Owner story · Philadelphia
Chinese cuisine. Vegetarian specialties.
The Golden Empress Garden team · 618 South St, Philadelphia
618 South Street, Philadelphia
A Chinese kitchen with a whole vegetarian menu.
Golden Empress Garden cooked for years at 610 South 5th Street, just below South Street, before moving up the street to 618 South Street, between 6th and 7th. Its black awning says Chinese cuisine and vegetarian, and the menu keeps both promises: the Chinese classics, and a vegetarian chicken, beef, duck, ham and seafood made from wheat gluten and soy bean. It is open six days a week for eating in, takeout and delivery, with lunch specials until 3 pm and party trays for a crowd.
The menu
Chinese classics, and a vegetarian version of most of them.
“All vegetarian dishes (beef, chicken, duck, ham and seafood) are made from wheat gluten, soy bean,” the menu says, and a few add konnyaku. The vegetarian beef stew is gluten puffs stewed with mixed vegetables in brown sauce, the orange duck is made of tofu skin, and the vegetarian Peking duck comes rolled with scallions and pickled cabbage. The seasonal greens, baby bok choy and Chinese broccoli, are done “in the way of northern Chinese home cooking”: stirred fast with garlic in a sizzling hot wok, with salt and pepper added just before serving.
Vegetarian chef’s specialties
General Tso’s ChickenCrispy wheat-gluten chicken in the chef’s sweet and spicy sauce
Vegetarian chef’s specialties
Savory Beef with BroccoliVegetarian beef of wheat gluten and soy, with broccoli
Vegetarian rice noodles
House Special Mei Fun, CurriedThin rice noodles, curried and hot
Vegetarian appetizers
Cold Noodles with Sesame SauceNoodles under sesame sauce, scallions and sesame seeds
Popular vegetables
Buddhist DelightMixed vegetables, stir-fried in brown sauce
Beef
Beef with ScallionsSliced beef with scallions and onions, with white rice
Pinkbot at Golden Empress Garden
Since March 2026, Pinkbot has carried Golden Empress Garden’s dishes from South Street to the door.
- March 17, 2026The first Pinkbot delivery left 618 South St the same day Golden Empress Garden went live on Pinkbot.
- From the wok to the doorEach order is cooked and packed at 618 South St, then Pinkbot carries it to the customer’s door.
Visit Golden Empress Garden
Eat in, take out, or have it delivered.
618 South StPhiladelphia, PA 19147
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