Taiwan
Level 1 for dedicated vegan restaurants and supermarket shopping; less straightforward if you rely on night markets or traditional Taiwanese cooking.
Taiwan's labelling system is among the world's strictest — but 素 on a restaurant menu does not mean vegan. Learn to read the six tiers before you go.
What the rank meansTaiwan sits at #17 overall — a ranking earned primarily by its labelling infrastructure and the extraordinary density of dedicated vegan restaurants, not by the ease of eating in traditional venues. Taipei scores considerably higher at city level; outside the main urban centres, the country ranking is the more accurate guide.
CoverageThis page covers Taiwan (officially the Republic of China, ROC), including the main island and its administered archipelagos — Penghu, Kinmen, and Matsu. Mainland China (the People's Republic) is covered separately.
Label lawTaiwan legally defines six vegetarian categories for packaged food — the world's strictest system. The five sub-categories below fully vegan (蛋素, 奶素, 奶蛋素, 五辛素, 植物五辛素) all permit animal products. Look for 全素 or the newly launched national vegan certification mark 全植物素 (launched early 2026) on packaged products. For older stock, 純素 (pure vegetarian, fully plant-based) is the equivalent to seek out. Always check labels — "素" alone on a package does not confirm vegan.
The 素 trapIn restaurant settings, 素 means Buddhist vegetarian — a tradition that commonly includes egg and dairy. A dish or menu labelled 素 without further qualification requires direct confirmation. Ask specifically for 全素 and follow up on oyster sauce and cooking fat separately.
Practical ruleDo not rely on 素 restaurant labels, Buddhist temple canteens, or night market stalls without confirming 全素 status — egg, dairy, oyster sauce, and lard are invisible on the menu and present throughout traditional Taiwanese cooking.
What Actually Works
Taiwan has one of the highest densities of dedicated fully vegan restaurants per capita globally. HappyCow and the local app ihergo.com both list verified 全素 venues. Taipei alone has a large concentration of options spread across the city; Kaohsiung, Taichung, and Tainan are also well served. In dedicated restaurants, no further confirmation is needed beyond checking the tier label at the door.
Look for 全素 or 全植物素 on packaged products — the newly launched national vegan certification introduced in early 2026. On older stock, 純素 (pure vegetarian) is the equivalent. Anything labelled 蛋素, 奶素, 奶蛋素, or 五辛素 contains animal products. Taiwan's allergen labelling on most packaged supermarket products is clear and consistently applied — always read the label regardless.
7-Eleven and FamilyMart operate across the island and stock a growing range of vegan snacks, bento boxes, and meal items with clear 素 sub-labels. Larger branches in cities carry a wider selection. Useful for rural areas, long train journeys, and anywhere outside a major vegan restaurant cluster. Check the label tier — not all 素 items are 全素.
Stating 全素 alone is not sufficient at a traditional Taiwanese restaurant — follow up with separate questions on oyster sauce and cooking fat. Many kitchens stock vegetarian oyster sauce and are willing to swap; most will use vegetable oil if asked explicitly. The asking matters: without the second question, lard and 蠔油 remain invisible. Use the phrase table above for exact wording.
Where It Gets Harder
Taiwan's Level 1 ranking reflects its dedicated vegan restaurant network and labelling infrastructure — not the ease of eating at a night market stall or a traditional Taiwanese noodle shop. These are the scenarios where friction rises sharply.
Night markets are Taiwan's most celebrated food experience — and the hardest environment for vegans. Oyster omelette (蚵仔煎), braised pork rice (滷肉飯), scallion pancakes, and stinky tofu are typically prepared with lard, egg, or fish-based stock. Some stalls now display 全素 signage, but these are exceptions. Seek them out specifically rather than trying to adapt standard dishes.
Traditional Taiwanese noodle shops and rice restaurants use pork lard as the default cooking fat — it is rarely mentioned on the menu. Fried rice, pan-fried noodles, and rice congee at non-specialist venues are the highest-risk dishes. Outside the city, staff may have limited experience with the distinction between 素 and 全素. Ask 有沒有用豬油 before ordering.
Buddhist vegetarian restaurants are a genuine asset in Taiwan — but most operate at 奶蛋素 (lacto-ovo vegetarian) rather than 全素. The 素 signage at the door does not automatically mean vegan. Check the tier label displayed at entry or ask which tier the kitchen operates at. Restaurants explicitly displaying 全素 or 全植物素 certification are safe; those displaying only a general 素 sign require direct confirmation.
Outside Taipei, Kaohsiung, and the main university cities, dedicated 全素 restaurants become sparse. The east coast tourist corridor — Hualien, Taroko Gorge, and the coastal highway — has a small but growing vegan-friendly scene in Hualien town, but limited options in transit. Convenience stores (7-Eleven and FamilyMart are everywhere across the island) are the reliable fallback outside major centres.
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