Vegetarian and vegan restaurants in Seattle don’t get enough publicity. As a result, meat eaters often raise eyebrows anytime they have a vegetarian or vegan dining among them.
We’ve all been there: you’re going out for a group dinner and either you or someone you know is vegan or vegetarian. One of two things happen. Either your group goes to a meat-centric restaurant and the poor vegan/vegetarian eats raw lettuce. Or you go to a veg-friendly restaurant and all the meat eaters are fuming.
Fortunately, there are a lot of vegan and vegetarian restaurants in Seattle that don’t suck. You just have to know where to look.
I am a proud meat eater, but I’ve found vegan restaurants in Seattle with dishes I go back for again and again…even when I’m not with other vegans.
So here it is. My list of the best vegetarian and vegan Seattle restaurants and what you should order at each.
Before I outline the best vegan and vegetarian restaurants in Seattle, some general advice. If you need to go vegetarian or vegan, stick to one of these cuisines:
- Indian. Good for vegans because mostly vegetables and little dairy (except a few cream dishes like korma and paneer).
- Israeli or similar. Good for vegans because its vegetable forward. Think hummus, roast cauliflower, eggplant, etc.
- Asian. A lot of Asian cooking is vegetarian and vegan friendly. Tofu can be subbed in most dishes and dairy isn’t part of their cuisine. I find Thai to be the safest bet.
Below are Seattle’s best vegan and vegetarian restaurants. I’ve separated it into two sections: one with purely vegan or vegetarian restaurants where you won’t find meat and another with restaurants that aren’t exclusively vegan or vegetarian, but have a lot of options for non-animal eaters.
Best Vegan and Vegetarian Restaurants in Seattle
Jump to Seattle restaurants best for:
- Vegetarians
- Vegans
Best Vegetarian Restaurants in Seattle
Preserve and Gather
website | directions | neighborhood: Greenwood | best for: a quick bite in an Instagrammable coffee shop
Preserve and Gather is a coffee shop in an unassuming area of Greenwood: under a condo building on 85th, which is rather busy. Walking in is even more unexpected. It’s so cute. It has a wall with gorgeous wallpaper that’s the perfect backdrop for Instagram photos.
The menu is small, but well executed. They make their baked goods, yogurt, and ricotta cheese in house. They offer vegetarian toasts and sandwiches alongside charcuterie plates. I always get the vegetarian toasts for a quick lunch that doesn’t make me feel gross after.
What to get: One of their ricotta toasts and sea salt cookie. Their homemade ricotta is amazing and their salty chocolate chip cookie gooey.
The Juicy Cafe
website | directions | neighborhoods: 4 locations in Downtown & South Lake Union | best for: a healthy lunch to-go
The Juicy Cafe is another place I found when I worked in downtown Seattle. Its original Convention Center location is hard to find, tucked away in the Convention Center. But when you find it, it’s full of locals trying to squeeze in a healthy lunch between meetings.
They’ve since opened 3 more locations around Seattle. Their menu features homemade juices and vegan or veg-based grain bowls. You can add cheese and meat on top if you’d like. Either way, this is one of the best healthy restaurants in Seattle.
What to get: The Baja cali bowl. I love the combination of Mexican-inspired flavors.
Eve
website | directions | neighborhood: Fremont | best for: organic farm-to-table food
As soon as I walked into Eve, I thought, “This place has a crunchy quality to it.” It might have been the organic-looking decor. Or maybe the veg-heavy menu. Either way, I knew it would immediately be good for my vegan and vegetarian friends.
What to get: For fish eaters, I love their poke appetizer. For vegetarians, all of the salads I’ve had here are amazing.
The Carlile Room
website | directions | neighborhood: Downtown | best for: veg-forward dishes from Tom Douglas’ crew, served in moody lighting
This is Tom Douglas’ most veg-heavy restaurant. It offers classic new-American dishes for all tastes, but it’s vegetable dishes are where it shines. They also offer the Impossible burger (another non-meat beef brand).
What to get: The giant rainbow plate, which is an assortment of their favorite vegetable dishes served thali style (in small bowls on a platter, which is a popular way of presenting food in India).
Bounty Kitchen
website | directions | neighborhood: 2 locations in Queen Anne & South Lake Union | best for: a bright, order-at-the-counter brunch
This is another one of those Instagrammable cafes in Seattle that also happens to be one of the best South Lake Union, Seattle restaurants. There’s a ton of light, cute wallpaper, and plants galore. The menu is heavily vegetarian and vegan, with a useful key to let you know what dietary restrictions it caters to. They also have a popup once in awhile serving vegan hot dogs.
