Hong Kong is well known for its culinary scene, but as a vegan, I had some reservations before my trip. The prevalence of HappyCow green pins did provide some reassurance, but it wasn’t until my visit that I accepted I had nothing to worry about. In fact, its plant-based community delivered, and far exceeded, my expectations.

For those not familiar with HappyCow, it is a community-supported app that maps vegan, vegetarian, and vegan-friendly eateries and businesses. The green pins represent the 100% vegan establishments and is a must for food planning when travelling.

Reminiscent of my youth

As a child, I fondly remember my trips to Chinatown and my predilection for sui mai and char siu bao. I was always excited to order both these dishes and I was able to rekindle this emotion at Veggie Kingdom. Here, the sui mai is mushroom-based, while the sweet, fluffy, steamed bao’s are filled with BBQ veggie ‘pork.’ They were perfect, as were the many other dishes I tried, including the turnip cake, crispy eggplant, and rice noodle rolls.

I’d planned a lunchtime visit, as this is when they serve dim sum, and I was fortunate enough to get a table. It is very popular with locals so do try and book in advance. You will not be disappointed.

The quirkiest of restaurant concepts 

If a 1950s American-themed vegan restaurant in Asia sounds appealing, then Veggie 4 Love is for you. The restaurant has a vintage look and feel and is packed full of period appropriate nick-nacks. A great touch was the old-style TV that loops black and white episodes of the US sitcom I Love Lucy. 

It is located on the 10th floor of a high-rise building, so isn’t the easiest place to find. Though this set-up is not unusual for this densely populated city.

Given the US diner concept, burgers are on the menu, but I opted for more local cuisine: crispy Peking ‘duck’ pancakes and laksa. Both delicious. The showstopper though, was their molten chocolate cake with cream and ice cream. Dark, sweet and gooey. Absolutely divine.

My first ever try of lion’s mane mushroom

I love mushrooms and tend to gravitate to them if listed on a menu. It’s a weakness. What grabbed my attention at Be With Years was their lion’s mane curry.

I’ve seen this mushroom feature in many online recipes but had yet to try it. It was chunky and tender, working perfectly with the thick curry sauce and accompanying veg, pickles, and appetisers. The bento box was presented on a tray in bowls and was as flavoursome as it was aesthetically pleasing. 

Their Earl Grey lemon almond tart followed this. With a subtle-tasting, slightly sweet layer sandwiched between a crispy pastry base and fluffy cream topping, I could have easily eaten another slice, or three. 

This casual dining concept now has four locations across the city, all with slightly different menus. However, the business is more than food. With corporate social responsibility at its core it is a complete lifestyle brand selling everything from houseware to clothing, and much more.

Noodle and coconut curry heaven

Top-rated on Happy Cow, Root Vegan was on my hit list while in the city. After a tour of the nearby Tai Kwun heritage site, it was the perfect spot for a mid-afternoon recharge. 

I find it hard to resist a coconut curry noodle dish, so their bestseller, Khao Soi Northern Thai Curry Noodle, was impossible to say no to. I could have returned again and again to enjoy this spicy soup, topped with fried wonton skins, veg, and soya drumsticks. 

I also ordered appetisers, soup, and a slice of blueberry cheesecake. All dishes were presented as if they’d been lifted from a page in a cookbook, and they tasted as good as they looked. Their menu is extensive and varied; I only regret that I didn’t try more of their dishes.

A taste of Europe

After nearly a week in the city, I craved an all-day breakfast, and LN Coffee came to the rescue. The “LN” stands for loving nature and this vegan bakery has a wide selection of Western and Asian animal-friendly dishes. 

The breakfast included the typical scrambled bean curd, mushrooms, beans and tomato. It really hit the spot. 

While flicking through the menu, their apple and cinnamon French toast caught my eye. I ordered and was expecting a relatively small portion, but it was almost the size of the many high-rise buildings in the city. I powered through and left satiated to the point of bursting. It gets five stars from me.

My sushi obsession continues

As proudly declared in my recent Cape Town article, I am obsessed with sushi.

Fortunately, close to where I was staying was a little café with the cutest courtyard for alfresco dining. Wanaka can be found just behind the famous and historic Grade I listed building, the Blue House. 

A sushi bowl on their menu promised a stacked ‘salmon’ sushi drenched in homemade Thousand Island dressing and fresh mango chunks. It was healthy, refreshing, and super tasty. I couldn’t help myself, so I ordered the lasagna that was layered with homemade vegan mozzarella cheese, eggplant, sweet bell pepper, olives, and courgette. The accompanying pesto sauce simply elevated it further. Both were mouthwatering.

Only after my visit did I realise it was part of the Years group where I’d tried the lion’s mane. I’m really impressed with what they are doing in Hong Kong. If they ever come to London, I’ll be first in the queue.

There were many more restaurants I didn’t get to try and I’m sure they would have been equally life changing. With a little luck, I’ll get to return one day.

For other international cities with great plant-based options you may be interested in the best vegan spots to be found in Dallas or the best vegan eateries in Sydney.