I came here for Chinese New Year with friends after booking a table, knowing that the place would be packed. It took forever for someone to take our orders and extra time to finally get it. The portions were small, and out of the three dishes we ordered, only one tasted nice. We were a large group, so we ordered extra food, which after waiting for 40 min, we had to cancel as it was taking way too long. I was really looking forward to coming here but had such a bad experience. I don't think I will ever come here, even on regular days.

5 stars for food, 2 stars for the service and 3 stars for the price of their menu. We didn’t feel welcomed as we are tourists and we are only spending AUD42. The staff are more incline to serve local who are paying more and are frequent visitors. I give it to this business as they are serving vegetarian food. But all customers should be treated fairly.

Over $80 for 2 persons including tea & dessert, but the food was very tasty (for Australia). If it wasn't that pricey, I'd go there often. The soup & tofu inside-out was great, not as big a fan of the dumplings. Dessert was crispy and good, but a little too sweet for me with the pink sugar.

Our go-to vegan place for a succulent Chinese meal... Everything we've tried here has been fantastic - from the sweet & sour 'pork' to the shredded shiitake (both pictured). I'd go on but I would basically be listing the whole menu.

Great place for vegan chinese food. Got the vegetarian dumplings noodle soup which was light and refreshing. The soup was the most flavourful element while the noodles were bland. Expect to spend ~$20 for a meal here.

The staff here are ridiculously attentive and very sweet. We had dumplings and fried pancake and it was quite enjoyable. You do have to go up a lift to level three to get there which can be interesting as there's not a lot of space to wait around in when you come out of the lift. Definitely book in advance if you can to avoid being turned away. The very odd thing about the place is that they do ask you for tips when you are paying - hadn't ever experienced that before outside of the US!

Hidden away on Level 3 above busy Swanston St is this gem. It’s really next level vegetarian Chinese food that would appeal even to meat-eaters. Quality ingredients and very skilfully cooked. Perfect restaurant for special occasions - birthdays, anniversaries and small groups.

Have walk past this place many times, but never knew it was all vegan. Fried rice and dumplings were the best.

Promising vegan Chinese food. The 3 treasures taster plate was good, probably had too many deep fried things for my liking. But crispy goose and BBQ pork were certainly tasty. Dumplings were also solid. Would go back again to try it more thoroughly

Sweet and sour pork - super flavorful, and I love the meat texture! Their pea sprout is also worth mentioning - hearty, light and comforting at the same time. Fried rice with moss - wish it could be a tad saltier. But overall.. I like everything I ordered!

Amazing food and super friendly service! Never thought I'd eat at a vegetarian Chinese restaurant. Loved all the dishes especially the sweet and sour fish fillet. Thank you for being so considerate with our dietary requirements also.

When we reached the place, a lady was standing at the lift on ground floor. She informed us that the lift isn’t working and took us around the back alley (which kinda of seemed sketchy). We ordered dumplings, fried beans, fried rice and tofu curry. Liked all the dishes except tofu, it was too soft and the gravy was bitter. The support team was good. Prices are a bit higher than other Chinese places in China town.

Gong De Lin is my favourite place to eat in Melbourne! The staff is very friendly, their menu is fully vegan, and everything I've tried has been delicious. My friend and I visit whenever we get the chance, and I can't wait to go back!

I understand the night was busy. However, you need to acknowledge the customers coming in. We made a booking and no one made the effort to communicate to us. So we stood at the entrance for about 10mins waiting to be seated until we finally grabbed the attention of the manager. Service needs improvement, I didnt get my rice with my meals and then my table was covered by a large amount of patrons overflowing the entrance. I really wanted to enjoy this place, you don't come across many vegan friendly Chinese Restaurants. The food was good, my wife and I loved the baos and crispy chicken.

Delicious, yummy and very tasty food; great location and great value for money.

Food: Magnificent Chinese vegetarian cuisine. Very fresh! Service: Brilliant service. Ambience: Nice and chill with ample seating. Value: This... was the only thing that got me. It was pricier than I expected. Overall great experience though!

