In case you haven’t noticed, there’s a full-on vegan revolution going on. “Plant-based” is a buzzword that just about every food brand has picked up on, meatless “meat” from companies like Beyond Meat and Impossible are being cooked up in home and restaurant kitchens alike, and services like Purple Carrot and Plantable deliver vegan meal kits nationwide.
Vegan food – that is, food that is not just vegetarian but contains absolutely no animal-derived products (cheese, cream, honey, etc.) whatsoever – has gone downright mainstream over the past decade or so. A trip to your local grocery store will make that abundantly clear, and it seems as if every city today has restaurants that are completely vegan and delicious enough that even fully-fledged carnivores will love it.
According to WebMD, about three percent of Americans follow a vegan diet. Folks go vegan for a wide variety of reasons, including a desire to be healthier and concerns for the environment and for animal welfare. Whatever the reason, veganism is here to stay, and there are lots of restaurants that cater to vegans, some of them very good. (Vegan and otherwise, these foods have a strikingly low impact on the environment.)
Vegans can usually find plenty of options at restaurants that are vegetarian but not vegan, and many other kinds of restaurants today offer at least a few vegan options – and we’re not just talking about the clichéd plate of sautéed vegetables.
To compile a list of the best vegan restaurants in America, 24/7 Tempo reviewed articles and lists appearing in a wide variety of websites, including Food & Wine, Modern Farmer, The Culture Trip, Thrillist, Food Network, Mashed, and Eat This Not That, as well as local and regional sites. Of course, you’ll also notice that about a quarter of the places on our list are in California, which is home to several of the best American cities for vegans and vegetarians.
Click here to see the best vegan restaurants in America
Source: Courtesy of Underground Vegan via Facebook
Underground Vegan
> Location: Birmingham, AL
> Sample dish: Bakun Cheezburger
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Source: Courtesy of The Uprooted Kitchen via Facebook
The Uprooted Kitchen
> Location: Gilbert, AZ
> Sample dish: Oregano cauliflower pesto sandwich
Source: Courtesy of Jake H. via Yelp
Seabirds Kitchen
> Location: Costa Mesa and 2 other Southern California locations, CA
> Sample dish: Peruvian ensalada (with walnut chorizo)
Source: Courtesy of Monique M. via Yelp
Crossroads
> Location: Los Angeles, CA
> Sample dish: House-made fettuccine with truffle butter and shaved black truffles
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Source: Courtesy of Gracias Madre via Yelp
Gracias Madre
> Location: Los Angeles, CA
> Sample dish: Wet burrito with jackfruit carnitas
Source: Courtesy of Sydney R. via Yelp
Little Pine
> Location: Los Angeles, CA
> Sample dish: Apple sandwich (with seitan prosciutto)
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Source: Courtesy of Terry D. via Yelp
Craft Roots
> Location: Morgan Hill, CA
> Sample dish: Margherita pizza (with cashew mozzarella)
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Source: Courtesy of Toshi P. via Yelp
Millennium
> Location: Oakland, CA
> Sample dish: Green garlic polenta cake
Source: Courtesy of Britt C. via Yelp
Kindred
> Location: San Diego, CA
> Sample dish: Memphis BBQ jackfruit
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Source: Courtesy of Wildseed via Yelp
Wildseed
> Location: San Francisco and Palo Alto, CA
> Sample dish: Spicy yellow curry
Shizen
> Location: San Francisco, CA
> Sample dish: Green mango nigiri
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Source: Courtesy of richard L. via Yelp
Drop Squad Kitchen
> Location: Wilmington, DE
> Sample dish: Lobster Mac & Cheeze (with hearts of palm lobster)
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Source: Courtesy of Joella D. via Yelp
Green Bar & Kitchen
> Location: Fort Lauderdale, FL
> Sample dish: Taco salad (with walnut meat)
Source: Courtesy of Full Bloom Vegan via Yelp
Full Bloom Vegan
> Location: Miami Beach, FL
> Sample dish: Lion’s mane steak au poivre
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Source: Courtesy of Chi Chi Vegan via Facebook
Chi Chi Vegan
> Location: Atlanta, GA
> Sample dish: Veggie chimichanga
Source: Courtesy of Cindy P. via Yelp
Peace Café
> Location: Mo’ili’ili (Maui), HI
> Sample dish: Tofu scramble plate
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Source: Courtesy of Ali B. via Yelp
Chicago Diner
> Location: 2 Chicago locations, IL
> Sample dish: Truffle mushroom lentil loaf
Source: Courtesy of The Land of Kush via Facebook
The Land of Kush
> Location: Baltimore, MD
> Sample dish: Carrot tuna wrap
Source: Courtesy of Yembur A. via Yelp
My Thai Vegan Café
> Location: Boston, MA
> Sample dish: Tamarind veggie duck
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J. Selby’s
> Location: St. Paul, MN
> Sample dish: Cookies & Creme Shake (oat milk)
Source: Courtesy of Modern Love Omaha via Facebook
Modern Love
> Location: Omaha, NE
> Sample dish: Seitan five-spice BBQ wings
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Source: Courtesy of Alex T. via Yelp
Chef Kenny’s Vegan Dim Sum
> Location: Las Vegas, NV
> Sample dish: Sweet rice vegan pork dumplings
Source: Courtesy of VegeNation via Facebook
VegeNation
> Location: Las Vegas, NV
> Sample dish: Chicken caesar salad (plant-based “chicken”)
Source: Courtesy of Jessica C. via Yelp
Aunts et Uncles
> Location: Brooklyn, NY
> Sample dish: Tivoli taco (Beyond ground meat)
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Source: Courtesy of Bunna Cafe via Facebook
Bunna Cafe
> Location: Brooklyn, NY
> Sample dish: Shiro (ground chickpeas with Ethiopian spices)
Source: Courtesy of Dante A. via Yelp
Avant Garden
> Location: New York City, NY
> Sample dish: Celery root with shiitake velouté
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Source: Courtesy of Herminia C. via Yelp
JaJaJ Plantas Mexicana
> Location: 3 New York City locations plus Brooklyn, NY
> Sample dish: Beet and pumpkin empanada
Source: Courtesy of Khushboo G. via Yelp
Plant
> Location: Asheville, NC
> Sample dish: Applewood-smoked mushroom mole
Source: Courtesy of E R. via Yelp
Blossoming Lotus
> Location: Portland, OR
> Sample dish: Tempeh bacon sandwich
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Homegrown Smoker
> Location: Portland, OR
> Sample dish: Philthy Nocheesesteak (with smoked beef seitan)
Source: Courtesy of Foglia via Facebook
Foglia
> Location: Bristol, RI
> Sample dish: Chickpea panisse with local tomato salad
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Source: Courtesy of The Vegan Nom via Facebook
The Vegan Nom
> Location: Austin, TX
> Sample dish: KBBQ burrito (with Korean bbq “chicken”)
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Source: Courtesy of The Wild Cow Restaurant via Facebook
The Wild Cow
> Location: Nashville, TN
> Sample dish: Buffalo beans and greens
Source: Courtesy of Vicky T. via Yelp
Plum Bistro
> Location: Seattle, WA
> Sample dish: Plum classic Reuben (with tofu strami)
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Source: Courtesy of Fancy Radish via Yelp
Fancy Radish
> Location: Washington, D.C.
> Sample dish: Chermoula grilled tofu with black lentils
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