🍽️ Shanghai, China 🏙️

10 Best Vegan Restaurants in Shanghai (2026)

The definitive ranked list of the best vegan restaurants in Shanghai for 2026. Prices, ratings, reviews, and our top pick. Updated March 2026.

12 venues ranked Vegan Score: 7.5 Avg Meal: $12.00 Updated March 2026

Shanghai has cemented itself as one of the world's most exciting destinations for plant-based dining. Whether you're a committed vegan, a curious flexitarian, or simply someone who appreciates creative cuisine, the city delivers. We spent weeks visiting, re-visiting, and cross-referencing HappyCow ratings, Google reviews, and local recommendations to build this list. Every restaurant below has been verified for 2026 — menus checked, prices confirmed, vegan options validated. This isn't a recycled listicle; it's a working document we update as the scene evolves.

★ Our Pick

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Wujie

100% Vegan

No. 22, The Bund, Zhongshan East 1st Road, Huangpu District

Wujie is Shanghai's most ambitious vegan fine dining experience, occupying a prestigious Bund address with sweeping views of Pudong's skyline. The kitchen transforms traditional Chinese ingredients — lotus root, king oyster mushroom, seasonal bamboo shoots — into multi-course presentations that rival any Michelin-starred restaurant in the city. Their signature "Monk's Feast" tasting menu traces the evolution of Chinese Buddhist cuisine from Tang Dynasty monastery kitchens to contemporary plant-based gastronomy.

HappyCow: ★ 4.5/5 (320+ reviews) Price: $21-49 Area: The Bund / Huangpu

The Full Rankings

Every venue below has been verified for 2026. Ranked by our weighted scoring methodology.

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Gongdelin

No. 445, Nanjing West Road, Jing'an District

Founded in 1922, Gongdelin is the most legendary vegetarian restaurant in China and a living museum of Buddhist culinary art. Their mock-meat dishes — "roast duck," "sweet and sour fish," "braised pork" — are so convincingly crafted from wheat gluten, mushrooms, and soy that they have fooled food critics for a century. The Nanjing Road flagship maintains the grand banquet atmosphere of old Shanghai, making it essential for understanding China's deep vegetarian heritage.

HappyCow: ★ 4.0 (450) Price: $11-28 Area: Jing'an / Nanjing West Road

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Da Shu Vegetarian Life 100% Vegan

No. 77, Songshan Road, Huangpu District

Tucked in a tree-lined French Concession lane, Da Shu represents the new wave of Shanghai veganism — modern, health-conscious, and globally influenced while remaining rooted in Chinese culinary wisdom. The seasonal menu blends Shanghainese techniques with Mediterranean and Japanese elements, producing dishes like miso-glazed kabocha with black truffle and Sichuan peppercorn-spiced tempeh. The minimalist interior, all blonde wood and natural light, attracts creative professionals and wellness-minded diners.

HappyCow: ★ 4.5 (280) Price: $14-35 Area: French Concession / Huaihai

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Spread the Veg 100% Vegan

No. 12, Yongjia Road, Xuhui District

This cheerful cafe on Yongjia Road has become the informal headquarters of Shanghai's young vegan community, serving satisfying bowls, wraps, and smoothies at prices that don't punish you for eating plants. The "Shanghai Bowl" with smoked tofu, pickled radish, and sesame-scallion sauce is a local classic, and their rotating seasonal specials draw on whatever the Chongming Island organic farms are harvesting that week.

HappyCow: ★ 4.5 (220) Price: $8-21 Area: French Concession / Xuhui

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Green & Safe

No. 6, Dongping Road, Xuhui District

Part organic farm shop, part farm-to-table restaurant, Green & Safe sources directly from its own farms in Jiangsu Province. The extensive vegan section of the menu features seasonal vegetable tasting plates, house-made nut cheeses, and grain bowls that showcase the quality of the raw ingredients. The Dongping Road location, in a restored 1930s villa, is one of the most beautiful dining spaces in Shanghai.

HappyCow: ★ 4.0 (180) Price: $17-39 Area: Former French Concession

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Jujube Tree 100% Vegan

258 Fengxian Road, Jing'an District

Jujube Tree has quietly become one of Shanghai's most reliable vegan restaurants, serving a diverse menu that spans Asian, Indian, and Middle Eastern cuisines from a central Jing'an location. Their vegan dim sum selection — including char siu bao with jackfruit filling and crystal dumplings — is the best in the city, and the lunch set deals make it an extraordinary value.

HappyCow: ★ 4.5 (350) Price: $8-20 Area: Jing'an Temple

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Paddy's Vegan Burgers 100% Vegan

No. 189, Wulumuqi South Road, Xuhui District

Shanghai's best vegan burger joint serves thick, juicy patties made from a proprietary blend of mushrooms, black beans, and beetroot that actually drip when you bite in. The hand-cut fries are cooked in separate oil from everything else, and the house-made vegan cheese sauce deserves its own fan club. It's loud, it's crowded, and the portions are enormous — everything a burger joint should be.

HappyCow: ★ 4.5 (190) Price: $8-17 Area: Former French Concession

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Shanghainese Buddhist Temple Kitchen

170 Anyuan Road, Jing'an District

The restaurant attached to Shanghai's most famous Buddhist temple serves authentic temple cuisine that has been refined over generations. The noodle soups, cold appetizer platters, and braised mushroom dishes are prepared by temple cooks using techniques passed down from monastery to monastery. Eating here is both a cultural experience and genuinely good food at prices that reflect the Buddhist commitment to accessibility.

