Vegan-friendly
Lacto
Ovo
Chinese
Juice bar

Vegetarian restaurant located above the Songjiang Nanjing Station exit and upstairs from a bakery. Serves Cantonese style dim sum typical of Hong Kong except that it's all vegetarian and vegan. Menu has food photos, so you can point to the dishes you want. Choices includes small dim sum plates (like dumplings and buns) as well larger entrees. Has fresh juices. Interior is spacious with large round tables covered in white cloths. Finer than your typical veggie eatery in Taiwan. At Songjiang Nanjing MRT Exit 8. Open Mon-Fri 11:30am-4:30pm, Mon-Sun 5:30pm-9:30pm, Sat-Sun 11:00am-2:30pm.


Venue map for Yang Shin 養心茶樓
© OpenStreetMap contributors

66 Reviews

First Review by sglcklch

frankjr

Points +245

Vegan
14 Oct 2024

Delicious!

I tried 5 different types of dumplings, and they were all incredible! Their menu is quite large, and many dishes sounded tasty, but I focused on just dumplings this time around. I need to come back to try some more of their offerings! The restaurant is very conveniently located right next to the MRT exit, but at first it was confusing where to enter, as it is on the second floor. Immediately on the left of the MRT exit, there is another business that you enter through, and there will be stairs inside that lead up to the second floor, which is where the restaurant is located. To order, they had a QR code that you scanned and you added to your cart what you wanted. After proceeding with your order, the dishes came out one by one as they were made, and what is nice is that you can still keep ordering if you find you still have room. In the end, you need to ask for the final bill, and then you take that to the front to pay. Definitely recommend checking this place out!

Pros: Tasty, Location, Ambiance

ForAnimalsJapan

Points +5229

Vegan
16 Aug 2024

Pricey but worth it

It was great to enjoy so many dim sum classics again that I left behind when going vegan! We sampled 10 dishes and everything was amazing, but the standouts were the fried rice and the black sesame buns. Our server spoke English and was very kind and helpful.

A note on reservations: People say this restaurant is super popular and that you need a reservation, so I made one for 2:30 the next day, Friday. Soon afterwards, the restaurant was fully booked for the day. But when we got to the restaurant, about half of the tables were empty. Maybe you don’t need a reservation after all? Or maybe they’re limiting the amount of tables at one time? 🤔

Harpy23

Points +1407

Vegan
09 Aug 2024

Great dim sum with lots of options

This was a second visit we made to Yang Shin on our trip. We enjoyed it the first time and it was in a convenient location for us so we figured we'd go again.

We got deep fried mushroom puffs and Kung Pa0 deep fried stinky tofu both times. If you're a bit unsure about stinky tofu, this is a great gateway dish as the crispy coating and other flavours take the edge off a bit. The mushroom puffs have a delicious crispy coating and a lovely gooey inner layer surrounding the tasty mushroom filling.

The stir fried taro cake in xo sauce was exceptional. We've not had much taro in our lives so it always seems like an exciting option. Here the taro had a great chewy texture and was really well complemented by the crunch of the rice cakes. The sauce was delicious too.

The stir fried Chinese yam and eggplant in oyster sauce was good. The yam was quite crunchy and surrounded by soft and slippery aubergine which made for a good conrrast of textures. The sauce was tasty too making for a good plate.

The Yang Shin signature Shao Mai was okay. It tasted okay but didn't really have any particularly strong flavour. I think I was expecting it to be a bit fisiher but I'm also not sure that if would be accurate and the predominant flavour I should be looking for.

We also had some stir fried flat noodles. I really liked them being big wide pieces. The flavours and textures were fine, it was a bit oily though.

The Sichuan peppercorn and buckwheat tea is excellent too.

Overall, it was a good and enjoyable meal and I'd recommend it to anyone who wants to explore a wider variety of options. The labelling of non vegan dishes is clear and obvious.

jennyc32

Points +4058

Vegan
31 Jul 2024

Fun Dim Sum

We don't have a lot of dim sum options where we live, so this was a fun opportunity to try lots of dishes. We ordered five dishes for two people. We were quite hungry, so I think we probably could have gone for one more.

