photo from Counter Culture

The Vegetarian Resource Group maintains an online Guide to Vegan/Vegetarian Restaurants in the USA and Canada. Here are some recent vegan restaurant additions. The entire guide can be found here: www.vrg.org/restaurant

To support the updating of this online restaurant guide, please donate at: www.vrg.org/donate

Chef Veganessa, 16979 Autoroute Transcanadienne, Kirkland, QC H9H 5J1, Canada

Chef Veganessa’s husband and wife team proclaim that they’re “…passionate about sharing our love for health promoting foods with our community.” They note that their menu is “gluten-free,” they “use minimal pure oils,” their flour blend is “… a mix of organic, gluten-free wholegrains and pulses…sugars are organic and unrefined…” and “…none of our dishes are deep fried.”  They also aim to find creative ways to accommodate customers’ noted allergies or intolerances when possible. Souk Wrap is a spiced pita filled with sweet potato croquettes, pickled onion, radish, cucumber, lemon tahini cream, and hummus. “Spicy” Louisiana Chili features smoky root-vegetable queso and crunchy pepitas, topped with green pea guacamole, accompanied by “organic” corn chips. South-Indian, coconut-cashew Malabar Curry Bowl offers roasted chickpeas, seasonal vegetables, apricot chutney, and brown rice. Brown rice Spaghetti Ragu has wild mushroom ragu, fresh herbed oil, almond ricotta, roasted chickpeas, and seed-nut parmesan. Veganessa Burger is a “house-made” patty of mushrooms, lentils and veggies, topped with caramelized onions, Veganessa sauce, melted cheese, dill pickles, tomato, and fresh spinach. Open-faced Tex Mex Burger showcases their lentil patty on whole-grain bread with “spicy” mayo, pineapple mango salsa, green pea guacamole, smoked carrot queso, Cotija-style cheese, and pepitas. Veganessa Pizza—available only on Fridays and Saturdays– features “organic, whole-grain” crust topped with whipped almond ricotta, sautéed shiitake mushrooms, roasted bell peppers, artichokes, and pickled cherry tomatoes, finished with herbed oil and seed-nut parmesan. Desserts may vary but you might find chilled Funfetti Fudge Pop with sprinkles and vanilla extract, Almond Butter Fudge Brownie, flavor of the day Wholesome Organic Muffin, or Salted Chocolate Chip Cookie.

Counter Culture Austin, 5812 Berkman Dr., Austin, TX 78723

Counter Culture offers comfort food that is completely vegan! Enjoy sandwiches like Philly Seitan and Tempeh Reuben. Or try their gluten-free Mac & Cheez or Jerk Seitan Plate. Concerned about sustainability, Counter Culture obtains organic and locally-grown foods whenever possible and composts and/or recycles over 95% of their waste.

Neek Vegan, 2730 Peachtree Industrial Blvd., Ste. #204, Duluth, GA 30097

Neek Vegan hopes to create “…an experience of connecting with food and culture…” celebrating flavor and compassion…”as they…champion plant-based eating not just for health benefits…” but also to  reflect their “…deep respect for nature and dedication to preserving our planet and its inhabitants…” Appetizers, to name a few, besides Falafel, include Borani Esfenaj–Persian spinach and spiced, vegan, Greek yogurt dip with onions with walnuts, or Dopiazeh Aloo with spiced, Persian mashed potatoes and sautéed onions—both with hot Pita bread. Some Soups are Ashe Reshteh, a Persian mix of chickpeas, beans, lentils, herbs, spaghetti, and spices; Greek Chickpea Soup; Seasoned Red Lentil Soup with aromatics and veggies; as well as Cream of Vegetable Soup with oats in a creamy broth. Salads include Beet and Chickpea Salad with arugula, onions, walnuts, and vegan Feta cheese; Lentil Barberry Salad with peppers, onions, barberries, cucumbers, avocados, celery, spinach, and cashews—both with “homemade” balsamic lemon dressing; as well as Quinoa Tabbouleh Salad combining cucumbers, tomatoes, onions, mint, parsley, and lemon vinaigrette. One of their Entrées is Zereshk Polo with Oyster Mushrooms showcasing Barberry saffron rice, onions, tomatoes, carrots, and peppers in a saffron broth, with potato strings. A Mixed Rice Dish example is Dampokht Kalam with Persian cabbage, lentils, tarragon, and mixed rice. Some Stews (all served with saffron basmati rice) are Gheymeh Bademjoon–made of split peas, tomatoes, onions, and sautéed eggplant; Ghormeh Sabzi, a Persian stew of herbs sautéed with spices, kidney beans, and tofu; as well as Bamiyeh–Okra stew with onion, tomatoes, potatoes, and soy protein. They have various Pita Bread Wraps such as Falafel and Hummus, Sandwiches such as their spiced Eggplant dip, topped with Shirazi salad, arugula, walnuts, and “homemade” tahini sauce on a baguette, as well as a Plant-based Burger. Kid’s Menu offers Vegan Chicken Nuggets, Cheese Pita Pizza, Veggie Pita Pizza featuring Tahini Sauce, veggies, olives, and melted cheese, a Persian version of Macaroni and Kid’s Neek Kabob—grilled Soy protein with grated onions, spices, saffron rice, sautéed onions, tomatoes, and green peppers. Desserts include Persian Pistachio Cake–made with rosewater and pistachios, Chocolate Cake, Tiramisu, Pistachio, Cashew or Walnut Baklava, Persian Saffron Rice Pudding or Persian Saffron and Pistachio Ice Cream.

