Why Do People Eat Cơm Chay in Vietnam?

Vegetarian meals are familiar in Vietnam for more than one reason. Here are three angles.

Faith

Some people eat vegetarian as a Buddhist practice, and some keep it on days such as the 1st and 15th of the lunar month, when eateries can be busier.

Exterior of a temple main hall in Ho Chi Minh City, hung with Buddhist flags and lanterns — The main hall of Linh Sơn Bửu tự, a Buddhist temple in Tân Phú, Ho Chi Minh City. Photo: Phương Huy / CC BY-SA 4.0 / Wikimedia Commons

Daily life

Vegetarian meals appear on home tables and at eateries near temples.

A dish served on a blue-patterned plate at a vegetarian restaurant — A dish served at the Bồ Đề vegetarian restaurant in Huế. Photo: David McKelvey from Brisbane, Australia / CC BY 2.0 / Wikimedia Commons

Cover image: The gate and courtyard of Chùa Tịnh Ý, a Buddhist temple in Thủ Đức, Ho Chi Minh City. Photo: Phương Huy / CC BY-SA 4.0 / Wikimedia Commons

Eatery culture

There are dedicated vegetarian eateries, some serving dishes that imitate meat.

Habits vary by person and region. See What Is Cơm Chay? and how to find it.