00pm.

• New Age Veggie – Huaihai Zhong

Vegan Chinese restaurant. This is the second branch of the “New Age Veggie” vegetarian restaurants in the city of Shanghai.

• New Age Veggie (Super Brand Mall)

Vegan Chinese restaurant. This ultra-modern restaurant is located inside the Super Brand Mall on the 5th floor. They accept credit cards and are open from 10am to 10pm.

• Ordinary Veggie

Lacto, Vegan-friendly Chinese restaurant. The interior décor and simple elegance of the food presentation are the key features of this Shanghai facility. Although the menu is in Chinese with some pictures, there are a few English subtitles.

Good luck!

Photo of Bamboo and Bok Choy taken in a Shanghai restaurant originally posted by Augapfel