Vegan in Phoenix

Image: Aside of Heart (formerly Conspire)

901 N. 5th St. Central Phoenix

602-349-3134

Vegan, Vegetarian, Art Galleries, Best Of, Menu

Formerly known as Conspire, this Roosevelt Row restaurant specializes in vegetarian and vegan eats. Found in a off-the-radar house in the Evans-Churchill district, the indie biz is ever-popular with artsy-types and the occasional anarchist.

9 articles

Aside of Heart

901 N. 5th St. Central Phoenix

Vegan, Vegetarian, Art Galleries

1 article

The Coronado PHX

2245 N. 12th St. Central Phoenix

602-767-8133

Vegetarian, Vegan, Coffeehouse, Best Of, Slideshow, Readers' Choice

For inventive vegan food set against a backdrop of pink floral wallpaper and black upholstered booths, look no further than The Coronado at 12th and Oak streets. Sit on the patio to witness hipsters walk and bike through the charming Coronado Historic District while you nosh on fried potato tacos with purple cabbage and vegan crema. Stop in for pastries, lunch, brunch, or happy hour — the dishes are delicious at any time of day. The “buttermilk” short stack is served daily until it sells out, and the chimichanga with house-made chorizo and red potatoes served over refried black beans is a favorite that will sate even the hungriest souls. Dark Hall Coffee is right next door, so saunter over for a latte or cold brew to complement your vegan meal.

21 articles

The Cutting Board Bakery and Café

2235 S. Power Rd. Mesa

480-654-8081

Vegan, Vegetarian, Menu

7 articles

Dark Hall Coffee

2243 N. 12th St. Central Phoenix

602-277-5507

Coffeehouse, Vegan, Coffee Shops, Best Of

Dark Hall Coffee is a vegan and vegetarian coffee shop in the Coronado area, one offering fully vegan coffee and tea drinks, plus pastries. We’re talking about house-made nut milks, oat milks, dairy-free cortados, cappuccinos, and lattes, brown sugar lemonade, signature juice concoctions, cinnamon rolls, and shortbread.

8 articles

Desert Roots Kitchen

414 S. Mill Ave. #111 Tempe

480-382-0228

Vegetarian, Vegan, Breakfast/Brunch, American, Recommended

You don't have to be an über-hippie vegan nut to enjoy Desert Roots Kitchen. You don't even really have to be on a health kick. Instead of using fake meats and faux cheese, Desert Roots simply uses real-deal grains, legumes, and veggies -- along with a good amount of seasoning and spice to add flavor. The little deli-style restaurant in the Mill Avenue Shops corridor primary has outdoor seating, but you can always grab your food to-go when it gets too hot.

6 articles

Early Bird Vegan

1712 E. Broadway Rd. Unit 3 South Phoenix

602-612-3578

Vegan, Vegetarian, Menu

Check out Early Bird Vegan for plant-based sandwiches, pastries, coffee, smoothies, ice cream & cold-pressed juices.

3 articles

Earth Plant Based Cuisine

1325 Grand Ave. #7 Downtown Phoenix

480-465-2110

Vegan, Best Of, Essentials

Mexican food often is heavy on the opposite of vegan food: lots of meat, lots of cheese. Earth Plant Based Cuisine on Grand Avenue has a different vision, though. This small family-owned business packs big flavor into its menu, along with a desire to show customers what going green and being vegan is all about. The tables and ceilings are made from wood pallets, and the countertops and prep tables are from repurposed materials. The friendly staff is eager to guide you, but in our experience, you can't go wrong with the street-style corn, the carnitas made with seasoned mushrooms or the Baja burrito with beer-battered "shrimp." Save room for a milkshake made with soy-based ice cream and almond milk.

8 articles

Fresh Mint

13802 N. Scottsdale Rd. #161 North Scottsdale

480-443-2556

Vegetarian, Vietnamese, Thai, Vegan, Best Of, Menu

This vegetarian, vegan, and certified kosher eatery in Scottsdale puts a Vietnamese spin on meatless dishes, thanks to owner and chef Mai Ly, who, along with her husband, managed similar restaurants in Maui for more 20 years. On the corner of a strip mall, the atmosphere is casual and easygoing, with bright green walls, linen-topped tables, and '60s tunes in the ackground. Summer rolls, spicy lemongrass noodle soup, or green papaya salad are nice places to start; and for those seeking more "meaty" dishes, the vegetarian citrus "spare ribs," five-spice pho with marinated soy beef, or the guest favorite kung pao soy chicken, are some of the standouts.

