Best Vegetarian and Vegan Places in Sandakan Worth Visiting

Wei Lim's Honest Guide to the Best Vegetarian and Vegan Places in Sandakan

I still remember my first proper plant based meal in Sandakan, eaten at a sticky laminate table while rain hammered the zinc roof above Harbour Mall. That was years ago, and since then I have made it my quiet obsession to track down every worthwhile vegetarian kitchen in this old timber town. Below is the running list I keep for friends who ask me where to eat without the meat. If you are visiting Sandakan specifically to find the best vegetarian and vegan places, treat this as your starting point, not your final say.

Sandakan's Quiet Plant Based Scene and Why It Works Here

Sandakan is not Kuala Lumpur or Penang, so do not arrive expecting a glossy row of fully vegan cafes on every corner. What you get instead is something more interesting: a small network of Chinese vegetarian restaurants (many run by Buddhist households), Indian vegetarian banana leaf spots near the old harbour, and a growing handful of newer vegan friendly cafes run by young locals who trained in KL or overseas. The food draws from Hakka, Cantonese, and South Indian traditions, which means you will find mock meat dishes done with conviction, not as an afterthought.

Most of these kitchens are clustered around the downtown core, roughly between Harbour Mall and the Wisma Sandakan area, with a few outliers up in Bandar Indah and along the airport road. Prices here are noticeably softer than in West Malaysia. A full vegetarian meal with drinks will rarely cross the RM 25 line, even at the more polished places.

1. Yuan Yuan Vegetarian Restaurant, Lebuh Tiga

Yuan Yuan sits on Lebuh Tiga, just a short walk from the old Tian Gong Buddhist temple, which is useful to know because the kitchen here leans heavily into Buddhist home style cooking. The space is plain, fluorescent lit, and has been here for years. The owner, whom everyone calls Aunty, still takes orders on a paper pad and gets grumpy if you ask too many questions about the menu.

What you actually come for is the mock char siu rice, which arrives glistening in dark caramel sauce over a bowl of fragrant jasmine rice, and the yam ring stuffed with diced vegetables. The curry mixed vegetables with Roti canai on weekends is the sleeper hit, since Aunty only makes the dough fresh on Saturday and Sunday mornings. Show up before noon on a weekend or the roti sells out by 11. One honest note: the place only has two ceiling fans, and the front tables get uncomfortably warm between 12 and 2pm, so I usually aim for an 11.30 start.

Local Insider Tip: "Order the rice sets instead of single dishes. They come faster, cost less, and Aunty throws in a small bowl of herbal soup that is not on the menu."

If you only visit one Chinese vegetarian kitchen in town, make it this one. It is the closest thing Sandakan has to a long running meat free institution.

2. Annu's Banana Leaf Restaurant, Lebuh Satu Near the Sandakan Central Market

Annu's is a few doors down from the wet market entrance, tucked into a low slung shophouse that smells like curry from the moment you turn the corner. It is not exclusively vegetarian, but the vegetarian banana leaf set here is one of the most satisfying meals you can eat in the downtown area for under RM 15.

You sit on a plastic stool, the banana leaf is laid down, and within a few minutes the staff pour out dhal, cucumber raita, pappadam, pickle, a brinjal curry, and a rotating vegetable curry that changes daily. The rasam on Wednesdays has a slightly sharp, peppery kick that I have not found anywhere else in Sabah. Ask for extra appalam if it is your first visit, and arrive between 12.30 and 1pm for the freshest batch.

Local Insider Tip: "Do not order the mango lassi on a hot afternoon. It is delicious but watered down. Go for the hot teh tarik instead, which is fresher and cheaper."

This is the spot I bring friends who want to understand how Indian vegetarian food is eaten in a Sabahan port town, not in Little India KL. The atmosphere is functional, slightly chaotic, and absolutely honest.

