Get Inspired by These Vegetarian Concepts
Vegetarian diets aren't a new concept, and restaurant trend prediction lists have included menu items such as "plant-based protein" and "vegetable-centric dishes" for years. Between rising social and ecological awareness of the meat industry's negative effects – which has more people reconsidering their environmental impact – and health concerns about heart disease, blood pressure, and other issues, more people are choosing to cut meat out of their diets. Naturally, this means vegetarian concepts haven't just become more accessible – they're downright trendy.
Whether you're a chef wondering how to elevate your own produce-based offerings or a culinary enthusiast looking for exciting new menu items to try, these vegetarian restaurants are sure to inspire you (and your taste buds).
5 Vegetarian Restaurants to Try in 2020
The Butcher's Daughter
Founded by Heather Tierney, The Butcher's Daughter has 100 percent vegetarian cuisine, with plenty of gluten-free and vegan options as well. The menu changes from season to season since Tierney and her team are dedicated to purchasing local and organic produce. While their staple dish is Smashed Avocado Toast, you can find various vegetarian menu items from morning to evening, including desserts and cocktails.
Where: Venice, California; New York, New York; and Brooklyn, New York
Unique Menu Items: Angel Hair Carbonara, which pairs shredded spaghetti squash noodles, cashew ricotta, wilted arugula, cherry tomatoes, adzuki bacon, cracked black pepper, and breadcrumbs; and House Buttermilk Pancakes (made of housemade buckwheat coconut granola), which are topped with a blackberry-coconut crème anglaise and orange blossom syrup.
Honeybee's
Nestled in the Lower East Side of Manhattan, Wild West-inspired Honeybee's specializes in vegetarian and vegan barbecue as well as bourbon and rye. Owner Ravi DeRossi takes American comfort food and puts a Mexican twist on it with the help of Executive Chef Amira Gharib. One of their most popular entrées is the Burnt Ends, which is seitan protein that has been smoked for five hours using applewood and hickory wood and then slathered in Kansas City-style barbecue sauce.
Where: New York, New York
Unique Menu Items: Corn "Ribs" that include summer corn, habanero relish, sour cream, macadamia nut cheese, and pimento; and Pulled "Pork," which is made of smoked soy curls and mushrooms on housemade buns with coleslaw.
Note: Honeybee's closed permanently in 2020 during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Frankie & Jo's
In 2016, Autumn Martin and Kari Brunson founded vegan ice cream parlor Frankie & Jo's. They have plant-based ice creams and sorbets made with local, seasonal fruits and veggies, most of which are organic or grown following organic practices. Martin and Brunson strive to create a pure product by keeping the ingredient lists short and natural, leaving out stabilizers and processed items, and using alternative sugars such as maple and dates. For hardcore ice cream lovers, Frankie & Jo's has a 2-, 4-, and 6-month subscription box – known as the Pint Club – that's delivered to your door on the first Wednesday of each month. With each box, you receive three seasonal flavors and one year-round flavor.
Where: Seattle, Washington
Unique Menu Items: Beet Strawberry Rose sorbet, which consists of fresh organic beet juice, fresh organic apple juice, strawberries, rose water, fresh lemon juice, and salt; and Salty Caramel Ash ice cream, made of cashew milk, organic coconut milk, organic cane sugar, coconut oil, vanilla extract, activated charcoal, and sea salt.
Sanctuary Vegan Cafe
Leslie Naylor founded Sanctuary Vegan Cafe> in 2016 after seeing the lack of vegetarian and vegan restaurants near her home of Knoxville, Tenn. Naylor, a cancer survivor, chose to cut red meat out of her life after watching a documentary about factory farming and plans to use tips from her restaurant for a unique purpose: buying land to house and care for abused and abandoned farm animals as part of her nonprofit organization, 4Them Sanctuary. This vegetarian concept has a completely plant-based menu that changes seasonally, so check their Facebook page for current offerings. Naylor calls her menu "everyday comfort food," and it's all made with local, fresh, and organic ingredients.
Where: Knoxville, Tennessee
Unique Menu Items: Chik'n Fried Seitan (battered and fried seitan) served with mashed potatoes and gravy, a side of broccoli, and bread; and battered and fried hearts of palm, called "Fysh Tacos," that are topped with remoulade and lemony coleslaw.
Note: Sanctuary Vegan Cafe announced on May 1, 2020, that it would close permanently due to the financial impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. However, Naylor's 4Them Sanctuary will continue to operate.
Dandelion Community Café
Inspired by sustainability and the desire for a welcoming communal space, Chris Blanc founded Dandelion Community Café in 2006. His wife, Cheryl, became the general manager in 2016, with her brother, Mark, serving as the executive chef. Customers can choose from a variety of vegan options or create their own custom bowl or wrap. This vegetarian concept focuses on sustainability by purchasing local ingredients, using eco-friendly to-go wares and straws made of unused wheat stalks, and returning used bottles, containers, and boxes to local vendors for reuse. They also tend to a small community herb garden that attracts butterflies, birds, and – most importantly – bees. In addition to serving vegan and vegetarian cuisine, Dandelion Community Café donates food to local organizations each month, hosts an open-mic poetry night every week, and offers plant-based cooking classes to the community.
Where: Orlando, Florida
Unique Menu Items: Chickpea of the Sea, a bowl or wrap with chickpea "tuna" salad and tomatoes, pickled veggies, shredded carrots, cucumber, barbecue pumpkin seeds, and ranch dressing; and Homemade Hearty Chili, which has local organic tempeh, tomatoes, kidney beans, sweet corn, red onions, bell peppers, and a secret blend of spices, served with corn chips and topped with scallions.
Note: On August 11, 2020, the Dandelion Community Cafe announced it would close permanently.