It’s casual, so order at the counter and grab a number. Don’t forget to grab some of their yummy citrus-infused waters before you sit.
What to get: The good morning avocado sandwich. The roasted tomato adds so much flavor, almost as if it was sun-dried without the chewy texture.
Stoneburner
website | directions | neighborhood: Ballard | best for: hearty roast vegetables
Stoneburner is on my dishes you must try in Seattle list. The dish included in that list has meat in it, but surprisingly a lot of items on their menu do not. It’s a great place to come with a group of meat eaters and non-animal eaters. Plus the decor is full of carefully-curated vintage finds.
What to get: Their salads. They have a really awesome snap pea salad sometimes made similar to a Caesar salad, but really any of their salads are bomb. This is one of my go-to Seattle restaurants whenever I get a hankering some greens.
Cafe Turko
website | directions | neighborhood: Fremont | best for: Turkish dishes for sharing
This family-run Turkish restaurant has a lot of eggplant, chickpea, and cauliflower-heavy dishes perfect for vegans and vegetarians. I love it so much that it’s featured in my self-guided Seattle food tour in Fremont.
What to get: The rainbow hummus plate. Their hummus is incredibly creamy and I love the twist they take by adding beets or yams to their classic recipe.
Portage Bay Cafe
website | directions | neighborhoods: 4 locations in Ballard, Roosevelt, U-District, & SLU | best for: brunch with vegetarian options
Portage Bay is loud and often has a wait. You’d think that be enough to deter me, but rather they’ve ended up on my best brunch in Seattle list.
They have an extensive menu with options for all palates. Plus there’s a topping bar for adding goodies to your French toast or pancakes.
What to get: The migas. It’s like an omelette made with a crisp tortilla that includes eggs, potatoes, cheese, chipotle, and cilantro-lime crema.
Spice Waala
website | directions | neighborhoods: Capitol Hill & Ballard (opening soon) | best for: Indian khati rolls
Spice Waala is one of my favorite cheap eats in Seattle. Owners Aakanksha Sinha and Uttam Mukherjee started selling the Indian street food they grew up eating out of farmers markets. The menu includes kathi rolls, chaat, and bhel puri, all dishes you’ll rarely see at typical Indian restaurants in the US.
What to get: The aloo khati roll and “Indian nachos” are bomb. The aloo roll is vegan and includes potato, or you can make it vegetarian by adding a hard-boiled egg. The chaat is vegetarian with dairy sauce and some of the best chutney ever.
Best Vegan Restaurants in Seattle
Non-animal-product eaters, I see you. Here are the best Seattle vegan restaurants.
Harvest Beat
website | directions | neighborhood: Wallingford | best for: a fancier multi-course meal
There aren’t that many multi-course, vegan or vegetarian restaurants that make it on the list of the best fine dining restaurants in Seattle, but funny enough, this isn’t the owners of Harvest Beat’s first venture into fancy vegan fare.
Owners Jan and Aaron Geibel used to own the vegetarian multi-course restaurant Sutra with co-owners Amber Tande and chef Colin Patterson (you might recognize the latter from a brief stint on Top Chef Texas).
Things unfortunately didn’t work out and Sutra closed. Colin Patterson went on to open a restaurant in Leavenworth called Mana, which is similar in concept but not vegetarian. You can read about my experience at Mana, which I think is one of the best restaurants in Leavenworth, Washington.
After the split, the Geibels decided to open the multi-course vegan restaurant Harvest Beat down the street. For about $65 per person, you get a completely vegan 5-course meal.
They’re doing really interesting things with vegetables, people. I still remember that they created a meringue dessert out of chickpeas. It was revolutionary that you could use chickpeas to make something that matches the technical complexity of a meringue. It’s this dish alone that has me convinced Harvest Beat is one of the best restaurants in North Seattle.
This place is best for a fancier meal, as it’s a dimly lit, pricier restaurant that only has one seating per night at 7 pm (6:30 pm on Sundays). Be warned: it’s a bit woo-woo, as the meal begins with a gong and a speech from the chef. He gives thanks to the farmers and talks about the menu before guests are served. Yet I’d say it’s arguably the best place to go meatless in Seattle.
