Vegan restaurant in Oakland Chinatown. Serves vegan versions of Chinese cuisine. Offers inexpensive lunch special which includes soup, spring roll, tea, and rice. Open Mon-Sun 11:00am-9:00pm.
Categories: Vegan, Chinese, Take-out
Vegan restaurant in Oakland Chinatown. Serves vegan versions of Chinese cuisine. Offers inexpensive lunch special which includes soup, spring roll, tea, and rice. Open Mon-Sun 11:00am-9:00pm.
Categories: Vegan, Chinese, Take-out
26 Reviews
First Review by CeeDee
Contributions +226
Not so great - Edit
I was lured here by the ecstatic reviews of great and amazing food. My wife and I shared hot & sour soup (mostly sour), pumpkin curry (bland mush), and mustard greens with faux ham (greens were OK, ham was like smart dogs). Tea was awful. Servers unfriendly. Decor tired and old. How does this place get such great reviews? I would rate it one star, but Happy Cow automatically gives it an extra star for being fully vegan. But are you sure? Nothing on the menu says vegan, nor does the name of the place.
Contributions +13
Amazing! - Edit
Excellent Food!! Honey Walnut Shrimp is just amazing!!
Pros: All Vegan options
Cons: parking sucks sometimes
Contributions +98
Great food, amazing prices. - Edit
This place was really worth the drive. They had a large selection of tasty wallet-friendly dishes and the staff provided great service.
Pros: Cheap large menu friendly staff
Cons: None that I encountered at my visit.
Contributions +16
Favorite Oakland Restaurant - Edit
I love this place and try to eat their once a week because:
1) like me, it's vegan
2) Staff is very friendly
3) Incredible lunch special includes a spring roll and soup + entree for only $7.50
4) 28 different entrees to choose from!
Contributions +30
best vegetarian Chinese food - Edit
This is the only Chinese restaurant in Oakland that is vegan and the menu is extensive. The lunch specials are all great - ample portion with soup and spring roll. There are plenty of options with and without mock meats. The staff are happy and friendly, which makes it a pleasure to enjoy the food there. Definitely my go to place.
Pros: Consistently good food, Brown rice always an option, Peaceful atmosphere
Cons: can be very busy at lunch time
Contributions +64
Good for lunch or family-style dinner - Edit
Nature Vegetarian has a great and inexpensive lunch special: soup, stir fry, rice, and spring roll.
If you don't go during lunch, their food really shines family-style. Sharing three or more dishes will allow you to balance dishes with veggies, faux meat, noodles, and appetizers. They don't offer many dishes that have a good balance of veggies, starches, and faux meat on their own.
While some of their dishes are spicy and flavorful, I find some others to be mild and too bland for my taste. I'd recommend the Beef and Broccoli, Spicy Eggplant, or Lo Mein (perhaps with some added hot sauce).
Pros: Lunch specials are a great value
Cons: Some dishes are bland and lack veggies
Contributions +1576
Big portions at fair prices! Lots of mock meats on the menu, but also veggie options - Edit
Plenty of options of vegetable and veggie meats dishes.
Food is tasty but on the oily side.
I'd recommend the sesame chicken and the sweet & sour pork.
I'd recommend doing a family style dinner and order more dishes to share.
Service is fast.
Street parking, but usually easy to find.
Updated from previous review on 2017-06-28
Pros: Big portions , Good prices, 100% vegan
Cons: I wish dishes were less oily
Contributions +47
Average - Edit
The food is passable. That is about it. Went there once but won't go back.
Pros: large manu
Cons: dark, average food
Contributions +146
Excellent food and friendly service - Edit
We tried several dishes and soups and everything was fresh and delicious. Their homemade "meats" have a great texture and taste. They also make their own hot sauce. The server was really nice and explained everything to us. I would go here more often if it was easier to park. This is exactly the kind of Asian food you wish was on every corner.
Pros: Tastes great, Fresh, Homemade "meat"
Cons: Parking is sometimes very difficult
Contributions +7926
Average at best vegan food - Edit
I tried the broccoli with vegan "beef" at this Chinese vegetarian restaurant.
I thought the broccoli was average, but felt the beef they make in-house was not great. I felt the taste was a bit off, as though perhaps they had fried it in a pot with burnt food in it. I did not care for the texture much either.
