20 Must-Visit Vegan Restaurants In New England

If you're spending a lot of time traveling, you know how difficult it can be to find a restaurant that is accommodating of dietary restrictions. But, with a bit of legwork, you might find yourself mapping our your roadtrip with tiny Xs with the location of diners, roadside stops, and hole-in-the-wall restaurants where you can eat with confidence. 

If you're planning a vegan food cruise through New England, there are a select number of places that are worth going out-of-the-way for. Many of these eateries offer options that will not only please the carnivores in your life but also folks who opt for a gluten-free plate. And if you're looking for more restaurants to fill your travel itinerary, we recommend the Happy Cow app. Not only will you find a community of plant-based eaters, but you will be able to narrow down options for vegan-only, vegetarian, and veg-option restaurants across the world.

When you think of Guy Fieri's choices for restaurants on his hit television show "Diners, Drive-Ins, and Dives," you probably don't think of a vegan restaurant at the top of your list. But, on his trip to the quaint city of Burlington, Vermont, Guy visited Pingala Cafe — and it seems to have stuck in his memory bank. Pingala is known for its diverse menu of vegan comfort food including french toast puffs, breakfast "sammies," and the famous Crunchwrap Supreme. This wrap is a plant-based version of Taco Bell's Crunchwrap: It contains a warm layer of vegan chili, brown rice, cashew queso, n'avocato (made with chickpeas), tomato, pickled jalapeños, and a tostata — all wrapped in a pressed tortilla.

The restaurant recently opened its second location in Burlington and has expanded to catering as well. Homey flavors and a tasty spin on many diner classics make Pingala a must-visit if you're in the Burlington area.

True Bistro is known for its elegant, plant-based offerings that pack a powerful flavor punch. The restaurant serves brunch and dinner in Somerville, Massachusetts, with options ranging from a signature fried tofu and buttermilk waffles to a fire roasted pepper ravioli with corn. You'll also find creative vegan twists on old favorites like a tofu Benedict on a house made biscuit with seared tofu, garlic spinach, and saffron béarnaise sauce. You can also find an extensive array of dessert options including a peach cheesecake with an almond-date crust.

Not only does True Bistro offer contemporary fine-dining, but the restaurant also has a deep commitment to sourcing from local purveyors like the Rhode Island Mushroom Company and South River Miso. The restaurant also displays local artists, thanks to the curation of co-owner Linda Harrison.

Plant City is the perfect restaurant to visit when you're looking for the widest variety of food options possible. The food hall is located in the urban center of Providence, Rhode Island, and offers vegan food from over five different "restaurants," as well as a marketplace, coffee bar, and bakery. We absolutely love the "everything fries" at New Burger; these delicious taters are coated in a cashew cheddar, miso mayo, and secret sauce, then topped with shiitake bacon, caramelized onions, pickled peppers, and scallions. Double Zero, the pizza restaurant, offers numerous vegan pizza options including the Bianca, made with macadamia ricotta, cashew mozzarella, parmesan, rice mozzarella, pepperoncini, rapini, and a plant yolk. It's inventive, modern, and to-die-for.

If you are on the Rhode Island shoreline, you can also check out Plant City X in Middletown. This 100% vegan fast-food restaurant includes many of the same flavors as the Providence location — just with the addition of rotating milkshake flavors.

Three Girls Vegan Creamery is one of the most acclaimed vegan cheese purveyors in the nation — and it's located right on the Connecticut shoreline! Three Girls makes all of its cheeses from nuts, and the line-up includes marinated cillegini mozzerella pearls, havarti dill cheese, and pepper jack. Many of the cheeses are available for purchase in-store in addition to on-site bakery hot food options. Our personal favorite is the Bellisimo made with a fried seitan cutlet, vegan mozzarella, fire-roasted red pepper pesto, and served on a fried dough. Three Girls' second location, in downtown Guilford, Connecticut, offers an array of colorful grain bowls as well as oat-milk, soft serve ice cream cones.

