Funny to see the world of culture meet food meet desire to make the world a better place. My employer's NA headquarters is in the area so we frequent it. Since we choose to eat vegetarian, love Asian food, and love variety, a vegetarian Asian buffet wins every time. So we've been here a few times and have found consistent quality and service (or, well, whatever you'd call it). They are not overbearing in their service but our water glasses are always full. Look, it's a mid-level priced buffet of vegetarian food. It won't be piping hot, generally speaking. So, if your expectations are of piping hot food, you'll rate this experience poorly. But you should lower your expectations. Should it be reasonably warm? Absolutely. And we've found it generally is. Especially considering the sheer variety - incredibly number of options both hot and cold, both healthy and friend, to meet varied tastes. The salads are good, the hot food is generally good. I throw away my broccoli stems at home but their broccoli stems I almost always go back for seconds. Who knew? It's an all-inclusive price with drinks (we stick with water) and desserts and even if it's slow, we see them refilling the foods that are getting low. I wouldn't call this place a must-see but it's a staple for us. read more

Probably a friend or family member, this guy on a headset talked very loudly the whole time. Please give him an office. I asked for a takeout box so I could enjoy my food at home. read more

Now a 'must stop' when in this area. I order my food to go using their online system. Sesame tofu is good, Winter and spring, both okay flavors for me but nothing special (well, except that it's a vegetarian restaurant and risk of cross contamination from meat is nil). No onion no garlic vegetarian would need to be mentioned. As I come back and try other items on the menu, I will update this review. Edit: I just tried the following: Good Fortune - love these dish! I think this is the money dish, my favorite so far. Balls are made of mashed tofu with three kinds of veggie meat. Not quite westernized flavor. Broth is very good, a teeny bit oily but will not detract me from having and finishing this up. Not quite salty, perhaps on the verge of my taste. The broth has an herbal flavor (perhaps it's the star anise which is not too strong so that's great!) and you'll get lily blossoms and wood war mushrooms. When you order this to go, they separate the broth from the balls. This is what I will come back for. General Tsao's Tofu - good typical General Tsao's dish, sweet sauce. Opted for this instead of the faux meat. Not quite crispy before the sauce is poured (ordered this to go) but I'm not sure if this will be crispy if I eat this at the restaurant fresh from the kitchen please someone tell me. Vegetable buns - good savory flavor, not quite western flavor. What that means I can't explain to you because Idk. Bun to filling ratio: 1.5 to 1, that's good as it's not all bun. I think they use the US regular wheat flour which is different so this bun is heavier than Asian buns. Happy to try more dishes but Good Fortune will always be on my order. read more

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I got some early lunch at Su Tao Cafe on a weekday. The food was very good with lovely plating. I highly recommend this restaurant for those looking for a good vegan option on the western main line! My only negative from the experience is that I was the only customer there when I ate. It would have had nicer ambiance with some more people there, so come on out and enjoy a good meal at Su Tao Cafe. read more

We stopped by on our way out of town and happened upon the Mother's Day special buffet. It was a full house. We were seated and got to eating right away. The buffet food was tasty, as always, and was continuously being replenished throughout lunch. No disappointments there. However, it seemed as though there wasn't much difference between the Mother's Day special buffet selection and the regular buffet I remember. And the price was steep. (Granted, this was the first time I was back since before the pandemic!) read more

Local vegan options are slim, and this has been around for a long time. We have always been off and on with our feelings here--but we returned for the dinner buffet after having been away for a couple of years. Options were varied, and some were quite good (pumpkin dish was excellent), the cold items (broccoli stem salad is a fav) were limited but solid; however, the majority of the food was tepid in temperature despite being in steam trays and not excellent in taste. Breaks my heart to say it--as I like to support them. But I am not returning for the buffet any time soon. read more

Been away from here for many years and decided to visit, so happy I did! Even after 20 plus years this place remains outstanding, thats right i said it. The shrimp w black bean sauce is amazing and the general's tofu is well done. Soups and dumplings are delicious. Go vegetarian and go here. read more

