A. Ma. ZING! Love love love Su Tao so much that I'll drive 30 minutes just for it, and nothing else, and then turn around (full-tummied) to drive the 30 minutes back home. Where I'll sit in a food coma. Rachel W.'s review was harsh and, I believe, un-called for. I'm an avid veg*n restaurant goer, and let me tell you, Su Tao is better than many out there. The spinach is above the rest, the buffet is full of variety and color, and the menu (which I rarely order from because of the buffet's appeal) is full of unique and tasty options. Definitely check this place out. Oh, and having a dessert buffet never hurts ;) read more

I've been to Su Tao 4 or 5 times, and only one of those times I ordered from the menu (all others I gorged at the buffet). As many other reviewers stated, the buffet is a very classic Americanized Chinese buffet if I've ever seen one. It's full of lots of tasty options, but don't expect most of it to be healthy! My favourites are the steamed dumplings, general tso's, and the veggie balls. They have great sauces and a decent salad bar too. Self-serve (Crystal-Light) iced tea and lemonade are free, but all other beverages will cost ya. If you're looking for more healthy fare, ask for a menu and you'll find some really great stuff. If you're looking for all the classic grease that we all crave sometimes, you really can't go wrong with the buffet. The wait service has always been really great as well. Even a little too friendly, sometimes, but I'd rather have a waitress chatting with myself and my eating companions than completely ignoring us. I'm just happy there's a totally vegan Chinese option in the 'burbs. All too often I find myself calling take-out joints and trying to deduce whether they use eggs or meat broths in their veggie fare, and with language barriers, that can sometimes be quite the hassle! read more

Went a few months ago with my vegan friend. Disappointed. Food was cold. We paid, so still ate it. Empty food like rice wasn't replenished. Won't return. read more

I have to admit, we came here at the worst possible time ever. Please please please learn from my experience and do not come while they are in between serving lunch and dinner. When we arrived NO ONE was in the restaurant. No servers, no hosts, no one. We saw some movement in the back of the house, but that's it. When we finally decided to seat our selves and help ourselves to the buffet (oh the hot buffet table was OFF) the host finally showed up (no free lunch i guess). Since the hot table was just getting warmed up, we decided to avoid it. There was plenty of cold food there. Most of it was decent, but not exceptional. I forgot to keep track of everything I put on my plate so I can't give any specifics to get/avoid, but I will say this: it was a mixed bag. Some of it was great and some of it was.. blah. I'm going to give this place a second chance and come during a more nominal time. But otherwise, I'm looking for a new veggie buffet. read more

I really love this cafe. Took all my non-vegan friends here and they loved it! It's an all you can eat buffet with your regular Asian food restaurant options. They even have vegan sushi! You can order off the menu too but I never have as I love the buffet options. Customer Service could be better. Waitresses and owners aren't the friendliest but not mean or anything. I have been a regular here for years and being as that I'm supporting their business so frequently, you'd think they'd try to get to know their frequent customers or at least say hello when you walk in. Aside from that, food is great! Go here! read more

I love this restaurant! I used to work in the area and would go there for lunch. The selections are excellent. Even the meat-eaters I worked with really liked it. I agree with an earlier review that even though it's vegan, it's not necessarily healthful due to all of the fried contents. But they do have lighter options such as brown rice and lightly seasoned veggies. read more

i come here every time i go east to visit my parents (which i did just last week). it's not easy to find good healthy, vegetarian options in Malvern lemme tell ya. i grew up here and have been vegetarian since i was 17. Su Tao has been going strong for a while now, and seems to have lots of regular local customers. generally speaking, i'm not a big 'buffet' fan (except i do like indian food buffets). but being that it's all fresh, veggie and yummy what's not to love! they have miso soup, lots of cold salady stuff and hot stir frys with fake meat. dessert too. hard not to eat too much. i think they also still have a menu to order, but i've never done that. no need! if you should find yourself in Malvern it's worth the stop! my home town might just be 'on the map' now, cause they are filming the latest Peter Jackson film 'the Lovely Bones' there as we speak. read more

