By Trinh Nguyễn

Located within the grounds of the Việt Nam Puppetry Theatre on Trường Chinh Street, Buffet Lẩu Chay Liên Hương is easy to miss if you are not looking for it. The restaurant sits slightly away from the traffic and noise outside. In an area where meals are often quick and practical, it offers something a bit slower, though in a quiet way.

Vegetarian food in Việt Nam is no longer limited to religious occasions or older generations. In recent years, it has become part of a wider lifestyle shift, linked to health, sustainability and, to some extent, curiosity. Many restaurants now try to recreate meat dishes in plant-based form, sometimes so convincing that you almost forget what you are eating. Liên Hương, however, goes in a different direction.

For owner Lê Bá Quyết, the decision to open a vegetarian restaurant did not begin from religion.

“I came to vegetarian food before I came to Buddhism,” he said, adding that what drew him in first was the idea of protecting the environment, and then the benefits for health. Eating this way, he says, makes both the body and the mind feel lighter.

At Liên Hương, dishes are purely plant-based, focusing on natural ingredients rather than imitation meat. VNS Photo Lyly

Instead of relying on mock meats, Liên Hương keeps things close to their natural form. Most dishes are made from vegetables, mushrooms, tofu and grains, with very little attempt to imitate meat or seafood. The flavours are clean and light, yet the meal still keeps you full and energised for the rest of the day.

The hotpot is at the centre of it all. Each seat is designed for an individual pot, allowing diners to choose their own broth rather than sharing one for the whole table, so people can eat at their own pace, with their own preference, without needing to follow others. According to Quyết, the broth is made from sugarcane, radish, pineapple, red dates and goji berries, slowly simmered to bring out a natural sweetness. It doesn’t hit you strongly at first taste, but after a few bites, you start to notice it more. It feels light but still satisfying. Some diners even skip dipping sauces, which is quite unusual in Vietnamese dining, but here it somehow works.

The individual hotpot design allows diners to choose their preferred broth, which is light, clear and clean in flavour. VNS Photo Trinh Nguyễn

There is also a herbal version of the hotpot, inspired by traditional Eastern medicine. Quyết, who spent time learning cooking techniques influenced by Taiwanese methods, prepares the broth in stages so it does not become bitter. The herbs are measured quite carefully, almost like a prescription, then simmered over time. The result is mild, not too strong. Maybe not everyone will like it at first, but some people come back just for this.

While the hotpot is the main attraction, Liên Hương also offers a range of other dishes worth trying. Nem thính – the shredded mushroom mixed with roasted rice powder stands out for its fragrant flavour and slightly unusual texture. Phở cuốn – fresh rice rolls with vegetables and tofu are light and clean, with a simple but appealing colour palette, with green herbs, orange carrot, pale yellow tofu and soft white rice sheets. Even the braised mushrooms, a more familiar dish, are well balanced, with a gentle savoury taste that does not feel heavy.

The fried rice, which Quyết often mentions as a favourite, is perhaps the most surprising. It sounds simple, but the texture is what makes it different. Each grain is soft yet slightly crisp at the same time, achieved by combining two cooking methods. There are no complicated ingredients, just rice and a bit of colour from vegetables, but it works better than expected.

According to Quyết, a good vegetarian dish depends on three things: the skill of the cook, clean ingredients, and the attention during cooking. The idea of 'putting your mind into the food' may sound a bit abstract, but in reality it just means focusing on what you are doing, not rushing, not being distracted. Ingredients are taken seriously. The vegetables are sourced from a supplier in the northwest and delivered fresh every day. In a city where many people still worry about food safety, this is something that matters. It is not presented in a big way, but you can feel it in the food.

The modest, warm setting adds to the overall dining experience. VNS Photo Trinh Nguyễn

The setting, meanwhile, adds quietly to the experience. On a good day, diners can sit in the courtyard under the shade of an old banyan tree, where the air feels noticeably cooler. Inside, rows of wooden columns give the space a slight resemblance to a traditional Vietnamese house. It is simple, not decorative, but comfortable enough to make people stay longer than they planned.

The customers here are quite mixed. There are people who follow a vegetarian diet for a long time, but also many young people, students and office workers. Some do not eat vegetarian food every day, but they come here because the food is lighter and not too oily.

A customer, Dương Mai Anh, says she turned to vegetarian food after a serious illness, when doctors had already told her family to prepare for the worst. “At that time I did not have many choices,” she said.

“I just tried eating vegetarian, and slowly my health improved.”

Now, after eighteen years, she is still in good health at her 53. Sitting with a pot of hot broth in front of her, she smiles and says: “I don’t think it is something magical, but it really changed my life.”

Dương Mai Anh, 53, who has been vegan for 18 years, says her health has improved significantly thanks to her diet. VNS Photo Trinh Nguyễn

Liên Hương does not try to reinvent vegetarian cuisine, and maybe it does not need to. Instead, it brings things back to something more basic: food that is simple, clean and close to nature. In a dining scene where trends change quite fast, this kind of approach may not stand out immediately. But somehow, it stays. — VNS

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LIÊN HƯƠNG VEGAN RESTAURANT

Address: 361 Trường Chinh Street, Kim Liên Ward, Hà Nội

Opening hours: 10am – 2pm; 5pm – 9pm

Tel: 097 629 31 46

Comment: A cosy vegetarian restaurant serving light, flavourful hotpot and a variety of plant-based dishes.