Being blessed with clients from around the globe and traveling so frequently, we are often asked for restaurant recommendations when friends or industry colleagues head out of town (or come into town). From Los Angeles to London, Santorini to San Miguel de Allende, we have been fortunate enough to have sampled much of the vegan cuisine the world has to offer.
So, which are our favorites? We have listed 22 of our favorite plant-based stops around the globe below. You’ll notice some of these restaurants aren’t 100% vegan, but we found they had enough of a variety of plant-based offerings that they made the list. Also, some on the list are in the largest cities in the world while others are in more secluded spots on the map where perhaps you wouldn’t expect to find delicious, innovative vegan food.
Finally, since our agency was launched 8 years ago, we have worked with some of the finest vegan restaurants and chains here at Scout 22. We purposely left these accounts off this list to guarantee partiality (sorry, everyone).
BARCELONA
The Vegan Cat Bar
https://catbarcat.wixsite.com/menu
Definitely the smallest restaurant on this list, The Vegan Cat Bar is located in the El Raval section of Barcelona and is a Bohemian hangout with playful cat décor and great vegan food. For something you can’t get anywhere else try the Cactus Burger made with, you guessed it, cactus.
BATH, UK
Boston Tea Party
https://bostonteaparty.co.uk/
Known as the first café to ban the use of single use cups, BTP also offers a delicious assortment of vegan breakfast and lunch options. Topping that list are the Vegan Boss Sausage Sandwich, the Vegan Chili Bowl, several plant-based burger options, and the sinful sounding Sourdough Vegan Red Pepper Cheese Toastie. There are over two dozen Boston Tea Party locations, mostly in the west and south of England, so there’s a good chance you’ll find one on your UK road trip.
BOSTON – NORTH END
Terramia
https://www.terramiaristorante.com/
Located on one of the main streets in the Italian North End of Boston, Terramia isn’t 100% vegan but offers up more vegan versions of classic pasta dishes than any Italian restaurant we’ve come across. You get the feeling of being in the kitchen of some old woman named Nonnie from Benevento. Just don’t try to park anywhere near the place.
BOSTON – CAMBRIDGE
Veggie Galaxy
https://www.veggiegalaxy.com/
If you could turn your favorite diner from when you were a kid vegan this would be the place. Plant-based burgers, sandwiches, frappes (New England’s answer to the milk shake), and an entire menu full of breakfast offerings, this throwback to the 1960’s is the spot for vegans not looking to blow an entire paycheck at one of the more upscale Boston vegan establishments a few stops away on the T.
LONDON – CHELSEA
Wulf and Lamb
https://www.wulfandlamb.com/
One word that is seldom used to describe vegan food is hearty, but those critics obviously have never been to Wulf and Lamb. When you go, order the Wulf Pie which is pulled jackfruit, lentil stew topped with mashed potato and baby carrots. Trust us on this one. They recently opened a second location in Marylebone, but the Chelsea restaurant has a more welcoming ambiance.
LONDON – NOTTING HILL
Farmacy
https://farmacylondon.com/
The website’s description of “truly delicious and healthy seasonal food, all served in a beautiful setting” couldn’t be more spot on. The Farmacy Benedict was amazing but everything we’ve had there has been outstanding and it’s a great place to stop as you head out of the city to make an afternoon flight out of Heathrow.
LONDON – VARIOUS
Veggie Pret
https://www.pret.co.uk/en-GB/veggie-pret
A common refrain from vegans is that they can never find a quick, grab-n-go vegan meal. Luckily, London has Veggie Pret—Pret-A-Manger’s vegan offshoot—all over the city.
LOS ANGELES – WEST HOLLYWOOD
Crossroads Kitchen
https://www.crossroadskitchen.com/
It isn’t an extensive menu at Crossroads but what they do they do to perfection. The Sicilian Supreme pizza wouldn’t be out of place in an Italian restaurant in Palermo and the Kale Caesar has never disappointed. Oh, and did we mention the cheese plate?
LOS ANGELES – WESTLAKE
Joi Café
https://www.joicafe.com/
It sometimes feels like half of the West San Fernando Valley comes to Joi on weekend mornings. And why not? From bagel sandwiches to Mexican dishes to salads to pizzas, Joi has a little bit of something for everyone without being pretentious (no mean feat in Westlake these days)
LOS ANGELES – VENICE
Double Zero Pizza
https://www.matthewkenneycuisine.com/double-zero-venice-ca-
The brainchild of vegan restauranteur Matthew Kenney, Double Zero has some of the best pizza we’ve ever sampled. The Truffle and Bianca pizzas stand out, but you really can’t go wrong with any of the offerings at this Venice hangout. Sit at one of the handful of tables by the street if you haven’t yet reached your quota of weirdo sightings.
MEXICO CITY
Pan Comido
https://www.tripadvisor.com/Restaurant_Review-g150800-d4803378-Reviews-Pan_Comido-Mexico_City_Central_Mexico_and_Gulf_Coast.html
Mexico City has a very underrated vegan restaurant scene and Pan Comido in the hip Roma Norte section of the city is one of the best. Tacos and pozole, all 100% plant based, are customer favorites but every dish is Instaworthy.
