The Most Veg-Friendly Cities in North America
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With so many smart folks going veg, the number of restaurants and other business catering (often literally) to our appetites is booming, which makes our task of compiling lists of vegetarian-friendly cities tougher each time. But we never shrink from a challenge—or from the chance to discover totally delish new veggie eateries—so we’re proud to present our list of the top 10 large and small North American cities for vegans and vegetarians.
Large Cities
- Washington, D.C.
Although Congress may be populated by purveyors of “pork,” Washington is making a bid to become the nation’s capital of veggie dining. Folks on both sides of the aisle could surely reach a bipartisan consensus on the faux turkey club sandwich from Java Green, ratify the vegan pepperoni and mozzarella pizza at Busboys and Poets, and put an end to the gridlock for a trip to Sunflower Vegetarian Restaurant in nearby Falls Church, Virginia, to enjoy Popeye’s Favorite—a potato pie mixed with spinach, soy protein, and veggie bacon in a black-pepper sauce—followed by egg-free and milk-free organic pumpkin pie or almond-blueberry pie. - Portland, Oregon
Portland’s volcanoes may be extinct, but the city’s vegan scene has erupted—enough to propel Portland into our number two position. From the luscious lasagna at Papa G’s Vegan Organic Deli to the sizzling TLP (tempeh bacon, lettuce, and peppers) at Red and Black Café, to the barbecue tempeh platter at the Blossoming Lotus, vegan Portlanders have plenty of reasons to be happy with their hometown. - Albuquerque, New Mexico
Going vegan in Albuquerque is easier than learning how to spell the city’s name! You’ll find vegan options aplenty, such as the veggie chicken nuggets and boba tea at the Fei Health Café and the tofu scramble at Flying Star Café. Also check out both locations of Annapurna’s World Vegetarian Café, offering a selection of vegan bakery items and ayurvedic cooking classes. - Atlanta, Georgia
Life for Georgia’s vegans is increasingly peachy, with restaurants such as Café Sunflower (offering stuffed mushroom caps in a miso mushroom sauce), Green Sprout (presenting veggie pork with tofu and Szechuan sauce), and Ria’s Bluebird (serving up Southwest tofu scramble with veggies). The South will rise again—and ask for seconds. - Seattle, Washington
Seattle has a reputation for being rainy, but even when it’s overcast, Seattle is a sunny place for vegans. For instance, Araya’s Place curries favor with a Thai red curry with tofu, Thrive tops its fiery Chili con Marvelous with onion cashew cream, and Wayward Vegan Café dazzles with the Warlock, a faux-chicken sandwich spiced up with a savory chipotle-tahini sauce. - Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
While we had our differences with the recent Olympic Games held there, we can’t hold that against this beautiful city. Especially not while they’re serving up almond masala cakes at Organic Lives, spicy falafel wraps at Gorilla Food, and a golden rice bowl with marinated Gardein strips, mock shrimp, and sautéed tofu at Loving Hut. - San Francisco, California
The City by the Bay has opened its Golden Gate to a wide variety of vegan and vegan-friendly restaurants and cafés. While celebrated spots such as Millenium and Greens are well worth a visit, don’t miss out on the “Neatloaf” at Ananda Fuara, the Broccoli Beef & Black Mushroom entrée at Golden Era, or the grilled portobello mushroom over creamy polenta, sautéed spinach, and crostini at the all-vegan Herbivore. - Los Angeles, California
The City of Angels offers a wide range of heavenly delights for residents and visitors alike. Start with Flore Vegan Cuisine, where you can indulge in vegan Griddle Cakes (with strawberries), or perhaps you’d prefer the signature “TV dinner”—with veggie loaf, mashed potatoes, golden gravy, and vegetables—from Real Food Daily. Better yet, try both, and then have a Santa Fe Crispy Chickin’—made with crispy fried chillin’ chickin’, lettuce, tomato, onion, avocado, and a southwestern-spiced vegan mayo—made by Veggie Grill. - New York, New York
They may live in the city that never sleeps, but Big Apple residents are clearly using those extra waking hours to think up more great vegan stuff to eat. With choices like the pumpkin noodles with sautéed vegetables at HanGawi, a marinated and grilled Bamburger or spaghetti and “meatballs” at Red Bamboo, and spinach omelets, pesto noodles, or Unchicken Nachos at the all-vegan Caravan of Dreams, no wonder Gothamites are staying up nights! - Toronto, Ontario, Canada
Canada’s largest city comes through for the hungry vegetarians of the Great White North. No one who’s had the raw vegan Pasta Bolognese at Rawlicious, the eggplant in ginger sauce at Commensal, or the beer-battered deep-fried tofu with cornmeal at Fressen would be surprised to find Toronto rounding out our list in style.
