The Best Vegan Restaurant In Every State

It's indisputable: Veganism is on the rise. According to YouGov, around 6.6 million people in the U.S. alone are vegan. As more and more people turn toward plant-based eating for health, environmental, animal welfare, or religious reasons, the demand for vegan food that's just as good — or better — grows too.

Texas to Rhode Island. Alaska to Delaware. From the smallest to the most sizable states, we've got you covered. Did you think Portland was the only city where you could find and devour vegan tres leches cake, cheesy pizzas, hot wings, or birria tacos? Think again.

Bear in mind that not every restaurant listed is entirely vegan; while the accessibility of veganism is improving, in some instances, the best choices were eateries with extensive vegan options. Despite this, we feel confident that all the restaurants listed are worth visiting — from diners, fine dining, quaint cafes, and even food trucks, the standard of cooking is impeccable. Let's take a road trip around the U.S. and tour the best vegan restaurants in every state.

With humble beginnings as a mobile food truck, Preference is now a fully fledged vegan restaurant in Alaska's most populous city, Anchorage. As the only vegan eatery in the area, the food truck experienced incredible demand, selling out almost every day and inspiring owner Dan Brown to find a permanent home for the business (via the Anchorage Daily News). It serves classics like chicken and waffles made with crispy breaded seitan, spicy birria tacos, and animal fries slathered in sauce. It may be the only vegan restaurant in the area, but the food is good enough to compete with heavyweights worldwide.

The freshest and brightest ingredients from local farmers make their way to the kitchen at MeMe's Twisted Potato, where Chef MeMe cooks up mouth-watering Southern-style meals to order. In addition to sour, tangy, and crunchy fried green tomato sandwiches and house-made seitan tacos, you can find lip-smacking marinated pulled mushrooms on vegan buns. The holiday catering menu is where MeMe's Twisted Potato exceeds expectations: vegan oxtails, tender crab cakes, turkey with gravy, and luscious purple sweet potato pie to finish. We can't be the only ones suddenly craving Southern comfort food, surely?

Elevated Italian fare has never looked or tasted as good: The fully vegan Watercourse Foods has pillowy brown butter and sage gnocchi, herby and velvety rigatoni with fennel sausage, and crispy arancini with a cheesy, melty interior, to name just a few. There's also an extensive breakfast menu, so if you've ever wanted to try vegan fluffy soufflé pancakes with blueberry compote or chewy pretzels for breakfast, you know where to head. Finish your meal with a cinnamon roll — or, if you're feeling cheeky, pick from a wide selection of alcohols (plus non-alcoholic options).

The small, bright, and airy space at Drop Squad Kitchen is instantly welcoming. A Black-owned, family-owned business in the heart of Wilmington with sustainability and wholesome food at its roots, the menu is full of simple and hearty home cooking. Drop Squad Kitchen is completely soy-free, instead making all its plant-based meats in-house. For the real deal and a taste of soul, choose to sample one of the owner's familial recipes for candied yams, chicken soup with rice, or country-style chili.

Compared to other countries, the U.S. fast food scene is woefully unaccommodating for vegans. Coming to the rescue is Slutty Vegan, a fast food chain of restaurants created by restaurateur Pinky Cole. She started Slutty Vegan in 2018, first opening in Atlanta and then spreading across Georgia and into Alabama and opening in New York City as well. All the fast food classics are available, complete with flirty names. The "Ménage à Trois" is a plant-based burger topped with vegan bacon, shrimp, cheese, and fresh salad, while the "Big Dawg" is a vegan bratwurst complete with a pretzel bun.

It's all about the bread at High Note Cafe in Boise. Freshly baked, soft, and fluffy pita to dip in creamy hummus; gyros with spiced seitan and Greek tzatziki sauce inside the pillowy flatbread; bruschetta with tangy balsamic, diced tomatoes and mild mozzarella; hearty soup with crusty bread. These are just a few substantial options, not to mention every kind of sandwich you could imagine. We suggest trying the Horseradish Cream Melt with crimini mushrooms, steak-style seitan, creamy mozzarella, and fiery horseradish aioli.

This casual and relaxed spot is light and spacious, with extra seating in an exposed courtyard outside. Three Carrots Fountain Square's menu finds a perfect balance between healthy options and fried comfort foods, with indulgences like slathered chili cheese fries and buffalo-sauce-coated seitan atop mac and cheese served alongside wholesome and nutritious salads. We recommend the loaded biscuits and gravy — they're a classic — and the noochy grits with tofu and roasted vegetables.