NEWPORT, RI
Root
https://www.rootonbroadway.com/
A cozy little place right in the middle of this historic summer retreat town. We suggest grabbing one of their breakfast sandwiches right after they open, sitting outside and watching Newport come to life
NEWPORT, RI
Plant City X
https://plantcityx.com/
Located just north of Newport, Plant City X in Middletown features a something-for-everyone range of vegan favorites. So good we went back on successive nights when we were there in 2020. Our recommendations include the Cobb Salad, Avocado Burger and their signature X Burger. They also have a convenient drive-thru if you need a more immediate vegan food fix.
NEW YORK – CHELSEA
Avocaderia
https://www.avocaderia.com/
The world’s first avocado bar (at least we think so), this hole-in-the-wall establishment with locations in Chelsea and in Brooklyn does wonders with the avocado. Whether it be bowls, sandwiches, salads, toasts, burgers, or soups, if you love—or even just sorta kinda like—avocadoes, this is your dining mecca.
NEW YORK – WEST VILLAGE
Urban Kitchen
https://urbanvegankitchen.com/
Whether it’s the funky West Village location or the walls adorned with photos of classic jazz singers, Urban Kitchen has a fun atmosphere that many vegan establishments lack. The Chik Un Avocado Ranch Salad was a favorite though we almost opted for the Po’ Boy.
OJAI, CA
Hip Vgn
https://hipvgn.square.site/
Located in Downtown Ojai about 90 minutes north of Los Angeles, this vegan favorite attracts retired professors discussing the theories of Nietzsche alongside new money Millennials debating the health of the crypto market. Oh, by the way, the food’s terrific. Lean more towards the bowls and salads than the sandwiches, though we do recommend the Spicy Torta.
PARIS
Le Grenier de Notre Dame
https://www.tripadvisor.com/Restaurant_Review-g187147-d812087-Reviews-Le_Grenier_de_Notre_Dame-Paris_Ile_de_France.html
Quite possibly the best vegan restaurant we’ve ever been to. Situated on Paris’ Left Bank, close to the Ile de France and Notre Dame, this tiny restaurant is tucked in amongst souvenir shops and street merchants. Hearty, satisfying and absurdly delicious, Le Grenier is the vegan champion in a city known for its food.
RYE BEACH, NH
Common Roots
https://commonrootscollective.com/
New Hampshire doesn’t have much of a coastline, 13 miles to be exact, but a stone’s throw from both the town’s fishing harbor and multimillion dollar summer homes lies this wonderful little vegan comfort food treat. An enormous menu means you can get whatever you’re in the mood for. Hopefully that includes either a Reuben or the best Gourmet Grilled Cheese sandwich anywhere.
SALEM, MA
Flying Saucer Pizza
https://www.flyingsaucerpizzacompany.com/
The Witch City is known for its, ummm, oddities and this somewhat off kilter pizzeria next to the Bewitched statue in town fits the bill. Though not a vegan establishment per se, Flying Saucer usually has more than a half dozen vegan options including the Hog of Steel, Pickle Rick, the Nick Fury, and our personal favorite, the Mars Attacks with olive oil and garlic, vegan mozzarella, vegan meatballs, and a delicious red sauce that has its own kick to it. Scary good.
SAN MIGUEL DE ALLENDE, MX
Don Taco
https://www.tripadvisor.com/Restaurant_Review-g151932-d3640251-Reviews-Don_Taco_Tequila-San_Miguel_de_Allende_Central_Mexico_and_Gulf_Coast.html
10 different kinds of vegan tacos with a view of the beautiful Jardin Allende in the center of town, there’s a lot to like at this fun, festive restaurant. San Miguel comes alive during Dia de Muertos at the beginning of every November. It’s an experience not to be missed.
SANTORINI, GK
Krinaki
https://krinaki.gr/en/menu/
You’ll be hard pressed to find too many dining establishments in the Greek Isles that don’t prominently feature seafood. Krinaki does as well but they were more than willing to make some of their Mediterranean favorites—those that didn’t come from the sea—vegan. Krinaki is one of the few restaurants in the small town of Finikia which doesn’t allow motorized vehicles. It really does feel like you’re stepping back into time as you walk the winding cobblestone streets, sidestepping the street cats to get to the place.
TUSCANY, IT
Bar Dante Allegheri, Radda in Chianti
https://www.bardanteradda.com/
Tuscany, obviously, features some of the finest Italian food in the world but what separates Bar Dante is its location in the postcard perfect village of Radda in Chianti. Not lost in the warmth of this Tuscan hamlet is the restaurant’s ability to make many of their dishes without meat or cheese and not lose any of their authentic flavor.
HONORABLE MENTION
Pi Pizzeria, Washington, DC; El Cocinero, Van Nuys, CA; Mildred’s Soho, London; Sugar Taco, Sherman Oaks, CA; Broadway Café, Cotswolds, UK;