Vegan
Buffet
Buddhist
一然堂素食馆, at 大理市古城红龙井红龙巷, is Buddhist vegan restaurant, health food shop, and reading/contemplation room. Moved here in 2015. All you can eat buffet for a donation. Food waste is viewed negatively, you are required to eat all food added to your plate. Open Mon-Sun 11:30am-1:00pm, 5:30pm-7:00pm.
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Last update on 27 Mar 2018 by AnthonyPolicano
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Added by Bob Sultan on 24 May 2012
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18 Reviews
First Review by Bob Sultan
molsch
Points +41
nice atmosphere, average food - Edit
amazing price for the amount of food you can get and the service, staff are friendly and interested to know you.
Read morenot that many options though and taste was nothing special. would make a good light meal or could supplement with some tofu sticks.
Pros: price , atmosphere
Cons: minimal protein, limited indoor seating in rain
Guest
TerenceM
Points +441
Unlimited rice and vegetables - Edit
A quiet and nice place where you get unlimited rice and vegetables. It is fully vegan. If you come late some of the vegetables might have run out. 5rmb per person if you bring your own plate and cutlery, 7.5 otherwise. The staff speak English, is nice and will ask about you and your travel.
Read morePros: Simple but good food, Very cheap, Zen mood
Cons: Lots of mosquitoes outside!
Guest
AnnaSofie
Points +67
Authentic experience - Edit
The food is simple but tasty, nothing great though
Read moreGuest
Ankexin
Points +41
Wonderful food for 5 RMB - Edit
It's a wonderful 5 RMB buffet, i you bring your own plate and cutlery or 6.5 RMB if you dont. A lot of local people eating there.
Read morePros: Cheap, Tasty
Guest
Huraiquire
Points +9692
Tiny and wholesome - Edit
I came here months ago thanks to a hostel friend I made on my stay in Dali and while there are Buddhist places that have larger varieties, this place is all the essentials. There were some local pavement campers nearby who also were grateful to have this place and I just love the feeling of community, abundance and gratitude. There is enough to go around and it’s kind of pay as you like so there’s no need to worry about prices.
Read moreGuest
Emi_Lia
Points +434
Great price! - Edit
We went here for a small lunch, for 5 RMB (!!!) you get a vegan buffet. food was tasty, not oily or salty. Seems to be a popular place for all kind of people in Dali😄
Read moreInside is a small shop where you can buy some vegan products like seeds, nuts and sauces.
Guest
FrankieW
Points +2670
Modest and affordable vegan dining - Edit
The suggested amount that one should/might pay is ¥5. According to one's own goodwill it can of course be more, of the donation type.
Read moreAs many reviewers have mentioned, the basic premise is turn up between 11:30 a.m. and 13:00, or indeed between 17:30 and 19:00 for the choice of plant based dishes on offer.
If one comes well prepared with chopsticks, spoon, spork, tupperware, lunchbox etc then the experience can be even more sustainable.
Updated from previous review on 2020-06-27
Pros: Price
Cons: Single use container
Guest
Pelouse
Points +380
Cheap buddhist buffet and shop - Edit
Tucked into a small alley, this place was so popular that many of us had to sit outside in benches without tables. For 5yuan you get rice and 6-8 trays with vegetables to choose from, no tofu/seitan or buns/noodles when we went. Since I don’t eat white rice and I need some good carbs to feel full, we had some vegan dumplings afterwards at 众善缘.
Read moreTheir shop made me so happy! My hair had been suffering from continuous travel for a while and they were selling their own brand of hair conditioner, containing local oils and black sesame, my hair hadn’t felt so silky in a while! They sell hemp seeds and red oats too, but everything is in a plastic container.
Pros: Cheap, Clean food, Store products!
Cons: No more choices of grains, No tofu or seitan
Guest
wsh79
Points +149
Cheap and good location - Edit
Located inside the Dali old town. They served 6 dishes. Each pays RMB5 for the buffet. Food waste is not allowed. You are also able to buy vegetarian snacks inside.
Read moreWe arrived close to closing time and some of the dishes have run out. Also the dishes are quite cold. Would prefer it to be warmer especially when the weather is cold. But else, i'm grateful to already find vegetarian food there.
By the way, you need to clear your own plates.
Pros: good location
Cons: Not much dishes available.
Guest
arostganomo
Points +68
Good, inexpensive food but very religious atmosphere - Edit
The buffet was smaller than others we've seen but everything offered was very good. Get there early because a long line formed even before they opened. We ate in a sort of library where a Buddhist propaganda movie including footage of slaughterhouses was playing. We were all facing the screen and ate in silence.