Don't plan on visiting Connecticut anytime soon? You can order Three Girls vegan products on the website and re-heat at home. In addition to the cheeses, you can order a selection of plant-based meats, such as pepperoni, pastrami, and savory coconut bacon.

Fresh House is crafting innovative flavors in the seafaring town of Portsmouth, New Hampshire. You'll find familiar flavors like classic avocado toast along with some more unique plant-based dishes like goji brussels sprouts with spinach house kimchi, avocado, coconut bacon, and golden berries finished with hempseed ranch dressing and goji chipotle. We also love the use of jackfruit for "carnitas" and for a barbecue plate. For the lover of Italian food, Fresh House includes plant-based pizzas on its menu, most of which include house-made cashew mozzarella for an easy vegan swap. Although the menu is not entirely plant-based (you can add on Alaskan salmon or organic chicken to most dishes), there are still plenty of options on the menu to satisfy virtually any palate.

Chef Carmen Foy has a deep passion for animal welfare and activism; it's what inspired her to open a plant-based restaurant in Middletown, Rhode Island, called Sprout and Lentil. The menu at this cafe contains a variety of vegan lunch fare including burgers, sandwiches, wraps, soups, and bakery favorites. We recommend the "nacho average salad" served with a black bean patty, pico de gallo, avocado, and tortilla chips over fresh greens. It's the perfect power up for a hot summer day!

If you're feeling like a burger, Sprout and Lentil has you covered. You'll find a delicious curry cauliflower and chickpea burger on the menu with Indian spices. The restaurant's desserts include a seasonal house-made vegan "pop-tart," and some of the fun flavors of these pastries include apple cinnamon and blueberry.

If you're looking for a colorful lunch place close to Yale University, look no further than Pataka in New Haven. The restaurant prides themselves in offering flavorful, bright, and plant-focused Indian food. The interior of this restaurant definitely reflects youthful creativity — as does the menu. You'll find hearty portions of aloo samosas made with garam masala-seasoned potatoes and served with ginger tamarind and cilantro coconut chutney. We also recommend the dosas (Indian crepes) with your choice of masala potato, paneer (vegetarian), or vegetarian spinach filling. 

Our favorite option at Pataka is anything involving the jackfruit "meatballs." These vegan protein balls are filled with a ton of seasonings and fresh vegetables — you won't even be able to tell the meatballs are made with the humble jackfruit. For dessert, don't forget to try the vegan rice pudding!

After visiting the Providence Place Mall or the Roger Williams Park Zoo, you're probably craving a sweet treat. Luckily, Providence, Rhode Island, is home to one of the first vegan soft-serve food trucks: Like No Udder! Besides an oat-and-soy based soft serve in vanilla, chocolate, or twist flavors, you can purchase pints of the vegan hard ice cream at the storefront window on Ives Street. The shop typically offers between eight and 14 flavors at any time, ranging from hazelnut cherry to peanut butter chocolate chip.

The store also offers milkshakes and unicorns (soft serve blended with your choice of toppings) as well as a rotating selection of vegan treats and baked goods. We would recommend trying an ice cream cookie sandwich, too, since you can customize your sandwich with your favorite flavor in the middle.

Red White Ramen, located on Newberry Street in Boston, offers plant-based ramen dishes with a powerful flavor punch. Choose from six flavors, including the "Masterpiece" with light spice and sesame undertones, and the "King & Queen" with a special truffle salt flavor. You can customize your perfect bowl with extra soy protein, arugula, broccoli, or noodles. If you're into something cold, you can order the chilled ramen "Zen" made with soy sauce and yuzu flavor.

While you're ordering your ramen, don't forget to get some appetizers for the table like miso macaroni and cheese or a roasted miso avocado. This restaurant is the perfect choice to take both meat-eaters and plant-forward food enthusiasts looking to try new flavors. You may not even remember that these ramen bowls are entirely plant-based.

