It was the kind of hungry that sneaks up on you.
Not sharp or dramatic. Just a slow, insistent pull that made me realise I hadn’t eaten properly all day. I almost scrolled past the booking. I’m glad I didn’t.
Where Lotus Vegetarian Restaurant Is Located
Before anything else, let me save you the confusion I almost had.
Lotus Vegetarian Restaurant is on Level 2 of Holiday Inn Express & Suites Singapore Novena, at 201 Balestier Road. If you remember it from the Quality Hotel Marlow days, that’s not wrong. Lotus originally operated here during the Quality Hotel Marlow years, later moved to Royal Square @ Novena, and has since returned to its former Balestier location.
It’s 100% vegetarian. No alcohol, no onion, no garlic. I’ll be honest, I was a little sceptical about how flavourful a meal could be without any of that. The restaurant had other ideas.
The Extensive Menu That Stopped Me in My Tracks
I visited on a weekend, which meant the full buffet experience. Adult pricing has been around S$38.80++ per person, though I’d recommend calling ahead to confirm before you book, since that can shift.
What I wasn’t prepared for was the sheer spread.
The extensive menu at Lotus is the kind of thing you pause in front of, plate in hand, unsure where to start. Miniature portions of vegetarian chicken rice. Small bowls of laksa, broth steaming. Dim sum baskets lined up like a lazy Sunday morning. Live cooking stations with someone standing by, ready to ladle, scoop, or fry.
It genuinely impressed me. This isn’t a tired salad bar. It’s Singapore, rendered in plants, and it’s done with a lot of care.
Vegetarian Food That Actually Has Something to Say
The laksa was the first thing I tried, and it set the tone nicely.
The broth was rich, coconut-forward, with a spice level that built slowly rather than hitting you upfront. I went back for more before I’d finished my first serving. That doesn’t always happen.
The vegetarian chicken rice is one of the highlights here, a Lotus classic and a firm crowd favourite. I’ll be fair about it: the current buffet version divides opinion. Mine was pleasant, nicely prepared and served warm, but if you’re expecting it to floor you, manage expectations. The dish carries a lot of nostalgia for regulars, and I can understand the love.
The mushrooms, though. That’s where Lotus really shines.
The Buttered Abalone Mushroom was crisp at the edges and soft inside, the kind of texture that makes you eat slowly without meaning to. The Lion’s Mane dishes were equally good, satisfying in a way that never oversells itself.
Then there was the tofu claypot. Warm, a little smoky, the sauce soaked into every soft cube. On the right kind of evening, it tastes like someone made it specifically for you.
The curry “chicken” delivered genuine heat. So did the chilli-based dishes, which were actually spicy rather than cautiously so. And somewhere in between, there were sweet notes too: caramelised yam that finished clean and not too salty.
There’s even a sour soya meat-style dish in the wider menu rotation, a sweet-and-sour preparation using meat alternatives that long-time fans of Chinese vegetarian food will recognise immediately.
Lotus vegetarian cooking doesn’t apologise for being what it is. It’s tasty, flavourful, and worth your full attention.
If you enjoy bold plant-based heat, this guide to vegetarian mala in Singapore is worth loading up next.
One Note About Veganism
Not every dish here is vegan, so don’t assume.
Dishes are labelled clearly, which I appreciated. But I watched someone at the next table skip past the signs and end up surprised by a dairy component in the otah. The labels are small but they’re there. Use them.
The Room, the Staff, and the Experience
This isn’t a café built for Instagram posts. It’s a proper restaurant, spacious, a bit full on weekends, designed for families and groups and long meals shared across the table.
The staff were efficient without feeling rushed. Tables cleared and reset quickly between sessions. One of them pointed me toward a dish I’d been loading past, and she was right to.
It does fill up. Weekend buffet sessions, especially the earlier ones, book out. Bring your parents, bring a group, but book ahead.
Frequently Asked Questions to Guide Your Visit
Where is Lotus Vegetarian Restaurant? Level 2, Holiday Inn Express & Suites Singapore Novena, 201 Balestier Road. Previously in the Quality Hotel Marlow building.
Is everything vegan? No. It’s fully vegetarian, and vegan items are labelled. Check the signs as you go.
How much does the buffet cost? Around S$38.80++ per adult recently, but confirm the rate when you book.
What should I order? The laksa, the Buttered Abalone Mushroom, the tofu claypot, and anything with Lion’s Mane mushroom. Don’t skip the caramelised yam.
Do I need to book? Yes. Weekend and public-holiday buffet sessions fill up. Book ahead, especially for groups.
What to Know Before You Visit
Lunch runs from 11:30am to 3pm, dinner from 5:30pm to 9:30pm daily. The buffet is available on Fridays, weekends, and public holidays.
One honest note: sittings run about 90 minutes, which can feel a touch tight when there’s this much to explore. Get to the dim sum early. It goes fast.
Parking is available around the hotel but isn’t free. Novena and Farrer Park are your nearest MRT stations, with a short walk or bus ride from either.
I left happy. Genuinely happy, not just full.
