Eating meat-free hasn’t always been easy, but in Richmond, it’s a piece of (vegan) cake.
Our food scene is as vibrant as ever, so it’s no surprise there are a slew of local chefs serving up fresh, vegetarian bites across town. From vegan Reuben sandwiches to scrumptious vegetarian tacos, here are 15+ restaurants serving up meat-free fare in Richmond.
🍕 Casual eating
Philly Vegan, 1126 Hull St. | This spot has all-vegan eats like a supreme cheesesteak, double lentil burger with daiya cheese, and Philly cheesesteak egg rolls.
Devil’s Lettuce, 4028 Cox Rd., Ste. J | Build your own burger or try out a sandwich, wrap, or bowl at this Innsbrook hidden gem.
Fresca on Addison, 22 S. Addison St. | Try the white bean and pumpkin burger or the falafel sandwich.
North End Juice Co., 718 N. Cleveland St. + 2400 Jefferson Ave. | Vegetarian options at this cafe include Shaolin + cat’s meow fresh pressed juice, blue suede shoes smoothie, and the vegan pokè bowl.
NuVegan Cafe, 417 W. Grace St. | This regional chain offers vegan soul food including barbecue roast with rice, fried steak, and crab cakes.
Bottoms Up Pizza, 1700 Dock St. | Although not a strictly vegetarian joint, this Shockoe spot does offer vegan cheese and meat-free sausage, pepperoni, ground beef, and chicken as toppings.
🍸 Date night
Ipanema Cafe, 917 W. Grace St. | Make brunch plans or plan a night out at this VCU staple. Try this: the BBQ jackfruit sandwich or truffle gnocchi.
Nile Bistro, 306 N. 29th St. | There are plenty of vegan options at this Church Hill favorite for Ethiopian food. Pro tip: You can order sample sizes of several dishes to create a combo.
Elegant Cuizines, 415 W. Grace St. | This dairy-free restaurant has a number of vegetarian and vegan options, including a vegan brunch menu. Try this: vegan jerk crab croquettes with house vegan tartar sauce.
Sen Organic Small Plate, 2901 W. Cary St. | Try the vegan pho, mushroom trigon, or crispy fried tofu.
The Daily Kitchen & Bar, 2934 W. Cary St. | This veggie-friendly Carytown spot offers several dishes including vegan calamari, buffalo cauliflower, and quinoa tabbouleh.
All menu items at this food truck can be made vegan.
Photo by @sonyasfoodforthought
🌮 On the go
1115 Mobile Kitchen | Catch this food truck at different events around town and try the vegan chicken sandwich.
Goatocado, 1823 W. Main St. | Get vegetarian options at local festivals and events at the Goatocado truck. Try the Billy chili — sweet potato kale chili topped with vegan basil aioli and a blend of pepper jack and sharp white cheddar cheese. Pro tip: They also have a fast casual restaurant in the Fan.
Ellwood Thompson’s, 4 N. Thompson St. | Stop by this all-local, natural foods market and grab lunch from the hot bar.
🧁 Bakeries, cafes, and dessert
Minglewood Bake Shop, 3337 W. Cary St. | All items on this bakery menu are vegan, so sip a cup of coffee and enjoy a pastry, scone, cookie, or even an ice cream sundae.
Buna Kurs Ethiopian Cafe, 401 1/2 N. 2nd St. | Enjoy coffee and a sweet treat or a breakfast of fu’ul or injera fir fir in Jackson Ward.
Harrison Street Cafe, 402 N. Harrison St. | This VCU cafe has been serving good eats with no meats since 2000. Try the soysage biscuit or breakfast tofu.
Lamplighter Coffee Roasters, 116 S. Addison St. | Try the vegan pumpkin bread, breakfast burrito with scrambled tofu, or The Slammer — a bagel sandwich with vegan cream cheese with a maple Sriracha glazed vegan sausage patty.
Ruby Scoops, 120 Brookland Park Blvd. | The vegan menu at this local ice cream shop has rotating flavors like cardamom blueberry cobbler, cookie butter, and thai basil.
🍽️ Chef it up at home
Check out our favorite tips and tricks for serving veggie-focused fare from your own kitchen:
- To make zucchini, carrot, or beet noodles, try a veggie spiralizer that magically turns vegetables into noodles.
- Tired of wasting money on spices you use once? Broth Bomb combines all the spices you need for a flavorful meal.
- Harness the power of fresh and high-quality spices from James Beard Award-winning chef Meherwan Irani.
- A tofu press draws out water and can help tofu firm and crisp up once you cook it — the one linked here is dishwasher safe + works in twenty minutes.
- If your least favorite part about veggie prep is chopping, this all-in-one vegetable chopper can minimize prep time.
- Use a sprouting jar kit to grow microgreens and sprouted beans at home.
- If you’re making fresh bread, this Sourhouse starter jar was designed to be the easiest-to-clean sourdough starter jar in the world.
- For the ultimate veggie food prep, this glass storage container set keeps lunches and leftovers organized.
- Need some good recipes? Browse cookbooks “Inspiralized: Turn Vegetables into Healthy, Creative, Satisfying Meals” for veggie spiral recipes, “The Blue Zones Kitchen: 100 Recipes to Live to 100” for plant-based ideas, or “The Complete Plant-Based Cookbook” from America’s Test Kitchen.