Very good service. Plenty of VEGETARIAN choices. Good for family. Always enjoy it here... stomach falls short not the desire to eat more. Son loves the Lo Mein Noodles here. read more

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Just visited Su Tao Cafe for the first time. It is in kind of a run-down looking strip mall, but don't let that deter you if you are looking for a vegan version of your typical Chinese buffet. I had their buffet which others have reviewed. I didn't order anything off their menu. When we first got there, they were kind of slow (we were one of three parties in the dining room), and my first visit to the buffet line was a little disappointing because the food was only lukewarm which turned me off to the place. As I ate though, more people came in and it got a little busier which meant that they kept refilling the buffet line on a more regular basis, and my return visits to the buffet line were much better because all the food was piping hot. So, if you are going at a time when they aren't busy, that may be something to look out for. The food isn't super healthy, but it was all really tasty. It is typical Chinese buffet fare, but it is all vegan, so if you are vegan or vegetarian, it is great to be able to eat everything on the buffet without wondering what is in it. They also label the different dishes that are soy-free and gluten-free which is nice. I will definitely go back there again for a vegetarian-friendly fix of chinese buffet food. read more

Not really my pick for veggie Chinese food, but serious kudos for trying it out. I should have listened to earlier reviews and not gone between there lunch and dinner hour....but how was I to know. They do have an interesting selection provided for cold foods - different noodles, seaweed, kim chee, etc... When the hot food was finally ready, I tried the general tso's and other random "faux meat" dishes. I'll admit, most of it did taste like what it's meat counterpart was - but I'm just not sold yet on non-meat that is trying to be like meat. I guess it seems a little counterproductive to me. read more

Keyword: Vegan Buffet You can find a Chinese buffet in every strip mall, but where else do you find a Chinese Vegan buffet? Nowhere. Like all buffets, everyone has their own favorites. Here is my take: Cold Appetizers - 5 stars. These are the best items in house and they're the reason I come here. My favorites are spicy code noddles, Tofu salad and different types of pickled vegetables. their own homemade spicy is very nice. Hot Appetizers and Soup - 4 stars. Dumplings and buns with different types of fillings are nice. Spring rolls are good when they're fresh. Hot & Sour Soup is the only soup I like but it's better than average. Entrees - 3 stars. By this point hopefully I've had 2 full plates of appetizers and I won't care so much. Some entrees are doughy and some don't look fresh. I've always liked the veggie delights and eggplants. They used to be much better though. Fruit and dessert - 3 stars. Mixture of fresh cuts, canned and store bought desserts. OK selection. Note: They label items with color coded dots, such as Gluten Free, Soy Free, Sugar Free, etc. Very convenient. Sutao's atmosphere actually intrigues me. The background music is cheesy but soothing; The service is laid-back but attentive. I do enjoy the paintings and the calligraphy. The paintings are of religious figures in traditional style. The calligraphy are Buddhist/Taoist scripts or philosophical quotes, and the name "Su Tao" in Chinese. Speaking of which, Su, while it means vegetarian in Chinese, it also means modesty. Tao means the way, the path, or the fundamental of everything in the universe (think Tao Te Ching). Everything in this restaurant reflects this principle. I don't see divvy. I see modesty. Though I appreciate the simplicity, the old dining room tables and bathrooms can certainly use an update. Try no to get turned away by the look. It's worth a try. read more

So Ed C has been wanting to take me way out to Malvern for this Vegan Chinese Buffet for months, but it's a super long drive for two people who rarely leave Center City. Yesterday, we finally got around to it. This buffet is AMAZING. Vast selection of tasty vegan food, much of it fried, but I'm TOTALLY fine with that. My faves were the dumplings, spring rolls, and WHOA the sweet & sour meatballs...I'm still thinking about them today. I also really enjoyed their fried rice and all the beef & chicken dishes. Loss of 1/2 star because their hot & sour soup doesn't live up to my (possibly unfair) standards. Rounding down for no rational reason other than the fact that I had to sit in a car for nearly an hour to get here. I'll be back, but like next year. Highly recommended, especially if you live closer than I do. read more

