SearchShanghai
Free-from restaurants in Shanghai
35 Shanghai restaurants rated for coeliac, vegan, halal, kosher, and major allergens. Every tier backed by cited sources.
Browse by allergen
Gongdelin is a 100% vegetarian restaurant with over 100 years of history, serving Buddhist-inspired vegetarian dishes. Multiple sources confirm no meat or animal products are used. The restaurant is described as 'fully vegetarian' and 'vegetarian Shanghai cuisine' with a Michelin award.
The restaurant is a dedicated vegetarian chain (Jujube Tree / Zao Zi Shu) with a founding philosophy of 'smoke-free, alcohol-free, egg-free, and meat-free' dishes. The Shanghai government guide confirms it is one of the first vegetarian restaurants in Shanghai, founded in 2001. Multiple HappyCow reviews and the Wanderlog listing consistently describe it as a fully vegetarian restaurant. The kitchen is structurally dedicated to vegetarian cuisine.
100% vegetarian restaurant chain (Zao Zi Shu / Jujube Tree) – no meat, fish, or poultry on the premises. Dedicated vegetarian kitchen, confirmed by HappyCow listing, official Shanghai government guide, and multiple blog reviews. No accreditation required because the kitchen is structurally meat-free.
100% dedicated vegetarian restaurant — no meat on premises. Multiple sources confirm it is entirely plant-based or vegetarian, including the editor's description on SmartShanghai ('strictly plant-based') and numerous HappyCow reviews ('all vegetarian', '100% vegetarian/vegan only restaurant'). Operating since 1910 as a dedicated vegetarian kitchen.
Dedicated vegan restaurant with no animal products on the premises. HappyCow lists it as a vegan restaurant, and multiple community reviews confirm no meat, dairy, or eggs are used. The Culinary Backstreets article and Wanderlog list also classify it as vegetarian/vegan. Reported closed as of Jan 2019.
Listed as a vegetarian/vegan restaurant on SmartShanghai; editor description confirms dishes are made without meat (mock meats like tonkatsu and lemongrass chicken 'without the rou'). Implies a dedicated vegetarian kitchen (no meat on premises).
100% vegan restaurant with no animal products on premises (no meat, dairy, eggs, honey). Multiple sources confirm all dishes are plant-based and the kitchen avoids the five pungent spices (garlic, onion). This is a dedicated kitchen for vegan.
100% vegetarian kitchen — no meat, fish, or poultry on premises. Multiple sources confirm the venue is a dedicated vegetarian restaurant. Venue reported closed as of August 2022.
Described as a 'popular vegan and meat-free eatery' (Wanderlog) and hosted a dedicated Vegan Thanksgiving event (SmartShanghai), indicating a fully plant-based kitchen with no animal products on the premises.
Honest caveat, Venue appears to have permanently closed or relocated (multiple reviews in 2025 state 'These guys have moved and this is no longer here').
The venue is a fully vegetarian restaurant with no meat on premises. Multiple sources (HappyCow, Wanderlog, Slaylebrity) consistently describe it as a vegetarian or vegan-friendly fine-dining establishment. The kitchen is structurally 100% dedicated to vegetarian cooking, making contamination with meat impossible.
Fully vegan restaurant (also known as Vegan Delights) with a kitchen that uses no animal products whatsoever. Multiple HappyCow reviews and the venue's own category confirm all dishes are vegan, from mock meats to desserts. Staff confirm everything is vegan. This is effectively a 100% dedicated vegan kitchen.
HappyCow lists the Shanghai branch as a Vegan restaurant; multiple user reviews confirm 'everything is vegan'. The kitchen is entirely plant-based, making it structurally impossible for animal products to be present. No external accreditation is cited, but the dedicated kitchen meets the Tier S threshold.
The venue is explicitly listed as a 'Vegetarian' restaurant on HappyCow, with a description stating it serves 'Chinese veggie dishes with mock meats'. Multiple HappyCow reviews confirm it is a vegetarian restaurant. The venue's name includes 'Homemade Vegetarian'. The Shanghai government website recommends it as a vegetarian restaurant. The venue is a dedicated vegetarian establishment.
Reported to be AIC (Italian Celiac Association) accredited by multiple community reviews; separate gluten-free menu, dedicated fryer, dedicated kitchen space, dedicated pizza oven, dedicated pasta pot, and separately packaged cutlery/plates. Staff knowledgeable and food flagged. This is NOT a dedicated GF facility but has strong structural safety measures.
Va'Bene to-go in Haan, Germany offers gluten-free pizza (24h advance order) and pasta prepared with care by a knowledgeable chef who understands coeliac disease. The kitchen is not dedicated gluten-free, and cross-contamination risk is acknowledged. Two coeliac reviewers report positive experiences. The venue is not listed on Coeliac Australia's accreditation page (which lists Australian venues only).
The Press Wine Bar in Tremont, Cleveland, had a chef who marked gluten-free items on a menu, offering multiple options. The venue is not a dedicated gluten-free facility and is now archived/closed. No accreditation or dedicated kitchen evidence is present.
Bella Napoli offers a dedicated gluten-free crust prepared separately to reduce cross-contamination, and can make pasta GF with advance notice. Staff are accommodating. No accreditation or dedicated kitchen. Single source (blog) suggests reasonable safety for coeliacs but limited verification.
