Restaurant in Guangzhou, China
Michelin-recognised vegetarian at a fair price.
Tian Shui is Guangzhou's most credentialed vegetarian restaurant at the ¥¥ price tier, holding a Michelin Plate in both 2024 and 2025 plus a Black Pearl 1 Diamond for 2025. It is the straightforward answer for plant-based dining in Yuexiu District, easy to book, and worth it for both lunch value and a considered dinner occasion.
Tian Shui is the right call if you want credentialed vegetarian dining in Guangzhou at a price point that won't require a second thought. Holding a Michelin Plate in both 2024 and 2025, plus a Black Pearl 1 Diamond for 2025, it is one of the few vegetarian restaurants in the Pearl River Delta with consecutive international recognition across two separate award systems. At a ¥¥ price range, it sits firmly in the accessible mid-tier — making it equally suitable for a weekday lunch between meetings in Yuexiu District or a considered dinner with someone who follows a plant-based diet. If you are visiting Guangzhou with a mixed group and someone at the table does not eat meat, Tian Shui resolves that problem without compromise.
Vegetarian cooking in southern China has deep roots in Buddhist temple cuisine, and Guangzhou's version tends toward the refined rather than the rustic. Tian Shui sits in Oriental Landmark Building C1 on Wende Road in Yuexiu District , the cultural and administrative heart of the city, close to temples, museums, and the older urban fabric that distinguishes this part of Guangzhou from the glassier commercial districts further south. The address is practical: Yuexiu is well-connected, and Wende Road in particular is walkable from several metro lines.
For context on how Tian Shui compares nationally, the benchmark for serious vegetarian dining in China is Fu He Hui in Shanghai, which operates at a higher price point and with a more theatrical presentation format. Lamdre in Beijing takes a Tibetan-influenced approach in the vegetarian space. Tian Shui is neither as expensive nor as avant-garde as either , it occupies a more grounded position, and the double Michelin Plate recognition suggests consistent kitchen execution rather than a high-wire act. That consistency is worth something if you are booking for a group with different expectations.
At a ¥¥ venue with Michelin recognition, the lunch-versus-dinner calculus matters more than it might at a casual spot. Lunch at Tian Shui is likely to offer the better value proposition: the kitchen is typically at full attention during the midday service at this tier, portions are often more generous relative to price on set lunch menus, and the pace is slower in a way that suits solo diners and pairs who want to eat without committing to a full evening. If you are in Guangzhou for work and have a free midday, this is the meal to book.
Dinner at Tian Shui is the better choice if atmosphere matters to you. The Yuexiu District settles into a different register after dark , quieter, less transactional , and a vegetarian restaurant at this price point is not the kind of place that turns into a loud late-night room. Dinner is also more likely to be the occasion when a tasting or multi-course format comes into its own, giving the kitchen more scope to show range. For a date or a small celebratory dinner where the vegetarian format is a considered choice rather than a dietary constraint, the evening service makes more sense. Both dayparts are worth your time; the decision hinges on your group composition and what you want the meal to do.
Booking at Tian Shui is rated Easy, which at a Michelin-recognised venue in a major Chinese city is genuinely useful information. You are unlikely to need to plan weeks in advance, but given that the restaurant has only two Google reviews on record (both 5-star), the public profile is low , which probably contributes to the accessible booking window. That low review count is not a quality signal in either direction; it more likely reflects the restaurant's quiet positioning within Guangzhou's dining scene rather than limited foot traffic. Book a few days out for weekday lunch; for weekend dinner, a week's notice is sensible. The address is Oriental Landmark Building C1, 2/F, 66 Wende Road, Yuexiu District , confirm the entrance point when booking, as large commercial complexes in Chinese cities often have multiple lobbies.