Su Tao Cafe - Shrimp w black bean & Generals - Vegan Near Me - Malvern, Pennsylvania

We have never failed to have an absolutely amazing meal here. We love the steamed fish and the fried version too. We are yet to try the buffet but will have to be well prepared for the $37 price tag!! read more

Restaurants like Su Tao prove that you don't have to live in a big city to have access to awesome vegan food. Some friends and I recently went here after a fur protest at Louis Vuitton in King of Prussia Mall (can you believe people still pay for animals to be electrocuted or bludgeoned for a piece of clothing, what is up with that?!?). It felt really good knowing you can find compassionate people everywhere running compassionate businesses. I had the Stewed Vegetable Pot (stewed Chinese cabbage, broccoli, cauliflower, zucchini, carrots, mushrooms and veggie meatballs), Cumin 'Lamb' Kabobs, and the spring rolls. All super tasty. The vegetable pot was brimming with crisp veggies and tender veggie meatballs in a savoury brown sauce and the spring rolls big and crunchy. The kabobs were outstanding, virtually identical to the animal versions I sadly used to enjoy from the Xian BBQ carts in Elmhurst and Flushing, NYC. I also tried a friend's sesame chicken which was also delicious. The only miss at our table might have been the Spicy Sichuan Style Tofu, which tasted a bit one-dimensional. Overall, it was great experience. Good food, nice space and friendly staff/owner. If I didn't live so far away I'd be a regular. Definitely swing by if you're in the area (or plan a detour)! read more

Su Tao Cafe - Stewed Vegetable Pot (stewed Chinese cabbage, broccoli, cauliflower, zucchini, carrots mushrooms and veggie meatballs) - Vegan Near Me - Malvern, Pennsylvania

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This place is my go to!!! I'm so lucky I live so close! Their menu is huge so I get to try something new every time. I recommend the kungbao chicken, hot and sour soup, spicy wontons, and sizzling beef. Those are just my favorites, but I am usually a fan of everything I try! And Tina is an amazing server. Check it out read more

Su Tao Cafe - Hot and Hot & Sour Soup - Vegan Near Me - Malvern, Pennsylvania

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Awesome, let's just start there. If you are a vegan or someone who wants to try vegan dishes but are a little weary, Su Tao is for you. I got the orange chicken and shrimp with spring rolls. My god was it delicious. The staff is so nice and super friendly. I like to chat with the waiter or waitress and my waitress was so nice and just a joy to talk to. This place is amazing . read more

I love Su Tao. The sweet and sour meatballs are my favorite along with the treasure island, vegetable lomein and the veggie fried rice! Used to get their hot bar before it closed all the time, but now just do pick up. Happy it's all 100% vegan. Only one in the area too read more

Love the food here! The atmosphere is very peaceful and homey. I wish one day they will be able to bring back the buffet because I would like to try a little of all that they have to offer. They're portions from the dinner menu are huge and I always leave with left overs. Don't listen to the negative reviews this place is a neighborhood staple. And they will give you more rice you may just need to ask for it! read more

First time at this restaurant and I enjoyed the food very much. I wish it would have been hotter but ... They have nice variety for a vegan buffet. The waiter was very nice and tentative. The atmosphere was pleasant. I would recommend this restaurant regardless of the food not being hot. Then again it is a buffet and not table service. read more

Su Tao Cafe - A little of this and that from the buffet. - Vegan Near Me - Malvern, Pennsylvania

Gound this hidden gem near work. I think it had a buffet pre pandemic. Ambiance needs alot of work and service is ok but the place gets busy and the food is the reason. I got the spicy szechuan dish and it wasnt super spicy to my level (but nothing is) but super tasty. I was full but wish i had more. I want to try some other sizziling dishes that the others were ordering. Definitely come here read more

The best restaurant I have ever been to. The vegan seafood was amazing. Broth with vegan meatballs was so flavorful. Calming ambiance. Frequent water refills, which I appreciate as someone who drinks a lot. read more

Amazing veggie shrimps and veggie chicken nuggs!! Susan is the owner and she is also very caring and nice. Would def come back again.