Not a dedicated gluten-free facility. Community reports confirm a dedicated gluten-free pasta pot and water, knowledgeable staff, and allergen-marked menu items. Multiple coeliac diners report no adverse reactions across several visits, with staff accommodating GF pasta and other items. Some risk from shared general kitchen and possible shared fryer (only one report of a dedicated fryer). The venue's menu is clearly marked for gluten-free options, and staff demonstrate strong allergen awareness.
Wagas is described as serving western-style plant-based dishes and appears in a 'vegan restaurants' list for Beijing. Menu likely marks vegan options but uses shared kitchen equipment. No dedicated fryer or kitchen reported.
Bottega is listed on Find Me Gluten Free with a 'GF Menu' tag and 5 safety ratings from 9 total ratings. The featured review snippet notes a knowledgeable staff member who could identify safe dishes (salads, meat, mozzarella). However, the venue is a pizza restaurant serving Neapolitan pizzas made with 00 flour in a shared kitchen, and no source mentions a dedicated fryer, dedicated kitchen, or any accreditation. Cross-contamination risk is present.
FindMeGlutenFree listing reports a gluten-free menu with marked items (GF pasta, salad, dessert) and staff who discuss allergies with diners, but notes no dedicated fryer and explicitly warns the establishment is NOT a dedicated gluten-free facility. Two community reviews (from gluten-intolerant/sensitive individuals, not coeliac) report positive experiences after speaking with the manager. No evidence of dedicated prep area or fryer; shared kitchen cross-contamination risk is acknowledged.
Vegan options (Impossible Burger, falafel burger, vegan bun and cheese) are clearly marked with (VG) on the menu at the Hong Kong airport branch, and staff can advise on modifications. The same marking is assumed for Shanghai. No dedicated vegan preparation area; shared kitchen with meat. Vegan options are limited but clearly communicated.
Mammamia offers a full menu of Napoletana-style pizzas, handmade pastas, and grilled items, many of which are naturally vegetarian (e. g. Margherita pizza, pasta with tomato sauce, salads). The menu is not explicitly marked for vegetarian dishes, but the venue's description of 'classic Italian comfort food' and 'family-friendly trattoria' suggests a standard Italian menu where vegetarian options are available. Staff are likely able to identify vegetarian dishes on request. Shared kitchen with meat dishes means cross-contact is possible.
Multiple restaurants in Scena offer gluten-free options (Lido Schenna: GF pizza; Alpenrose Hotel Café: 'cuisine without glutine'; Emmi Café & Bistro: gluten-free dishes; Konditorei Bäckerei Höfler: GF cakes). However, no source mentions a dedicated GF kitchen, accredited certification, or separate fryer/prep area. Typical Italian practice with shared oven and prep space is implied. Cross-contamination risk is noted by one aggregator comment (Ramilia-Waldschenke: 'same oven' caveat). Overall, marked menu plus shared facilities = Tier D.
FindMeGlutenFree listing reports gluten-free items marked on menu, with staff described as knowledgeable and attentive by multiple coeliac reviewers. However, the listing explicitly states this is NOT a dedicated gluten-free facility, and cross-contamination risk is acknowledged. No accreditation or dedicated kitchen evidence found.
A vegetarian 'Shroom Burger (crisp-fried Portobello mushroom filled with melted cheese) is on the menu, but the kitchen is shared with beef burgers and other meat items, and menu items are not explicitly marked for allergens. Staff can accommodate vegetarian requests but the quality may vary by shift.
Novacircle. com reports that gluten-free dishes are available and staff are knowledgeable about allergens. However, the official menu (sources 2/3) shows no allergen markings or GF codes, and no dedicated kitchen, fryer, or prep area is mentioned by any source. Accommodation quality may depend on which staff member is on shift.
Blog and event pages confirm vegan tapas and a full vegan wine dinner; no evidence of marked menu or dedicated prep area; cross-contamination risk with meat/seafood kitchen.
No sources directly discuss vegan options at the San Francisco Papito locations. One source (blog-fatgayvegan-com-4) describes a 100% vegan falafel restaurant called 'Falafelito' in Mexico City, but this is a different venue with a different name and location, not the San Francisco Papito. No evidence supports vegan accommodation at the target venue.
A 2017 blog post lists Commune Social as an upscale western restaurant in Shanghai where you can ask the English-speaking manager to ensure gluten-free preparation. The same post warns that cross-contamination remains a risk in China as there are no organisations regulating the gluten-free label. No marked menu, dedicated equipment, or staff training is mentioned.
Reported not to have a gluten-free menu but offers gluten-free options such as rice bowls. FindMeGlutenFree warns the establishment is not a dedicated gluten-free facility and carries high cross-contamination risk. A coeliac reviewer confirms 'high risk of cross-contamination'. Staff may accommodate requests, but safety is inconsistent.
No dedicated gluten-free menu or fryer; staff are knowledgeable and can modify dishes for coeliac safety, but cross-contamination risk is acknowledged. Two celiac reviewers report positive experiences with no reaction.
FindMeGlutenFree listing reports no dedicated GF menu but staff will accommodate; a symptomatic coeliac diner confirms staff asked about celiac, described safety protocols (GF pasta cooked in separate water), and noted most menu items are naturally gluten-free. The listing explicitly warns it is NOT a dedicated GF facility and may not be safe for coeliacs. Cross-contamination risk is acknowledged.
No dedicated gluten-free kitchen or menu, but gluten-free pasta, risotto, and steak are available on request. Staff are reportedly knowledgeable and can advise on gluten-containing sauces, but cross-contamination risk exists as shared equipment is used.