What to get: Besides the tasting menu, get the non-alcoholic beverage pairing. I found it to be one of the most interesting parts of the meal. Think of the most interesting co*cktails you’ve had, but sans alcohol.
Cafe Flora
website | directions | neighborhood: Madison Valley | best for: brunch
My sister used to be a pescetarian, so we’d go to Cafe Flora for brunch on the regular back when I first moved to Seattle 10 years ago. I’ve actually never been there for dinner, but brunch…oh brunch. It is so. damn. good.
First, the ambiance. I love how they have a sunny atrium. There are also a ton of plants that really play into the veg vibes.
As far as the food, this place is vegetarian because it has eggs and dairy. But you can make pretty much anything on the menu vegan friendly.
What to get: If available and you’re vegetarian, I like the huevos nopalitos. It’s complex, earthy, and has an avocado-pepita pistou.
Next Level Burger
website | directions | neighborhood: U-District | best for: plant-based burger
I really don’t like fake meat products. The majority I’ve had taste too processed for my liking. Yet, Next Level won me over with their handling of their plant-based burger.
They started in Bend, Oregon and now have locations along the west coast and in Texas. They’re also conveniently located inside the U-District Whole Foods so you can grab a quick bite before food shopping.
What to get: The All-American burger with the meat-free Beyond patty. I don’t understand how this plant-based burger can taste exactly like an all-American burger, but it does. You’ll have no idea you’re going meatless because it rivals some of the best burgers in Seattle!
Plum Bistro
website | directions | neighborhood: Capitol Hill | best for: elevated comfort food with a vegan twist
I would have never stepped foot in a vegan restaurant before I moved to Seattle. I still had that mentality when I moved here, but I reluctantly tried Plum Bistro at a food event. And I figured it was lower risk than paying for a meal I would undoubtedly hate.
The thing is, I didn’t hate it. I actually loved it. I remember doing that weird thing at food events where I try to act like I didn’t just stop by their booth multiple times before. It was just that good.
It was my gateway to visiting their Cap Hill restaurant. It’s really small and can have a waitlist, but it’s been consistently busting out global-inspired comfort food sans meat for years.
What to get: Their spicy cajun mac n cheese. It has the consistency of cheese, yet is dairy free. #mindblown
Veggie Grill
website | directions | neighborhoods: 3 locations Downtown, University Village, & SLU | best for: a quick, hearty veg-based meal
I really don’t like national chains. I read that book “Eat This, Not That” in high school and it changed my life learning how unnecessarily caloric chains are. As a result, I never go to them.
But one day I was desperate for a healthy lunch when working downtown, so I stopped in. I ordered the Sonoran Bowl and was hooked. I was amazed at how a menu that sounded like they just threw veggies together could be so flavorful. Now it’s our go-to place whenever we go shopping in U-Village. If you love grain bowls, definitely come here.
What to get: The Sonoran bowl. Honestly, I haven’t tried much of the menu because I always crave this and get it every time. It has southwest-inspired flavors with black bean, avocado, and roasted tomatoes on top of quinoa.
Araya’s Place
website | directions | neighborhood: 3 locations in U-District, Madison Valley, & Bellevue | best for: Thai food
I was torn whether or not to put Araya’s Place on this list. I immediately thought of it as a Seattle restaurant for vegans. However, I’ve had dishes I didn’t love here. So could I in good faith put it on my list of vegan and vegetarian restaurants in Seattle?
I decided to add it because it has a dish I crave again and again: their banana curry. It’s sweet and super banana-y. My boyfriend thinks it’s a touch too sweet, so it’s not for the banana haters, but if you like cooked bananas you will love this dish.
What to get: Besides the massaman banana curry, get the tofu satay to start.
Kati Vegan Thai
website | directions | neighborhood: South Lake Union | best for: Thai food
This vegan Thai restaurant rules. Heck, it’s one of Seattle’s best Thai restaurants period. One of my coworkers is vegan and recommended this spot for after work hangs. Obviously all us meat eaters were dubious, but our tune quickly changed once food started arriving at our table.
Their menu features vegan everything, from fried rice to popular veg takes on classic meat appetizers. For example, they have wings made with oyster mushrooms and jackfruit on sticky rice. This is a great spot when you need a Seattle restaurant for group dining because of its modern mid century vibes and yummy co*cktail menu.
What to get: Khao soi. This northern Thai coconut milk curry soup is often served with chicken, but their tofu version is top notch.