For broader context on where Tian Shui fits in the city's dining picture, see our full Guangzhou restaurants guide. If you are building a wider trip around food, Gu Yuan and Jia Yuan are worth pairing with a Tian Shui visit for a fuller picture of Cantonese cooking in the city. For lighter or more casual vegetarian and plant-forward options, Plant-Based Kitchen and Soodle are also in the mix. Zen Tea is a natural complement if tea pairing is part of how you think about a vegetarian meal in a southern Chinese context.
For planning beyond the restaurant, our Guangzhou hotels guide, bars guide, and experiences guide cover the rest of the trip. If you are eating your way across China, comparable vegetarian-forward experiences worth benchmarking include Ru Yuan in Hangzhou and, for a higher-end reference point, Fu He Hui in Shanghai. For other award-recognised Chinese restaurant experiences in the region, Chef Tam's Seasons in Macau and Dai Yuet Heen in Nanjing provide useful comparison points.
Book Tian Shui if you want a vegetarian restaurant in Guangzhou that has been validated by two independent award systems at a price that does not ask much of you. It is the most direct answer to the question of where to take a plant-based diner in the city. Lunch is the better-value session; dinner works well for a small group or a considered occasion. If you are building a broader China food itinerary, cross-reference against Xin Rong Ji in Beijing, 102 House in Shanghai, and Xin Rong Ji in Chengdu to understand where Tian Shui sits in the wider range of award-recognised Chinese dining. Within Guangzhou specifically, it has a clear lane: credentialed, accessible, and without serious vegetarian competition at the same price tier.
| Venue | Price | Booking Difficulty | Value |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tian Shui | ¥¥ | Easy | — |
| Imperial Treasure Fine Chinese Cuisine | ¥¥¥ | Unknown | — |
| Taian Table | ¥¥¥¥ | Unknown | — |
| Chōwa | ¥¥¥ | Unknown | — |
| Imperial Treasure Fine Teochew Cuisine | ¥¥¥ | Unknown | — |
| Rêver | ¥¥¥¥ | Unknown | — |
What to weigh when choosing between Tian Shui and alternatives.
At a ¥¥ price point, the value case is strong. Tian Shui holds both a Michelin Plate (2024 and 2025) and a Black Pearl 1 Diamond (2025), meaning two independent systems have signed off on the kitchen's consistency. For credentialed vegetarian cooking in Guangzhou at mid-range pricing, you are unlikely to find a stronger combination of validation and accessibility.
Yes, solo dining works well here. The ¥¥ price range means a solo meal does not require much financial commitment, and Michelin-recognised vegetarian venues in this tier typically run counter or small table configurations that suit one diner without awkwardness. Book ahead to confirm seating, since the address puts it inside a commercial landmark building where walk-in availability may vary.
The ¥¥ pricing signals a relaxed-to-polished mid-range setting rather than a formal dining room. Neat, presentable clothes are a safe call — think the kind of outfit you would wear to a well-regarded neighbourhood restaurant, not a black-tie event. The Michelin recognition does not push the dress expectations into formal territory at this price level.
Specific menu details are not publicly documented, so ordering advice is limited. What is confirmed is that the kitchen runs a vegetarian menu that has earned repeat Michelin Plate recognition and a Black Pearl Diamond — focus on whatever the kitchen presents as its current core dishes rather than requesting substitutions. Ask staff for their recommendations on arrival; at a venue with this level of credentialing, the in-house guidance is worth following.
Taian Table is the comparison if you want a higher-commitment, chef-driven tasting menu in Guangzhou at a significantly higher price. Imperial Treasure Fine Chinese Cuisine and Imperial Treasure Fine Teochew Cuisine are the alternatives for non-vegetarian Cantonese and Teochew cooking with comparable award credentials. Rêver suits diners who want a contemporary fine dining format. Chōwa offers a Japanese-inflected option. None directly replicate Tian Shui's combination of vegetarian focus and ¥¥ pricing with Michelin recognition.
Keep this venue in your Pearl passport, rate it after you visit, and track it alongside every other place you collect.