7 articles

Giving Tree Cafe

2024 N. 7th St. #111 Central Phoenix

480-630-0200

Vegan, American, Best Of, Menu

To put it bluntly, this might be the “hippiest” of vegan-friendly restaurants on this list. The menu at Giving Tree Cafe is entirely organic and gluten-free, and interior décor is sparse save for a kids’ corner play area and a couple of gorgeous, gigantic amethyst geodes. There's an all-day breakfast menu with many recommendations. The spinach-packed vegan quiche is especially good and "Delicious AF" is how Giving Tree Café describes its banana bread with macadamia butter.

4 articles

Green New American Vegetarian

2022 N. 7th St. Central Phoenix

602-258-1870

Comfort Foods, Vegetarian, Vegan, Recommended, Best Of, Menu, Readers' Choice

If you still think vegan food means a bunch of rabbit food, clearly you haven't been to Green. With a full menu of burgers, pasta, rice bowls, egg rolls, and even chili fries, eating vegan never looked so naughty. The newer Phoenix location is right next door to the restaurant's all vegan sweets shop, Nami, in case your Big WAC didn't satiate your cruelty-free junk food cravings.

23 articles

Green New American Vegetarian

2240 N. Scottsdale Rd. #113 Tempe

480-941-9003

Comfort Foods, Vegetarian, Vegan, Recommended, Best Of, Menu, Readers' Choice

Some items at Green have almost universal appeal: The flatbread pizzas are tasty, as are the butterless, eggless chocolate chip cookies. But the meatball sammy and "Green" burger will only please those who've forgotten what beef tastes like. Basically, this is fast-food vegan, and fills a niche that needs to be filled, to judge by the crowds. For meat-eaters, it's a place to take the vegan date, where you'll be able to eat something on the menu without gagging.

44 articles

Loving Hut

3239 E. Indian School Rd. East Phoenix

602-264-3480

Chinese, Vegan, Vegetarian, Best Of, Slideshow

Is it possible that we can love a restaurant more than we love Loving Hut? We think not. That's because this super chain does something with gourmet vegan cuisine we can't find anyplace else: they turn wholesome ingredients into a repast that's not only good for us, but tastes amazing, too. Currently the fastest-growing vegan fast food chain in the world (with branches in Milpitas, Palo Alto and San Francisco), the Hut offers dishes free of animal ingredients-no MSG, milk or eggs-and all of it is stuff you'll love. Try the Golden Nuggets, crispy soy strips coated with flour and dipped in yummy spices. Or the Pate Chaud, a crispy and flaky delight filled with soy protein, jicama, carrots, shiitake mushrooms, and onions. Delicious and healthy.

7 articles

Lowdown Vegan

1447 E. McDowell Rd. Central Phoenix

602-834-8346

Vegan

1 article

Maya’s Cajun Kitchen

659 E. Main St. Mesa

Vegan, Cajun/Creole

2 articles

Mi Vegana Madre

5835 W. Palmaire Ave., Suite E Glendale

623-934-0358

Vegan, Mexican, Best Of

4 articles

Nami

2014 N. 7th St. Central Phoenix

602-258-6264

Vegan, Bakery, Coffeehouse, Dessert, Tea, Coffee Shops, Recommended, Best Of, Menu, Slideshow, Readers' Choice

Owner Damon Brasch opened this cool little vegan ice cream, coffee, and pastry shop in a renovated house in downtown Phoenix just days before he opened the second location of his vegan bistro Green right next door. And what Green does right in the way of comfort food, Nami does right in the way of caffeine and sugar treats. Try the decadent affogato, a scoop of organic soy-based ice cream and chocolate syrup drowned in espresso, paired with any number of outstanding 100 percent vegan goodies, from cupcakes to cookies to daily specials. And don't miss the Tsoynami, Brasch's delicious housemade organic ice cream delight featuring over 20 Blizzard-like flavors. Soy? What soy?

