Vegan
Chinese
Chinese name 大兴善寺素香斋, address 雁塔区兴善西街55号大兴善寺内. Temple restaurant. After entering by the main gate on south of the temple, turn half right to the big building perpendicular to the second gate, few steps up through a door, you will find the restaurant. Open Mon-Sun 9:30am-8:00pm.
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Last update on 29 Sep 2013 by Guest
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Added by luana on 16 Aug 2009
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30 Reviews
First Review by flamekat
RobynHattersley
Points +182
Great vegan food in a beautiful temple - Edit
Loved the food here so many great options. The highlights for me were the duck, spicy pork and mushroom soup! If the temple is closed you can still get in, you need to wave to a security guard who will let you in.
Read morePros: Great options, Beautiful location , Peaceful atmosphere
Cons: Confusing to get in when temple is closed
Guest
LauraR2912
Points +435
Good vegan food - Edit
There's a gate at the temple which was closed when I arrived with opening times from 0800-1700.
Read moreAman sitting near the gate will let you in if you tell him you're going to the restaurant.
Menu in Chinese but with photos.
Had the ma po tofu which was a large portion for one person but really tasty.
Guest
LiZe_92
Points +442
Nice temple restaurant - Edit
We had a nice dinner here with dumplings, soup, vegetables and mock duck. The food came so fast, was tasty and nice atmosphere there.
Read moreGuest
Ursulal
Points +154
Amazing food - Edit
Wonderful food for a great price. Try the vegan duck and tofu pudding, they are incredible. the restaurant is inside the temple.
Read morePros: Different options , Location, Cheap
diegosanantropologo
hey! could u tell me how much did u spend in USD?
Read moreUrsulal
It was less than $10 :)
Read moreGuest
senliangai
Points +453
delightful - Edit
the restaurant is inside the temple, we ended up going couple of times as there aren't many vegan places in Xian, the food was delicious, during summer they sell a herbal plum drink that's served icy cold ( a rarity in China)
Read morePros: location, price
Guest
driggon
Points +493
Very nice, lots of mock meat - Edit
I'm not a big fan of mock meats but the menu is so large that everyone can find something. The food was quite salty but very nice, and prices are good for a sit-down place (20-40 per dish + negligible amount of money for rice). I loved the dessert which looks like green disks with sesame crust!
Read morePros: lots of vegan options, also without mock meats, lovely dessert
Cons: mostly mock-meats
Guest
Eike
Points +198
Nice vegan restaurant - Edit
Although this place was a bit hard to find (it's actually inside the temple complex), once there, I thought it was worth it. The interior might appear a bit basic, but the food was delicious and very affordable.
Read moreGuest
yehadut
Points +2079
Food looked good but tasted blah - Edit
The place was a little tricky to find. It directly faces an entrance to the temple. It will help to look at the photo of the front entrance and walk along the alley alongside the temple looking for it.
Read moreThe portions were big and the food was attractive, but the taste was blah. I took most of it home and didn't bother to eat it. The service was quick... maybe suspiciously so.
The place didn't look fancy or particularly pretty. It was very small, just a couple of tables. The server spoke English, not great but well enough.
There's no restroom in the restaurant, but there is one in the shopping area inside the temple.
Overall I was very disappointed. The temple is really pretty, though.
Guest
Vegangirl7777
Points +462
Delicious - Edit
I went there twice and it was really tasty, cheap and fast.
Read moreIt seems like the name of the place has changed, not the same as on the description?
Also, they made me pay the toilet paper which is weird...
Staff do not speak English at all
Cons: The place is hard to find
Guest
DaunYorke
Points +60
Great Food at a beautiful temple in Xi’an - Edit
I have been here several times. At times they have a menu with vegan choices or at other times they serve noodles only. My experiences have all been positive. Every time I have been, there is a lovely young woman who serves who is learning English. I have never had a problem with communication. The vegan chicken is really good and vegetables are fresh and tasty. The restaurant is modest and clean. The temple is stunning with a massive prayer wheel at the centre. The gardens are beautiful in spring. You can spend hours walking around the temple and meditating.
Read morePros: great food, great venue
Guest
brtknr
Points +225
tasty noodles, gorgeous setting, disinterested staff - Edit
The woman who served us was less than friendly and it was partly due to her attitude that we ended up only ordering two bowls of noodles as we felt under a lot of pressure and like it was annoying her when we took time to look through the menu. However the two bowls of fresh noodles with chilli and Bok Choi were actually very tasty and made a great cheap lunch. The 4 stars is also because the monastery is really really beautiful and definitely worth visiting, and we would never have discovered it if not coming to the restaurant.
