Vegan meals is not simply greens and bland tofu. As plant-based diets develop into extra in style, vegan menus get larger and extra artistic.
Certain, you will discover healthful inexperienced salads, grain bowls, juices and veggie burgers practically in all places. However cooks have additionally discovered methods to craft vegan variations of conventional consolation meals, swapping animal merchandise for plant-based substances. Assume nut-based cheeses, Southern fried “hen” sandwiches with seitan standing in for the chook, and decadent chocolate desserts with avocado as an alternative of cream or butter.
With World Vegan Day approaching on Nov. 1, we have highlighted a few of Connecticut’s vegan eating places and meals vans, the place you could not even miss the meat or dairy.
G-ZenBranford
G-Zen, a well-liked shoreline vegan spot (and its affiliated meals truck, GMonkey Cellular) options uncooked, vegan and natural dishes: vegan nachos with black bean chili, tempeh crab truffles, collard inexperienced wrap with nut pate, a portobello tofu Napoleon, Creole tempeh with cornbread, vegan spinach and potato pierogi, and a coconut curry with tofu, candy potato and broccoli. The “Feisty Monkey” whole-grain pasta with spicy peanut and cilantro sauce is a best-seller on the truck, as is a housemade black bean chipotle burger with candy potato fries and hickory-smoked ketchup.
2 East Primary St., 203-208-0443, @gzenrestaurant.
ION
Middletown
ION (It is Solely Pure), a Middletown vegan establishment “proudly serving attractive plant-based meals for greater than 30 years,” affords specialties like Southern-fried tofu, “surf and turf” with grilled seitan and “scallops” comprised of trumpet mushrooms, a chickpea parmesan cutlet sandwich and decadent truffles and cheesecakes.
606 Primary St., 860-346-9210, @ionrestaurant.
Wild Alchemy
Wallingford and Southingt an
Discover smoothies, juices, elixirs, plant-based bowls, salads and wraps at this wholesome cafe with two places, with specialties like nut-based veggie burgers, taco boats and salads with walnut-based meat, and housemade falafel with vegan tzatziki. Desserts embrace uncooked, vegan pies and cheesecakes.
600 No. Colony Street (Wallingford), 203-265-50001173 Queen St. Unit 4-5 (Southington), 203-641-3371@wildalchemycafe.
Pure Meals, Inc.
Bristol
Pure Meals, a wholesome cafe and smoothie bar, affords salads, sandwiches, wraps, smoothies and smoothie bowls and juices, with vegan choices. Artistic specials have included a fried seitan “hen” sandwich, vegan birria tacos utilizing braised hibiscus “meat” and “fish” tacos with fried banana blossoms; “crab” truffles made with chickpeas and hearts of palm, and a vegan “Reuben” with braised celery root.457 North Primary St., 860-585-5150, @pure_foods_inc.
Three Women Vegan Creamery
Guilford (two places)
Three Women Vegan makes a speciality of plant-based cheeses and “meats” (sausage, pastrami, pepperoni, cutlets) and serves all kinds of scorching meals like apizza, calzones, lasagnas and stuffed “shrimp” at its creamery location on Boston Submit Street. Its downtown location on Water Avenue affords grain bowls, smoothie bowls, soft-serve ice cream and baked items.
645 Boston Submit Street and 23 Water St., @threegirlsvegan.
Flora
West Hartford
Many of the menu is vegan at Flora, a trendy West Hartford restaurant and juice bar, with entrees like a meatloaf and burger with Unattainable plant-based meat, vegetable fried rice, mac and “no cheese” and a nut-based cheese plate. Flora additionally serves “viable fauna” dishes, with sustainably-raised animal meals like wild shrimp, natural hen and grass-fed beef.
45 Raymond Street, 860-216-5992, @floraweha.Hearth & Spice
Hartford
Get pleasure from Jamaican, Caribbean, African and Indian flavors at this in style Hartford cafe, with a menu that includes Ital stew, meatless Jamaican patties, jerk and BBQ tofu, curry seitan and purple lentil dahl. Hearth & Spice additionally affords smoothies, cupcakes and different baked items (together with gluten-free choices.)
