During the Vu Lan festival, Buddhists often visit temples to chant, pray, perform charitable acts, and eat vegetarian meals as a sign of reverence.

Here are 5 beloved vegetarian restaurants with spacious settings suitable for family or group gatherings, recommended by a chef from a Michelin-starred restaurant in Thao Dien and surveyed by a VnExpress reporter.

Tojy Vegetarian Restaurant

Opening hours: 10:00-21:00

With two branches in Tan Hung ward (formerly District 7) and Binh Loi commune (formerly Binh Chanh district), Tojy offers a relaxing Japanese-style dining experience for those seeking a quiet atmosphere. The restaurant boasts a menu of over 60 Japanese-inspired dishes, including sushi, sashimi, and tempura.

Japanese-style vegetarian dishes at Tojy restaurant. Photo: Quynh Tran

The "salmon sashimi" impresses many diners with its vibrant color and realistic texture, making it hard to distinguish from actual fish. Served on a long wooden plate with slices of pink ginger and wasabi-soy sauce, the vegetarian sushi offers a chewy, soft, and slightly fatty texture.

Besides the signature "salmon," the restaurant offers a variety of vegetarian sets featuring "octopus," "tuna," "eel," "shrimp," and Japanese rice. The "fish" sushi is made to order, requiring a 15-minute wait. Other Japanese-inspired vegetarian dishes like tempura, ramen, and udon are also available. Prices range from 10,000 to 300,000 VND. Seaweed and mushroom soup and rice are popular accompaniments to the sushi.

Hum Dining

Opening hours: 10:00-21:00

With branches in Binh Hoa ward (formerly District 3) and Thao Dien, Hum Dining offers a cozy and tranquil atmosphere, perfect for intimate gatherings. In 2021, TripAdvisor readers voted it among the top 10 of the 25 best vegetarian restaurants worldwide.

Salad at Hum restaurant. Photo: Hum dining

Hum Dining's refreshing design features lush greenery, a pond, and minimalist decor. The restaurant is divided into separate areas, including private rooms and a 100 m2 outdoor space suitable for parties.

The menu features dishes made from beans, nuts, vegetables, flowers, and fresh fruits, without MSG. Inspired by Southeast Asian cuisine, the restaurant focuses on natural flavors, using only vegetables and avoiding mock meats. Dishes include lotus root with sesame salt, Northwest pomelo and passion fruit salad, square noodles with soy sauce, sour soup, vermicelli hot pot, and palm sugar with coconut milk. The average cost is around 400,000 VND per person.

Du Yen

Opening hours: 10:00-21:00

Located in a building covered in greenery in Thao Dien's expat area, Du Yen was featured in the Michelin Selected list for 2024. The restaurant's interior and exterior showcase traditional Vietnamese architecture, described by the Michelin Guide as "rustic yet elegant."

Thai salad at Du Yen restaurant. Photo: Mai Trung

Catering to a diverse international clientele, Du Yen offers a menu inspired by Vietnamese, Thai, Indian, and Western cuisine. Dishes include Indian-style stuffed mushroom puffs, lotus flower salad, and stir-fried termite mushrooms. A popular appetizer is a take on miang kham, a traditional Thai salad, featuring 8 ingredients: bell pepper, lime, pomelo segments, roasted peanuts, cashews, dried coconut, lemongrass, and macadamia nuts, wrapped in wild betel leaves, creating a blend of sour, spicy, salty, and sweet flavors.

Dishes start at 150,000 VND.

Heli Bistro

Opening hours: 10:30-14:30 on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays; 17:30-20:00 on other days.

Located on Hoa Cuc street in Cau Kieu ward, Heli Bistro offers indoor and outdoor seating, suitable for parties.

Vegetarian dishes at Heli restaurant. Photo: Heli Bistro

The vegetarian menu blends traditional Vietnamese and Asian cuisine. Options include spring rolls, fried rice, bun rieu (crab noodle soup), banh canh (thick noodle soup), hot pot, and grilled dishes, with generous portions ideal for groups of three or more. In addition to a la carte options, the restaurant also offers a vegetarian buffet. Prices range from 70,000 to 350,000 VND per dish.

Tue Vegetarian Restaurant

Opening hours: 7:30-21:00

With three branches on Mai Thi Luu, Tran Hung Dao, and Ton Duc Thang streets in central Ho Chi Minh City, Tue Vegetarian Restaurant offers a modern and tranquil setting for diners seeking relaxation and vegetarian cuisine.

Vegetarian dishes at Tue restaurant. Photo: Tue chay

The branch on the 3rd floor of the Marina Saigon building (Ton Duc Thang street) is popular for its views of the Ba Son bridge and the Saigon River. The diverse Asian-inspired menu includes appetizers, main courses, and desserts. Highlights include fried mushrooms in sweet and sour tamarind sauce, Pad Thai, durian curry, lotus rolls, and fried oysters in Thai sauce. The average cost is around 250,000 VND per person.

Tuan Anh