I work nearby and this is probably my favorite place to eat. I'm a vegetarian and knowing that anything I order is meat-free makes mealtime a lot less stressful. Then again I don't really order, I always get the buffet because there's so much to choose from. The dumplings may be my favorite (although the pepper-"steak" is a close second). $9.00 really isn't too bad for an all-you-can-eat vegan buffet. I always leave feeling stuffed. That's one of the reasons I don't go here as often as I would like (I always end up eating too much). That being said, if you're a vegetarian/vegan and haven't been here yet, you really owe it to yourself to go. read more

We had tickets to see the panto at Peoples Light and last year we went to the Greyhound Cafe nearby. Food was just OK but zero ambience and service was simply appalling. Probably the worst of any restaurant we have been to. Not going back. read more

Great food...Great options for a Vegetarian/Vegan... Not a great ambience or setting..but for the price, its a great place! read more

I used to like to eat here with my sister who is vegan. Let me start out by saying that I liked their food and I still like their food. Every time my sister and I came here, they ALWAYS gave us the option of either eating at the buffet or ordering from the regular menu. We always ordered from the regular menu because what we like to eat is not offered in the buffet. The past two times we ate here, they did not give us that option. We had to ask for a menu. However, on our recent trip here, our waitress was very rude when we asked for a menu. I believe her exact words were, "Really?" I understand if Su Tao offered only their buffet, but this is not the case. If Su Tao does not want their customers ordering off the regular menu, then take away this option! When our waitress grudgingly gave us menus, we decided to make her life EASIER by just eating from the buffet. However, when she came back to take away our menus, she even rolled her eyes. I never write reviews for restaurants because I'm not tough to please. In fact, this is my first review that I'm writing because the customer service (or lack of) that we received really upset me. Our waitress was incredibly rude. I will definitely not be back...EVER! read more

We love Su Tao. My family has been coming here for 5 plus years. The owners are very warm and welcoming. They are family friendly and always enjoy seeing our son play. I love seeing other long time customers there as well and enjoying the Friday night dinner parties that fill the place! Our favorite dishes are Sizzling Beef, Meat Lovers Delight, In the Forrest. Favorite soup is House Special Wonton! They also have an all you can eat buffet which is great if you dislike take home leftovers!! read more

Wow! My last review of Su Tao raved about the Father's Day buffet. Well, they've outdone themselves again with Thanksgiving. I mean there were seriously around 100 different dishes or more. The offerings were fresh, creative, and truly amazing. The place was packed, and the buffet was hit hard, yet the staff kept everything flowing and looking fresh. People had come from as far away as NJ and beyond for this feast. The service remained topnotch as they dealt with an overflow crowd. If you could give 6 stars, I would happily do it. Thanks Su Tao for making our Thanksgiving warm and delicious. And all this for only $20 a head. Mind-blowing! read more

We stopped back by the Su Tao Cafe yesterday on a drive out to York PA. We brought a friend with us from out of town and we had a surprisingly disappointing experience. The food in the buffet seemed old/cold and our server was non existent. When we could get her to wait on us, she wasn't particularly friendly. I also think they charged us for four people when there was only three of us--I kept trying to explain that I thought there was a misunderstanding, but they didn't print a bill for us and I was annoyed by the back and forth so I ended up just paying so we could leave. The food didn't actually taste bad, but the whole situation made it not something I'd be interested in repeating. Because the Su Tao Cafe is out of the way for us and not in the neighborhood, I am sad to say that this experience may keep us from coming back in the future. I guess maybe folks should only order stuff off their regular menu? read more