491 Capitol Ave., 860-519-0476, @firenspice491.Soulfully Vegan
Meals truck
Middletown residents Allison and Calvin Vaughan eat a vegan eating regimen, however they know that doesn’t must imply lacking out on burgers, scorching canine and fries. Their meals truck, which launched in Might, affords vegan variations of the consolation meals, utilizing plant-based Past Meat. Distinctive burger preparations embrace the “Soulful” with candy plantains and jerk sauce and the Spicy PB&J, with peanut butter and jalapeños. With stops in Middletown, Hartford and Waterbury, the truck posts its weekly schedule at soulfullyvegan.com/our-locations and on Instagram at @soul_fully_vegan. 860-435-7878.
Claire’s Nook Copia
New Haven
The vegetarian restaurant, a staple in New Haven for 46 years, affords a number of vegan choices for breakfast, lunch, dinner and baked items. Dishes that all the time embrace egg or dairy are clearly marked on the menu.
1000 Chapel St., 203-562-3888, @clairescornercopia.
Organika Kitchen
Southport & Ridgefield
Organika, a plant-based kitchen, affords baked items and treats like avocado chocolate mousse, breakfast choices like carrot “lox” and coconut-based cream cheese on a sprouted bagel, and a full lineup of smoothies, juices and acai bowls. Sandwiches and wraps embrace falafel, a Past burger soften and vegan Italian meatballs, and the menu additionally options gluten-free pastas, salads, protein bowls and pizzas.
3546 Submit Street, Southport, 203-955-1500424 Primary St., Ridgefield, 203-403-3346@organikakitchen.
The Stand Vegan Café
Fairfield
The Stand’s vegan fare contains breakfast all day, together with bagels with cashew-based cream cheese and breakfast burritos with seasoned tofu; sandwiches like a tofu banh mi and buffalo jackfruit grilled cheese, salads, soups, avocado toast and desserts. The cafe additionally incorporates a full menu of juices and smoothies.
85 Mill Plain Street, 203-873-0414, @thestandvegancafe.
Inexperienced & Tonic
A number of places
Inexperienced & Tonic, a wholesome cafe, affords a full menu of plant-based, gluten-free choices. Get pleasure from smoothies and acai bowls, collard inexperienced wraps, soups, leafy inexperienced salads, cold-pressed juices and “pastries and energy snacks” made with gluten-free flours. New breakfast sandwiches are made with house-baked gluten-free focaccia, egg and cheese alternate options, avocado and elective “Past” plant-based sausage.
Areas in Darien, Fairfield, Cos Cob, Westport, Rye Brook (and shortly, New Canaan.) @greenandtonic.
The Little Beet
Westport
You possibly can “kind by eating regimen” on Little Beet’s web site, and see what’s accessible for a wide range of existence or dietary wants: gluten-free, vegetarian/vegan, keto, paleo, nut-free, dairy-free and extra. Vegan diners can construct their very own meals with bases of basmati rice, quinoa or combined greens; assorted chilly and heat vegetable sides, proteins like baked beet falafel and candy and spicy tofu and sauces like turmeric tahini, beet hummus, chimichurri and avocado bean dip. Full ingredient lists are additionally accessible.
635 Submit Street, 332-205-7188, @eatlittlebeet.
Barvida
Darien
The natural plant-based cafe affords juices, smoothies, wellness photographs, acai and smoothie bowls, brown-rice based mostly Buddha and Tex-Mex bowls with greens and beans, wraps, salads and toasts.
879 Submit Street, 203-202-7165, @barvidajuicebar.
Life Bowls
Madison and New Haven
Life Bowls’ acai and pitaya bowls are joined by smoothies, scorching oat bowls with toppings and toasts topped with avocado, fruits and hummus. A Buddha bowl options quinoa, chickpeas, leafy greens, avocado and selection of dressing.