Price-fixing! Went in there today for dinner buffet and was charged $15.99. The two girls at the table next to me were charged $19.99 per person. besides the food not being up to the standards as it once was, everything is sitting out looking old and not appetizing. I won't be back to a place where they think they can scam you and charge everyone a different price read more

Su Tao Cafe - $13 dinner buffet - Vegan Near Me - Malvern, Pennsylvania

It's in a small strip mall, somewhat hidden away from sight in a non-descript area of Malvern, PA. The neat thing about it is that it is all plant-based meat options. The street noodles were very good, but a little dry. The Combo of Kung Pao Chicken & Fried Shrimp was really good, too, but could have used a little more sauce as well. I will definitely go back again & recommend it to others. read more

Being vegan for almost a couple years now, I was really eager to go to SuTao with my wife when we knew we'd be in the Philly suburbs. Seeing so many positive reviews, I figured that we were in for a treat. I honestly could not have been more wrong. From the sign in the window - touting an award from 12 years ago, to the food itself - everything appeared old. I totally 'get' that a small, mom and pop asian buffet is likely to have a stark interior and a chinese take-out feel to it. And, with good food that would have been more than fine. However, the food - while flavored well - was horrible ... like it had been put out, taken back, and warmed over for several days. 1) old, crusty vegetable sushi 2) brown rice that was all dried out and even when replenished, was filled with more of the same. 3) All the fried mock meats (like the General Tsao mock chicken) - rubbery and VERY greasy .. like they had been reheated a few times. 4) Even the "homemade" desserts that they had were literally taken out of a box before our eyes - and featured store bought nut clusters and knock off Oreos (they looked like Hydrox, but I didn't examine the label too closely). I don't know if it was the day of the week or what .. we were there on a Monday at just after 5:30pm so you wouldn't expect that they would have food sitting around for any length of time. It's a shame. I love that there is a vegan asian buffet .. and it seemed like the food seasoning was really great. It just tasted like I was eating really old leftovers .. and it was all very oily and left me feeling blah. read more

This place was wonderful. If you're vegan and or gluten free this is the perfect place for you. So many options. You want to order the whole menu. Everything is vegan, and there is tons of gluten-free options. Very delicious! A hidden gem! read more

My fave restaurant in the world. Literally. Consistently delicious!!! So many amazing items. I do not understand any of the lesser reviews, honestly this is vegan heaven. read more

The Chinese Moon Festival means SuTao brings out the better buffet. It includes things that they only make to order from their regular menu: fantastic tender cumin lamb, daikon meatballs, fish cooked in nori, shish kabobs, mashed potatoes with kale and leek, scallion and zucchini cakes, okra soup and two others, several different kinds of fancy mushrooms, and an array of about ten ice creams, a lovely way to end a meal. They even had lemon sorbet and mint chocolate chip. The only food I didn't love was the actual moon cake, a tiny cookie that seems to be a tasteless fig newton. We ran out of room before we could taste everything we wanted to. What a great idea that they do this for Thanksgiving as well, since any restaurant serving dinner that day is all meat and butter. It is offered once a month, a little less in the summer. $20 a person is well worth it. But if you don't want to spring for it, the regular stuff is still there, and I could not resist grabbing an egg roll and the tempura broccoli. It was wonderful to see people of all ages enjoying this food, including many babies and young children. The diners who come here seem extra nice. They have a front dining area that has windows and looks out onto the street. It would be a great spot for tables, but it is just used for storage. I spotted one of the owner's kids napping in there (cute). I think it could be better used. I'd love to see SuTao spruce up its dated interior to be more like the low-lit spot a few doors up in the same strip. read more

Su Tao Cafe - Fancy holiday buffet includes turkey and chicken seitan, kale mashed potatoes, stuffing, sweet potato casserole, much more! - Vegan Near Me - Malvern, Pennsylvania