This is a great find if you're looking for delicious vegan Asian food in a pleasant atmosphere with attentive service. The all-you-can-eat buffet offers a wide selection of cold and hot dishes--all for the price of a single entree at many regular restaurants. (There's a reasonably priced a-la-carte menu as well, so if a customer adds other dishes/drinks, the bill would naturally exceed the buffet total.) On holidays the buffet offers an extra span of special dishes for a modest up-charge (optional). The restaurant has an unpretentious but comfortable decor (it's certainly not trying to wow you, but it's cheery, with some nice touches), and the buffet areas are kept scrupulously clean. For vegans and vegetarians, this restaurant is that rare place where you can indulge in truly festive eating, but it's also been enjoyed greatly by the omnivores we've brought along! read more

Once upon a time, Su Tao Cafe used to be a delight. It had pleasant staff, an intriguing menu and the only buffet style Chinese food I would ever consider eating. We liked the place so much so that when we knew we'd be moving to Malvern, we began daydreaming about the evenings we'd spend there indulging. The sad reality is that this place has, in my opinion, gone down hill in a big way. I'm assuming business hasn't been good the last year or so. Seems like they've gone down the doomed (yet unfortunately common path) of the restaurant in decline: drastically lowering the quality of the food whilst hiking up the prices in an attempt to make any profit. I can only assume the people writing recent positive reviews somehow picked the perfect day/night to go in and therefore had a drastically different experience than my husband and I, as we left the establishment disappointed and sick to our stomachs from the levels of flavorless, grease soaked garbage we'd been presented with instead of food. read more

Just don't go here. The food was truly terrible. I love vegan and vegetarian food done right, but this food sits out (some of it isn't even kept at the right temperature). It's salty, gummy, grossness. The best thing was the dessert, which as it turns out was a store bought pie not made on site. I felt terrible after eating here. Also, the place felt unclean (and looked it). read more

Whenever my vegetarian friend is in town to visit we go here! The prices are reasonable. There are many options to choose from. I enjoy going. The waitresses can be slow since it is a buffet but if you call them they come over. I wish they had more dessert options. read more

If you feel like making a nice drive to Malvern, this place is awesome! I'm suprised no one has reviewed it because even though it seems in the middle of nowhere to me, they always have a few tables full. The only all-you-can-eat vegetarian chinese buffet that I know of. Its awesome! They always have pepper "steak" and spicy "chicken", eggrolls, vegetable tempura, fake fish, curry "chicken", sweet and sour "meatballs"....Mmmm. Wonderful place. I always go away feeling slightly bloated because its so tempting to go back up and get more. Fake meat fresh for the pickin'! Its a steal at around $10! On a side note, the video place next door has some great bargains...and if you dare to venture into the adult curtained area you will be suprised to find its about TWICE as big as the regular store!!! It looked like some of the men back there got lost and have been there since the 80's! Good times! read more

Great Vegetarian and Vegan options. The buffet is amazing and offers both a hot and cold section as well as dessert.

I've never gone to a buffet and heard a hostess tell me, "Don't waste any food." I guess they want you to waste money instead. This place cuts corners everywhere. Desserts and sushi are store bought, and they put matts over the tables so they don't have to wash the tablecloths. The special is offered for lunar new year. I have to say that the spicy lamb and orange chicken are very good, but $22 for the special buffet is way too much. It's still fried tofu, so the price differential makes no sense. They complain about customers waisting food, yet there was a huge tub of untouched pudding that looked like what you strain to poop after eating this stuff. And wow, is that waitress mean. So mean that they hang up a sign begging customers to leave tips. I know she can understand basic kindergarten English, but she never acknowledged any of my greetings. The most I heard out of her was a rude gorilla grunt. Google translate defines the phrase "su tao" as conventional. If this placed were conventional, I would expect a buffet that doesn't try to limit a customer's experience. read more

