The only vegetarian restaurant in China with three Michelin stars

King’s Joy Restaurant is located opposite Ung Hoa Cung, about 6 km from the Forbidden City, and is the only Chinese restaurant in the world to receive both three Michelin stars and Michelin Green stars for its sustainable development efforts. The shop’s operating model was even included as a research topic at Harvard Business School in 2019.

Since opening, the restaurant has become a familiar destination for the super-rich, celebrities such as billionaire Rupert Murdoch or heads of state such as Italian President Sergio Mattarella and Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez when visiting China.

The restaurant serves a vegan menu, using domestic ingredients and traditional preparation, presented in a modern style. The interior space is designed with black marble floors and a silk chandelier system.

The restaurant’s menu changes every two weeks, based on the 24 solar terms of the ancient calendar. Depending on when they visit, diners can experience dishes such as Manchurian silk rice with black truffle and lily bulb, purple bamboo shoot soup, or osmanthus milk pudding. Less common domestic ingredients such as nuts are also included in the menu, combined with homemade fermented drinks, tea or wine.

The idea of ​​building King’s Joy restaurant was started by Mr. David Yin in 2010 and opened to welcome customers in 2012. The Yin family is originally from Beijing, immigrated to Taiwan in 1966 and opened a famous royal cuisine brand. After 15 years of moving to Canada, they decided to return to Beijing to open a restaurant.

The name King’s Joy is a reminder of the rich cultural heritage of the capital of four feudal dynasties. Now, the second generation of the family is taking over the business, with son Gary Yin as head chef and daughter Mia Yin taking on the role of pastry chef.

According to sources of CNNdespite contributing to promoting China’s culinary culture and soft power, King’s Joy is on the list of restaurants in Beijing that officials are not allowed to visit from 2025. This ban was not widely announced, nor was there any official explanation.

The biggest reason is said to be cost. A meal at King’s Joy starts at 250 USD (about 6.5 million VND) per person. This price contrasts with the Chinese government’s anti-corruption campaign and calling on civil servants to live frugally over many years.

According to the China Bureau of Statistics in 2025, the average monthly salary of civil servants in Beijing is about 1,600 USD (42 million VND). The appearance of officials at these luxury dining locations can easily create negative public opinion about wasting public funds or accepting bribes. Previously, in 2014, a series of luxury private clubs in Beijing also had to close when the government tightened management of officials’ lifestyles.

In China, vegetarianism has long been associated with Buddhist ideology and a frugal lifestyle. About 4% of the country’s population identifies as vegetarian, according to 2024 state media research. China’s Dietary Guidelines also began making recommendations for vegetarians in 2016.

Ms. Fuchsia Dunlop, a Chinese cuisine expert, said that bringing vegetarian dishes to a high-end level and charging expensive fees is a bold step. Instead of serving a religious purpose, the restaurant turns vegetarian cuisine into a liberating lifestyle choice.

Chef Gary Yin shared that locating the restaurant in the center of the capital aims to reach and change the perception of influential people about sustainable cuisine. Although there is information about a ban on officials coming here, he said business at the restaurant has not changed.