3. Veggie Garden Cafe, Bandar Indah

Veggie Garden Cafe is one of the newer entries to the Sandakan vegan restaurants scene, run by a husband and wife team who spent several years in Melbourne before coming home. It is on the ground floor of a terrace block in Bandar Indah, which is about a 12 minute drive from the waterfront. The interior is the first fully plant forward cafe I have seen in Sandakan with proper indoor plants, reclaimed wood tables, and a small kids corner.

The menu rotates every couple of months, but the staples that have stayed are the banana blossom burger, the vegan laksa (which uses a coconut and turmeric broth that I think is better than most non vegan versions I have tried), and the daily salad bowl. They also do one of the only genuinely vegan cakes in town, usually a pandan or chocolate fudge number. Drinks include kombucha on tap, which is rare here. Weekday lunch is calm. Saturday brunch from 10am to 1pm is where the regulars cluster.

Local Insider Tip: "The kombucha tap changes flavour every Friday. If you want the ginger and turmeric batch specifically, message them on Instagram the day before because it sells out fast."

The honest critique is parking. The terrace block has very limited bays and most people double park on weekends. If you are driving, come after 1.30pm when the brunch crowd leaves.

4. Good Taste Vegetarian, Mile 4, Jalan Utara

Good Taste is up the hill from the Sandakan town centre, in the Mile 4 commercial stretch of Jalan Utara. It is a slightly bigger, air conditioned restaurant compared to the smaller downtown kitchens, which makes it popular with families and office workers from the surrounding government buildings.

The buffet lunch here is the main reason to drive up. For around RM 15 you get roughly 30 dishes, all vegetarian, with strong representation of Nyonya style vegetables, stir fried mushrooms with ginger, mock herbal soup, and at least three types of mock meat. The asam curry vegetables are the standout for me, slightly sour, slightly spicy, and excellent over rice. It runs from about 11.30am to 2pm, and you should arrive before 12 or the mock meat trays are picked clean.

Local Insider Tip: "Sit near the back windows, away from the entrance. The buffet line runs through the front and it gets noisy. Back tables are quieter and you still see the harbour view on clear days."

This is the easiest place to bring a mixed group of vegetarians and non vegetarians, since the buffet lets everyone fill their own plates at their own pace.

5. Lotus Vegetarian Cafe, Wisma Sandakan Area

Lotus is on a quiet side street behind Wisma Sandakan, which is the old commercial hub that most visitors pass through on their way to the jetty. It has been open for years under the same family, and the menu is short, dependable, and very Chinese Buddhist in style.

The claypot tofu is the dish I order every time. It arrives bubbling, with soft tofu, glass noodles, mushrooms, and a dark soy broth that tastes like it has been simmering since morning. The sweet and sour vegetables are also excellent here, fried in a light batter that does not go soggy the way cheaper kitchens deliver. Service is unhurried, which I actually enjoy, but if you are on a tight schedule before a Sepilok tour, call ahead and ask them to prep your order.

Local Insider Tip: "Ask for the claypot with extra glass noodles. Most tourists get the standard portion. The staff know the regulars' preferences, so you have to ask specifically if you are new."

Honest critique: the place is small, maybe 8 tables, and it fills up fast on the first and fifteenth of the Chinese lunar month, when Buddhist families eat vegetarian. Avoid those days if you do not want to wait.

6. Restoran Hua Xing Vegetarian, Harbour Mall Frontage

If you are staying near the waterfront or just came off a Sepilok Orangutan visit, Hua Xing is the easiest sit down vegetarian option. It faces the Harbour Mall frontage and has been there long enough that even taxi drivers know it by name.

The menu is broad, with rice sets, noodles, hot pots, and a long list of mock meat dishes that range from sweet and sour pork style to "fish" head curry that uses a gluten mock. The hot pot for two is excellent value, around RM 30, and comes with a clear herbal broth and about 15 vegetable sides. They also serve one of the few vegetarian wantan mee in Sandakan, with thin eggless noodles and a dark sauce. Arrive before 7pm for dinner since the kitchen sometimes runs out of the wantan noodles later in the evening.