Let me preface the review. I'm a meat-eater, and cannot possibly think of becoming a vegetarian...ever. With that said, I usually come with co-workers who are vegetarians for the lunch buffet. They love this place. Some of the meat substitutes are actually pretty decent; they have pretty good texture. As far as the actual Chinese food goes, things are a tad too sweet for my taste (then again, i think most americanized chinese food is a bit too sweet in general...think general tso's). Some of the spicier dishes and curry flavored dishes are pretty decent. Since it's buffet, if you don't like some dishes, it's not such a big deal. While this place isn't my first choice for Chinese food, it's certainly worth coming every now and then to mix things up a bit. read more

What's spectacular about Su Tao is the fact that it's a super friendly vegan restaurant in the 'burbs. They're amazingly creative about the amount of meatless options in the serve-yourself buffet, ranging from vegetarian spring rolls, braised Brussels sprouts, and veggie beef steak. Having said that, I don't know if I'd come out of my way to eat here, and not just because I'm a huge carnivore; aside from the amazing veggie sushi, the cold chili oil noodles and roasted tofu, the food's just too Americanized and sauce-laden for me. Decor is also a bit glum, which makes sense considering the restaurant is tucked in the corner of a strip mall off Route 30. read more

My husband and I have been vegans for almost a year and have eaten at vegan establishments in New York, Baltimore, Pittsburgh, Philly, and DE. Out of all of our vegan dining experiences, this has got to be the very worst. I ordered the buffet. The food was cold and processed. My husband took one look at the buffet and decided to order something off the menu thinking that the menu items would be an improvement over what was on the buffet. He was wrong. They have an item on the menu named the Su Tao Burger. When my husband asked what it was the owner replied that they had to take it off the menu because they found out the item was made with milk in it! They didn't even make a burger after their namesake in-house! I am so disappointed with my experience at Su Tao. Their website is very deceiving! It displays beautifully assembled plates and a clean atmosphere. The cafe was dirty; the salt and pepper shakers were sticky and the dessert was sitting out on a table and looked like it had been there forever! PLEASE find some other place to eat! Don't waste your time and money here! This was our first and very last time visiting this place. read more

I have bouts of veggie-love. my freezer is typically packed with veggie burgers, soy nuggets, and tofu pups - so the idea of an all vegetarian faux meat buffet should be a no-brainer. except this stuff is mimicking chinese food - and even the real stuff tends to gross me out. vegetarian food is supposed to seem healthy. this place bucks that trend. read more

The buffet is over priced. They charge double what it says on their menu. The waitresses are rude and the food is very greasy in general. Their prices are really expensive for vegetarian food. I've been there twice. Once I ordered the buffet and once I ordered a green bean dish. I doubt I'll return unless friends want to specifically go there. read more

Several years ago I sought out a vegan restaurant on my trip to PA to visit family and found this gem of an eatery on Happy Cow and just ate their again tonight. The food is really good, curry dishes, dumplings, salad bar and about 10 varieties of common Chinese food without meat or dairy. Clean rest rooms and friendly service. Dessert bar too. read more

Su Tao Cafe - Vegan Near Me - Malvern, Pennsylvania

Hidden treasure!! WOW is the first word that comes to mind. We were referred by someone who lives with a Vegan and I can see why people really like this place. The food was amazing. We tried just about everything from the mail dishes, the apps, the salads and even the desserts... all of the food is vegan. My wife got tired of me asking there server if the food was really vegan - I am still shocked of the flavors these guys could get from veggies. We will definitely be going back soon, and we drove an hour to get there read more

This place was fantastic. This is a food haven for vegetarians!!! So many varieties and you can eat anything without worrying about it containing meat. We were confused seeing the dishes named after meat items but the owner came in person and explained that it was just names and it was all vegan! The waiter was courteous and the food was delicious. The varieties were overwhelming and the price was also reasonable. Do not miss the Jasmine tea at the end! It was mind-blowing!!!! read more

