Philly's Must-Try Vegetarian & Vegan Restaurants

Pizza is the universal love language. Who doesn’t love a warm slice of dough topped with slightly sweet tomato sauce, ooey-gooey cheese and their favorite toppings? The pies at the 100% vegan pizzeria 20th Street Pizza are magical — naturally leavened, thin crust-ed creations loaded with fresh and locally sourced ingredients, sans the pesky animal products. The pizza parlor’s offerings include your classic pepperoni and white, plus specialty pies — like the Balboa with crushed meatballs and pistachio pesto — and calzones.

The first fully vegan stand at Philadelphia’s iconic Reading Terminal Market, LUHV is a family-owned, 100% plant-based, gluten-free and certified kosher eatery with multiple locations in the area. The deli’s meatless menu is packed with all the fixings of your typical sandwich shop — hoagies, overstuffed hot sandwiches, soups, salads and deli meats by the slice — as well as a variety of healthy fresh, frozen and microwavable meals that cater to health-conscious diners. Menus vary by location, so be sure to check the website in advance.

If year-round Halloween is your aesthetic, then Monster Vegan is the place to be. Dishing out comfort foods and creepy cocktails, this vegan monster mash complements its spooky decor with a neon-lit bar and classic black-and-white horror movies on-screen. The film-inspired menu features starters, sandwiches, salads and pasta, while the killer drink selection includes brews, wines, classic and alcohol-free cocktails, and specialty drinks like the “Tomb of the Tiki” bevvies, which swap the tropical for the macabre and are served in large skulls.

A pioneer in the city’s vegan scene, The Nile Café is a beloved staple in the local plant-based food community. This Germantown counter-service spot specializes in vegan and gluten-free American soul food and Caribbean comfort dishes, including stew fish made with soy proteins and vegan jerk chick’n. Come for the laid-back, casual atmosphere, stay for the wide variety of flavorful, plant-based eats, including customizable platters, salads, sandwiches, desserts and fresh juices.

Plants are placed on a pedestal at Pietramala. Chef Ian Graye’s imaginative and ever-changing menu of salads, small plates, entrees and desserts doesn’t try to be anything it isn’t, allowing the natural flavors of the fresh produce and the chef’s culinary creativity to shine. Today, the menu boasts fluffy sourdough focaccia, tasty cremini carpaccio and delicious cranberry cake. Next season? The sky’s the limit. Sharing of the tapas-style dishes is encouraged in the cozy, candle-lit, greenhouse-like dining room.

Named for its “pure sweets,” P.S. & Co. offers a full menu of coffee, teas and other cafe items — all of which are vegan, gluten-free and organic. Coconut yogurt, kale salad with house-made dressing and maitake fettuccini alfredo entice even meat eaters. Planning an event? The rustic-chic Rittenhouse Square cafe and bakery also offers 100% egg-free and dairy-free custom-made cakes (including wedding cakes!) for order.

The Tasty satisfies our longings for old-school nostalgia with a menu of diner-inspired vegan fare in retro digs. Patrons occupy seats at the counter for morning coffee and pastries (donuts!) or settle into booths for quick-serve dishes such as waffles or biscuits and gravy. Bonus: Right next door, neighborhood pub Triangle Tavern also boasts a stellar selection of plant-based bar food and Italian fare.

The granddaddy of all local vegan establishments, this elegant townhouse restaurant elevates meatless cuisine to unparalleled elegance. Vedge purposely eschews reliance on meat substitutes, putting vegetables front and center. Its constantly changing menu of seasonal ingredients features mostly “medium plates” (somewhere between tapas and entrees) for dinner and happy hour snacks at the bar, alongside excellent cocktails and genius dairy-free desserts. The restaurant was founded by the husband/wife team of six-time James Beard Award nominee for Best Chef: Mid-Atlantic Richard Landau and Kate Jacoby, herself a three-time semifinalist as Outstanding Pastry Chef and with her own Best Chef nod as well.

Nicole Marquis’ dining empire proves how diverse and delicious plant-based eating can be. Craving fast food? HipCityVeg delivers 100% plant-based salads and sandwiches — like the Ziggy burger with smoked tempeh and the Crispy HipCity Ranch, a take on fried chicken. Charlie was a sinner., a sexy cocktail lounge in Midtown Village, provides elevated vibes with small plates, like zucchini crab cake sliders, and specialty cocktails (including a variety of non-alcoholic options). Bar Bombón serves Latin-inspired flavors — think sweet plátanos, tacos and margaritas — from its classy and casual corner spot in Rittenhouse Square.

Chef Alice Leung’s Northern Liberties coffee shop is a plant-based celebration of the body, mind and planet. The menu at Joy Cafe is equal parts nutritious, delicious and conscientious, featuring morning staples like omelets, waffles, and a whole host of “bagelwiches” and toasts — with gluten-free options available, too. For lunch and dinner, dig into a delightful variety of savory dishes, including soups, salads and wraps. And, of course, no cafe is complete without a robust selection of coffees and teas, plus smoothies and fresh-pressed juices.

True to its name, this Fishtown cafe takes a holistic approach to health, nourishing visitors from the inside out. Nourish offers a diverse menu of vegan comfort food, fresh-pressed juices and fruit smoothies, along with naturopathic remedies like sea moss and homeopathic oils. Settle into the lush, greenery-filled dining room and take your pick from a wide-ranging menu, featuring everything from plant-based Philly cheesesteaks to vegan pizza and tacos to plant-based fried crab legs and scallops.

Located just a stone’s throw away from the Benjamin Franklin Parkway, vegetarian restaurant Unit Su Vege showcases Chinese takeout classics, dim sum, soups, noodles and more. Available to enjoy in the restaurant’s comfy dining room or to go, the menu is extensive with meatless and kosher variations of familiar favorites like General Tso’s Seitan or Chow Mei Fun appearing alongside signature dishes like Gold & Jade Roast (a roast soybean and spinach dish). Spice levels are adjustable to your preference, and in addition to the vegetarian bites, there are plenty of vegan and gluten-free options, as well.

This fast-casual joint whips up health-conscious meals using fresh, plant-based ingredients, expertly crafting vegan salads, sandwiches and burgers that don’t sacrifice any flavor. Owned by Lamarr Ingram, the restaurant’s mission is to serve up meals that help move customers toward optimal health, wellness and fitness. For added range, Vegan-ish also offers pescatarian dishes like the Bangin’ Blackened Salmon Burrito (kale, shaved radish, fried capers and chickpeas with Caesar dressing in a flour tortilla), helping put the “ish” in its moniker.

We couldn’t let you walk away with your sweet tooth un-indulged. Among the city’s many plant-based dessert options are 100% vegan donuts (including both tried-and-true staples like vanilla and Boston cream and rotating specialty flavors like Ferrero Rocher) from Dottie’s Donuts; vegan, small-batch gelato from Float Dreamery; and handmade cookies, cakes, pies and more from Crust Vegan Bakery in Manayunk.

Clearly, our love for Philly’s vegan and vegetarian food scene runs deep. But you don’t have to just take our word for it. Eunice Reyes — better known as Rated V for Vegan on YouTube — travels the world, showing us how she lives her fullest, most delicious life while embracing a vegan lifestyle. Recently, the plant-based foodie’s journeys brought her to the City of Brotherly Love, and she spent 72 hours checking out must-see Philly attractions, like the Philadelphia Museum of Art and the Liberty Bell, and tasting her way through a whopping 11 (!) veggie-forward eateries, including LUHV Deli and Bar Bombón. Find out where she went and what she loved in her video recap.