This place is little hard to find on swanston street Melbourne. Also, you have to use lift as it's spread across two levels. We had a booking and we dined at level 1 and we're a large group of 16 people and had 2 tables. We ordered in bulk and had around 6 different dishes across the tables. Food was tasty (except mopu tofu), not bad and serving size was ok, less than our expectations (considering the price of dish). Dishes were not hot and there was much wait time. They were very busy and only 1 person was serving the whole floor who was polite and acknowledged our concerns about the food and offered re-heat of dishes. Ambience was good, they had mock vegetarin meat and large menu to select. Overall wasn't satisfied with wait times, will I visit again..? probably NO and that was unanimous from the whole group.

Alright, first things first: This place is real hard to find the first time. It's accessed by an elevator that's just inside Noodle Kingdom, in the dark space to the right of the first photo.Gong De Lin is on the third floor, you can't miss it once you're on the elevator bc you get spit out right into the restaurant. Once there, it's a very charming and pretty place. All vegetarian, and although there are only a handful of gluten free meals on the menu, I was relieved to have my options narrowed down. I got fried rice noodles w/ veggies and it was delicious!

This is a place I would continue to come back to for vegetarian meals. The menu contains a variety of flavours including sour, spicy, salty, sweetness, to produce a blend of praise-worthy dishes. I have tried many before, although I do think that shared dishes in the menu are better than just individual noodle soup in this case. Not easy to find parking, so recommend walking or tram in CBD. Be mindful of the sign on the street before you find the elevator entrance to level three.

Unassuming hidden away vegetarian family style Chinese restaurant with lots of fake meat options. The Peking ‘Duck’ Pancakes were superb, probably nearest I’ve had to the real thing. Pretty pricey $30+ for the duck at lunchtime, but for a fairly unusual offering it’s worth it.

How could I missed this place every time I came to Melbourne. The moment I step into this restaurant, I noticed the staff here are very friendly, even among themselves can feel the harmony. Most importantly, the whole restaurant gave me a very good vibe and energy. I feel comfortable and at ease, you know… some restaurants when u entered, u just feel cramped, uneasy, uncomfortable… Thank you so much! Going to be my next must eat place!

What a gorgeous little restuarant! Its tucked away and a little hard to find if you dont know what you are looking for but a nice cozy place to eat. Visited with my family for the first time during the week and the food was delicious and all vegan. The deserts sounded great however once we were done with mains we were too full to get desert , we will definitely be back to get something sweet next time though! Staff were lovely and service was quick. They are unfortunately located in a very small building and thus they have to use every inch of space they have, i can see how it would get a little squishy when busy however when I went it wasnt packed and made for a lovely cozy restaurant. No complaints here! Only managed to grab one photo before we gobbled up all the tasty food!

This is the best spot in the city for vegan Chinese food, even if you’re vegan or not! I’ve been here and the quality of food is always great. Good value. Extensive menu. It can get a bit hot in there if it’s busy. If you can, try score a seat in the booths on level 3 and you’ll get the benefit of a fan and a view of the city. Cute spot for a city date or going out with friends for dinner. Highly recommend the Peking duck pancakes and the steamed dumplings. Honestly, try something different each time. I’ve yet to have a menu item I didn’t like.

I love the food here. If you think vegan food won't be good or filling enough, think again and go here. I was amazed. Delicious food, quick service, decent interior but I think they could do with a better space than the current venue. The sweet and sour pork (vegan) and crispy vegetarian goose pancake were my favorites.

DELICIOUS! Finding a vegan Asian restaurant is difficult and this was not a disappointment. Bring your non-vegan friends and challenge them to tell you this isn't one of the best Asian meals they've had in Melbourne! I will be returning. You should eat here. Price is fair, about $18 for a dish so more on the expensive side compared to Chinatown but worth every cent! Lovely staff too.

The elevator was out of order so we had to go around back up the graffitied stairs via the alley way past section 8. Peak Melbourne. The place was quaint, cute and half heaven and hell. Half the place was warm the other was freezing cold next to the AC. We say in the latter. We got the fried dumplings, sizzling plate of black pepper "lamb" and some stir fried veggies and tofu. The service was nice and so was the food. That was about that, nothing special overly special. Had we not been so tired we would've gotten the deep fried ice cream and bananas. Short of a disaster it certainly would've bumped it up to a 4.