757 Boston Submit Street, Madison, 203-589-074197 Orange St., New Haven, 203-891-6430@life.bowls.
Bloodroot
Bridgeport
Bloodroot, a feminist restaurant and bookstore based in 1977, affords a seasonal rotating menu with current options like black bean tostadas and jicama mango pineapple salsa and lasagna with kale, artichoke hearts and housemade vegan mozzarella. Anticipate choices like vegan quiche and veggie burgers, salads, fresh-baked breads and vegan cheese tastings.85 Ferris St., 203-576-9168, @BloodrootVegetarianRestaurant.Catch A Wholesome Behavior
Fairfield
Catch A Wholesome Behavior, a vegan cafe (with plenty of uncooked choices), affords smoothies and juices, smoothie and acai bowls, salads, snacks and uncooked desserts, like strawberry “cheesecake” and cacao turmeric fudge. Proprietor Lisa Storch just lately shared her recipe for her buckwheat waffles with apple pie filling.
39 Unquowa Street, 203-292-8190, @@catchahealthyhabitcafe.The Candy Beet
Granby
The Candy Beet is a grab-and-go cafe, and all of its merchandise are vegan, gluten-free, natural/non GMO, and soy and peanut-free. Sandwiches with chickpea-based “tuna” and “egg” salad are served on gluten-free bread with a facet of tortilla chips, and takeout choices embrace mushroom and chickpea pot pies, mac “no cheese,” vegan pizza on a gluten-free crust from Bloomfield-based Nonetheless Using Meals, and sweets like cupcakes, doughnuts and brownies.
498 Salmon Brook Street, 860-653-2338, @thesweetbeet.
21 Oak
Manchester
Artistic vegan consolation fare is on the menu at 21 Oak, a Manchester plant-based haven, that includes a country-fried seitan dinner with pepper gravy, loaded black bean and mushroom burgers, spicy Cajun and peanut tofu wraps and a poke bowl with marinated tofu, avocado and seaweed salad. The restaurant additionally options every day flavors of vegan doughnuts.
21 Oak St., 860-533-9218, fb.com/21Oak.Heirloom Meals Firm
Danielson
Heirloom affords a wide range of sandwiches, wraps, burgers, soups, salads, rice bowls and smoothies. All however two menu gadgets (a tuna salad and turkey sandwich) may be made vegan, together with all of its soups, baked items and ready meals. Every little thing may also be ready gluten-free.
630 N. Primary St., 860-779-3373, @heirloomfoodco.
Shayna B’s By The Sea
Westbrook
Shayna B’s, which moved to its new location in Westbrook this summer time, is a devoted gluten-free and vegan cafe with housemade pastries, salads and bowls, veggie burgers, wraps and pizzas with plant-based cheeses. Desserts like cupcakes and cookies, vegan cheesecakes and specialty truffles are all made in home.
631 Boston Submit Street, 860-339-3144, @shaynabsbysea.Proper Path Natural Café
New London
Proper Path’s natural, plant-based menu affords juices and smoothies, bowls and salads with substances like kale, quinoa and sprouted legumes; veggie burgers and vegan “tuna” or “hen” salad sandwiches, and uncooked and vegan dessert choices.
147 Financial institution St, 860-437-9700, @rightpathorganiccafe.Arles & Boggs
Wallingford
Arles & Boggs is “residing on the indulgent facet of life,” in line with its web site, with vegan eats like chili cheese fries, potato skins, fried rice with tofu, malai kofta made with potato and tofu paneer dumplings, and jackfruit “pernil” with rice, beans, fried candy plantains and avocado.
100 Quinnipiac St., 203-741-9186, @arlesandboggsveganeatery.Vegan Bodega
Hartford
Visitors at Hartford’s Parkville Market meals corridor had been clamoring for a vegan vendor, and so they obtained their want, with the addition of Vegan Bodega in June. The menu contains each nutritious plant-based meals, like salads and wraps with contemporary greens, grain bowls, “sushi” bowls with greens and watermelon standing in for tuna, and cold-pressed juices. However there are additionally extra indulgent vegan takes on a banh mi, Cuban sandwich and Italian hero with plant-based “meats”; dairy-free mac and “cheez” with fried chick’n, and vegan Pop-Tart model pastries.1400 Park St., @veganbodega_ct.