Ion Restaurant is the go-to plant-based restaurant for many students at neighboring Wesleyan University, as well as plant-based food gurus in Connecticut. The menu is entirely vegan and many of the options can be modified to be nut, soy, or gluten-free. Ion's food is inventive, to say the least. We love the cashew parmesan sandwich made with a chickpea cutlet, basil pesto aioli, cashew parmesan, and a plant-based mozzarella baked on a house wheat roll. You might also opt for a filling cecina burrito stuffed with marinated seitan and a cashew crema.

On weekends, you can sample Ion's equally impressive brunch menu with vegan pancakes, a customizable breakfast bowl, and vegetable Benedict made with soy egg. The only thing you may struggle with is founding a table.

Green Elephant offers 100% vegetarian Asian-inspired dishes — many of which can be made vegan without eggs. The food is naturally vegetable focused, so you will find that many menu options feature vegetables at the center of the plate. The Char Guay Teow is a Malaysian stir-fried rice made with bean sprouts, scallions, red chili paste, tofu, and soy ham. Not only is the dish colorful, but it features a range of complex flavors and textures. You'll also find curries including tofu tikka masala, panang vegetable curry made with tempeh, and green curry with tofu. If you're feeling like a light (yet filling) option, you can order brussels sprouts with a tamari glaze — but there's likely nothing on the menu that you won't like. Any of dishes are guaranteed to warm you up on a cold Maine day.

Inside the Toadstool Bookshop in Keene, New Hampshire, you'll find The Farm Cafe, a crunchy spot with a ton of great eats. The cafe features a variety of plant-forward lunch options including sandwiches, soups, and bowls. You'll find a TLT (tempeh-lettuce-tomato) sandwich on sourdough with plant-based mayo and a "Burger on the Buff," a gluten-free, house-made vegan patty with buffalo cauliflower, cashew ranch, and organic mixed greens that are served on a baguette. These options won't make you miss ground beef or dairy, especially not when you get to enjoy the various savory sauces that The Farm Cafe offers on its menu.

The cafe also offers plant-based smoothies and beverages from local purveyors. Snuggle up with a good book from the on-site bookstore and a cappuccino with oat milk to take in everything that this cafe offers.

Nourish is a whole foods, plant-based cafe in upstate Vermont. Although the shop only opened in 2020, it has made a big impact on the vegan community in the region. The cafe offers both eat-in and take-out options, as well as wholesale products.

While there are always a ton of good options to choose at Nourish, we do have our favorites: You'll find a plate of vegan poutine made with air-fried french fries, vegan mushroom gravy, and a blend of made-in-house cheeses. If you're feeling like a to-go sandwich for your adventures hiking in upstate Vermont, try the "Classic Roast Beefy" made with deli-style vegan slices, house-made horseradish sauce, special sauce, and veggies on a roll. You can also pick up a pack of vegan wings and a to-go vegan tiramisu.

If you're traveling between Boston and New York City, you'll want to add a pit stop on your list: The Stand Vegan Cafe in Fairfield, Connecticut. The Stand Vegan Cafe is a fully plant-based restaurant serving breakfast, lunch, and dinner. You'll find a ton of fresh options on the menu from various cuisines and cooking styles including chicken fried tofu served with collard greens, roasted potatoes, and a garlic-ginger sauce. You'll also find a seitan bagel breakfast sandwich made with maple-mustard-glazed seitan, grilled tofu, chive cashew schmear, and tarragon mayo.

In addition to rotating items in the bakery section — like cookies, cupcakes, and bars — you can also order our favorite vegan caramel cheesecake in a pecan-oat crust, with caramel and poached Bosc pear. The dishes at The Stand Vegan Cafe are both delicious and innovative.

Bayberry Vegan Cafe in Woburn, MA offers vegan dishes inspired by the flavors of Malaysia, Japan, China, and Taiwan. You'll find everything on the menu from sushi to vegan bowls and plates. Our favorite options at the cafe include Pad See Ew with stir-fried flat noodles and Chinese broccoli in a dark soy sauce marinade with your choice of seitan, tofu, or soy protein.

