Vegan-friendly
Chinese
Take-out
Taiwanese

Chinese restaurant serving veggie food and using different kinds of soymeat; note that faux meats might not all be vegan (check). Sample items include sweet and sour veggiemeat, spicy vegbeef with black pepper and veggies, plus loose leaf teas, bubble tea, and more. Reported closed, Nov '21.


Venue map for Lake Tai
© OpenStreetMap contributors

24 Reviews

First Review by NicolaKnits

fififinn

Points +79

Vegan
11 Nov 2021

Sadly, closed.

The landlord did not renew Rose’s lease and the restaurant is closed. 🤞🏻🤞🏻🤞🏻Let’s hope she opens in a new location!

DanicaMa

Points +30

Vegan
15 Sep 2021

Best in Town

Love this place. Delicious food not served greasy. I leave feeling fresh instead of bloated like other places. Best Chinese/Taiwanese food in town and all vegan!

JTtheveggie

Points +2462

Vegan
21 Mar 2021

Get the Bean Curd Skin Roll

Favs here include the seaweed cone appetizer, bean curd skin roll dish, and veggie rice. Quick and personable service.

AmeliaLidelleMudge

Points +854

Vegan
16 Jul 2020

AMAZING!

lake tai is a vegans paradise. you truly do not need to worry here, the owner rose practically does everything herself, including cooking the meals. they have not been doing so well because of covid 19 so i highly suggest supporting this mom and pop shop

charmainey2010

Points +19

Vegan
12 Aug 2018

Best Vegan Thai Food!!

My family and I have been coming here for years. We always talk to the wonderful, sweet owner Rose and know that the food is vegan. Our favorite dishes include hot plate stem, lemon steak, delicious assorted, wonton soup, among many others!





Updated from previous review on 2018-08-12

Pros: excellent food, awesome service, great prices

BillyQ

Points +28

Vegan
07 Nov 2016

Not Vegan

I recently called Lake Tai to confirm it was a 100% vegan restaurant after seeing on several review websites that the restaurant was listed as "Vegetarian" (not "Vegan"), and that Happy Cow said "note that faux meats might not all be vegan (check)". I wondered if something had changed as years ago, having been drawn in by the reviews stating it was all vegan, we had asked the owner if everything was vegan, and she had told us it was.

I called and asked if any of their veggie meats had whey and she said, "Ye-.. No, no". I asked if any of her dishes had whey in them and she said no - it's vegan. I reiterated to be sure, asking if it was all vegan; she said yes. I then asked if someone with a dairy allergy could eat at Lake Tai and she said, in what sounded like an angry tone, "...maybe you should eat somewhere else". I started to explain my reason for asking (to let her know about the Happy Cow page that said it was vegetarian, not vegan) but she hung up while I was talking.

To clarify, and to hear her response, I called back to tell her about the Happy Cow page. I asked, "Is there any dairy or eggs in the dishes?" She said "Vegetarian is vegetarian". I asked, "Is the restaurant vegan or vegetarian?" and she replied, "Vegetarian". I thanked her and hung up.

We have eaten at Lake Tai many times over the years, enjoyed most of the food and had very friendly and prompt service from the same person I spoke with above, but now we feel deceived and will no longer be eating there.

Please carefully read the description on Happy Cow and read the sign on the restaurant - it says "Lake Tai VEGETARIAN Restaurant".

IvorBlock

Points +18

Vegan
10 Oct 2016

Consistently incredible vegan food

We have eaten at Lake Tai as a family for over ten years. The lovely Rose always has a warm smile, treats us like family. The food is consistenly prepared to perfection, never been disappointed in all those years. The menu is extensive and anyone can find something to love.

Pros: Excellent Value, Friendly Staff, Great Food, relaxing atmosphere

Vegan_hiker

Points +452

Vegan
29 May 2016

best vegan in kelowna

I'm not sure why this place is not listed vegan? I talked to the owner recently and she assured me it is 100% vegan!
Anyway....we have been eating here for over 10 years and it is always amazing!! Fast service, awesome food, and the best vegan donuts in the world (free with each meal)!

LolaMeow

Points +394

Vegan
06 Apr 2016

Amazing Taiwanese food, and very friendly service.

