Vegetarian and Vegan Food in Da Lat: A Practical Guide

Why Da Lat is easy for vegetarians

Da Lat is surrounded by farms that supply vegetables, mushrooms and fruit to much of the country, so plant-based food here is fresh and cheap. Vegetarian food in Vietnam is called chay, and it has a long tradition linked to Buddhism: many families eat chay on the 1st and the 15th day of every lunar month. That is why you will find vegetarian restaurants (quán chay or nhà hàng chay) in most parts of the city — look for the word "chay" on the sign.

Vegetarian dishes worth trying

• Cơm chay — rice with a choice of tofu, mushrooms, vegetables and mock-meat dishes, often served buffet-style at lunch.
• Bún chay and phở chay — noodle soups made with a vegetable or mushroom broth.
• Lẩu nấm chay — mushroom hotpot, perfect for cool Da Lat evenings and great for sharing.
• Bánh mì chay — the famous baguette filled with tofu, vegetables or vegetarian pâté.
• Fresh Da Lat vegetables — stir-fried greens, chayote shoots (su su), and artichoke (atiso), which is also sold as a tea.
• Sữa đậu nành — hot soy milk, a favourite street drink in the evening.

How to order: the words that help

• Tôi ăn chay — I'm vegetarian.
• Không thịt, không cá — no meat, no fish.
• Không nước mắm — no fish sauce. Ask for nước tương (soy sauce) instead.
• Thuần chay — vegan. Add không trứng, không sữa — no eggs, no milk.

In a dedicated quán chay you can relax — everything is meat-free, and much of it is vegan. In ordinary restaurants and street stalls be careful: broths are often made with meat or bones, and fish sauce is used in many dipping sauces. If you are strict, a vegetarian restaurant is the safest choice. Our page of useful Vietnamese phrases has more words for eating out.

Snacks at the market and night market

Da Lat Market and the evening stalls around it have plenty of plant-based snacks: grilled corn and sweet potatoes, fresh strawberries and avocados, dried fruit, roasted nuts and soy milk. Be aware that bánh tráng nướng (grilled rice paper) usually comes with egg and often with dried shrimp or meat toppings — ask for a vegetarian version. Our night market guide explains how the market works, and the Da Lat food guide covers the local dishes in general.

Practical tips

• Vegetarian buffets are busiest at lunchtime; come early for the widest choice.
• On the 1st and 15th day of the lunar month, popular vegetarian restaurants can be very busy.
• If you have a food allergy, show it written in Vietnamese on your phone — it is clearer than explaining.
• Search "quán chay" in Google Maps to see the vegetarian places closest to you.

Explore Da Lat's food by scooter

Vegetarian restaurants are spread around the city, and a scooter makes it easy to try a different one for every meal. Van Phu Da Lat rents the Honda Vision, the Honda Air Blade and electric scooters for 150,000 VND per day, with a free helmet, a phone holder and no cash deposit — you leave your passport or ID card. No alcohol or beer when riding, and please strictly follow Vietnamese traffic law. See all bikes on our Da Lat motorbike rental page.

Written by Ngô Văn Phú (Phu) – owner of Van Phu Dalat, local travel services in Da Lat since 2018: motorbike rental, homestay and villa booking. About me →