Local Insider Tip: "Order the hot pot even if you are dining alone. They let solo diners order a smaller half portion for RM 18, but it is not on the menu. Just ask."

The Harbour Mall Sandakan has limited vegetarian options beyond this, so this place fills an important role for tourists staying in the waterfront hotels.

7. Sri Ganesh Vegetarian, Bandar Pasar

Sri Ganesh is the only fully vegetarian South Indian restaurant I have found in Sandakan that is open for both lunch and dinner. It sits on a corner in Bandar Pasar, near the old market square, with a small open front that catches the evening breeze.

The masala dosa is the headline, and it is properly fermented, with a crisp exterior and a soft interior stuffed with a well spiced potato filling. The idli with sambar is also good, soft rather than the rubbery version some kitchens push out. Thali sets at dinner are less common than in Penang, but the Saturday night special thali is excellent value. They do not serve alcohol, which keeps the atmosphere family oriented.

Local Insider Tip: "Get the ghee roast dosa if it is available. It is not on the printed menu, only on the chalkboard near the kitchen. Crispy, rich, and the best dosa in Sandakan."

The honest critique: the parking here is awkward because the corner is tight, and after 8pm the area gets dark. Go for an early dinner around 6.30pm for the best experience.

8. Green Bowl Plant Based Kitchen, Bandar Kim Fung

Green Bowl is a small, mostly takeaway focused spot in Bandar Kim Fung, run by a young couple who started the business during the pandemic and turned it into a proper storefront by 2023. They are the most clearly vegan of the bunch, with no eggs, no dairy, and a strong focus on whole food bowls rather than mock meat.

The signature is the Buddha bowl, which combines brown rice, roasted sweet potato, tempeh, fermented carrot, avocado when available, and a peanut lime dressing that is genuinely excellent. They also do a jackfruit rendang that sells out by noon most days. Smoothies rotate seasonally. Hours are limited, usually 10am to 4pm, and they close on Sundays.

Local Insider Tip: "Pre order the jackfruit rendang on Instagram before picking up. They only cook one tray per day and it is gone by 11.30am on Saturdays."

This is the closest thing Sandakan has to a dedicated plant based food Sandakan cafe, and the owners are plugged into the small but growing local vegan community.

9. Kedai Makan Sayur Lian, Mile 1.5 Near Sandakan Airport Road

Kedai Makan Sayur Lian is a humble stall based kitchen on the airport side of town, run out of a converted garage with a few plastic tables and fans. It is the kind of place locals go to for breakfast or early lunch, and most tourists would walk straight past it without noticing.

What makes it special is the Assam fish style vegetables, which uses pineapple and tamarind to mimic a classic Sabahan fish dish, except without the fish. The rice is cooked in a wood fired pot that gives every grain a faint smoky edge. Coconut shake is a perfect pairing on a humid morning. It is open roughly 7am to 2pm, and closes when the rice runs out, which can be as early as 1pm on slow days.

Local Insider Tip: "Ask for the sambal belacan substitute. The owner makes a fermented soybean sambal that tastes close enough to the original and is fully vegetarian. Locals call it 'sambal sayur'."

The honest critique is that the menu is mostly in Mandarin, with a small English note added in recent years. If you do not read either, point at what other tables are eating and the staff will figure it out.

10. Ming Yuan Vegetarian, Bandar Pasar Atas Extension

Ming Yuan sits in the upper extension of Bandar Pasar, in a newer shophouse block that has filled up with a mix of cafes and small businesses over the last few years. It is a useful stop if you are heading up to the Sandakan Memorial Park or coming down from the hill suburbs.