Bimbos Cantina
website | directions | neighborhood: Capitol Hill | best for: Mexican food
You might be saying, “Hey, wait a minute, Bimbos isn’t vegan!” And you’d be partially right. Bimbos Cantina serves meat eaters. However, they have a menu completely dedicated to vegans. And as a meat eater I can tell you, it tastes amazing.
We got the burrito with vegan chorizo and vegan supreme nachos. Both were good, but the nachos were the true standout. They are smothered in this “cheese” sauce that had me questioning how the heck they got the oozy consistency. But I didn’t think about it too hard before scarfing them down. This is definitely one of the best vegan dishes I’ve had in a while…you’d never guess it was meat free!
When I asked the owner, Jeff, why the vegan menu, here’s what he had to say:
“We’ve been doing vegan food for 25 years, before vegan food was a thing. My partner Rebecca was vegan, as were a lot of our friends, so we wanted items on the menu that they could order. Working with local vendors is something we’ve always believed, so between that and wanting a heavy vegan menu, we’ve become mostly all organic and locally sourced, with 99.5% biodegradable service items. It became so popular we decided to recently create a completely vegan menu so our friends don’t have to find them hidden within the menu. Now we’re the only taqueria in town doing vegan.”
What to get: The vegan supreme nachos. You won’t be able to tell their vegan. If you’re feeling daring, get the stoner nachos made with spicy Doritos instead.
Aviv Hummus Bar
website | directions | neighborhood: Capitol Hill | best for: Israeli food
This cafe up in north Capitol Hill on 15th is a bit off the beaten path, but worth seeking out. They’re serving exceptionally creamy hummus topped wit yummy items like mushrooms, eggplant, and meat. Despite the animal products thought, this is a fantastic place for vegans. And omg their fluffy pitas are the thing of dreams.
What to get: The sabich pita sandwich with fried eggplant, hummus, and other goodies. It has a hard-boiled egg in it, but ask them to remove it. And definitely add a falafel to make this pita extra special and put it in the category of the best Seattle sandwiches.
Frankie & Jo’s
website | directions | neighborhoods: 3 locations in Capitol Hill, Ballard, & U-Village | best for: vegan ice cream
You’d never guess this ice cream shop serves all plant-based ice cream given how creamy and yummy their ice cream is. Plus when you walk in, you’re transported into cool Palm Spring-esque mid century vibes with a lot of pastels and plants.
That’s because the aesthetic was created by two queens of branding: Autumn Martin and Kari Brunson. These stylish women have some serious culinary cred. Autumn was a pastry chef at Canlis, then a chocolatier at Theo, and then founded Hot Cakes. Kari founded Juicebox Cafe, a vegetable-focused restaurant that unfortunately closed.
They use house-made sprouted cashew milk and gum-free coconut milk for their ice cream base, gluten-free and vegan mix-ins, and natural sugars like dates or maple syrup. I’m big on ice cream texture and am blown away by how they can get such a creamy texture not using dairy.
They are also on my list of the best Seattle dessert delivery because they ship pints of their vegan ice cream nationwide. If you’re looking for dessert options for other dietary restrictions like gluten free, check out my guide!
What to get: The chocolate tahini cookie flavor. It’s a super creamy take on cookie dough ice cream!
Other Seattle Vegan & Vegetarian Restaurants to Try
There are still a few vegan and vegetarian places I need to try.
- Cycle Dogs – Food truck and brick-and-mortar with vegan hot dogs in Ballard.
- Eggs & Plants – Vegetarian Middle Eastern restaurant downtown.
- Loving Hut -Vegan Vietnamese chain with a location in the ID.
- Noodle Time -Vegetarian Thai restaurant in Cap Hill that used to be called In the Bowl (it’s under the same ownership, just rebranded).
- Sunlight Cafe – Vegetarian cafe in Roosevelt.
- Life on Mars – Bar in Capitol Hill with a vegan menu.
- Heart Beet Healthy Cafe – Plant-based cafe in Queen Anne focused on super foods.
- Broadfork Cafe – Vegan cafe in the U-District.
- Allyum – New vegan and gluten free restaurant in West Seattle.
More Restaurant Ideas
- Pescetarians will love eating their way through the best fish restaurants in Seattle and best poke in Seattle
- Vegetarians will love eating their way through the best pizza in Seattle
- Vegetarians that eat dairy will appreciate these best ice cream shops in Seattle
- Vegans and vegetarians alike drink, amiright? Take them on a crawl of my favorite Ballard breweries or visit the best Seattle urban wineries