We visit Lake Tai every time we are in Kelowna. The food is unreal and the owners are really sweet. The food comes out FAST and everything is always really good. The donuts at the end are always gobbled up, even though we are so full.

Pros: Very tasty, Friendly staff, Affordable

chel534

Points +103

Vegan
29 Jul 2015

I adore Lake Tai!

Vegan (and some vegetarian) Taiwanese food? Yes! It took way too long for me to visit Lake Tai and when I finally did my tastebuds were extremely pleased! I had never had Taiwanese food before but this is very delicious. I also love how there's sooo many options and the prices are quite reasonable, with amazing service! The lady who has served me every time is very kind and sweet.

At the end of the meal they serve these vegan donut things, which are amazing.

I wish the space and the look of the menu were a bit more modern and it's in a strange location, so often I just do takeout. Other than that, I highly recommend visiting Lake Tai!

Pros: Delicious and yummy, Large menu, Fantastic Service

Cons: Very simple and casual, not modern, Location

deeholt*

Points +49

Vegan
23 Mar 2015

Delicious Vegan Food

There is a nice atmosphere and friendly staff in this vegan restaurant that has food origins from Taiwan and not China as posted. It is very delicious food with a really huge variety of dishes and appies to choose from in their menu. The food is also very unique and it is vegan fine dining at it's best. Many dishes contain too much sugar/salt/oil to be considered health food. The main protein is also soya bean unfortunately. They are however MSG free, and it is much healthier food than any Chinese food buffet. I would highly recommend dining at this restaurant to anyone which is why they get a 5/5.
Updated from previous review on Sunday October 20, 2013

Pros: No MSG, Delicious Food, 100% vegan, no worries

Cons: High Sugar/Fat/Salt

erinsimm

Points +11

Mostly Veg
29 Dec 2014

Great choices

This was the first time we have been here as we were visiting from out of town. Definitely will come again. So many options and the veggie meats are made in house. More than filling and great service. Family run and feel like you're a regular.

showwhippets

Points +53

Vegan
29 Oct 2014

WONDERFUL HIDDEN GEM

This sweet little restaurant is hidden away in a mostly industrial area, surrounded by an auto-detailing shop. However, once you find it, what a wonderful gem of a restaurant. You are greeted as if a family friend, and the service is fast and friendly, with wonderful suggestions by the owner. The menu is Taiwanese-Chinese vegetarian, with many items made of meat analogues that totally replicate those items familiar to carnivores from "traditional" Chinese restaurants. The meal for 2 had 3 entre items and a bowl of (brown) rice for each of us. Defiitely on my list of must-visit places the next time I am in Kelowna.

Pros: Friendly service, Excellent menu, Tasty food

Cons: Rather hard to find

LaurenRees

Points +11

Mostly Veg
20 Aug 2014

Amazing!

This was one of the best restaurants I've ever been too!! Highly recommend!

Pros: Amazing food, Nice staff, Excellent price

bforder

Points +31

Vegetarian
20 Jun 2014

My Favorite Vegetarian Restaurant

I've been going to Lake Tai forever and I know the family quite well. I love everything on the menu. This place is a sanctuary for me. Rose is a true friend to her customers and provides outstanding service. Have a chat with her if it's not busy =) Her husband sometimes comes out for a smile & wave, but he's usually just focused on doing his thing... Cooking up some of the best vegetarian restaurant food in Western Canada! He was once a personal chef for the king of Taiwan, and the quality of every dish is ensured. Note that this is not Thai food - it's Taiwanese (very similar to Chinese, with some overlap from Chinese like "Sweet & Sour Veggie Meat", "Hot & Sour Soup" and "Ma Po Tofu"). Satisfaction guaranteed! You'll be back!

Pros: Quality in every dish served, Dedicated & caring service, Free simple appetizer & dessert

Cons: There is only one Lake Tai

VeganMira

Points +16

Herbivore
26 Aug 2013

Amazing little hidden gem!

Great old school style Asian cuisine done Vegan. My non Veg husband salivated over each dish! While I prefer a little less sauce and a little less oil (read deep fried wontons with sweet and sour sauce), it's a delicious treat..... Incredibly good choice for carnivores who can still get their "fix" without grossing out the Veg dining company.