The menu covers the usual Chinese vegetarian staples but the dish I recommend is the ginger and scallion "duck", which uses soy skin wrapped around seitan in a way that genuinely resembles duck texture. The mushroom claypot rice is also excellent for a cooler evening. Prices are mid range for a meat free eating Sandakan venue, around RM 12 to RM 18 per set. Service is fast and the air conditioning is reliable, which is more than I can say for some of the older spots.

Local Insider Tip: "Sit at the table by the wall with the small plant shelf. It is the only one with a working USB port underneath, useful if you are on a working trip."

This is one of the cleaner, more modern vegetarian kitchens in the area, and a useful contrast to the older downtown spots.

When to Go and What to Know Before You Eat Vegetarian in Sandakan

The best time to visit Sandakan for plant based eating is between March and September, outside the monsoon period, when fresh vegetables are most abundant and supply is reliable. Avoid the first and fifteenth of the Chinese lunar month if you want a calmer meal at the Chinese vegetarian spots, since those days see a surge of Buddhist families eating meat free.

Cash is still king at most of these venues. Only Veggie Garden Cafe and Green Bowl take card payments reliably. Bring small ringgit notes, especially for the smaller stalls.

Most kitchens open around 10am for lunch and close by 9pm. Exceptions include Green Bowl (closed Sundays) and Kedai Makan Sayur Lian (closes when sold out). For dinner, the Harbour Mall area is the most tourist friendly, while Bandar Indah and Bandar Kim Fung require a short Grab ride.

Dress is casual everywhere, but cover shoulders and knees if you plan to combine your meal with a visit to the nearby Buddhist temples. Tap water is not safe to drink across Sandakan, so stick to boiled or filtered water, which all these venues provide.

Frequently Asked Questions

How easy is it to find pure vegetarian, vegan, or plant-based dining options in Sandakan?

It is moderately easy, with at least 10 dedicated or near dedicated vegetarian kitchens within a 10km radius of the town centre, plus Indian restaurants with extensive vegetarian sections. Pure vegan options are limited to roughly 3 venues, including Veggie Garden Cafe, Green Bowl Plant Based Kitchen, and selected menu items at Lotus Vegetarian Cafe. Most Chinese vegetarian restaurants use egg and dairy in some preparations, so always clarify.

Are there any specific dress codes or cultural etiquettes to keep in mind when visiting local spots in Sandakan?

No formal dress codes exist at the venues listed. However, when visiting Chinese vegetarian restaurants located close to Buddhist temples, such as Yuan Yuan near Tian Gong temple, shoulders and knees should be covered out of respect. Removing shoes is not required at any of the restaurants mentioned, but at temple attached kitchens, follow the lead of local diners.

Is the tap water in Sandakan safe to drink, or should travelers strictly rely on filtered water options?

Tap water in Sandakan is not considered safe for visitors to drink directly. Boiled water is served at every restaurant listed, and filtered water is available at most cafes for around RM 1 to RM 3 per refill. Bottled water costs between RM 1.50 and RM 3 at convenience stores. Ice at reputable restaurants is generally made from filtered sources, but ask if unsure.

Is Sandakan expensive to visit? Give a realistic daily budget breakdown for mid-tier travelers.

A mid-tier traveler can expect to spend around RM 200 to RM 280 per day in Sandakan. This breaks down roughly as RM 80 to RM 150 for a mid range hotel room, RM 30 to RM 50 for three meals at vegetarian spots, RM 20 to RM 40 for local transport via Grab, and RM 30 to RM 60 for entry fees to attractions such as Sepilok Orangutan Rehabilitation Centre, which is RM 30 for foreigners.

What is the one must-try local specialty food or drink that Sandakan is famous for?

The most iconic local specialty is hinava, a Sabahan ceviche made from fresh mackerel marinated in lime juice, chilli, ginger, and sliced shallots. For vegetarian visitors, the closest plant based analogue is the Assam pineapple vegetable dish found at Kedai Makan Sayur Lian, which mimics the sour and spicy profile using tamarind and pineapple. It pairs naturally with the local coconut shake, which is widely available and fully plant based.