This restaurant is easy to find, situated on the 3rd floor just off Swanston street. The restaurant decor is really nice with booth seats and dining tables. Staff really friendly and we felt welcome straight away. The menu had a great choice. Lots of the main dishes are around $15. Food was very fresh and tasty. Also well presented. Overall a really good experience eating vegan food for the first time. Will come back for sure.

Plenty of vegan-vegetarian dishes :) Very nice and helpful lady managing~

As soon as we entered this place it felt like home. We were served as if we were a part of the family. The food, prices, quantity, quality and variety was absolutely marvellous..100% vegan!!!

The first Vegan that my friend recommended and she invite for her birthday. almost 100% of the dishes was delicious and can changed meat lover to fall in love with. Salt n pepper squid 🦑 so good. And the rest in the photo. will come back again soon.

Visited the place today after quite sometime. Showed a photo from Google reviews for hot and sour soup but received a massive bowl of Mix Fungi in Szechuan sauce. I was the only one dining and the dish was probably enough for 2 or could push to 3. The food was a struggle to eat. All that I could taste was, chilli, oil and TONS of MSG. Now, I am okay with MSG but this was enough to numb my lips, tounge and the whole mouth so rather than feeling/enjoying any flavours The staff member had 0 consideration of mentioning about the size and name of the dish or it's quite big and normally for 2 people. It felt that the staff member just wanted a big dish to be ordered for revenue rather than someone enjoying food and experience. Only positive experience of tonight was the tea. I hope this review reminds me to not return

Amazing vegan place in CBD. We go always when in Melbourne. Long menu with heaps of options, just veggies, tofu or mock meat. All super delicious. Book table as they tend to be busy.

Gong De Lin is a quaint, little restaurant, nestled on level 3, above a Machi Machi bubble tea shop. You access it by a slow, rickety lift. Sitting up there with Swanton St buzzing below makes it feel a bit like an escape from the ruckus of life. It sells Buddhism inspired vegan fare that I can't believe resembles meat so much. I've taken my vegetarian MIL here and she enjoys it every time (she is Buddhist). Last time I came here, there were two people managing two floors and quite apologetic that we had to serve our own soup. Hardly an issue, but they do their best. Some might feel that it's somewhat pricey given that there's no actual meat in it, but the flavours are bang on.

Lovely vegetarian eatery with great variety of choices and excellent service.

Crazy good vegan meat dishes, had a really great experience! Personal favourite is the lemon chicken. Really pretty interior and kind, friendly staff!

I recently went to gong de Lin for my birthday with a large group and every dish was amazing! Vegan and non vegan all enjoyed. Again I visited with just my sister and I - the food was even better this time! Before going vegan lemon chicken was my favourite and this place does it amazingly. We had the Peking duck pancakes, lemon chicken and green beans. Service was some of the best service I have had in years anywhere. What a beautiful place with caring staff ❤️ can't wait to go back soon.

Lovely restaurant. It feels like a secret mission to get to it on the 3rd floor, and it needs a bit of a re-fresh, but the food is good. It's also not cheap. There is a $20 cash only threshold, and they will ask if you can't pay cash anyway. The menu is huge, so it's best to ask what the favourites are. Mine is the sweet and sour 'pork' and pan friend dumplings.

Amazing vegan Chinese food, with great and authentic selection.

The food was absolutely delicious with a mix of nostalgic classics and new dishes that were exciting to try. We had the sweet and spur, some noodle dishes and some amazing sides! While we were feeling unwell and didn't get to eat at the restaurant, we had it delivered and we were so glad we did! Thanks so much for the delicious food!

We love the Fried Rice with Vegetarian Pork in Casserole & Braised Tofu with Assorted Mushrooms in Claypot however the Pan-fried Red Bean Paste Pancake was so so...We've waited for a table for at least 30mins. The restaurant is small so we have had to stand next to the diners while waiting which was uncomfortable. The servers have tried their best but I think they need new management so that things can run a bit more efficient.