SunOven, 11420 N. Ventura Ave., Ste. 107, Ojai, CA 93023

“…Baked fresh daily… in small batches,” SunOven happily proclaims, “All SunOven goodies are gluten-free, vegan, nut-free, organic, and sesame free.” They share their ingredient list and state that they “do not use any preservatives…” Baked, not fried, Gluten-Free Doughnuts come in rotating flavors like Strawberry, Vanilla Chai, Chocolate with Rainbow Sprinkles, Coffee Cake, and Maple. They also have Gluten-Free Cinnamon Rolls, Gluten-Free Muffins in Blueberry, Chocolate Chip, or Pumpkin, Gluten-Free Scones in Blueberry, Chocolate Chip, Lemon Poppy Seed, and more, Gluten-Free Olive Oil Cake  in Seasonal Flavors which rotate between Pixie Orange, Lemon, Pineapple, Cranberry, and Peppermint Cacao, Buckwheat Buns, Rolls, Baguettes, Bread, Pizza Crust, Bagels in a few flavors, Gluten-Free Pie with oat crumble in Wild Blueberry or Cherry and Tea Cookies–sugar cookies in rotating flavors like Pixie Orange.

The Perfect Bean, 214 N. Lombardy St., Richmond, VA 23220

Founded by a passion for helping animals, The Purrfect Bean’s Cats and Coffee combo strikes many of us as purrfect! For those who prefer their coffee without cats, no problem; the cat lounge is upstairs while the coffee shop is downstairs. All food and beverages are noted as vegan. While menu items may rotate, some “House-made” Syrups might include Simple, Agave, Citrus Agave, Vanilla, and Mocha. Recent Summer flavors have been Espresso or Matcha Lavender Birthday Cake Latte with Tahitian Vanilla syrup and a hint of lavender, or, a nod to the kitties, Russian Blue Latte with spiced blueberry syrup and “creamy” coconut. Choose from various Espressos like Spro Tonic (short for espresso and tonic) a bitter-sweet, quinine fizz where espresso is poured over ice and tonic water. There’s also cappuccino and lattes such as Hojicha Latte—a creamy drink made from Japanese roasted green tea and steamed Oat or Macadamia milk. The tea leaves are roasted, creating what some note as a smoky, nutty flavor. They offer a selection of Loose Leaf Teas as well. They have Avocado Toast on Sourdough with roasted peppers and pickled red onions, Creamy Herb Focaccia with pickled red onion, cream cheese, feta, herbs, balsamic glaze and tomato, as well as Sourdough Bagels with rotating spread choices. Depending on availability, they may also have baked goods or other sweets.

Vegans Are Us, Town Square, 1016-18 Race St., Philadelphia, PA 19107

Vegans Are Us serves plant-based twists on classics like mac and cheese, cheesesteaks, and burgers. The Philly V Steak features seasoned vegan steak served on a sub roll and topped with cheddar cheese and sweet peppers. The Seafood Combination includes vegan crab cakes, fish, shrimp, and fries topped with house-made tartar sauce. Breakfast items are available all day such as a vegan chicken and waffles, vegan egg omelet, scrambled eggs, and southern-style grits.