As a newbie to Houston, I haven’t had a chance to try all the vegan offerings yet, but there are a few on my radar that I hope to visit soon. I have had some amazing vegan meals, though, at restaurants that are not necessarily plant-based. My most recent favorite is probably ChopnBlok, a West African restaurant in POST. I highly recommend The Motherland bowl with plantains and black-eyed peas, and an Oga Palmer to wash it down (African hibiscus tea + lemonade).
This is a meal I couldn’t have dreamed of having when I first decided to go vegan 17 years ago. Since then, vegan restaurants and offerings have come a long way. Gone are the days when the only thing the chef could offer me was penne pasta, red sauce, and some soggy zuchinni.
I try to find at least one 100% plant-based restaurant in every new city I visit, and as the years have gone by, this has gotten easier, and better. Other than maybe Antarctica, I’ve been able to eat vegan meals almost anywhere.
I thought I’d name a few of my favorites, in case you ever find yourself in any of these places during your travels, too!
Chicago, Illinois
This restaurant is my first fully vegan restaurant experience. While my family was off watching the Cubs and the White Sox, I took a train on my own out to the suburbs of Chicago to visit the Chicago Diner. The food is exactly what you’d expect – heavy, diner-deliciousness but all vegan.
It was incredible. I could eat the foods I had grown up on like meatball subs and pot pie without the guilt.
It’s a great entryway into vegan eating if you grew up like me on a primarily meat-heavy diet of comfort foods. This restaurant was the starting point in my food journey and made me realize that anything I crave can be made without harming animals.
Samobor, Croatia
Cantilly Garden Restaurant is just that: a beautiful renovated historic home surrounded by an entirely edible landscape.
While not entirely plant-based, Cantilly prides itself on its mirror menu, meaning every item with animal products has a mirrored item made without. This makes for a really interesting dining experience if you happen to be dining among meat-eaters; they can try the animal-based option, while you try to plant-based option. Compare notes!
What I love best about Cantilly is watching the chef run out into the garden to pick the ingredients for my dish fresh. The food is fun, beautiful, and delicious, and the restaurant staffs an incredible sommelier to expertly pair wines from around the world with your meal.
San Luis Obispo, California
Ratchet fries. That is all you need to know.
Paso Robles, California
The biggest complaint I hear from new plant-based eaters is how much they miss cheese. Vegan cheese is mostly … well, it’s just not good.
But what if I told you there’s a cheese shop that’s entirely vegan and amazing? Hard to believe, I know, and even harder to believe is it’s in my little old hometown of Paso Robles, California. For most of my life, restaurants here were meat and potatoes. A vegan would have been run out of town! But things have changed, and now there’s a full-blown vegan creamery called The Vreamery inside the Paso Robles Market Walk.
The Vreamery ships worldwide and has some incredible cheeses. I like to swing by and pick up a vegan charcuterie board before heading out for a day of wine tasting.
Miami, Florida
We had fantastic sushi here … and pizza! You can get a little bit of everything and everything is packed with flavor. They have a full bar, and it’s just a nice, upscale place to hang.
Manhattan, New York
Eleven Madison Park is a bucket list experience for any vegan. This restaurant wasn’t always plant-based; in fact, it earned its first Michelin stars as a Fois gras and caviar-heavy establishment.
But Chef Daniel Humm had a change of heart and did something drastic: he overhauled the entire menu and it’s now 100% vegan, and still earning Michelin stars.
It’s a tasting menu experience, so be prepared to shell out some cash and sit for several hours. But it will be the most amazing meal of your life; you cannot believe any food, let alone vegetables, can be this flavorful and beautiful.
Morro Bay, California
Shine Café was a staple in my diet when I lived in California. It’s feel good, nothing fancy food with whole ingredients and a few smudgy fingerprints on your to-go box just for character.
You can’t go wrong with the tostada or the incredibly colorful spring rolls. The smoothies are meals unto themselves.
Palm Springs, California
Glendale, California
I first went to Native Foods when I was living in Costa Mesa, California. It was in a yurt, just off the 405 freeway. The restaurant offers somewhat healthier versions of familiar favorites like burgers and chicken sandwiches but in a fast-casual environment. The yurt is now closed, but I have also visited the Glendale and Palm Springs locations and can confirm both are great.
Santa Barbara, CA
I’ve had off-and-on experiences at Mesa Verde, but you can’t go wrong with the Caesar Salad. It is massive and generously loaded with avocado and capers.
Montecito, CA
I am in love with Oliver’s. I love the vibe of the place, the string lights on the patio, the dressing up of a vegan restaurant where you can have a nice dinner out. The menu pleases meat eaters and vegans alike (I’ve put it to the test on my family). Oliver’s offers mostly healthy options and lots of international flavors.
This list is sadly lacking Texas vegan restaurants, but that's only because I haven't had a chance to visit any yet. So, where should I go? Let me know in the comments!
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