Disappointing experience. When I arrived the receptionist was quite rude, but that was ok, i thought. Then, I selected this mushrooms ( a29-picture below), and in the first bite i felt it was super spicy - despite there is no chilli symbol next to it in the menu. I was afraid to complain since the staff was not friendly, so I forced myself to eat a bit more with rice and water. Soon i got to the point i couldn't afford it cause my stomach and face was burning. When i tried to tell the staff, they discussed with me and gave a $5ish dollars discount.

Amazing vegan food

Awesome yummy vegan food, staff are always lovely and friendly.

Really, really flavourful Asian vegetarian dishes. Creative use of ingredients too! Wish I had more time here to explore the rest of the menu. We had a dish called Hat Trick which was braised tofu in a numb and spicy broth. Shanghai cold noodles was good too and perfect for two people! We ordered for three to share.

So amazing. 100% recommend.

Pleasantly surprised when I got out of the lift on level 3. The atmosphere is very peaceful and intimate with window booths available to look out over the street… ordered the Szechuan ‘beef’. Came out on a sizzling plate and tasted divine… amazing teas and other drinks as well. I got the Double Happiness tea which comes as a full flower that opens slowly. The menu is extensive you’ll find it hard to choose… this is a place run by people who have a passion..

Great service and food

I was not a big fan of mock meat style of vegetarian food but last night I tried the 'salt and pepper calamari' and it was sensational! Seriously you won't know the difference.

all vegan, well worth the price.

Great customer service great food many options that cater all diets

Omg, just the best Chinese I have ever eaten! Staff are very friendly. Tables with the view are very special. Highly recommend. As we say in Brazil OBRIGADA (thank you)

Best Chinese cuisine I've had!

(Translated by Google) Aromas and flavors! (Original) 色香味俱全！

The food here is amazing. Everything can be made vegan, if it's not already vegan. There's a huge selection of food to order, and everything I have tried here over the years has been delicious. My personal favourite right now is the supreme soy vegetable noodles, and for desert, the deep fried soy ice cream is so good!

Absolutely delicious. Was looking for a vegan place close to where I am staying in Melbourne and this did not disappoint. Very extensive menu at reasonable prices. I had the spicy peanut 'chicken', not for the faint of heart.

The food here is delicious. It's all vegetarian and they put flavours together so well. The service is always efficient and the food comes out quickly. The atmosphere is pleasant and perfect for a proper chat as the surrounding noise is not loud. The prices are very reasonable.

Great food and reasonable prices. I come here often however food takes very long sometimes even during non-peak hours. Still worth a try!

very cozy atmosphere and excellent customer service. Food was delicious and staff was very friendly.

Wonderful service! Always so friendly and warm and happy to help and offer recommendations. The food is delicious and reasonably priced! We always get the sweet and sour pork which is our favourite and last night we tried the chicken and green pepper which was unreal! We love Gon De Lin! And are grateful for their commitment to vegan cuisine 😊

We really enjoyed the dumplings. We were recommended to try them (since we're vegetarian, finding chinese dumplings isn't that easy, since most have meat) and they were not deceiving! We tried the steamed and the boiled vegetable dumplings and both were amazing, though I personally like the steamed ones better. I would definitely recommend to get dumplings there.

Good was great clean and delicious and they were happy to give us quick service so we could get to the theatre. The only thing was the entrance which was hidden and was a lift within real explanation. Great vegan restaurant.

After seeing 4.4 star rating, thought this restaurant would be a fantastic choice. Little did I know that my dish would come out on tin foil with frozen peas and corn. The taste is average. Would NOT recommend!

We had the peking duck, fried rice with ham, and sweet & sour pork and all the dishes were delicious.

Super exciting that they cater to dietary requirements so well! The soups were really tasty and good entres. The sweet and sour "pork" was absolutely delicious and if it wasn't a 100% vegan restaurant than I would have double checked it wasn't real pork. Definitely satisfied my cravings and we will be back again to try even more. Only lost a star as it was a little bit pricey considering serving sizes ??