For all of its upsides, Kansas is not generally seen a vegan-friendly state. While Lotus Leaf Cafe isn't a wholly vegan establishment, not only does the menu feature extensive plant-based options, but the owners place great importance on sustainability and have an immensely earnest approach to dietary needs. You'll find multiple vegan and gluten-free options across appetizers, mains, sides, salads, and burgers. Lotus Leaf Cafe even offers vegan cheese and vegan ranch dressings, so the meals are full of flavor.

The cuisine in New Orleans is legendary; one of the most distinctive culinary areas of the U.S., the combination of Creole, Cajun, and Southern influences merge to make hearty, flavorsome dishes. Vegans don't need to miss out — you can find Sweet Soulfood in the cultural hotspot between Bayou St. John and Tremé / Lafitte. True to its name, staples like okra gumbo, jambalaya, corn chowder, Cajun boil, and bread pudding feature on the restaurant's menu, which changes daily.

Baltimore natives Gregory and Naijha Brown are on a mission: to deliver healthy, revolutionary, tasty, vegan classic soul food to the people of Baltimore. Both are members of the Black Veg Society, a movement created to inspire change and education around ethical food and living in BIPOC communities. This activism within the local neighborhood has earned the couple national recognition, but moreover, The Land of Kush's food is the perfect advertisement for healthy, vegan living. The velvety mac and cheese with smokey barbecue ribs are a top-rated combo.

If there were doubts that vegan food is just as delicious as meat-based dishes, Seva Detroit is there to dispel those uncertainties. An in-demand vegetarian institution since 2011, don't fear that not all of the menu is vegan — the few dishes which aren't vegan by default still have an alternative option to substitute vegan cheese. The entire menu is available for take-out, and Seva's even offers family-sized appetizer platters of its famous General Tso's cauliflower bites, amongst other delicacies.

Indian cuisine is one of the most accommodating for those eating a plant-based diet, and Good Karma Cafe makes the most of that, providing vegetarian and vegan options. For lunch, it offers a set menu full of complex depths of flavor, including vegetable curry, grains, fluffy basmati rice, and a sweet dish. Recipes from owner Maharani's homeland Malaysia, such as stir-fried noodles mie goreng, are available to order, too. As a highly spiritual woman, Maharani believes deeply in the ancient Indian principle of non-violence, Ahimsa, which is at the root of all the food at Good Karma Cafe.

Vegan and gluten-free baking can seem too overwhelming to attempt at home. Instead of experimenting and risking failure, most people go without. Tandem Bakery & Cafe is changing things up by ensuring that people with dietary requirements don't miss out. The bakery offers cakes, cupcakes, cheesecakes, and doughnuts in a dizzying array of flavors that taste just as good (or better) than regular baked goods. It also has a small hot-food menu with soups, sandwiches, and salads. We recommend the coconut bacon BLT, which is the perfect snack for a lunch or study date.

Las Vegas has become a haven for vegan restaurants, with new establishments popping up everywhere. However, VegeNation stands out from the rest thanks to its hip, relaxed vibe and street-food-inspired plates. The restaurant sources its produce, artisan cheese, and drinks from local businesses, community gardens, and school programs. The menu is 100% vegan, with global recipes ranging from Mexican, Italian, American, Japanese, French, and more. On weekends there's often a live DJ, so get grooving.

A comparative newcomer to the scene, Gãia & Loki was founded at the height of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020. The name reflects its business ethos; Gaia is the ancient Greek personification of Mother Earth, while Loki is the god of change. In reflection, the restaurant aims to honor the Earth through healthy, sustainable, and cruelty-free food while promoting positive changes in the community.

The décor is chic, and the menu has elevated classics like maple-smoked beet tartare, mushroom alfredo, and peach cobbler pancakes. Gãia & Loki is a BYOB establishment.

No matter if you're a native New Yorker or a tourist, add Avant Garden in Manhattan to your itinerary. Be warned that due to the up-market ambiance and reputation for breathtaking food, Avant Garden can easily book out. To avoid disappointment, we recommend booking a reservation as soon as it opens, 21 days in advance. The menu is concise but cohesive, and the tapas-style portions are perfect for sharing amongst each other. Try the flavor-laden toasts, which seem to be inspired by Danish smørrebrød.