We had the chopped mustard greens and tofu wrapped in bean curd sheet. They were a bit dry, and we would have liked some dipping sauce, but they had a good flavour and texture.

The Beijing duck style king oyster mushroom was a pancake dish that we assembled ourselves at the table. The crispy bits made for some fun textures, but the flavours didn't pack a punch unfortunately, so it was nice but not mind-blowing.

The kung pao deep fried stinky tofu was fantastic - really spicy and moreish. It was our first time trying stinky tofu, and I'll definitely be on the lookout for it again.

The Cantonese BBQ cha siu bao were a bit too sweet for me, but my partner enjoyed them.

The deep fried mushroom puff was amazing. It had an almost takoyaki style soft texture, with a lovely savoury peppery taste and earthy mushrooms.

The stinky tofu and the mushroom puffs were absolutely perfect in both texture and taste. Everything else was good, but not quite perfect, hence four stars rather than five.

Service was a little confusing at first. There was a receipt with a QR code on our table, so we thought we should scan it and order online, but it took us to an order page for the previous diners at our table (based on time and number of diners). It took a while to flag down the right person to take our order, and even with pointing at the items in the menu it still took a bit of work to make sure we conveyed everything suitably. After that, things went well! They bring each dish as it's ready, and eventually we took our receipt up to the front desk to pay. It's a busy spot, so it is probably worth making a reservation.

For accessibility, it's on the second floor and there is a lift up.

Updated from previous review on 2024-07-31

Anhcar

Points +13

Vegetarian
23 Mar 2024

Must go here when in Taipei!

Amazing restaurant and service! Had the ability to try soup dumplings and stinky tofu in a very safe veg environment! Make reservation in advance.

lecyvee

Points +340

Vegan
22 Feb 2024

Y U M DIM SUM!

I grew up eating dim sum very regularly. And since I’ve gone vegan 10 years ago, it’s the only food I’ve actually missed. My friend & I tried quite a few things. But the stand out dishes were the baos and deep fried mushroom puff! Wowzers! They both tasted just as I remembered them! Absolutely fantastic! Everything else we ordered was okay. But the fact that I got to eat two of my favorite dim sum dishes from back in the day made me giddy with joy. When I come back to Taipei I’m definitely coming back here!

Pros: VEGAN DIM SUM!!!

M4Y

Points +53

Vegetarian
16 Jan 2024

Y U M

Wide variety yum cha dishes to try and they tasted delicious! Even though it was the lunch time rush, we walked in without a booking and was seated in 10 mins. The service is a tad bit slow, but that’s what yumcha is all about I guess! Good food with good conversations

Pros: Wide variety

Cons: Slow service

andyjng

Points +5359

Vegan
05 Jan 2024

Decent But Way Overpriced

Yang Shin is a vegetarian restaurant with a variety of dim sum and Taiwanese bites to choose from, all with a hefty price and decent view. The menu doesn't specifically say "vegan," and instead has items listing whether it contains eggs or dairy.

I definitely went overboard and ordered their Braised Stinky Tofu, Peking Duck (made from oyster mushrooms), Cha Shu Rice Roll, Xiao Long Bao with Omni Pork, Shu Mai and Mushroom Dumplings. It doesn't sound like a lot of food but it ended up being massive portions for the first two.

I really enjoyed the stinky tofu and peking duck. Both were the standouts. I haven't had oyster mushrooms be so tender for peking duck usage, but I approved of everything. The tofu was also some of the best and its spicy, szechuan style goodness made it perfect for a cold evening.

While my meal was pretty good, my biggest con was the service and price of everything. As others have mentioned, this place is pricy! Everything was over 150 NTD as a baseline and a majority of them are in the 300-400 range. I got a little carried away and ended up paying nearly 1400 for my six dishes. It was good food, but very expensive.

