What some started as a fad or an experiment, others have embraced as a lifestyle and a promise. When considering the word vegan, most assume that the only driving force for embracing this way of life is protecting animals. While this is at the core of a plant-based diet, it goes beyond this singular reason. A vegan diet is rich in fruits, vegetables and grains, foods that help promote a healthy lifestyle. Whether you're a vegan, vegetarian, or omnivore, you can find delicious, satisfying meals at any of the black-owned vegan restaurants on this list.
NEW YORK
seasoned vegan(@sazonadovegan)
For those living in or passing through the Big Apple, Seasoned Vegan is a popular stop for plant-based snacks. Under the direction of Brenda 'Chef B' Beener, you can travel downtown to her flagship store in Harlem for popular menu items like "Baked Macaroni and 'Cheese'", "Barbecue 'Crayfish'" and the "Po 'Boy Sandwich'. .”
https://www.sazonadovegan.com/
urban vegan cuisine(@urbanvegankitchen)
Who says vegan food can't be soulful and comforting? Founded in 2016 by Pamela Elizabeth, Urban Vegan Kitchen can be found in the heart of Greenwich Village. With dishes to satisfy both traditional and non-traditional vegans, their menu covers all meals of the day. From Belgian waffles for breakfast, quesadillas for lunch, and lasagna for dinner, you'll be left satisfied and satisfied.
https://urbanvegankitchen.com/
Natural Blend vegan coffee and juice bar(@naturalblendvegancafe)
You can take a train to Bed-Stuy to try vegan dishes at the Natural Blend Vegan Cafe & Juice Bar. Not to be confused with Natural Blend off Prospect Park, the Malcolm X Blvd location offers popular dishes and shakes like their 'Vegan Waffles' .quinoa'or 'Kale Smoothie' made with kale, banana, pineapple and spinach .
TRI room and dining room
Owned by Javonte Thompson, TRI Lounge & Café is a Staten Island-based restaurant offering a food and music experience to its patrons. A home for local musicians trying to gain exposure, the restaurant focuses on offering plant-based comfort food that includes both classic and new dishes such as pancakes or cornbread with chili and quinoa.
a living kitchen
For those looking not only for vegan but also organic food, we'll travel to the Laurelton neighborhood of Queens. While the brunch menu is reserved for pancakes, grits and the like, the daily menu offers Avocado BLT and Broccoli Alfredo Wraps. And for those of you currently taking juice cleanses, your growing list of options includes the 'Glowing Detox', a combination of turmeric, ginger, carrot, apple, lemon and parsley.
https://a-live-kitchen.business.site/
THE ANGELS
Vegan Compton(@comptonvegan)
Located in Los Angeles on Santa Monica Blvd., Compton Vegan offers "affordable, healthy alternatives to everyday eating." With cashew-based cheese at the center of many of their dishes, the menu features their version of Buffalo Mac 'N Cheese, Grilled Cheese and more. And if you miss the flavor of classic comfort foods, you can still find it in their baked beans, collard greens and potato salad, all served as sides.
things I eat(@stuffieat_inglewood)
While it may not be in Los Angeles, we will be staying in Los Angeles County with Stuff I Eat. Opened in July 2008, Inglewood Restaurant is on a mission to bring quality food to its community. Vowing never to serve animal products, its menu is described as aimed at the consumer transitioning from an animal-based to a plant-based diet. Some might be drawn in by their quesadillas, tacos, or burritos, but if soul food is your thing, you'll be checking out the "organic soul food platter" that serves yams, black-eyed peas, cornbread, potato salad, and more.
The V Tree of Hollywood(@thevtreehollywood)
Chef Velvet is the brains behind Hollywood restaurant The VTree. A delicious mix of soul food classics in a vegan form, you'll find all your favorite Southern recipes. While Chef Velvet's unique approach to food makes this restaurant well worth a visit, it's their menu that keeps customers coming back for more. With the daily changing menu, you can always expect something new every visit.
https://www.thevtreehollywood.com/
Lifestyle in Trinidad and Tobago(@tandtlifestyle)
While many restaurants create vegan dishes from Southern classics, T&T Lifestyle is bringing Ethiopian cuisine to Los Angeles. Plant-based dishes may be the heart of the menu, but the restaurant also makes a point of offering its customers “superfoods and super flavors”. With their 'Superfood Combo' a popular item on the menu, diners can enjoy red lentil and kale salad with a side of injera teff.
https://www.tandtlifestylelosangeles.com/
jackfruit coffee(@jackfruitcafe)
If you've never heard of jackfruit, it won't be long before you want to try it. Often described as a flavor combination of mango, pineapple and banana, it's the heart of the Jackfruit Cafe's menu. Most might think that sweet would only work well in a dessert, but the coffee shop is mixing sweet with savory in its jackfruit bowls that combine fruit with vegan macaroni and cheese, grilled banana and cornbread.
https://jackfruitcafe.com/welcome-1
HOUSTON
Soul Food Vegano(@soulfoodvegan)
Chef Taliek brought his passion for healthy, clean eating to life when he teamed up with Chad Cossey in April 2015 to create Soul Food Vegan. Bringing the Cajun flavors of Louisiana cuisine to its Texas diners, its menu features kale salads, slush pasta and meatless burgers as options.