When it comes to takeout options, Bayberry holds the key to variety. If you want spice, you can opt for a stir-fried kimchi odon with kimchi, cucumber, and homemade soy protein. Or, go light with a mango spring wrap with fresh herbs or a crispy vegetable with tofu skin wrap. You have option to customize your plate based on your favorite proteins and your favorite classic Asian takeout flavors.

Western Massachusetts is a great place to visit, and a visit to the area wouldn't be complete without a stop at the Pulse Cafe in Hadley. Owner and general manager Evita Wilbur is all about infusing a love of plant-based food into the selections available at the eatery. The cafe is open weekdays for lunch and dinner as well as brunch on Sundays.

Pulse Cafe is serving up everything from plant-based pizzas with sourdough crust and customizable burgers with all of your vegan favorites. We recommend trying the chimichurri burger with vegan cheese, caramelized red onion, fresh burger veggies, and a delicious plant-based chimichurri aioli. On Sundays, you'll find a delicious selection of chik'n and waffles, spelt-blend blueberry pancakes, and tofu scramble breakfast plates complete with sourdough toast, sautéed kale, and a breakfast patty.

The Green Beautiful is a vegan cafe located in the heart of bustling Manchester, New Hampshire. We are in love with The Green Beautiful's vegan bagels and schmears including flavors like chive, strawberry, and maple-bacon, as well as the cafe's vegan hash in flavors like BBQ mushroom, truffle, and sweet beet. If you're feeling up to more lunch-like food, you can try "The Void," a sandwich made from a fried seitan chik'n patty, sweet pickles, red onion, greens, and vegan garlic aioli, served on a house-made chia seed bun. We always appreciate vegan restaurants redefining vegan food — especially those looking to offer more vegan-friendly breakfast options.

Curbside Comforts started as a food truck but has since settled into a brick-and-mortar location in Gorham, Maine. This vegan restaurant is veteran-owned and serves up a ton of American classic dishes with a vegan spin. You'll find buffalo chik'n mac-and-cheese, a comfort burger with an optional vegan "bakon" add-on, and crispy chick'n wraps.

While you might classify many of the options on the menu at Curbside Comforts "junk food," we would argue that it's junk food you can feel good about eating. And if you happen to stop in at the restaurant on the first Saturday of the month, you might get lucky and find yourself engorged in a vegan Lovebirds Donut. Our favorite is the apple bourbon twist with twisted vegan brioche and an apple-bourbon glaze.

Col's Kitchen in Concord, New Hampshire, offers a fresh take on vegan comfort food. The entire menu is vegan, and the staff at Col's is dedicated to sourcing from local purveyors. You'll find seitan nuggets served with your choice of buffalo, spicy, or maple-sesame dipping sauce. You'll also find a wide representation of cuisines including chana masala, an Indian spicy chickpea soup with a creamy sauce, and "strong-enough stroganoff" made with seitan, broccoli, mushroom, farfalle pasta, and pea tendrils in a cream sauce.

If you're still looking for dessert, Col's has you covered on that, too. The menu features macarons in flavors like pumpkin spice, strawberries and cream, matcha cashew cream, and caramel apple. You can also get a slice of chocolate cream pie or seasonal rotating fruit pie flavors.

Connecticut vegans will unconditionally recommend Arles and Bogg's Vegan Eatery in Wallingford — if you ask. This local institution is filled with a delicious global vegan menu with options like mushroom gyos, West Indian curry stew with tofu served with sweet plantains, and a Thai mung bean stir fry with veggies and maple sriracha tofu. If you're feeling a bit less adventurous, we would also recommend trying Arles and Boggs' gluten-free roasted potato skins with root vegetable queso, rice paper bacon, scallions, and a drizzle of vegan tofu garlic sour cream. We also recommend the homemade chili served with vegan garlic sour cream, chips, and a side of fresh pico de gallo. The flavors at Arles and Bogg's are totally out of this world and worth the trip.