Read moreWe paid more than the 5CNY minimum because we counted on their goodwill to let us to take some food for the train. They generously allowed us fill up our tupperware near the end of the busy lunch service.
A tip for others in our situation who are looking for vegetarian food to eat on a 20-hour train ride: the shop has two flavours of instant pudding. We got the black sesame and found it very filling and nutritious (does contain milk powder so not suitable for vegans).
Pros: Very cheap
Cons: Very religious
Guest
shekshaman
Points +345
Cheap. - Edit
For 5RMB you get rice and have unlimited choice of the 6 vegetables/dishes. Very simple Buddhist food, but for 5RMB you could never even think to complain. If you can find it, advice is to go to Wumiao Temple and ask people there. Part of the same complex.
Read morePros: Cheap
Guest
smitsen94
Points +412
Amazing and Healthy buffet for only 5 rmb - Edit
Small and healthy buffet choices with rice for only 5 rmb. You are expected to eat it empty because food waste is seen as negative. Also saw small Buddhist temple and shops inside . Easy to find.
Read morePros: Buffet , Cheap, Healthy
Guest
OliverHirtenfelder
Points +71
Super Cheap. Super Good. - Edit
This is an amazing place to eat at. 5 Yuan is all it costs and you have a small buffet of veggies to choose from.
Read moreAfter paying you are handed a bowl and then you take your rice and your choice of veggies. There are usually 6 to 8 different veggies to choose from, all very good.
The food is quite 'bland' due to it following the buddhist way of food preparation, but there are some condiments to help you add salt or spice to your food.
Make sure you eat everything you take...down to the last grain of rice.
Pros: Really cheap and really healthy.
Cons: No cons.
Guest
AnthonyPolicano
Points +637
Abundant, simple, nourishing, cheap. - Edit
Such a blessing to find healthy, inexpensive, and ample piles of veggies in Dali for next to nothing. I especially love getting the rice soup and adding the veggies and their juices to make it really tasty & warming. I noticed locals adding heaped scoops of sugar to their rice porridge... dessert! Ate here 7x in 5 days :)
Read morePros: super healthy, the longer you stay, more dishes come out, cheap as can be! (5¥)
Cons: loud-speaker chanting gets stuck in your head, buffet line a bit pushy.. hurry up!
Guest
GeckoHeaven
Points +386
Not vegan but still great - Edit
This restaurant is not 100% vegan. It's Buddhist, therefor butter and milk are in some of the dishes. Thankfully they tend to be rare and pretty easy to spot. If in any doubt just stick to the amazing selection of whole vegetables. They also serve brown rice.
Read moreThis restaurant is exception value. Payment is by donation. The standard donation is 5 yuan per person. Get in the queue and drop the money in the brown bowl next to the rice.
It can get busy around meal times and the best food runs out fast. Recommend arriving 5 mins before opening for swift service and good selection.
Also be warned... you MUST finish every last grain of rice on your plate and return your plate to be washed. Failure to do so is frowned upon and may result in an angry reprimand.
Pros: Value, Good food
Cons: Not Vegan, Have to queue
Guest
Katritz
Points +81
Great budget eatery - Edit
Yummy (and cheap!) temple food, it seems they're only doing it for the common good, and not for profit.
Read moreIt's worth sticking around because new dishes may come out of the kitchen.
Eat with monks in a very peaceful atmosphere :)
Pros: Cheap, Yummy, Friendly
Guest
Lanky
Points +408
cheap and functional - Edit
The buffet here is cheap- 5 yuan donation, but the food is nothing to write home about.
Read moreA changing selection of simple meals served everyday for lunch and dinner. Try to arrive early as their meal times finish quite early.
Pros: cheap
Cons: not great
Guest
Bob Sultan
Points +690
Popular, inexpensive, tasty, healthy buffet - Edit
Went with friends who knew this place. Buffet has excellent selection and I have been told that dishes vary from day to day. Open for lunch and dinner. You can take all you want, but you must eat everything you take. This includes every last grain of rice. I thought my bowl was empty when I returned it, but the few grains of rice at the bottom of the bowl was enough to trigger admonition. The tofu with wood ear was particularly good, Chinese cabbage, attractive rice with small bits of yellow (corn, I think), buns, squash, potato. You can help yourself to tea. Quite amazing for five kuai. Eat outside or eat inside in Buddhist reading room. Easy to find due to amplified Buddhist chanting. Look for sign on Bo Ai Lu
Read morePros: tasty healthy food, nice outdoor ambiance, nice place to meet people
Cons: makes sure you eat all you take
Guest
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