The story
In Taipei’s Xizhi District, Joy Vegetarian Restaurant has earned a Michelin Recommended distinction for its ambitious, plant-based cooking. The kitchen, led by Chef A-Xian (阿憲師), focuses on hand-crafted dishes that draw from cuisines across Asia and beyond, all without meat or seafood.
The menu is built around elaborate set banquets designed for sharing. A meal might begin with a cold platter like the "Six Auspiciousnesses" – an array of seasonal bites that can include yuba sashimi, honey kumquat, and asparagus crab-rolls. This leads into a show-stopping vegetarian Buddha Jumps Over the Wall, a rich broth slowly steamed for ninety minutes with cabbage, bamboo shoot, mushrooms, taro, chestnuts, and Chinese herbs.
Chef A-Xian’s creativity shines in dishes that mimic classic textures using vegetables and soy proteins. The "Sugar and Vinegar Grouper" uses soy protein and seaweed to recreate the fish, glazed with a house-made sweet-sour sauce. A signature "French Crispy Thousand-Layer Sandwich" stacks fresh vegetables, cheese, and ham slices before being battered and fried until golden and crisp. Other highlights include a rich "French Cream Mushroom Soup," where several varieties of fungi are slow-cooked and puréed with plant-based cream, and the "Thai Basil Minced 'Pork' Lettuce Wrap," a spicy, savory wrap made with plant-protein.
Diners can choose from smaller sets for two, featuring dishes like Thai basil "pork" and Japanese yam and lotus seed soup, or grander feasts for ten that include intricate items like stuffed morel mushrooms and baked "snails" made from king oyster mushrooms. The atmosphere is casual and welcoming, with options for outdoor seating, takeaway, and delivery, making this vegetarian restaurant in Taipei a destination for both everyday meals and special-occasion banquets.
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