We are living in COVID times, so buffet is not an option (which, with the other reviews, might be a good thing). I ordered a large amount of food through Door Dash. The original time estimate was 30 minutes. I showed up in 30 minutes to pick up the food and they said they "just started". I was disappointed I had to wait another 45 minutes, but what can you do (maybe a Door Dash issue, not entirely sure this is the restaurant's fault). They were out of one item and replaced it with something comparable. The food is delicious. Fresh vegan Chinese food is impossible to find. This place is a gem. Yes, the interior could use a remodel. But for me, the most important thing about a restaurant is the food, and what I ordered hit the spot. read more

This is my favorite place to eat in Chester County! If it were closer to me I am sure I would eat there every week. The owners have always been sweet to is and even remember the items I like from the buffet when i come in. All vegan thru and thru so I never have to worry about picking and choosing. Their hot and sour soup is perfect!! Fresh veggie sushi rolls are made for dinner and if you ever want more of anything on the bar they will make it up on the spot. Love Su Tao!! read more

Wow you can hardly tell the difference between this place and a normal Chinese buffet. I've missed sweet and sour so much! read more

Su Tao Cafe - Yummy! Everything vegan - Vegan Near Me - Malvern, Pennsylvania

I've been here many times since I am a vegan and my work is just up the street. I've never found the tables to be dirty or greasy, they are always clean. The staff is helpful, out-of-the-way, and patient, often delightful and conversational, even. The food is flavorful, the textures are good and there's plenty of variety. I really don't think the prices are bad, and their lunch specials are a crazy good deal! If you go in, you can get the buffet or table service, but where this place really shines is their table service/take-out menu. I've had the buffet and I enjoy it a lot, but I've also had the steamed buns, wonton soup, and several things from their chef specialties. It's a shame that so many of the reviews seem to only have given the buffet a shot. Buffets are not usually gourmet, but I still think this one is pretty good! The restaurant is a pretty typical Chinese food buffet, except it's vegan. Some of these reviews are leaving one star for some pretty average, normal, even expected things. I see them replacing the foods frequently. I don't think anything is overly greasy, especially given your average Chinese food! If you are looking for something plant-based and comforting in the way only Chinese food can be, this is a great choice. Give the real menu a shot, not just the buffet! It's a mom and pop shop, and I really think it holds up way better than the Chinese restaurant down the block from my house, with the added bonus that it's vegan. read more

In looking for vegetarian restaurants in Chester County, I came across Su Tao... Funny enough, they have been there for a long time. Driving there, I even remember driving by the location on multiple occasions, even ate at the "normal" Chinese food restaurant in same shopping center. I expected some very fresh, healthy Vegan food. Let me say this, If I just expected a normal "buffet" I would have rated higher, but i expected more. The buffet did a good job of providing options, from Soups (MISO and H&S) salad, warm dishes. We went buffet. Hot and Sour Soup - good, expected more, but this was VEGAN H&S Soup Miso soup -ok spring rolls, good Brown and White Rice - ok the fake meats where really good. - the lemon "chicken" and genrals ok desert was good all in all an OK exp. next time we will try the menu. read more

It was lent, so no meat. Hit the Su Tao lunch buffet on a lark last Friday along with fellow Catholic, Jay, and my intrepid Yelper bud, Ken H (not Catholic). Actually, I am a long time fan of vegan/vegetarian/macro cuisine. Rodale and Moosewood were amongst my early kitchen bibles. Given a choice between a bad steak and good falafel, its a no brainer. So no sacrifice to go meatless. My buds dug the Hot n Sour Soup. Cold bar included salad w/ginger dressing, roasted tofu and spicy sesame noodles. The hot side had a great mix of meatless chicken and beef standards, alongside dishes with no fleshy pretenses. I really liked the twice cooked chicken, pepper steak and general tso's whatever it was. I think I tried about half of the 20 or so offerings. I took an Oreo from the dessert bar. Parking - easy. Atmosphere - unassuming. Vibe - well, it is a vegan joint. Prices were lunch time normal for Malvern. I took a minute to chat with the pleasant owner who said they had been in business 13 years. I'll be back looking for reasons to bump it up to four cauliflowers. read more