Small Cities
- Olympia, Washington
Blue Heron Bakery: Vegan spelt muffins, brownies, walnut–chocolate-chip cookies, and peanut-butter cookies
Tofu Hut: Tofu Sweet and Sour (deep-fried tofu with pineapples, bell peppers, onions, cucumbers, wild mushrooms, and carrots in a tangy sweet-and-sour sauce)
Vic’s Pizzeria: Vic’s Vegan Calzone (stuffed with black olives, mushrooms, white onions, spinach, fried sweet peppers, red sauce, and a choice of yellow or white sauce - Burlington, Vermont
Magnolia Bistro: The Incredible Mr. Limpett: (vegan tuna-salad sandwich with pickles); Garbanzo Burger (garbanzo beans, oregano, and scallions); Magnolia French Toast (organic bread with walnuts in a wash of soy, rice, vanilla, and cinnamon)
Bueno Y Sano: East/West Burrito (Asian stir-fried veggies, basmati rice, and grilled tofu topped with an Asian plum sauce)
Bite Me Organic Pizza: Vermont Intervale Ghosts Pizza (cheese-free pizza with marinated tofu, baby spinach, a variety of squash, roasted peppers, red beets, caramelized onions, yellow and red tomatoes, and lemon-oil drizzle) - Iowa City, Iowa
The Red Avocado: College Green Sunset (layered herbed white-bean pâté, tempeh sausage, tofu ricotta, and caramelized onions wrapped in a flaky filo pastry purse on spinach polenta with horseradish-root vegetable–sweet-corn relish, roasted-red-pepper sauce, and a fine drizzle of sweet balsamic reduction)
Fair Grounds Coffeehouse: Grilled Vegan Panini Cheeseburger (Boca burger with your choice of vegan cheese and veggies served on panini bread)
Thai Flavors: Massaman Curry (coconut milk with onions, potatoes, and peanuts, served with a cucumber salad and your choice of tofu or gluten-based meat substitute) - Bloomington, Indiana
Siam House: Gang Garee (yellow curry with coconut milk, sweet potatoes, onions, and white, yellow, or fried tofu, served with jasmine rice). All dishes can be prepared without fish sauce on request.
Bloomingfoods Market and Deli: Meatless Mondays at the Deli (menu varies)
Laughing Planet: Cuban Burrito (organic brown rice, black beans, salsa fresca, sweet potatoes, plantains, housemade barbecue sauce, and your choice of tofu or seitan, served with tropical fruit salsa on the side) - Syracuse, New York
Strong Hearts (all-vegan restaurant): Supreme Vegan Pizza (four vegan meats and soy cheese with a tasty tomato sauce), Tofurky sandwich, grilled “cheese” sandwich, cookies, muffins, cupcakes, cakes, pies, and milkshakes
Alto Cinco: BBQ Tofu Burrito (rice, black beans, salsa, and crispy tofu with a chipotle barbecue sauce), Vegan Quesadilla (grilled tortilla with roasted-tomato pesto, sautéed spinach, roasted eggplant, guacamole, and salsa)
Sparky Town: The Jocko Sandwich (grilled tempeh, lettuce, tomato, artichoke, red pepper, red onion, black-bean paste, sun-dried tomato spread, and avocado spread) - Topeka, Kansas
Blackbird Espresso Bar and Bistro: Hummus and veggie wraps and vegan bakery items such as chocolate-chip cookies and banana-nut bread.
