Updated February 2022! Asian food might seem obvious for dairy-free diners, but P.F. Chang’s is a different beast. They actually use milk in a lot of surprising places. However, they are also known for their allergy-friendly practices. They have staff trained in allergen protocols, they serve gluten-fee orders on separate plates, and they can quickly offer guidance on 15 different food allergens. And their food is made from scratch to order, so they can easily provide substitutions or make cooking modifications on request. But to help get you started, we’ve gathered the dairy-free menu items at P.F. Chang’s below, and included the gluten-free options, allergen notes, and a separate vegan menu.
P.F. Chang’s Dairy-Free Menu Guide with Allergen Notes & Vegan Options
P.F. Chang’s is very friendly to special diet guests and has good allergen protocols. But their menu contains far more dairy than your average Asian restaurant. Be aware of special order requirements in parentheses () next to the menu items, and see the Heads Up notes to help fill in the blanks.
Where’s the Milk? P.F. Chang’s has quite a few “contains milk” warnings for an Asian restaurant. It’s because sweet whey (milk protein) is an ingredient in the protein base that they use to make many of their sauces.
Other Allergen & Dietary Notes: The items listed below are made without egg, soy, peanut, and tree nuts, unless otherwise noted. All items below contain wheat, unless they are listed as gluten-free. For vegan options, see the Vegan Menu Guide at the bottom of this post.
Shareables
- BBQ Spare Ribs (contains egg, soy)
- Chang’s Chicken Lettuce Wraps (contains soy)
- Gluten-Free Chang’s Chicken Lettuce Wraps (contains soy)
- Chang’s Vegetarian Lettuce Wraps (contains soy)
- Chili Garlic Green Beans (contains soy)
- Crispy Green Beans (contains egg, soy)
- Dynamite Shrimp (contains egg, soy)
- Edamame (contains egg, soy)
- Rick’s Northern-Style Spare Ribs (contains soy)
Heads Up! The Kung Pao Brussels Sprouts and the Calamari do contain milk.
Soup & Salad
- Egg Drop Soup (contains egg)
- Gluten-Free Egg Drop Soup (contains egg)
- Wonton Soup (contains egg, soy)
Heads Up! The Hot & Sour Soup at P.F. Chang’s does contain milk. The Mandarin Salad can be custom ordered without dairy, and topped with Shrimp, Chicken, or Salmon to make it a meal. All three proteins are listed as milk-free and egg-free, but they do contain soy and wheat.
Dim Sum
- Steamed Handmade Pork Dumplings (contains egg, soy)
- Steamed Handmade Shrimp Dumplings (contains egg, soy)
Note: All deep-fried items and pan-fried dim sum items at P.F. Chang’s are listed as off-limits for dairy-free diners. We’re not sure if this is due to potential cross-contamination or actual ingredients.
Sushi
Heads Up! All sushi rolls at P.F. Chang’s now contain milk. You might still be able to custom order a Tuna Sushi Roll without dairy.
Entrees
- Buddha’s Feast (Stir-Fried or Steamed) (contains soy)
- Crispy Honey Chicken (contains egg, soy)
- Crispy Honey Shrimp (contains egg, soy)
- MaPo Tofu (contains soy)
- Stir-Fried Eggplant (contains soy)
- Sweet & Sour Chicken (contains egg, soy)
Heads Up! The list of entrees that contain milk is much longer than the milk-free options. It does include surprises, like Mongolian Beef, Short Ribs, Miso Salmon, all Kung Pao, and others.
Noodles & Rice
- Pad Thai with Shrimp and/or Chicken (contains egg, peanut, soy)
- Gluten-Free Pad Thai with Shrimp and/or Chicken (contains egg, peanut, soy)
- Steamed White Rice (can be ordered gluten-free)
- Steamed Brown Rice (can be ordered gluten-free)
- Noodles (contains soy)
Heads Up! All Fried Rice and Lo Mein at P.F. Chang’s does contain milk. The Korean Glass Noodles are listed as milk-free on their own, but containing milk when a protein is added. According to the company, the sauce in the Korean Glass Noodles does contain milk, so it is not a dairy-free option, with or without protein added.
Lunch Rice Bowls
- Crispy Honey Chicken Bowl (contains egg, soy)
- Crispy Honey Shrimp Bowl (contains egg, soy)
- Sweet & Sour Chicken Bowl (contains egg, soy)
Kid’s Menu
- Kids Honey Chicken (contains egg, soy, wheat)
- Kids Sweet & Sour Chicken (contains egg, soy, wheat)
- Steamed Snap Peas (can be ordered gluten-free)
- Steamed Carrots (can be ordered gluten-free)
- Kids Fruit Cup (can be ordered gluten-free)
- Kids Steamed Broccoli (can be ordered gluten-free)
Dessert
Heads Up! P.F. Chang’s does not have any dairy-free desserts at this time.
P.F. Chang’s Vegan Menu Guide
- Chang’s Vegetarian Lettuce Wraps
- Chili Garlic Green Beans
- Buddha’s Feast (Stir-Fried or Steamed)
- MaPo Tofu
- Stir-Fried Eggplant
- Steamed White Rice
- Steamed Brown Rice
- Noodles
- Steamed Snap Peas
- Steamed Carrots
- Kids Fruit Cup
- Kids Steamed Broccoli
This Post is for Informational Purposes Only
Menus, ingredients, kitchen procedures, management, and restaurants are subject to change at any time. Always read the menu and discuss your dietary needs with the staff before ordering. Make sure that they can accommodate your situation. This post is for informational purposes only, and should not be construed as advice.
There is always a risk for potential cross-contamination of allergens in any commercial kitchen. If cross-contamination is an issue for you, always speak with the manager to ensure that your meal can be safely prepared. Listings here do not guarantee that a restaurant is safe enough for your individual needs. Only you can make that decision.
Where to Find P.F. Chang’s
They have locations in 40 U.S. states. See the website below for their addresses, hours, contact information, and allergen menu matrix (in the nutrition section).
Website: www.pfchangs.com
2 Comments
I only haven’t had the opportunity to back there since finding out about my allergy. I should go back. I have seen the same courteous behavior when I have been there with someone else with a gluten allergy. My husband called them when I thought that we would go there, and they e-mailed an allergen menu.
Going to pf changs was my first dining out dairy free adventure! Not only was the staff courteous, funny, and accommodating, but when I asked about dairy free items, the manager provided me with a separate menu and assured me that they use different plates and serving items for allergy issues. Definitely will return! And don’t be shy to ask!