Read moreGuest
TarunKrishna
Points +154
what can go wrong in a temple?? - Edit
Food was delicious and was served very fast.
Read moreNo english, but pictures in the menu... worth to spend some extra time at the temple itself. Beautiful location and the Buddha in the temple will ensure the food to be tastier :)
Pros: great food
Cons: opening times are a bit flexible. so dont come 10
Guest
GeertK
Points +65
Great food! - Edit
Friendly staff, hardly speaks English, but with Google translate we managed to order a great meal. Spicy green beans are recommended. Expect to get your food in random order, as with all Chinese restaurants.
Read moreNothing to complain here!
Guest
phillipguy
Points +108
Horrible Service - Edit
I am sadden to say that I received horrible service. I even speak pretty good Chinese. I would think being connected to a Buddhist temple that the service would be good. I was wrong. Everyone was very tired and seemed to hate work at 11:10am on a Friday. They also stopped me from taking pictures and wouldn't allow me to explain that I was taking them for their benefit to put on HappyCow. I believe I will try to come here one more time to give them a chance but I'm very unhappy now. I haven't even gotten my food yet and I'm leaving this review because I'm very unhappy.
Read morePros: vegan
Cons: bad service
Guest
Bigna
Points +35
Extremly unfriendly - Edit
We arrived there around 13.30 o'clock and there were some people eating. Somehow we were not welcome at all abd had to wait 15 min for the waitress to bring the menu. We ordered 3 dishes, got two of them, finished them and waited for half an hour. then the waitress came and we payed. But we had to pay for all 3 dishes, even though we only received two of them and the waitress knew. Extremly unfriendly, not very cheap. But food was ok.
Read moreGuest
Mimoli
Points +289
Busy restaurant - Edit
Our food was good. A bit oily but I guess that's the Chinese way. English menu available but staff doesn't speak English.
Read morePros: The temple is very nice
Guest
AMing
Points +21
Get that Xi'an Flavour - Edit
One of the best known vegetarian restaurants in the city right inside the temple grounds. Don't worry there's no entrance fee to get through the gate haha.
Read moreThe food is very Xi'an style, by which I mean its got the spicy Muslim inspired flavour to it. It was pretty good. I really liked the Broccoli dish. Its a little place. And I'm pretty sure they don't speak English but the menu has pictures and it's definitely vegetarian 100%.
Pros: Good Food, Easy Find, Quiet and Serene next to the buddhist temple
Cons: Small place, little bit older
Guest
Fredh
Points +95
Delicious and affordable vegan restaurant - Edit
We had our hostel call and ask them whether it's vegan, and we showed our vegan passport - it's all vegan! :)
Read moreVery delicious and cheap restaurant with a welcoming atmosphere. Offers really great Chinese food, with different kinds of mock meat and yummy vegetables. The staff is very friendly. Most don't speak English, except for one young waitress.
Pros: Cheap, friendly staff
Cons: No English menu
Guest
psiphi75
Points +257
Great food - Edit
We visited this place 3 times while in Xi'an and we were there only 3 days. This is the best Chinese food I have ever had. Food was excellent and simple. Fresh vegetables are used for cooking. There is a small selection of items compared to a typical Chinese restaurant, but still a good selection. The staff do not speak English but are very friendly. The meal is very cheap too.
Read moreUpdated from previous review on Saturday November 17, 2012
Pros: great healthy food, friendly staff
Cons: a bit cold in winter, unless you by the heate
Guest
audili
Points +38
Veg or not? - Edit
we walked in, but there was nobody speaking english and also no english menue was available. it was just chinese and without pictures. so we asked them with our chinese phrasebook, if they have vegetarian meals? and the answer was NO! the location was sure the right one, because we recognized it from the photos and also asked two people about the address and name, but the facility was different - maybe the owner changed?
Read moreGuest
junglechick
Points +238
really yummy - Edit
Came here January 2015. It was a little hard to find but the pictures and reviews helped a lot. We got sweet and sour pork and a vegetable dish with rice. Both meals were really tasty and generous portions. The rice came in small bowls (super cheap though) so make sure to get a few.
Read moreGuest
AnantSahai
Points +25
Great food, in large quantities, at good prices - Edit
I can confirm this place is open since I was just there at the end of June 2013.
Read moreI walked to this place from my hotel, and it was not that hard to find. If you go to the right too much, you'll be in a row of little shops all inside the temple complex. Instead of turning right, just go straight and then you'll see the place to your right.
I ordered two dishes --- a hot&sour soup and a special radish dish --- along with rice. I figured that would be the right amount for one person. I ordered some of their standard tea to drink. The soup came in a giant bowl --- there was enough there for 4 people easy. I had skipped breakfast, and the food was very tasty, so I managed to stuff myself and eat almost everything. I couldn't really finish the tea however because I was pretty full of liquid trying to take in all that soup.