Globe: Baingan Bartha (fresh eggplant baked over an open flame, served with green peas and gently tempered with aromatic herbs and spices), Chana Masala (whole chickpeas cooked with onion, tomato, garlic, ginger, herbs, and spices)
Tup Tim Thai: Thai Curry Triangles (golden wontons filled with veggies such as sweet potatoes and celery, flavored with turmeric and served with chili-garlic sauce), Massaman Tofu Curry (with peanuts, potatoes, and vegetables). Any curry can be made with tofu and without fish sauce. - Worcester, Massachusetts
Belmont Vegetarian Restaurant: Spaghetti and veggie balls, macaroni and soy cheese, barbeque “chicken” and rice (all items rotate)
Nancy Chang: Sesame Vegan Chicken, Mango Vegan Chicken, Sizzling Vegan Shrimp With Japanese Tepanyaki Sauce, and more than 50 vegan items on the menu
Loving Hut: Kung Pao Wow (soy chicken, baby corn, carrots, snow peas, bamboo, water chestnuts, onions, bell peppers, celery, cucumbers, and cashews) - Lincoln, Nebraska
Maggie’s Veggie Café: Baked Tofu Wrap (oven-baked organic tofu, red onions, lettuce, tomatoes, carrots, and sweet mustard sauce), Curried Tofu Wrap (organic tofu marinated in mild coconut curry with red onions, tomatoes, and lettuce, served cold)
Taj Mahal: Aloo Matar Tofu (potatoes, fresh garden peas, and tofu chunks in a sauce with exotic spices), Mushroom Matar (green peas and mushrooms in a sauce with exotic herbs and spices)
Grateful Bread/Freakbeat Vegetarian: Different vegetarian soups every day, plus at least one vegan soup every day, including African Peanut, Moroccan Tomato, Cuban Black Bean, Egyptian Red Lentil, Irish Stew, and Thai Carrot - Providence, Rhode Island
AS220: Pulled-Pork Sandwich (“pulled” tofu, spicy tomato spread, and vegan cheddar on a sourdough baguette), Spicy Chorizo Sandwich (vegan housemade chorizo, crumbled tofu, vegan cheddar, and R1 hot sauce), Vegan Reuben (corned seitan, housemade sauerkraut, vegan Swiss, and Thousand Island dressing on rye bread)
Garden Grille Café: Chipotle seared seitan with wasabi mustard dipping sauce, “crab” cakes with Veracruz sauce and saffron aioli over millet polenta and sautéed greens, eggplant rollatini grilled and stuffed with herb tofu-nut cheese, crispy polenta, garlic sautéed spinach with housemade pomodoro sauce
Julian’s: Vegan Steak & Cheese Wrap (house seitan, onions, mushrooms, peppers, and soy cheese in a tortilla) - Boise, Idaho
Shangri-La Tea Room and Vegetarian Café: Corn Chowder (corn, potatoes, and a bit of onion in a veggie broth seasoned to perfection), Mock Toona and Crackers (housemade Mock Toona spread and raw housemade crackers made with sprouted almonds and flaxseed), Curry Wrap (tofu, potatoes, and red peppers in a scrumptious red curry sauce, wrapped in a warm tortilla)
Boise Fry Company: Vegan Burger and Fries (made with your choice of russet, white, gold, sweet, yam, purple, or Okinawa potatoes)
Mai Thai: Black Pepper Steak (veggie black-pepper steak sautéed with mixed veggies in vegetarian sauce), vegan orange chicken sautéed with mandarin oranges and mixed with veggies in a special sauce), Veggie Citrus Spareribs (sautéed in a special sauce and served on a bed of fresh lettuce with fresh pineapple chunks)