The service was also quite slow at times especially during dinner rush. I had to head back to the airport so I asked if I could cancel my two last dim sum orders, and they claimed that it was already 'being prepared' and couldn't be canceled. Ate them on the plane instead but it was frustrating waiting so long.

Overall, I'm happy I got to experience some great food but at a cost. Next time I'll have to find a more local, less bougie vegan friendly spot to try in this famed veg city.

Pros: Great variety of dim sum

Cons: Pricy

fishlessKat

Points +168

Vegetarian
31 Dec 2023

High Quality Chinese Vegetarian Restaurant

Easy to find. At Songjiang Nanjing MRT Station Exit 8.
They have a wide variety of choices. I like everything that I ordered. Their food is very fresh, flavourful, high quality, and very delicious. Good service, too. Will definitely visit this place again. Make sure you make online reservations (able to use foreign numbers) before coming.

Updated from previous review on 2023-12-31

Pros: Their dim sums, Taiwanese style chinese cuisine, Good Service

Cons: Can be expensive to some.

spyralnode

Points +195

Vegan
25 Dec 2023

Creative and delicious

This is a creative take on classic dim sum, with deep fried filled bean curd rolls, a seaweed and truffle combination or a sesame and peanut butter bao. Of course you find the traditional interpretations too, but this is so much more, comfort and originality both. The dishes are also beautifully presented, it's just so appetising.

I also really enjoyed the tea selection and the fact that they refill your hot water, the tea staying flavourful throughout. I'd highly recommend the wild mountain oolong, which has a sweetness reminiscent of honey.

I wish there were more spots like this for vegans, highlighting Taiwanese cuisine in an adventurous way.

Pros: Food variety, Crispy, Delicious

Cons: Expensive, Things run out , Would like more tea variety

Pearlypearl

Points +1535

Vegetarian
16 Dec 2023

One of my favourites in Taipei

Made a reservation online about 3 weeks in advance. Food is yummy and service is very prompt.

B12mangel

Points +1109

Vegan
09 Dec 2023

Good but not outstanding

The food was good, nothing tasted bad. BUT is didn't tasted delicious or outstanding and it is very expensive for such small portions.
Also there are sooo many options to choose that it is hard to decide.
Was a nice experience but in my opinion overrated and not worth the money. I prefer simple affordable cuisine.

LisaSpykers

Points +7869

Vegan
17 Nov 2023

One of my favorite dining experiences in Taiwan

I've eaten out A LOT in Taiwan and this restaurant was definitely a highlight. Every one of the several dishes we ordered were cooked perfectly, nicely presented, and full of flavor. There were some really interesting items on the menu too, like the black sesame bun topped with gold leafing and filled with peanut cream and the deep fried lotus cakes stuffed with taro paste and coated in a sweet sauce (I think it was pineapple?). So many great flavors to be had from the huge menu.

Only two things: the mustard served with the fish dumplings didn't really go well (would have preferred good ol' soy sauce) and if you order a pot of tea, ask for a side pot or cup to pour it out into because the waiters will top up the pot and it makes the tea bitter (which sucks when you pay $8 or so for it).

Egg, dairy, and honey are marked with symbols on the menu to make it easier for vegans. There's also a robot waiter that looks like Felix the cat!

Although the portions are on the small side for the price and you'll be charged a 10% service fee, the food is definitely worth it.

Updated from previous review on 2023-11-17

cutiepie99

Points +83

Vegan
28 Oct 2023

Deliciously original

I went here with a friend a few months ago and ordered takeaway several times, it's always delicious. From my experience, if you want to eat in, you might have to book a table, especially in the evening on the weekends.

Might also be slightly obsessed with their walnut soup ^^

Pros: Delicious, Lots of choice, Great service

Cons: Expensive, (not fully vegan)

millerjordon

Points +90

Vegan
30 Sep 2023

Set menu was a great choice

We got their set dinner menu for 6 people and were not disappointed. More food than we could finish, there were lots of options to choose from and it was relatively affordable. Also menu items are clearly marked if they contain dairy or eggs.

