Lv Liu Ju (South Taiping Road)

Lv Liu Ju is a vegetarian Jinling restaurant at 248 South Taiping Road in the Qinhuai District of Nanjing, Jiangsu, China. It is described as a century-old house and is best known for vegetarian mock-meat cooking, a tradition tied to Buddhist temple cuisine in the Jiangnan region, in which vegetables, tofu products and wheat gluten are shaped and seasoned to resemble meat dishes. Vegetarian restaurants are relatively rare in Nanjing, so it serves as one of the few dependable choices for vegetarian travellers, alongside diners who are curious about the style. The restaurant is a traditional casual dining house and has no Michelin listing or celebrity chef lineage; its standing rests on age and specialisation. Signature dishes include vegetarian roast goose at about ¥38, made from layered bean-curd skin that is fried and braised until it resembles roast goose in texture; steamed vegetable buns at about ¥18; and beef potstickers at about ¥25, a reminder that the menu also includes some non-vegetarian items, so vegetarians should confirm before ordering. Dishes are served in shareable portions, and a table of two or three can sample several items. The dining room is simple and practical, with a calm to moderate noise level and a mix of local families, older regulars and visitors; dress is casual. Tea is the usual beverage and there is no wine or spirits programme of note. Reservations are not needed for small parties, since it is walk-in, but groups can reserve through Dianping. Opening hours are 10:30AM to 8:30PM, with continuous service through the afternoon. Prices are moderate at $$, and a shared meal typically costs ¥60 to ¥120 per person. The South Taiping Road location is south of the central Xinjiekou district and can be reached by bus or taxi from the main sights.