Contributions +77
Great Chinese food - Edit
I would put there food up against any (vegan/not vegan) Chinese spot and this food I would say is as good or better. Usually at a bunch of places it is too tofuy. Been multiple times and will continue coming back.
Pros: Cheap , Quick , Awesome
Cons: Hard to park
Contributions +242
Solid, affordable, super friendly! - Edit
I had lunch here today with a couple friends, and it was very solid. It's pretty classic Chinese-themed vegan food: somewhat heavy, tasty, flavorful. The three dishes we shared, family style, definitely gave the lie to the notion that vegan food cannot be flavorful (or, for that matter, heavy and slightly greasy.)
We shared three lunch specials, which are a screaming deal at $7.50 each, including fried spring roll, soup, brown or white rice, and hot tea.
The "Braised Tofu with Vegetable" wasn't anything extraordinary, but solid for what it was.
The "Singapore Style Stir-Fried Rice Noodles" were great.
Honestly the "Veggie Peking Style Ribs with Chinese Donuts and Pineapple" was slightly strange for what we were expecting, but delicious. A sweet orange sauce which isn't normally my favorite thing, but all three of us loved it.
The service was super friendly and helpful, the food came out fast and hot, and the grand total for three of us to stuff ourselves and still take home a small takeout container was $24.75 (plus tip, of course.) Can't beat that!
I'll definitely go back for cheap, tasty, friendly lunch specials!
Pros: tasty, cheap, vegan
Contributions +52
Excellent downtown Oakland vegan Chinese! - Edit
This place is great! Full Chinese menu with great-tasting vegan meat options. The taro fish was special. Not too salty, not too greasy, just great Chinese food.
Contributions +28
Nature Vegetarian, Oakland, CA - Edit
Good food. I was expecting more veg options on the menu but they seem to have a lot of chicken seafood and pork listed. Regardless, They presented a very nice plate of braised tofu with baby bok choy and some excellent marinated mushrooms with brown rice. It was very tasty. And they said any of their dishes can be made vegetarian or vegan. Very quick and affordable. Location is very close to Marriott City Center.
Pros: close to Marriott, can prepare any of their dishes as vegan
Cons: more of a veg friendly establishment
Contributions +32
Amazing Food!!!! - Edit
There is no restaurant like this where I'm from and I was so very impressed. The food was all vegan and very delicious plus the service was amazing and accommodating. We came in with a group of 10 people just 20 min before closing and the owners were great. Amazing people- amazing food!
Pros: really great vegan Chinese food., It's very fresh tasting- not heavy or salty
Contributions +1988
Good vegan food, good value - Edit
Aptly named "nature" offering natural, no-MSG all-vegan food, at very affordable prices. Offers more traditional Chinese dishes instead of Americanized versions often found in some Asian restaurants, with mock meats prepared on site. Fresh vegetables accompany the dishes, though few all-vegetable dishes listed on very extensive menu. Good flavor, without being greasy or overly salted. Weekday combo lunch specials generous & quite filling, with available appetizers generous enough to share. Lunch, dinner & prix fixed (for a group) menus, too. Prompt, friendly service. Child-friendly. Satisfying to non-vegans with whom I have dined who remarked the mock meat General Tso's chicken, beef & duck dishes were as good as any non-vegan they had eaten. California is in drought conditions, so had to ask for water, like in most restaurants there these days.
Pros: Inexpensive , Traditional Chinese, Fresh ingredients,mock meats made onsite
Cons: Parking
Contributions +6212
all vegan Chinese - Edit
We came with a group which took up two large tables pushed together. We all shared family style by table. We had a couple clay pot dishes, including fish, a couple noodle dishes, sesame chicken and more that I can't remember. It was all good and we devoured it all. The service was fast and friendly. Dirk got General Tao's chicken, chow fun and some bao to go as well and enjoyed it the next day at work. Overall, it was a good meal and we would return.
Pros: all vegan Chinese, fast and friendly
Contributions +13
Never Again - Edit
Let me start with the punchline: I was accused by the server that I walked out without paying the bill. Is that stereotypical or what?!!
Of course, they found the signed receipt while I stood outside waiting at the front door -- feeling humiliated on top of the bad service I received.
I was never offered water, they never came to check to see if everything was ok after the food was served. They rave about how fresh their food is, but can't provide fresh table top condiments. They are stale.
I did notice Everyone else in the establishment had water and were tended to and asked if everything was ok.