A note about accessing the restaurant: enter the bakery on the ground floor and take the stairs to the 2nd.

pfeffamieze

Points +25

Vegetarian
16 Sep 2023

Very good

Really good flavorful vegetarian food, best one I’ve had so far in Taipeh!

shifon

Points +78

Vegan
03 Sep 2023

One of the best

Definitely one of the best vegan/vegetarian restaurant in the world!

I have nothing bad to say about this place. Highly recommend!

Pros: Tasty, Vegan dishes clearly labeled, Clean and modern

Karen82

Points +444

Vegan
09 Aug 2023

Great flavours

Food had great flavours. Lots of choices. Great service.

Aussietraveller

Points +571

Vegan
12 Jul 2023

Great menu options!!

I had the sweet and sour lion mane dish and the spinach and mushroom dumplings which both looked a bit plain but were actually so flavourful! There were heaps of vegan options clearly marked on the menu. Was a bit more expensive than other restaurants but very nice service (they even had a robot!).

frankensteinsmonster

Points +1777

Vegan
02 Jul 2023

Dim Sum Dump-kings

Wow what a fantastic meal! The vegan pork xiao long bau were superb in particular. Lots of choices and clear marking as to what is vegetarian and what vegan. The atmosphere is nice with lots of Taiwanese families too.
It's a bit more expensive than standard Taiwanese restaurants but it's worth it for the special experience.

BP3

Points +98

Mostly Veg
09 Jun 2023

Amazing dim sum place

So many dim sam options you wouldn't know where to start!

Updated from previous review on 2023-06-09

Pros: Vegan paradise 😍

Cons: None

yumchadong

Points +5539

Vegan
27 May 2023

Veggie Chinese & dim-sum paradise

Extensive menu with lots of vegan options which are clearly labelled. We sampled a range of dishes and they were all delicious. My favourite was the mashed taro wrapped in nori and bean curd. As usual in Taiwan, free tea refills are provided throughout the meal.

The venue has a nice ambiance and a warm atmosphere. Very popular throughout the day so best to make a reservation upfront. We showed up shortly before they open for dinner at 17.30 and got a table without a reservation. By 7 pm the restaurant was 100% full with a long que of people in waiting for a table. Ordering is very efficient via an app and the staff was quick and attentive.

zenbob

Points +86

Vegan
23 Jan 2023

Amazing dim sum

When a local resident heard I was vegan, he immediately recommended Yang Shin, and thank goodness he did! This was our best meal in Taipei. Loved every item we got--and there were so many options! Reasonably priced, too.

Pros: Amazing selection, Delicious food

fset

Points +32

Vegetarian
07 Dec 2022

Great experience

Excellent food - big crowd for a weekday dinner - highly recommended

garij

Points +78

Vegan
14 Nov 2022

Delicious Dimsum!

We came early because we did not have a reservation and we read that it fills up fast. So worth it!

The dimsum was delicious. The staff was very pleasant and helpful. Despite the full restaurant, the service was quick and efficient.

Pros: The menu marked any options lacto ovo options

Changyeanyen

Points +3299

Vegan
07 May 2020

精緻可口港式風味的茶樓

在台北市數一數二的一間(蔬)素食(精緻可口港式風味的茶樓),適合素式同好聚會的好地方,最好先預約喔!

Updated from previous review on 2020-05-07

ZoraStewart

Points +107

Vegetarian
19 Mar 2020

Really good veg dim sum

I was so excited to try this place when I read that they have veg xiaolongbao. While my omnivore Taiwanese mother assured me that they’re not as good as nonveg xiaolongbao, I was really happy with them. I especially enjoyed the monkey head mushroom dish (I think it was kung pao), the fried turnip pastry, and rice noodle rolls.




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