Welcome! Let's get this started.
or
Finish logging in.
-
CLOSED: Lotus in Moonlight
-
3
Closed
-
Vegetarian
Vegan-friendly
Chinese
International
Quiet environment with a small Chinese bookstore in it. Clean food, possible to eat and feel full at around 100rmb per person. Very difficult to find because it's in a hidden yard but with nice decoration. Name in Chinese: 荷塘月色(左家庄店). Previously located at 12 Liufang Nanli, Mar 2016. Reported closed to HappyCow.
9 Reviews
First Review by tofutodd
peanutplans
Points +4863
Worst Experience Ever - Edit
It Took us over 2 hours to find it. When We finally did, it turned so sad. We stood inside thé entrance of the empty restaurant for a while before à young woman appeared to ask us Why We were standing there. I asked kindly if she spoke english. She huffed and puffed at us before sitting back down to eat her snack, never looking in our direction. Very ugly behavior.
Read morePros: Nothing
Cons: Rude, Old dusty walls and furniture.
Guest
mumpsimus
Points +60
Cosy and quiet - Edit
If you're going here for the first time, write down the phone number and once you are in a cab dial it and their staff will explain the rest to the driver. They are obviously used to people having trouble getting there, after I called to make a reservation they send me a text message with a description to the restaurant, unprompted.
Read moreThey do have a second branch right outside the east gate of worker's stadium, which is easier to find but I prefer the original one. The decor is unique and beautiful and I like the fact that it is hidden inside an old Beijing residential compound.
The menu comes with English translations and photos so if you don't read or speak Chinese you will still be able to make easy choices. I assume staff also speaks some English. Like most vegetarian restaurants in Beijing Lotus in Moonlight relies heavily on mockmeat dishes, I wish they had some more vegetable choices but this is the case for almost all vegetarian restaurants I go to. The service is attentive and friendly here, the food ranges from delicious (their Jiaozi are great, also Tofu in Sesame Sauce) to average. The soup with meat balls we tried was tasty but the meatballs were really chewy. My girl-friend actually gave up on them. Prices are moderate for a vegetarian restaurant, and that is exactly where I would place Lotus in Moonlight: Food quality is slightly lower than Pure Lotus but it is also half the price and in general a bit more down to earth. With its dim lights and beautiful soothing music, it was the perfect location for our date last night, will definitely be back.
Pros: atmosphere, moderate prices, remote location
Cons: dishes not always great, hard to find
Guest
gymgirl
Points +33
Simply fantastic - Edit
This is by far one of the best vegetarian restaurants I've been to. Our appetiser arrived on a huge seashell, and the presentation of all our other food was similarly stunning. The food was delicious, and a great deal of thought had obviously been put into each dish. There were also teas complementing the wide variety of dishes, which made the experience even more special.
Read moreThe manager was particularly welcoming to us as foreigners, and helped us to choose the tastiest dishes. His recommendations were unarguable. The service was excellent, the decor was extremely well done if not too extravagent.
All in all a fantastic dining experience (I returned there 3 times during my 5 days in Beijing). The only problem was that it was VERY hard to find. As a previous reviewer said, however, this may be a good thing for some people who live in/frequently travel to Beijing!
Pros: Excellent food, Excellent presentation, Excellent service
Cons: Hard to find, Quite expensive for Beijing
Guest
barefoot hare
Points +19
Best Veg Ever (don't tell anyone) - Edit
I go to Beijing once per year. I am sure some of you have reasons that certain spots are better than others. I can't speak for everyone, but this is the best vegetarian dining experience anywhere I have visited. The food is sublime, the service is excellent and the decor is very peaceful and relaxing. I never filled my own tea cup - the servers were really amazing. I love the neighborhood, too.
Read moreI have eaten here every year for 3 years running and it is consistent. I usually order 3 or more dishes, so that I can mix things up. So far, I have not been able to talk my meat-eating friends into going, so it's just me so far. I would suggest this for business clients who are flexible/ folks who would appreciate something different. This year, I ate there 3 nights, as I just got sick of choosing pork, fish, chicken, beef... at the other places around town. As a vegetarian, it's way too hard eating traditional restaurants especially when I don't speak anything but English.
What a magnificent treat. It's well worth the effort to find this spot (walk fron subway-Lufang Station). But, don't tell too many people (I am fighting with myself to keep this a secret or tell the world - Ha ha)!
Pros: great food, great selection, great service
Cons: location not central
Guest
dumpling
Points +69
keep looking - Edit
If you seek you will find. Ha ha I almost didn't but glad I did. It was a long time ago but I still remember the steaming lotus bowl that they put on my table with lotus seeds in the middle, thought that was lovely. Felt a bit silly being there by myself, I think they asked me where my friends were ha ha. Pretty sure the food was just lovely with lots of little snacky things to eat. Service seemed polite, helpful and friendly. Would love to go back with friends.
Read morePros: yummy, very pleasant, spiritual
Cons: hard to find
Guest
bhukit-tima
Points +258
Hard to find - difficult to leave once there - Edit
Was invited today by business partners to this restaurant. As it is not THAT easy to find vegetarian restaurants in Beijing this place is really charming.
Read moreSplendid traditional interior, lots of wood, traditional drawings on the wall.
We had very caring waiting staff. The choice and selection of food was outstanding. Great display on the menu. And it actually looks like the pictures once they serve it.
We spend a few hours there, tried a lot of stuff. My business partners never had vegetarian food before but were astonished by the taste and the richness of flavors.
Can definitely recommend and will come back!
It's difficult to find though, took the driver a few calls to actually get there.
Pros: choice, flavors
Cons: difficult to find
Guest
wsh79
Points +161
3rd recurring visit to this restuarant - Edit
Whenever i'm in Beijing, i will not miss this restuarant...Located in a serence area, not easy to find, but definitely worth visiting. (close to CIEC, around 10mins walk). Even my non-veg colleagues love it. Though i find food abit expensive.
Read moreGuest
Prussi
Points +50
Only worth a gongbao (fake-)chicken - Edit
I live only two minutes by foot away from this place and should be happy, but actually I prefer other places much more. I like the Chinese community around, it is very green and the place fits there. But I don't think it is a recommendation for travelers. The waiters are a kind of careless and the food has special Chinese flavours which Europeans aren't used to. On the other hand they have a few dishes I like a lot. If you go there, then try the spicy chicken with peanuts (gongbao chicken).
Read morePros: secret place, very quiet
Cons: not easy to find, bored staff, some seats are hard wood banks
Guest
tofutodd
Points +94
Lotus in Moonlight is fair food for fair prices - Edit
Prices about average for Beijing (15-50rmb for dishes), and I dropped about 125rmb on dinner for myself. But what I got was very bland and I felt I must have been mislead by the poor english translated menu. maybe I just didn't spend enough. But with 3 failed dishes, I didn;t want to try a 2nd time. The place was busy so maybe I just had bad luck. It took my taxi driver a phone call or two to find it. I spoke to some other patrons and they seemed to be pleased with their food after I complained about mine - so you should at least give it a try if you're nearby.
Read morePros: Fair value, Good service, better than avg atmoshper
Cons: Obscure address, Bland food, Staff speak no english
Guest
For Members
Why was my review removed? Guidelines for writing a review View our privacy policyFor Business Owners
Claim this business See inaccurate information? Submit an update here Link to this page from your site See an unfair review? View full terms & conditionsThis page has been viewed 5026 times.