Plant-Based Foods Growing in Popularity

MORE PLANTS, PLEASE

New Orleans restaurants serve plenty of plantbased meals…and they’re good, too.

In 2022, plant-based offerings are essential for restaurants. With vegan and vegetarianfriendly diets becoming more common, plant-based dishes can be spotted on menus all over New Orleans.

From African to Vietnamese cuisine, there are vegan and vegetarian dishes for everyone to enjoy—even the omnivores. Check out these local restaurants for plantbased food, drinks, and desserts.

Addis Nola, 422 S Broad Street (Moving to 2514 Bayou Road in fall 2022)

addisnolarestaurant.com At this authentic Ethiopian restaurant, the vegan food is just as good as the traditional menu. Its colorful bayenetu plate features a little bit of everything including red lentils, collard greens, yellow split peas, beets, cabbage with carrots, green lentils, mushroom tibs, sweet potato wot, and shiro (chickpea stew).

Bearcat Cafe, 2521 Jena St & 845 Carondelet Street

bearcatcafe.com At Bearcat (both locations), you can eat the breakfast of champions, vegan style. Bearcat serves vegan quesadillas with tofu scramble, mushrooms, caramelized onions, cashew queso, and avocado. There’s also the vegan Bearcat including crispy potatoes, tofu scramble, black bean sausage, and an option to add on vegan pancakes.

The Daily Beet, 1000 Girod Street & 3300 Magazine Street

daily-beat.com The Daily Beet is a plant-based cafe and juice bar partners with local farms to offer New Orleanians healthy food and drinks made from fresh, local produce. The café serves breakfast and lunch, salads, veggie bowls, acai bowls, avocado toast, smoothies, coldpressed juices, coffee, and tea.

1000 Figs, 3141 Ponce De Leon Street #1

1000figs.com This quaint Mediterranean restaurant serves falafel platters, creamy hummus, marinated olives, brussel sprouts, roasted Creole tomato salad, and a kale and cabbage salad. The falafel platter has all of the necessities including falafel (fried chickpeas), a tangy kale and cabbage salad, tahini, zhoug (spicy cilantro sauce), toum (garlic sauce), and fresh bread.

Saba, 5757 Magazine Street Suite A

eatwithsaba.com Bask in the homey Middle Eastern tastes of renowned chef Alon Shaya’s restaurant Saba. The casual, family-friendly restaurant serves Israeli food including specialty hummus, labneh (strained yogurt), tabbouleh (salad), and falafel.

Sneaky Pickle and Bar Brine, 3200 Burgundy Street

yousneakypickle.com Want a stylish, lush spot for plant-based dishes in the Bywater? Sneak over to Sneaky Pickle (also known as Bar Brine after 5:30 p.m.). This cafe serves tofu tacos, tomato toast, assorted vegetable plates, vegan mac and cheese, a multigrain patty with fried eggplant, and a smoked tempeh reuben.

Lamara Coffee and Kitchen, 1300 North Broad Street

lamaracoffeeandkitchen.com Good coffee, plant-based food, and vibes—how can you go wrong? This modern and vegan-friendly café serves hearty vegan breakfast burritos, avocado toast, bagels, berry bowls, tostadas, wraps, and sandwiches.

Fritai, 1535 Basin Street

fritai.com This authentic Haitian restaurant has something for everyone. Vegan dishes include charred beet salad, mirliton salad, akra (spiced root vegetable), plantain chips served with avocado dip, and the Fritai sandwich made with two fried plantains (as buns), avocado, mango sauce, pikliz (spicy relish), and your choice of protein.

Meals from the Heart Cafe, 1100 N

Peters Street #13

mealsfromtheheartcafe.net Meals from the Heart Cafe serves breakfast dishes, salads, sandwiches, tacos, gumbos,

I-tal Garden, 810 North Claiborne Avenue

italgardennola. com Delicious vegan soul food is possible. New Orleans restaurants prove it. This Black-owned restaurant serves avocado fries, crabless crab cakes, dairy-free mac and cheese, cauliflower wings, fried mushroom strips, vegan burgers, soups, and salads.

Lamara Coffee and Kitchen

Breads on Oak, 222 Carondelet Street and 8640 Oak Street Suite A

breadsonoak.com Breads on Oak is where locally baked breads meet organic, plant based cuisine. This laid-back, plantbased, artisan bakery and café sells assorted breads, baked fries, sweets, coffee drinks, and all-day breakfast items including vegan-egg breakfast sandwiches, avocado scramble toast, Creole tomato toast, and a pumpkin cheddar biscuit sandwich.

HiVOLT Coffee, 1829 Sophie Wright Place

hivoltcoffeepickup.com HiVOLT Coffee’s menu includes their roasted garden dish—a bowl of roasted root veggies, brussel sprouts, two poached eggs, cotija cheese, and chimichurri. Their mean greens comes with mixed greens, broccoli, chickpeas, apples, avocado, and pepitas with green curry dressing.

Carmo, 527 Julia Street

cafecarmo.com This tropical café and bar serves tropical dishes such as the Amazonas—made with açai, yogurt, banana, cashews, pineapple, and raisins; Peruanos—made with white beans, quinoa, sweet potato, avocado, and salsa criolla; and Salvadorenos—

Breakaway’s R&B, 2529 Dauphine Street

breakawaysrb.com From chef and owner of Green Goddess, Paul Artigues, this casual restaurant has a mix of traditional and vegetarian-friendly dishes. Menu offerings include mushroom fritters, a tofu po-boy and the green goddess wedge salad—made with bib lettuce, green goddess dressing, avocado, pickled beets, hearts of palm, pecans, cucumbers, and bleu cheese.

1000 Figs

and soups. Vegan options include gumbo, red beans and rice, burgers, crab cakes, crab cake tacos and po-boys, salads, and blueberry pancakes.

Sweet Soulfood, 1025 North Broad Street

sweetvegansoulfood.com Fill up on vegan soul food at this Blackowned vegan restaurant. It features Louisiana soul food such as jambalaya, gumbo, red beans and rice, cornbread, mac and cheese, collard greens, and sweet potatoes.

Small Mart Cafe, 2700 Chartres Street

instagram.com/smallmart This low-key vegan and vegetarian restaurant in the Marigny serves bagel sandwiches, coffee, tea, vegan cookies, vegan carrot cake, curry, sandwiches, soups, and salads.

Lilly’s Cafe, 1813 Magazine Street

facebook.com/LillysCafe Plan a date night at Lilly’s Cafe. This Vietnamese restaurant serves a flavorful vegan pho, tofu dishes and traditional Vietnamese dishes including spring rolls, egg rolls and banh mi.