Pros: everything is vegan, tasty, well priced

Cons: saucy, lots of deep fried options, not enough veggies

trufflepiggy

Points +62

Vegan
10 Jun 2013

um, yum!

Wanted to go to Lake Tai for a couple of years, and finally made it in today as I passed through Kelowna. Yummy! Had hot & sour soup, fragrant crispy lemon steak, and tofu, broc, and sugar snap peas in a spicy brown sauce, served on a sizzling plate. Everything was delicious! Lake Tai serves quality food for good value. We left stuffed. I also ordered a taro bubble tea to go - first time I've had one in eons. The woman who served us was warm, very nice, and extremely helpful.

We'll be eating at Lake Tai next time we pass through Kelowna, that's
certain - so happy there's a fully vegan restaurant within the Okanagan.

Pros: Great food, Inexpensive, Excellent server

lindatheveg

Points +81

Vegetarian
30 May 2013

Great Food and one of a kind

We enjoyed a fabulous meal at Lake Tai last week. It was freshly prepared and very tasty. The ingredients and seasoning were authentic, and there is no MSG! This is the only purely vegetarian (in fact, vegan) restaurant that we have found here. What an oasis. We will definitely be back.

Pros: Authentic ingredients, Completely veg, Compassionate owner

Cons: Street location isn't exactly charming

Sashen

Points +16

Raw
28 Dec 2012

Fantastic, I'm a happy Customer

Food was beautiful and filling. Staff was kind and caring. Please support this place as their are not any Vegan places in Kelowna. As a raw foodie, it was a great compromise to have a big plate of steamed veggies. My parents and wife loved all the other dishes too.

PeaceGirl

Points +38

Vegan
18 Dec 2012

I love this place!

From the warm welcome to the great service to the delicious vegan Taiwanese food, Lake Tai is a huge favorite! Some of our faves are Japanese rolls, curried hot plate and fried rice. The stewed soup is also delicious on a cold day. Sweet and sour veggie meat, oolong noodles, and spring rolls are all so good.
Updated from previous review on Tuesday December 18, 2012

Pros: delicious food, amazing service, friendly atmosphere

Cons: would love more healthy options

HappyVeganMom

Points +24

Vegan
07 Jun 2012

Not great

I really wanted to like this restaurant. Maybe my expectations were too high. However, I found the fake meat to be gelatinous, fatty, and bland. The BBQ appetizer seemed suspiciously like scrambled eggs with sauce. I also ordered the satay curry... but it was just mushy broccoli, cauliflower, and blobs of something fatty and unrecognizable. I felt embarrassed, as I didn't want to insult the staff by not eating it. The lady working there was really nice.

I've never written a negative review for a vegetarian restaurant before, as I really appreciate the effort. However, the food here was not good.

Pros: vegetarian

Cons: food isn't very good

alliepat

Points +20

Vegetarian
07 Apr 2010

Yum...

I passed Lake Tai on the way to my hotel and made a mental note to check it out. It was great...really fresh and fast and wonderful flavours. It was great to find a place that served fresh vegan food amidst all the burger joints. The bean curd skin dishes (black bean or honey) are amazing! I'll be back next time I'm in Kelowna.

Pros: friendly staff, fast service, good value

thekelly

Points +25

Vegan
05 Mar 2010

I love Lake Tai

My boyfriend and I discovered Lake Tai one night when I was getting frustrated that there are no veg restaurants in our town. We found Lake Tai online and drove all the way to Kelowna just to eat there. We weren't disappointed!
We love to split the meal for two and add an appetizer. It's a lot of food and a lot of variety for a relatively small price. The food is delicious and we keep going back.

Pros: Large Menu, Delicious Food

Cons: Some of the food looks weird!

NicolaKnits

Points +20

Vegan
20 Oct 2008

Love the Lake Tai

I love the Lake Tai. In a city full of fast-food outlets and steak restaurants, it's great to have a completely vegan place where we can go for special occasions. Our family of five eats a big lunch there for about $100. It's a small restaurant with personal service (owner-operated), freshly cooked food and a pleasant atmosphere.

Pros: excellent food, generous portions




This page has been viewed 13513 times.