Absolutely gorgeous atmosphere and the food was amazing! I've only been here once but I will now always come back! The staff are also very lovely xx

Beautiful food and fantastic service. Good surround and tranquil.

Nice food

Excellent vegetarian/vegan restaurant based in the hear of Melbourne! Great service with a wide range of excellent food!

Love this restaurant. Amazing food and really kind attentive service!

All mock meats and nothing missed. The whole menu is essentially vegan. The sweet and sour could be better. Reminds me of really sweet ketchup.

Great service, nice food, the staff were great :)

Best vegan restaurant we have ever been to! The hot & sour soup was delicious. Never had a more satisfying vegan meal.

G food especially stir fried noodles

Nice cosy restaurant with an array of Asian vegan cuisine on offer.

Delicious

Excellent choice for reasonably priced and good variety of very tasty vegan and vegetarian versions of Chinese favorites like Ma Po Dofu and Szechuan eggplant hotpot in Melbourne's CBD. Highly recommended !

My favourite restaurant of all time. Hands down 10/10. Can recommend the curry veg chicken and the sweet and sour pork.

Yum n reasonable

Delicious vegan food and very friendly service!!! Must eat here You wont regret this!

The kind people at Gong De Lin hosted my birthday dinner with myself and 10 other people. Not only were they patient with us choosing from their extensive menu but also happy to recommend dishes. The vegetable dishes were fresh and cooked perfectly and the vegan fake meats were absolutely delicious impressing even my meat eating friends. Once we had finished all our meals they surprised me with a beautiful fruit platter and desert dish with sparkler which made me feel so special!! Thank you so much Gong De Lin! We will be back!!

An amazing array of vegan dishes. It all looks amazing and most the dishes taste delicious. It's all at a great price with generous portion. The wonton soup is mediocre but the dumpling soup is perfection. It's a must try.

Great option for vegans, fully plant based menu

Omg, this is legit. Full menu vegan Asian, with actually delicious dishes. Heaps of hits, so make sure you come here with a big group to try lots of options. Must do this.

Happened to see this place when going to the tea place next door. Had the sweet and sour vegetarian pork, was awesome. The hedgehog mushrooms was also good. Can't wait to go back and try something else

Great food and really attentive staff, they made us feel very welcome. There was a little wait for the food but all the meals came out at the same time. The "duck" pancake dish was really nice! (Cash only when we went, so maybe have some on hand)

Great atmosphere, very friendly staff and the 100% vegan menu was amazing and had something for everyone, even my Omni friends enjoyed the food, I would highly recommend the spring rolls and the sweet and sour pork, can’t wait to go back!

This place is out of this world. We were taken here by a local, and we were very impressed. Service was outstanding, food was impeccable and the restaurant was very clean. The waitress helped us picked some meals and she was absolutely correct. Every dish came out hot and delicious. And she spoiled me with a scrumptious dessert for my birthday. Thank you Gong De Lin, we will be back ♡

People who took the order was so rude

Tasty vegan food with looks and feels mostly like non vegan food. Good starter for someone who wants to give vegan meals a try

I visited this restaurant today with my daughter. We were so surprised by this hidden gem of a restaurant as the elevator doors opened. So authentic and cozy. The food was delicious and I could easily have kept on ordering dish after dish. Highly recommend the steamed dumplings which were outstanding. The service was excellent and so friendly. Looking forward to visiting there again soon The real vegan deal!!

Beautiful all-vegan restaurant. Their lychee soda was delicious and the sweet and sour 'pork' was to die for. Highly recommend!

The best vegan place in city. It has become our regular or must go place to have delicious and mouthwatering food. Wide range of foods to choose from and the best part is the service of Ms.Bonny and other staff. No matter how busy the place is (it is almost full most of the times, so it is better to get reservation ), they serve you food as if you are of their family, with care and love. Very hard working team. Thanks a lot for offering us vegan food in hygienic conditions.

I have literally just finished eating and I had to give 5 stars it was so good. Highly recommend coming here.

It was a mediocre experience. The soup was decent however the special fried rice wasnt really special. The dumplings arrived after the mains. Not an experience I would repeat!

This place was a surprise and a treat! Loved the sweet and sour "pork".