This has got to be the tastiest food I've had in Xi'an. And in terms of vegetarian Chinese food, it's right up there with the best I've had in Beijing, Shanghai, or Hong Kong. It is superior to the best I've had in San Francisco, Berkeley, or New York City.
I'd recommend this place in a heartbeat.
Pros: Very tasty food, Quite inexpensive
Cons: No English spoken, No napkins
Guest
mrswonderstuff
Points +91
Cheap noodle soup - Edit
Located in nice temple that is under-construction. If coming from the main road turn right into the main temple complex and before you go through a gate into the temple real look for a building on your right (have added photos)with a sign with food photos on it – there was no English sign outside.
Read moreNice staff and no English spoken but an English menu. Food was good, especially the green beans and the sweet and sour chicken (most dishes are around RMB 20-35). We went back the next day and just had mushroom noodle soup for RMB 6.
Pros: Cheap noodle soup, Good access via metro or bus, Lovely temple also
Guest
Minni
Points +261
Nice, very simple restaurant - Edit
This place is a temple restaurant next to the Daxingshan temple. It's not inside the temple, so it can stay open even if the temple itself is closed. In Dec 2012 the temple was under renovation, but there was a small door on the east side of the temple where you could step in and find the restaurant right in front of you, on the right.
Read moreThere was one staff member who apparently spoke English, but we did all the communication in Mandarin which was fine. The menu has pictures of most of the dishes. Everything was delicious, though very salty, which I've found elsewhere in Shaanxi cuisine as well.
There is a separate tea list on the wall in Chinese. I recommend trying the tea, it's very good and cheap! We got a pot of good Oolong tea for only 25 RMB.
The only downside with this restaurant is that in the winter it's very cold. So be prepared to sit with your coat on.
Pros: excellent food, very affordable, excellent teas
Cons: very cold in winter
Guest
procrastinasian
Points +273
Very good! - Edit
We went back to this restaurant twice, even though it was far across the city. The staff could use a bit of frendliness-training, but the food was excellent and cheap. Decor is very minimal.
Read moreTry some of the interesting desserts, but be aware that the portions are huge, and as they're mostly deep fried, they're pretty heavy! The staff doesn't speak any English, but the owner does. He told us that they have a sister restaurant near the Big Wild Goose Pagoda (Tianlong Baoyan Vegetarian Restaurant, 1号 Ci'en West Road). Much of the menu is the same (even with the same photographs) but more expensive, and the restaurant itself is much nicer.
Either option is a good choice!
Pros: Great food, Cheap, Nice temple
Cons: Spartan decor, Not super friendly staff
Guest
xraysez
Points +203
Bring map, try the aubergine dish, learn chinese - Edit
My first suggestion would be to print off a map as there aren't any sign posts to the temple if you make your own way there. It is walking distance from the Big Goose Pagoda, but we got very lost trying this way. If you use the Metro from the bell tower there is a stop XiaoZhai Zhan which brings you out right near the road the restaurants on depending which exit you take and only costs 2 Yuan.
Read moreOnce you find the road turn down this street keep walking until you see the temple walls, then walk until you see the number 55, go in these doors, then its on the right of the square.
The staff do not speak english or understand any attempt at chinese, and initially seemed annoyed at us being there, but during the meal they were attentive, they gave us hot water to drink and refilled the jug on the table. When we finished our meal a large table next to us started smoking, luckily we had finished, but its all down to timing. When ordering point to things and hope for the best, if you want tofu say Doofu and they will point to some for you.
We ordered; Dumplings of the pasta variety which were filled with minced veg and very tiny, but a full plate of them is lots. A Tofu dish which was ok, but I had better in beijing. Aubergine (eggplant) with finebeans, which was my favorite, a little spicy with crunchy beans. A shredded courgette dish which was nice to try but didint really go with what we were having. It all came to 80 Yuan for 2 of us, we could have order one less dish easily and we took most of the dumplings with us, they were happy to put them in abox for us as we were stuffed.
Pros: cheap
Cons: language barrier, location
Guest
louispdeville
Points +60
Good and Cheap - Edit
We went to the Daxingshan temple vegetarian yesterday and ordered 101 yuan worth of food (about $15.00 US) for 5 people and had leftovers. The menu was not in English, but they had nice color photos of all the food, so it was easy to pick out a few items. Ordering drinks was not easy, as they had no pictures. It was all good, but the waiters did laugh at the silly westerners struggling to eat their mushroom hotpot. I guess we were not doing it right.
Read morePros: good value, great food
Cons: little english
Guest
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