Unfortunately, North Dakota is one of two states in the U.S. that doesn't have a single fully vegan restaurant. While this presents an exciting opportunity for any budding restaurateurs out there — and we're sure new eateries will pop up soon — in the meantime, anyone seeking vegan food can find plentiful options at Rhombus Guys in Fargo. This pizza parlor may serve meat, but it also caters to vegans. You can order a custom pizza with Daiya vegan cheese, Beyond sausage, and seitan, in addition to a range of sauces, herbs, and vegetables.

Since 2013, The Loaded Bowl has served local customers across Oklahoma City, first from a humble food truck and then from a regular brick-and-mortar location. As the same suggests, it's all about bowls. Expect to find chicken, tofu, and broccoli sesame rice, or tortillas topped with beyond meat, guacamole, cashew queso, beans, and other goodies.

The activism at the heart of veganism and its connection to the local community have driven The Loaded Bowl to donate a percentage of its profits from cookie sales to nonprofit organizations.

Helmed by a husband-and-wife team who choose to celebrate the humble vegetable through exceptional artistry and cooking, Vedge in Philadelphia is a must-visit for foodies. Housed in an elegant and historic brownstone, the atmosphere is instantly warm, inviting, and homely. A cozy fireplace and rutabaga fondue — What more could you want? The menu changes seasonally, although a few classics remain year-round. Out of these, reviewers highlight the spicy dan dan noodles and gooey sticky toffee desserts as favorites.

Treat yourself to homely comfort food cooked with love at The Reizod Vegan Experience, a Black-owned business specializing in vegan, cruelty-free, and soy-free treats. Cooked from scratch and made to order, all meals are presented with flare and taste fresh. While the cheesy, saucy three-layered lasagne is exceedingly tempting, you can't visit The Reizod Vegan Experience without digging into a large portion of velvety mac and cheese with sweet fried plantains. Trust us — you don't want to miss it.

Dark forest-green hues, live houseplants, and wooden accents create an ambiance of natural peace and relaxation in the Nashville-based AVO. AVO isn't just a vegan restaurant; it's also kosher-certified and caters to raw vegans and gluten-free and nut-free dietary requirements. You'll go crazy for the beautifully fresh kimchi spring rolls with Thai peanut sauce (the epitome of Instagrammable) and the raw pad thai made from kelp and zucchini noodles. Save room for dessert; the cashew cheesecakes, fudgy brownies, and chocolate avocado tarts are raw, gluten-free, and devilishly indulgent.

We've all craved breakfast at 3 p.m. at some point in our lives, and thankfully, Vertical Diner in Salt Lake City is there to satisfy those cravings. The diner is classic American in all ways but one: It's 100% plant-based. Breakfast is available all day and includes tantalizingly unctuous hash brown stacks, fluffy tofu scramble, and creamy guacamole with fried peppers and onions. Tuck into biscuits and gravy, breakfast burritos, "dude cakes," pancakes, pizza, and much more. Don't leave without indulging in a classic banana split.

Ipanema Cafe has been around since 1998, making it a revolutionary forerunner in the vegetarian scene of Richmond, Virginia. The quaint little building with white-brick walls is a typical pub inside, and it doesn't disappoint with a wide range of beer, wine, and cocktails. All the food at Ipanema Cafe is vegan unless otherwise noted, although the restaurant is happy to adjust vegetarian options to make them vegan. In particular, the BBQ jackfruit wraps with avocado crema have got Google reviewers raving.

We've found possibly the cutest eatery you'll ever encounter. Housed in a beautiful building full of character, Kelley's Farm Kitchen is welcoming and intimate. There are picnic tables on the lawn outside that are perfect for picnics on sunny summer afternoons and an Appalachian Trail hiker shop for enthusiastic backpackers. The menu has a few pleasant surprises: Try the Banh Mi with soy protein, Korean BBQ sauce, fresh veggies, slaw, and spicy mayo. Likewise, the house-made ramen bowls with cubed tofu have an intense umami hit.

When the Sweet Melissa Cafe opened its doors in 1999, there weren't any vegetarian restaurants in Wyoming. It didn't take long for the quaint eatery to establish itself as a community favorite in downtown Laramie. Since then, despite multiple newcomers to the scene, Sweet Melissa remains a top-rated restaurant in Laramie (via TripAdvisor). The menu, designed as "comfort food for the homesick vegetarian," has vegan staples like black bean burgers, tender dolmas, and three-bean chili.