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Wow, what a great restaurant! Incredibly tasty meals, all of which are also vegan, but you wouldn't know it by taste, texture, or anything really (besides just good health and a better planet). Pros: Taste, service, portions size (large) and a wide variety of menu choices. Cons: We had a party of three and the meals didn't all arrive at the same time. Décor and ambiance were, ah, dated at best (BUT you're there for the food!) Closed on Tuesdays. read more

Let me start out by saying, I like to eat. If there's good vegan food, I tend to pig out. This was awful with a side of awful. Nothing was fresh, and if you're ever bought canned mock meats before you'd know where they get 80% of their buffet. If you like flavorful, delicious, succulent vegan food, go elsewhere. It was edible. It was not tasty. I won't be back and I couldn't even finish my first trip to the buffet. I had to stop somewhere to get a water to wash the taste out of my mouth. How can so many people be so wrong about this place? read more

The highest thanks to Susan Wu, who co-founded this delightful vegan café SuTao in Malvern, Pennsylvania. SuTao is the Chinese word for vegetarian cooking, and what a delightful contribution to the community this is. On occasions special to Chinese culture, and North American holidays too, SuTao Cafe hosts special buffets to celebrate. In the Delaware Valley, no vegan need ever wonder where to find a festive meal on any holiday. Items such as pepper steak and lemon chicken, both served at the buffet, have made repeat customers out of meat-eaters. There are many regulars here, and you'll commonly hear one say that SuTao has enabled them to stick with the vegetarian diet. That's great news for our environment and all the beings who call it home. The buffet has one of the most attractive and unusual salad bars imaginable, ranging from conventional salad bar fare -- fresh greens, corn, olives, shredded beetroot, a variety of beans, carrots and kale -- to exotic treats such as a sweet, gingery seaweed and sesame salad, close-to-raw potato salad, tofu skin (fu zhu) salad, kim chi, and cold noodles. The buffet includes fresh, warm vegetable dumplings with a special sauce, all made on the premises. The chefs are dedicated and merit high praise. Don't hesitate to delve into the unknown and order off the menu. "In the Forest" is a really wonderful concoction that you can wrap in lettuce leaves: a health-conscious person's version of the burrito! The Kov ice cream (made locally) is a nice conclusion to your meal. - Lee Hall, co-author of Dining With Friends: The Art of North American Vegan Cuisine. read more

Su Tao Cafe - General Vegan Tso's chicken! - Vegan Near Me - Malvern, Pennsylvania

Food came hot and quickly. Love that there's a vegan Chinese restaurant that doesn't use msg! The rice noodles were good, but the fried rice kinda tasteless. Dumplings were ok. read more

Our server was as attentive and kind as you could ever ask for. The "lamb" was the best item I have tried so far. Certainly a place I'll be coming back to soon! read more

I come here once, maybe twice a year, for a change of pace. I like what they do here in general. But I now think that there's a reason why I don't come here more often. As I said previously, I'm a meat eater that likes different things. I've always liked Su Tao due to the flavors they use and a reasonably priced lunch buffet. Today, the flavor didn't entice me like they used to. I've always known that the food can suffer a bit texturally if sitting out too long, but today the General Tso was rubber. The veggie meatballs were mush. Thankfully I still enjoy the fried rice, lo mein, and broccoli tempura, so it saved the meal. I noticed a few more things. I had some iced tea mixed with lemonade from the dispensers, and it just tasted funny. Maybe they weren't meant to be mixed. Maybe some dish soap was left behind in the glass. I stuck with water after that. I also wish they offered more for dessert than a few Oreo style cookies at lunch. I understand they have vegan pies and ice cream. They don't seem to offer them at lunch. I know it's an added expense but that's a shame. They have such a good main entree selection on the buffet, and that selection disappears at dessert. They do enough well that I believe I'll be back sometime. But it will probably be once a year tops. read more

This place is a gem! The owner was so nice and the food was hot and fresh when we picked it up. We tried the General Tso tofu and the lo mein with tofu. Both were very tasty and really hit that spot for chinese cravings. We will definitely be back! read more

