Gourmet Places to Eat Plant-based Food
This page lists restaurants that have particularly interesting and high quality plant-based options. Many of them are completely vegan or vegetarian, but some are not. All of them provide food made out of local, fresh, in many cases organic, ingredients. And some of them are quite affordable!
We add more places as we try them out, so check back often!
Click on a city for a list of places to and their brief description
US:
Las Vegas, NV : Los Angeles, CA : Portland, OR : Saint Louis, MO : Salt Lake City, UT : San Francisco, CA (and around SF) : Washington, DC
Abroad:
Beijing, China : Hong Kong : Paris, France : London, UK
Las Vegas, NV
Los Angeles, CA
Follow Your Heart – in the Valley – definitely worth a drive to – sells produce and vegetarian food in addition to offering a wonderful menu. Parking and shaded outdoor sitting available. $20/person
Portland, OR
Prasad in Pearl district is a small vegetarian cafe with great smoothies and pastries as well as a small menu of full meals that shares a space with a yoga studio. Quiet and simple.
Proper eats in St.John is a small scale version of Follow Your Heart in LA. Food is simply outstanding. All vegan and absolutely delicious.
Saint Louis, MO
Salt Lake City, UT
Sage's Cafe more or less downtown is amazing. All vegan menu, sophisticated dishes.
Vertical Diner (same owner as Sage's Cafe) close to I-15/I-80 interchange is a traditional diner with all plant-based comfort food: mexican dishes, burgers, sandwiches, "chicken" pot pie, etc. Live music occasionally. Good music always. Fake meat is so-so, tempeh is great.
San Francisco, CA
In the city
Herbivore – a couple of locations – all vegan menu, many great choices. "Chicken" is amazing.
Plant Cafe Organic – a number of locations. You have to try their Plantburger and pizzas. They have a couple of seafood and chicken dishes. The formal sit-down restaurant and bar at Pier 3. Smoothies and juices are very popular – all freshly squeezed and organic.
Cha-ya in the Mission is a very good vegan Japanese food
Udupi Palace in the Mission is an outstanding vegetarian South Indian food. Quite cheap. Try dosa or uttapam, their specialty.
Gracias Madre in the Mission is partly raw, vegetarian, creative Mexican food.
Pena Pachamama in the North Beach has a raw vegan menu. Pricey, occasional live music.
Thai Idea is a vegan Thai restaurant in Theater/Tenderloin/Van Ness area. Fake meat is amazing.
Lotus Cafe in San Rafael is a good Indian place with standard set of vegetarian Indian dishes. They have GF naan!
Avatar in Sausalito has a long menu, but ignore it and just ask for the best food ever given whatever restrictions or desires you have. Pricey
Punjabi Burrito in Mill Valley owned by the same family as Avatar offers Mexican wraps with Indian food inside – very good tofu options. Only two tables inside and a few outside.
Ikeda's on the way to Tahoe – Auburn on I-80. Japanese burger joint and food store. They make their own tofu and the tofu burger or tofu rice bowl are very good.
Washington, DC
Ezme restaurant near Dupont Circle is a Turkish tapas place that has many excellent vegetarian and vegan option. The menu is well labeled to indicate vegetarian dishes,
Beijing
Xu Xiang Zhai Vegetarian Restaurant next to the Lama Temple in Dongcheng and right across from Confucian Temple. A gigantic buffet during regular meal hours, a long menu otherwise. It is 100 vegan and caters to buddhists, so a large variety of fake meats.
Hong Kong
Pure Veggie House at midlevels next to YWCA. Inexpensive asian vegan food
Lock Cha Tea House in Admiralty is a vegan dim sum, also relatively inexpensive
A monastery next to Giant Buddha on Lantau Island provides vegan lunch very cheaply – limited hours, set menu
Life Organic Health Cafe is a food store and restaurant next to the escalator on midlevels that offers vegetarian european food. Somewhat expensive for a mean, but great teas and atmosphere for a snack
Paris
Rose Bakery 2 in the 3eme. A bit pricey, but very good vegetarian options for brunch.
Ty Breiz in the 15eme is a traditional Breton creperie. Many vegetarian options, but not vegan (butter and cheese). Not expensive by Paris standards.
Tibits near Picadilly Circus. A gourmet buffet – a franchise of the oldest vegetarian restaurant in the western world (Hiltl). Great teas and juices. Full bar. Medium priced.