Vegan Green Seed(@greenseedvegan)
Located a dozen blocks from Hermann Park, you'll find Green Seed Vegan on Almeda Rd. Owners Matti Merrell and Rodney Perry started their restaurant as a food truck before it could be converted into a brick-and-mortar store. Whether you're trying the peanut butter and banana or jackfruit and barbecue flavor combinations, you'll realize how popular this restaurant has become.
https://www.greenseedvegan./com
ATLANTA
Go Vegan Grill(@govegangrill)
The South may be known for its soul food and deep-fried meat dishes, but Go Vegan Grill is bringing 100% plant-based food to greater Atlanta. Located in Decatur, their menu will make your mouth water with breakfast and main menu options. Don't be fooled by the names. Their shrimp and hominy, oxtail and jerk chicken dishes are meat-free and vegan.
bistro life(@lifebistroatl)
Some may question whether vegan food can really be satisfying, and Life Bistro sets out to prove that it can be that and more. With dishes to help Atlanta's carnivores transition to a plant-based diet, their goal is to introduce them to delicious options. From the 'Bob Marley Wrap' with Mango Jackfruit Sauce to the 'Oyster Mushroom Po'Boy', there are options for every type of eater.
plant-based pizzeria(@plantbasedpizzeria)
At Plant-Based Pizzeria in Atlanta, pizza toppings go beyond pepperoni, sausage, and the like. What this restaurant lacks in meat, they make up for in a colorful, eclectic, and delicious array of fruits and vegetables. While some may be familiar with a Hawaiian-style pizza that includes pineapples, others may be drawn to the 'Georgia Peach' pizza, topped with jalapenos, red onions, peaches and more.
https://www.plantbasedpizzeria.net/
vegetarian soul
The way veganism grew in the 2010s, most saw it as a fad or trend. Soul Vegetarian in Atlanta was focused on bringing plant-based food to the city of Atlanta before it became all the rage. Opened in 1979, the restaurant now has two locations where you can sample popular Southern dishes or try the bone-in kale, a unique high-protein recipe infused with a variety of ingredients.
The raw reality of Tassili(@tassilisraw)
Founder and owner, Tassili Ma'at, started out making the best kale before her dream came true in the form of Tassili's Raw Reality in Atlanta. Describing themselves as the raw vegan cafe in town, they offer several options with flavors from around the world. Be it 'Pad Thai Noodles', 'Moroccan Couscous' or 'So Much Better Than Ok-Ra', everyone can find something they like from their extensive menu.
https://www.tassilisrawreality.com/
CHICAGO
Majani's soulful vegan cuisine(@majanivegancuisine)
For those looking for healthy food in Chicagoland, they can be found at Majani Restaurant. Swahili for "green", the vegan restaurant focuses on healthy plant-based options. Open since 2010, diners have the option of snacking on 'BBQ Cauliflower Tacos' or sitting down to a 'Black Eye Pea Burger'.
I can't believe it's not meat
Owned by Rico Nance, Can't Believe It's Not Meat is a vegan coffee shop that opened in Chicago's Hyde Park section in early 2019. While its small interior allows for most takeout options, you can still enjoy your 'Chicago St. Hot Dog' or 'Philly Cheese Steak Egg Rolls' from anywhere in town.
https://cantbelieveitsnotmeat.business.site/
Vegetarian Original Soul(@souveg)
While its name might be confusing for those who need a clear distinction between vegan and vegetarian, Chicago's Original Soul Vegetarian is 100% plant-based and animal-free. Open for over 25 years, its mission is to serve its customers healthy food without sacrificing flavor.
https://www.originalsoulvegetarian.com/
Conscious Dishes(@conscienteplates)
Conscious Plates in Chicago goes beyond veganism and raises the bar to "alkaline". This relatively new term means that your cuisine is not only vegan, but also soy, wheat and starch free. Founded as a catering and pop-up restaurant in 2018, its physical location is now near Washington Park. You can choose to try the chicken and waffles recipe or enjoy the pizza menu on Saturdays only.
https://www.conscienteplates.com/
the vegan cult(@theculturedvegan)
Owned by chef Rain Truth, The Cultured Vegan brings healthy and delicious vegan food to Chicago. The chef brought the restaurant to life after losing her father to brain cancer. A vegan for over 30 years, she frequents The Vegan Paradise Market at The Plant, where she offers a variety of meatless dishes such as "'Beef' and Broccoli" and "Sweet & Sour Chik'n".
https://the-cultured-vegan.square.site/
For those not in the New York, Los Angeles, Houston, Atlanta, or Chicago areas, there are countless options across the country. Here are a few more black-owned vegan restaurants in other major cities:
Judahlicious(San Francisco, California)
souley vegano(Oakland, California)
of known(Miami, Florida)
i eat vegan(New Orleans, LA)
Oasis Vegan Vegetable Lounge(Boston, MA)
The greenest kitchen(Baltimore, MD)
Detroit Vegan Soul(Detroit, MI)
plant based trio(Minneapolis, Minnesota)
sweet art(San Luis, MO)
Blueberry Cafe juice bar and vegan grill(Newark, New Jersey)
just pure(The Vegas, Nevada)
two vegan sisters(Memphis, Tennessee)
vegetarian cafe(Nashville, Tennessee)
Bam's Vegan(Dallas, Texas)
bistro plum(Seattle, WA)
now vegan cafe(Washington DC.)
The list doesn't end here! There are dozens of black-owned vegan restaurants across the country. To find a local restaurant, use theBlack Wall Street official appas a resource. New businesses are added every day and you never know when a new restaurant will pop up in your neighborhood.