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I've gotten takeout here 2x now and each time I am blown away at how good their food is. It's an added plus that they are fully vegan so my hubby and I don't need to worry about accidentally getting egg or shrimp in our meal. They have a huge, AUTHENTIC, menu. I recommend everything. Their veggie buns, their dumplings, shrimp toast, stewed tofu and cabbage, Singapore rice noodles, chicken curry, creamy corn soup...can't wait to try more. Their portions are big too, you definitely get your money's worth. read more

I have been a regular at Su Tao for over half a decade. This is hands-down my favorite restaurant in Pennsylvania. I can't wait for Covid to be over so I can experience their buffet again. But I will say, the regular menu is just as good and opens up the choices. I love su tao and hope to see them stay in business for many years to come. read more

I went between a 4 and a 3 starts. For this area it is 4 starts because it is unique and vegan and there is not anything similar around. But if evaluated in general I would have given a 3 starts. I have ordered 3 kinds of salads (cucumber, seaweed and cabbage) and some vegan sushi rolls. The salads were all good, but both cucumber and cabbage was too spicy. The vegan sushi rolls were quite good. The seaweed salad is not the regular seaweed you are thinking of where they serve it in Japanese restaurants. It is longer and wider and not that marinated. However the owner and people are super nice, before we put in this order for catering, we went to talk and they made us test of multiple things before we could decide what we want to order. read more

I refuse to be taken as hyperbolic: Su Tao is my favorite food on earth. I've been visiting since 1999: the food, atmosphere, and people never have let me down. Su Tao is the food I use to convince my carnivorous friends that vegan / vegetarian food "isn't gross" and the way I celebrate major life achievements. Su Tao staff, I know the times must be tough due to the ongoing COVID-19 outbreak. If you have a paypal or donation line, I'd be glad to send a small donation! It's the least I can do after 20 years of good eating. - Calvin read more

This location is a hidden gem. I am not vegan but the "vegan meat" is delicious. Everything is fresh and tasty. The owners and staff are so kind! I have never felt more welcome and attended to. Thank you! read more

Very nice little vegetarian restaurant. Non vegetarians may even be fooled. Small, quiet and a bit out of the way. In fact, if you don't know exactly where it is you may miss it. Good food, good prices. read more

I don't understand a few of the more negative reviews here. You vegans ought to be on your knees thanking these people for offering an all vegan restaurant out in the burbs. Yeah, it's not the upscale imaginative date night food you'd find at Horizons in Philadelphia. But you can get all vegan Chinese food without having to go into Chinatown. And where else can you get a buffet of all vegan Chinese food in the area? You get soup, dessert and all you can eat for $9 weekday lunches and $12 on weeknights and weekends. A bargain. No more interrogating servers in suburban Chinese restaurants with questions such as "is there egg in the hot and sour soup?" and "oh, where are the vegetarian dishes on this menu?" and "aw man, don't ya have anything besides mixed vegetables?" The quality of the food on the buffet varies. But what buffet isn't like that? We especially liked the shrimp cake dish and the fake meatballs. The fake General Tso's chicken was excellent too. And the hot and sour soup was awesome. The service wasn't quite as attentive as we like. But I think it was a language problem more than anything else. It seems like everyone took the buffet although they also have an extensive menu. They also made it a point on the menu to outline their ethical stances and explain what is in each dish. This place really needs to be supported. Spread veganism to the suburbs y'all! read more

I am impressed with: 1. the existence of a vegan restaurant in Malvern. 2. the extremely low expectations of a vegan restaurant in Malvern. I feel like most of the vegans/vegetarians who are giving SuTao glowing reviews are happy because they can have a meal without worrying about it being tainted with animal products. This is mediocre Chinese food, people. It's just your average chinese buffet, just with all the meat taken out. It's no better than the usual greasy, salty, saucy mess that is characteristic of buffets. But, my sister is vegan now and she got to pick the restaurant, and according to my father, "I'd rather spend $60 on vegan food I don't like than $120 on 'gourmet' vegan food I don't like!" read more

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