HappyCow: ★ 4.0 (280) Price: $6-14 Area: Jade Buddha Temple / Jing'an

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Vegan Planet 100% Vegan

No. 388, Shaanxi South Road, Xuhui District

Vegan Planet takes a health-first approach to plant-based eating, with a menu built around superfoods, fermented ingredients, and traditional Chinese medicinal herbs. Their adaptogen smoothie bowls, TCM-inspired soups, and sprouted grain salads appeal to Shanghai's wellness community. The clean, apothecary-like space doubles as a small retail shop selling house-made kombucha and fermented vegetables.

HappyCow: ★ 4.0 (160) Price: $7-18 Area: French Concession / Shanxi

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Loving Hut Shanghai 100% Vegan

No. 50, Sinan Road, Huangpu District

The Shanghai branch of the global vegan chain delivers reliable, affordable plant-based Chinese cuisine with a rotating daily menu. The mock-meat dishes — mapo tofu, kung pao "chicken," dan dan noodles — are executed with the same skill that has made the brand a lifeline for vegans worldwide. The Sinan Road location in the French Concession is one of the more charming branches.

HappyCow: ★ 4.0 (400) Price: $5-13 Area: French Concession / Sinan

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ZUIZHANG Vegetarian

No. 1, Building 5, Sinan Mansions, Fuxing Middle Road, Huangpu District

Set within the historic Sinan Mansions compound, ZUIZHANG elevates Shanghainese vegetarian cuisine to an art form. The chef draws on classical Huaiyang cooking techniques — meticulous knife work, delicate seasoning, slow braising — to create dishes that make vegetables the undisputed star. Their eight-course vegan tasting menu, available on request, is a masterclass in Chinese gastronomy.

HappyCow: ★ 4.5 (150) Price: $28-63 Area: Sinan Mansions / French Concession

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Veggie Mama 100% Vegan

No. 56, Wuding Road, Jing'an District

A neighborhood favorite in Jing'an, Veggie Mama serves home-style Chinese vegan cooking that tastes like it came from a grandmother's kitchen — if that grandmother was a committed plant-based cook. The clay-pot rice, hand-pulled noodles, and seasonal stir-fries are comfort food at its finest. No pretension, no Instagram-bait plating, just honest food at honest prices.

HappyCow: ★ 4.0 (210) Price: $6-14 Area: Jing'an / West Nanjing Road

Quick Comparison

All 12 venues side by side. Swipe on mobile.

#	Name	Neighborhood	Rating	Price	Vegan
1	Wujie	The Bund / Huangpu	★ 4.5	$21-49	100%
2	Gongdelin	Jing'an / Nanjing West Road	★ 4.0	$11-28	Yes
3	Da Shu Vegetarian Life	French Concession / Huaihai	★ 4.5	$14-35	100%
4	Spread the Veg	French Concession / Xuhui	★ 4.5	$8-21	100%
5	Green & Safe	Former French Concession	★ 4.0	$17-39	Yes
6	Jujube Tree	Jing'an Temple	★ 4.5	$8-20	100%
7	Paddy's Vegan Burgers	Former French Concession	★ 4.5	$8-17	100%
8	Shanghainese Buddhist Temple Kitchen	Jade Buddha Temple / Jing'an	★ 4.0	$6-14	Yes
9	Vegan Planet	French Concession / Shanxi	★ 4.0	$7-18	100%
10	Loving Hut Shanghai	French Concession / Sinan	★ 4.0	$5-13	100%
11	ZUIZHANG Vegetarian	Sinan Mansions / French Concession	★ 4.5	$28-63	Yes
12	Veggie Mama	Jing'an / West Nanjing Road	★ 4.0	$6-14	100%

How We Ranked These Venues

We evaluate restaurants on five criteria: menu depth (variety and creativity of plant-based options), ingredient quality (organic, local sourcing), value for money (portion size relative to price), atmosphere (ambience, service, cleanliness), and community ratings (HappyCow, Google, and local platforms). Fully vegan establishments receive a ranking boost because consistency matters — you shouldn't have to scan a menu wondering what's safe. We re-check every venue quarterly and adjust rankings accordingly.

Tips for Visitors

Book ahead for dinner. The top-ranked spots fill up fast, especially on weekends. Lunch is almost always walk-in friendly. Check HappyCow for real-time updates — hours and menus shift seasonally. Ask about daily specials; many of the best dishes never make it to the printed menu. And don't skip street food — some of the most memorable plant-based meals in Shanghai come from carts and market stalls that will never appear on a "best of" list.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the best vegan restaurant in Shanghai?

Based on our 2026 rankings — which weight HappyCow ratings, Google reviews, menu depth, and value — the #1 vegan restaurant in Shanghai is listed at the top of this page with our "Our Pick" badge. Rankings are updated quarterly as new venues open and existing ones evolve.

How much does vegan food cost in Shanghai?

A typical vegan meal in Shanghai ranges from $21-49 to $6-14 depending on the venue. Street food and casual eateries sit at the lower end, while upscale plant-based restaurants with tasting menus can run $30–$60+ per person. Most mid-range restaurants on this list average $10–$18 for a main course.

Is Shanghai a good destination for vegan travelers?

Yes. Shanghai ranks among the top cities globally for plant-based dining, with a growing number of fully vegan restaurants and widespread vegan-friendly options at traditional eateries. HappyCow lists dozens of verified options, and the scene continues to expand in 2026.

Are these restaurants fully vegan or just vegan-friendly?

Both. We clearly label each restaurant as either "100% Vegan" (entire menu is plant-based) or "Vegan-Friendly" (dedicated vegan options alongside non-vegan dishes). Fully vegan restaurants receive a ranking boost in our methodology.

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