Finding delicious vegan food in New Orleans is easier than ever. This guide features a curated list of personal recommendations for vegan-friendly restaurants, cafes, and bars throughout the city, categorized for your convenience. Remember to always double-check with your server to confirm that a dish is vegan, as menus can change.
NICE DINNER SPOTS
Bar Brine & Sneaky Pickle offers a plethora of vegan options in a charming setting. Reservations are recommended for dinner. Saba serves delicious Israeli and Middle Eastern cuisine with numerous vegan choices in a centrally located, walkable neighborhood. Reservations are required. For a health-conscious and spacious dining experience, True Food Kitchen provides many vegan options and requires reservations. Shaya, similar to Saba but with a distinct menu, offers a wide array of Israeli and Middle Eastern vegan dishes. Reservations are a must. NOBU, a pioneer of modern Japanese cuisine, presents a luxurious and pricey dining experience with dozens of vegan options available upon request.
BREAKFAST / BRUNCH
Satsuma is a charming neighborhood spot with several vegan options, situated in a pleasant area for strolling. Bearcat Cafe features clearly labeled vegan dishes worth trying, but be prepared for potential wait times due to its popularity. For baked goods, their sister establishment, Bearcat Baked, boasts an array of vegan treats. Molly’s Rise and Shine consistently offers at least one excellent vegan choice.
FAST CASUAL
1000 Figs, a cozy spot adjacent to a charming wine bar, serves Mediterranean fare with a delightful vegan platter. Dian Xin, with two locations in the French Quarter, offers slightly different menus, both featuring several excellent vegan options. Trilly’s Cheesesteaks provides comfort food with a surprisingly extensive vegan menu. Turkey and the Wolf serves one standout vegan option: a delicious vegan fried chicken sandwich (available for lunch only). Small Mart, a delightful cafe, offers a selection of vegan bagel sandwiches and sweet treats, along with excellent chai.
Barracuda Taco Stand provides quick and easy tacos with a few vegan options and pleasant outdoor seating. Lamara showcases wholesome and healthy food with a beautiful pollinator garden in the back, open for breakfast and lunch. Queen Trini Lisa offers delectable Trinbagonian island soul food with numerous vegan choices. Capulet features delicious vegan options and attractive happy hour specials.
PO’ BOYS
Parkway Tavern is the go-to destination for authentic po’ boys, offering a fantastic vegan option and off-menu vegan fried pickles. For more inventive and non-traditional vegan po’ boy choices, Killer Po’ Boys is a fun option.
SOUL FOOD
I-Tal Garden is a personal favorite, offering incredible food with limited hours (check their website). It’s perfect for quick dine-in or takeout. Sweet Soul Food provides a fully vegan menu with standout dishes like fried cauliflower and red beans and rice.
PIZZA
Pizza D, located near a great record store, offers vegan cheese as an add-on to their vegan pizza slice. Margot’s, known for its delicious sourdough crust, has limited vegan options but boasts an excellent wine selection.
VIETNAMESE
Pho Bang, specifically the Veterans location, serves exceptional pho. Lilly’s Cafe offers delicious Vietnamese food in a great Uptown location. MoPho boasts numerous vegan options and an outstanding vegan broth. Pho Tau Bay serves good pho and a customizable Tofu Fresh Roll.
THAI
Budsi’s has a secret vegan menu available upon request, making it ideal for group dining. SukhoThai features an extensive vegan menu with notable eggplant dishes and papaya salad. Thaihey, located in the French Quarter, offers a separate and exciting vegan menu, highlighting their fried okra. Reservations are required.
SUSHI & RAMEN
Sukeban offers delicious and innovative Japanese cuisine with two vegan hand rolls and several vegan appetizers. Union Ramen features a clearly marked and highly recommended vegan ramen option. Royal Sushi, conveniently located in the French Quarter and open daily, provides several vegan choices like veggie rolls, ginger-carrot salad, veggie ramen, and spicy edamame.
INDIAN
Mantra serves delicious Indian cuisine with many vegan options (inquire with your server). Small Mart, in addition to its other offerings, also serves excellent vegan Indian food. Good Karma Cafe offers a fully vegan menu featuring Indian and Malaysian fusion cuisine.
BAKERIES
Flour Moon Bagels offers the best bagels in town, with a cashew-based cream cheese and butter for customizing sandwiches. Levee Baking is a fantastic sourdough bakery with mostly vegan-friendly breads and a standout chocolate cookie. Leo’s Bread features one excellent veggie-heavy vegan option and some vegan baked goods. Breads on Oak is a fully vegan bakery specializing in delectable sweet treats.
COFFEE & JUICE
French Truck Coffee, with multiple locations, serves excellent coffee. Coffee Science, a local shop, occasionally offers vegan treats. Raw Republic specializes in organic juices and raw vegan food, including dishes like Truffle Mac Noodles and Bossy Balls. Daily Beet, with two locations, provides juices, smoothies, and bowls with a good selection of vegan options.
SWEETS
Chance in Hell SnoBalls is a charming snoball shop with several vegan options. Lucy Boone Ice Cream typically offers one or two vegan ice cream flavors.
WINE & BARS
Bacchanal is a delightful wine bar featuring live music and a vegan cheese board. Tell Me Bar is a cozy natural wine bar with ample seating, perfect for a date night, and offering kava for non-drinkers. Hotel Saint Vincent is a stunning hotel worth visiting for its ambiance and gift shop, with its bar serving delicious truffle fries (order without cheese). Anna’s is a popular local bar with a queer-friendly atmosphere.
Bud Rips is a classic New Orleans bar in a great location. Good Friends is a lively gay bar in the French Quarter, particularly on weekends. Latitude 29, a tiki bar in the French Quarter, offers inventive cocktails (many vegan upon request) and a few clearly marked vegan food items.
