Visiting Beijing as a vegetarian or vegan can be frustrating and rewarding in equal measure, depending on your outlook. UnTour Food Tours is always on the lookout for new meat-free dishes or variations at local restaurants in order to help our vegan and vegetarian guests access local, authentic and delicious Beijing cuisine.
We find Beijing to be a fantastic city for vegetarian and vegan dining and a little knowledge goes a long way when it comes to tracking down veggie treasures. Here are a few pros and cons of Beijing for meat-free foodies.
Variety:
Local Chinese restaurants of all kinds often have just as many vegetable dishes as meat dishes, representing a wider selection of vegetable varieties than you may find overseas.
Dedicated Restaurants:
Beijing has a variety of vegetarian restaurants, especially in the central districts. Ask about options near your hotel or sightseeing route when planning meals.
Accommodating Waitstaff:
While staff in restaurants overseas are becoming increasingly accustomed to and welcoming of meat-free diners, the willingness of many of your average Western restaurateurs to accommodate meat-free guests is yet to compare to their counterparts in Beijing. Special orders and special requests are the norm here, and staff at many restaurants will ask if you have any special dietary requirements at the time you order. If you hear a member of staff ask “yǒu méi yǒu jì kǒu?” or “yǒu jì kǒu ma?” they’re asking if you have any dietary restrictions. Read on below to find out how to answer.
What Constitutes Meat:
There's only one real challenge to getting your hands on authentic Beijing food while avoiding animal products. It is, however, a significant challenge that will take some patience and persistence to overcome. While Beijing’s restaurant staff may be eager to meet your dietary requirements, differing ideas regarding the meaning of the word meat can make ordering difficult, especially for visitors with limited Chinese language skills. The term meat (肉，ròu), is usually taken literally in Beijing to mean the muscle tissue of land animals and birds, so learning to avoid other animal parts, parts of other animals, and the derivatives of both requires a far more specific and explicit approach.
Additionally, understanding of vegetarianism and veganism is often limited, meaning that telling restaurant staff you’re vegetarian may be insufficient. Check out these phrases below to help successfully navigate the meat minefield.