31 articles

Nekter Juice Bar

2045 E. Camelback Rd., Ste A16 South Phoenix

480-561-0002

Health, Vegan, Health and Fitness, Raw Food

2 articles

Nekter Juice Bar

116 E. University Dr. Tempe

480-401-3897

Health, Vegan, Gluten-Free, Menu

Nekter Juice Bar

2000 E. Rio Salado Pkwy., Ste. 1213 Tempe

480-781-0800

Health, Vegan, Cafe, Fast Casual, Gluten-Free, Health and Fitness, Vegetarian

2 articles

Nourish123

1495 S. Higley Rd. Gilbert

480-684-2233

Gluten-Free, Health, Vegan, Vegetarian, Menu

1 article

Pachamama

4115 N. 19th Ave. Central Phoenix

602-586-3991

Vegan, Street Food, Best Of, Menu

5 articles

Perfect Pear Bistro

1241 E. Chandler Blvd. Ahwatukee

American, Breakfast, Deli, Italian, Sandwiches, Vegan, Vegetarian

2 articles

Pita Jungle

7366 E. Shea Blvd. North Scottsdale

480-922-7482

Mediterranean, Vegan, Greek, Health, Recommended, Best Of, Menu, Slideshow, Readers' Choice

Hear us out. This 25-year-old local chain is not necessarily pushing culinary boundaries — that’s hard to do when you’re constantly opening new locations — but it’s a well-known stop for a solid Mediterranean lunch or dinner. We mention it here to highlight its role as a transitional restaurant for many Phoenix-area diners attempting to make dietary transitions. The vegan and vegetarian options here are delicious and accessible (all hail the creamy green cilantro jalapeno hummus) and recent new menu items include keto- and paleo-friendly dishes like the Super Green Nordic Salmon Bowl and Shaved Korean Beef Cauliflower Tostada. No specific restrictions, but keen on the dieting part? The sizable broiled chicken salad remains a solid lunch option if you work nearby one of the Jungles.

28 articles

POCO

15 Main St. - Peddler's Alley, Bisbee Outside the Valley

520-432-3733

Mexican, Vegan, Vegetarian

1 article

Rosati's Pizza

4206 E. Chandler Blvd. #34 Ahwatukee

480-706-1777

Italian, Pizza, Vegan, Vegetarian, Menu

Rosati's Pizza

7119 E. Shea Blvd. #108 North Scottsdale

480-596-3444

Italian, Pizza, Vegan, Vegetarian, Menu

Sage Kitchen

4773 N. 20th St. East Phoenix

602-283-1210

Health, Vegan, Vegetarian, Best Of

16 articles

Santé

15507 N. Scottsdale Rd., #100 North Scottsdale

Contemporary, Vegan, Vegetarian

The term “organic” is more than a buzzword at Scottsdale’s Santé. The ethos centers on ethical food sourcing and a keen focus on being green from start to finish. Drinks are the way in with selections such as the Watermelon Mambo, which features elderflower liqueur, basil, and vodka, or the classic prickly pear margarita. Mocktails also are available for those who want to skip the alcohol. Cheese boards have vegan and non-vegan cheeses, and you simply cannot pass up the shishito cornbread, a mixture of peppers and cheddar cheese, with dippable maple butter. Hearty entrees include salmon, sea bass, and polenta cake. Order the sweet potato waffle if you decide to dine during brunch. You won’t regret it. Brunch also features several vegetarian items, such as a vegan burger and burrito. For something sweet, don’t skip the pumpkin pull-apart bread.

1 article

Sherpa Kitchen

1533 W. Elliot Rd. Gilbert

480-687-1187

Nepalese, Asian, Vegan, Slideshow

The Valley’s first Nepalese restaurant is also one of its best restaurants to open in the last three years. Subash and Chandra Yadav upgraded from their dumpling-starring food truck, Everest Momo, to an intimate brick-and-mortar in early 2020. Those chewy-yet-succulent momos live on, served steamed, souped, and fried, slicked in potent sauces like a tomato-rich curry and gingery chile. Subash sources deeply from local farms, especially Rhiba Farms in Queen Creek. The vibrant hues of peak-season produce color his wok-fried udon noodles, his taruwa (fried vegetables), his gundruk (soup of fermented greens). There is rare personality and vivacity to his food. There is also rare rigor, especially at the modest price point. For one: the gundruk, which takes 10 days to make, recently cost just $6. Even the chai blend is not only from scratch, but presented artfully on slate beside sel roti, a lacy, ghee-fried doughnut. Admirably, Sherpa Kitchen takes major steps to accommodate vegans.

5 articles