If they only knew who I was they wouldn't of made such a bad judgement based on gender, race, or creed. But this is the world we live in. I am happy to spend my money elsewhere where I am treated as a human being who is an upstanding American citizen who votes.
Pros: Hot food
Cons: Bad Service, Accused of not paying bill, Stale Condiments
Contributions +17
really? disappointed - Edit
we were ready to love this place. someone mentioned golden era that has closed down in san francisco and was our favorite. this place didn't even come close. it was embarrassing as we took friends there. very tasteless and mediocre. a little too greasy and bland. the hot and sour soup was hot alright, but not tasty. the fake meat disappointing. we tried 4 dishes and all were let-downs. perhaps the curry with pumpkin and taro and tofu was at least good.
the waiter was super! we're not going back, but would like to meet him again. any cows/stars go to him.
Pros: waiter
Cons: food
Upscale Gourmet Chinese Cuisine - Edit
Nature Vegetarian Restaurant is clean, new and with great service. The food is great and they give huge servings at a reasonable price. This is a great place to bring a large group, and entire family, a loved one or by yourself. The 'To Go Food' works really well especially if you are traveling. This is my favorite Chinese Restaurant in California. It is also the best in the Bay Area. Full Menu, no problem with serving food NOGO (No garlic no onions) and I like the music they play. Come hungry, they will fill you up family style and send you home with left overs.
Pros: Taste of food, Menu, Price with large servings
Cons: Parking, Oakland location
Contributions +21
Best Fake Meat EVER... - Edit
I recently had lunch at this restaurant. The food was great and the service was very good. The flavor was amazing and there was so much to choose from. I'm definitely going back to this restaurant. I would highly recommend this restaurant to vegans and meat-eaters alike.
Pros: Great Flavor, 'meat substitutes' were very good, Great Prices
Contributions +4025
Diverse menu, good value - Edit
We enjoyed our first visit to Nature Vegetarian Restaurant.
The menu is extensive and varied, with both mock-meat and vegetable-oriented dishes. The sesame "chicken" was tasty and included plenty of broccoli. Brown rice is available.
The proprietor was visibly racing during our visit, but our waiter was relaxed, kind, and charming, which made our meal doubly enjoyable.
Prices are reasonable and the lunch specials offer good value.
Pros: all vegan, diverse menu, good value
Contributions +76
Best vegan Chinese restaurant in the Bay - Edit
With Golden Era gone and Golden Lotus plagued by the smaller-portions-higher-prices syndrome, this is my new go to spot for Chinese food. The salt and pepper fried chicken is tremendous. The sweet and sour pork is the best in the Bay. And, as some reviewers have already noted, this spot is not overly Americanized. It reminds me of the now defunct Chinatown Buddha's Delight in Boston -- great traditional dishes without the dead animals. Awesome.
Pros: Free hot tea and vegan fortune cookies!, Cheap!, Salt and pepper fried chicken!
Contributions +125
Typical Veg Asian Fare - Edit
Nature Vegetarian was good but surprisingly similar to many other vegetarian asian restaurants. They had faux beef and chicken options as well as some vegetable dishes.
The best part was that they offered vegan hot & sour soup.
Pros: full vegan menu, good, tasty dishes, very large portions
Cons: not too many all veggie options, no menu descriptions, no pictures
Contributions +20
Traditional style chinese food - Edit
This place is not an americanized chinese restaurant. It has many dishes I had never heard of before. It was a great adventure. And like all veggie restaurants I felt very overwhelmed at the sheer number of choices on the menu. I did try a couple things I had never had before and enjoyed them.
Pros: inexpensive, huge menu, authentic chinese food
Cons: no fake chicken only beef and ham
Contributions +100
Great Chinese food - Edit
Nature is a great Chinese restaurant. The food is wonderful, fresh and deliciously prepared. It has a large menu which includes dim sum and wonderful noodle soups. The owners make their own mock meats and they do a great job. Their food is superb!
I will go to this place again and again! However, on two of the four visits I have made they "dumbed" down the food for me, thinking I was not going to like the more traditional dishes with stronger flavors. Please be clear with your server about what you like and want or you might get very bland food and no mushrooms! The food is worth it for a little extra work!
Pros: Fresh and colorful, Deliciously, lovingly prepared, Good variety on menu
Cons: Servers make assumptions about diners
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