Can I eat vegetarian or vegan here?
Short answer
Yes, but it takes planning. The problem is not visible meat — it is fish stock hidden in things that look plant-based.
The hidden ingredient problem
The tourism body calls it a challenge, and the reason is dashi. Stocks and sauces here routinely contain bonito flakes, so a bowl of vegetables in broth is usually not vegetarian and nothing on the plate tells you.
This catches people who eat carefully everywhere else. Miso soup, noodle broth, simmered vegetables and dipping sauces are the usual sources, and "no meat" as a request does not cover any of them.
What is reliably safe
Shojin ryori, the Buddhist temple cuisine, is vegan by construction rather than by adaptation. Restaurants displaying official vegetarian or vegan stickers are the other dependable option.
Dish by dish, the tourism body names vegetable tempura, tsukemono pickles, tofu and tofu skin, nasu dengaku, zaru soba, and kappa maki — cucumber rolls — as safe choices.
Convenience stores and ryokan
Convenience stores carry umeboshi and kombu onigiri, which work. Natto is a trap: the sauce sachet that comes with it usually contains dashi.
A ryokan will accommodate you if you tell them in advance, because the meal is planned rather than ordered. Telling them on arrival is too late — the kitchen has already bought for you.
Good to know
- "No meat" does not exclude fish stock — name dashi and bonito specifically
- Tell a ryokan when you book, not when you arrive
The tourism board calls Vietnam one of the most vegetarian-friendly countries in the world. One word finds you the restaurant — chay. A second phrase is the one that actually keeps fish sauce off the plate.
Yes, with care. The tourism board publishes guidance for it, but anchovy and beef stock turn up in dishes that read as vegetable.
More easily than almost anywhere in the region. The tourism administration's own guide opens with "Taiwan — a great place to be vegetarian!" and lists restaurants across the whole island.