Eating in China with dietary restrictions
Chinese food is one of the great reasons to make the trip, and dietary restrictions are manageable with preparation. The core difficulty is that ingredients that matter to you may not be considered ingredients worth mentioning locally. This page is general planning information, not medical advice; if you have a serious allergy, seek advice from a qualified professional and verify locally.
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Why no meat is not enough
Vegetable dishes are frequently cooked with meat stock, lard or small amounts of pork used as seasoning, and this is often not regarded as making the dish non-vegetarian. Requesting no meat may remove visible pieces of meat while leaving the stock in place.
The workable approach is to specify what must not be present, in writing and in Chinese, rather than describing a category such as vegetarian.
Allergies and the written card
A written card in Chinese naming your specific allergen, ideally with a clear statement of severity, is the single most effective tool. Show it before ordering rather than after, and be prepared for it to be declined at some kitchens, which is a good outcome compared to a wrong answer.
Peanut and peanut oil are widespread. Sesame, soy, wheat and shellfish are common. Cross-contamination in busy kitchens is a genuine risk and cannot be reliably ruled out.
Vegetarian and vegan eating
Buddhist vegetarian restaurants exist in many cities and are the most reliable option, often excellent. Beyond those, tofu dishes, cold vegetable plates and noodle dishes are workable if you confirm the stock and oil.
Dairy is less central to Chinese cooking than in Western cuisines, which makes vegan eating easier in some respects than vegetarian eating is in others.
Halal food
Halal restaurants are widespread and often identifiable by Arabic script or specific signage, with a strong presence of northwestern cuisines. In cities with established Muslim communities the choice is broad.
Certification standards and practices vary; if certification matters to you, verify locally rather than relying on signage alone.
Practical ordering
Picture menus, pointing and camera translation cover most ordering. Ordering several shared dishes is normal and lets you manage what you eat more precisely than a single plated main.
Street food is a highlight; choose busy stalls with high turnover and food cooked to order in front of you.