In Portland, a beloved vegan cheesemaker opens in a brand-new, sprawling location full with a counter-service cheese store, deli, and contemporary pasta restaurant proper inside. In Grand Rapids, an über-cool vegan brunch café-slash-coffee shop-slash-marketplace idea is making a gathering spot for plant-based Midwesterners. And throughout the nation, new and thrilling plant-based eateries are cropping up (Filipino baked items in California! Neapolitan pizza in Hawaii! Arabian tapas in New York!), proving that vegan eating places are certainly nonetheless scorching.
So we are saying, it’s time to have a good time! We gathered greater than 250 vegan brick-and-mortar nominees, and also you voted in a month-long marketing campaign to crown the very best of the very best—and the votes are in! Which metropolis is taking residence essentially the most wins (trace: it’s a Pacific Northwest landslide)? Who was named Chef of the 12 months? And which restaurant did you select as the very best in the whole nation? We current to you … the third annual VegNews Restaurant Awards.
Plant Energy Quick Meals
Greatest Vegan Quick-Meals Restaurant:
Plant Energy Quick Meals (California & Nevada)
With veganized variations of nostalgic favorites like super-stacked Massive Zacs, crispy hen snack wraps, In-N-Out-style fries, and thick Blizzard-like ice cream concoctions, Plant Energy Quick Meals—with drive-thru outposts in Las Vegas, Sacramento, and all through Southern California—has cracked the code to satisfying nearly any fast-food craving.
1st Place: Plant Energy Quick Meals (California & Nevada)
2nd Place: Face Plant (Portland, OR)
third Place: Slutty Vegan (A number of Places)
Editors’ Vote: Subsequent Degree Veggie Grill (Nationwide)
Crossroads Kitchen
Greatest Vegan High-quality-Eating Restaurant:
Crossroads Kitchen (Los Angeles, CA & Las Vegas, NV)
Chef Tal Ronnen’s two vegan eating establishments draw diners from everywhere in the world (together with celebs like Ariana Grande, Beyoncé, Alicia Silverstone, and Joaquin Phoenix), and with perfected dishes like hen scallopini parmesan, chestnut tortellini in rosemary brodo, and grilled lion’s mane steak with truffle potatoes, it’s straightforward to see why.
1st Place: Crossroads Kitchen (Los Angeles, CA & Las Vegas, NV)
2nd Place: Planta (A number of Places)
third Place: Feral (Portland, OR)
Editors’ Vote: Miss Rachel’s Pantry (Philadelphia, PA) & Crossroads Kitchen (Los Angeles, CA & Las Vegas, NV) (tie!)
Doomie’s Dwelling Cookin’
Greatest Vegan Diner:
Doomie’s Dwelling Cookin’ (Los Angeles, CA)
The place to go when the late-night vegan munchies hit? For diners in Hollywood, it’s Doomie’s Dwelling Cookin’, the place you may chow down on some next-level indulgent grub. Pulled pork-mac and cheese sandwiches? Peanut butter bacon cheeseburgers? A bucket of crispy fried hen (full with pores and skin and bone)? Examine, verify, and verify.
1st Place: Doomie’s Dwelling Cookin’ (Los Angeles, CA)
2nd Place: Vertical Diner (Salt Lake Metropolis, UT & Portland, OR)
third Place: The Tasty (Philadelphia, PA)
Editors’ Vote: 4th & State Diner (Columbus, OH)
Vtopian
Greatest Vegan Deli:
Vtopian (Portland, OR)
The place else are you able to decide up a Muenster-honeynut squash-fennel marmalade sandwich, a to-go container of garlic oil-drizzled potato salad, and a wedge of Brun de Noix cashew cheese? Portland mainstay Vtopian’s new cheese shop-deli-marketplace, after all.
1st Place: Vtopian (Portland, OR)
2nd Place: Ben & Esther’s (Portland, OR & San Diego, CA)
third Place: Windfall Vegan Deli (Windfall, RI)
Editors’ Vote: The Butcher’s Son (Berkeley, CA)
Boxcar Pizza
Greatest Vegan Pizzeria:
Boxcar Pizza (Portland, OR)
It’s official: for the finest vegan Detroit-style pizza, head to the West Coast. Boxcar Pizza’s sourdough pies maintain some critically ingenious fillings inside their tall, caramelized cheese-lined crusts. Go basic with the Bianca (mozzarella, ricotta, sausage, garlic, basil, and parmesan) or maintain a watch out for specials just like the Bayou Blues (with cheddar, mozz, andouille sausage, garlic shrimp, blue cheese, and inexperienced onions).
1st Place: Boxcar Pizza (Portland, OR)
2nd Place: Donna Jean (San Diego, CA)
third Place: twentieth Avenue Pizza (Philadelphia, PA)
Editors’ Vote: Boxcar Pizza (Portland, OR)
Kate’s Ice Cream
Greatest Vegan Ice Cream Spot:
Kate’s Ice Cream (Portland, OR)
At Kate’s Ice Cream, proprietor Kate Williams’ luscious, coconut cream-based scoops are crafted with native farm-grown elements in collaboration with woman- and minority-owned companies, which makes treats like marionberry cobbler brownie sundaes, salted peanut butter brittle ice cream sandwiches, and customized ice cream truffles all that a lot sweeter.
1st Place: Kate’s Ice Cream (Portland, OR)
2nd Place: Like No Udder (Windfall, RI)
third Place: Vaca’s Creamery (Chicago, IL)
Editors’ Vote: By way of Lactea (New Haven, CT)
Orange & Blossom
Greatest Vegan Bakery:
Orange & Blossom (Portland, OR)
With its second consecutive win, this two-year-old bakery has now been named finest within the nation yearly it’s been open. Would possibly it have one thing to do with its fluffy sticky buns dripping with maple caramel and sprinkled with crunchy pecans? The plum frangipane tart with white chocolate? The boysenberry bostock, that includes vanilla syrup-soaked brioche topped with almond frangipane and housemade boysenberry jam? We’d say so.
1st Place: Orange & Blossom (Portland, OR)
2nd Place: Vegan Treats (Bethlehem, PA)
third Place: Cinnaholic (Nationwide)
Editors’ Vote: Bakers Bench (Los Angeles, CA)
Doe Donuts
Greatest Vegan Doughnut Store:
Doe Donuts (Portland, OR)
From Petunia’s gluten-free treats to Voodoo’s iconic dolls, Portland takes its vegan doughnuts critically, however Doe Donuts stays the town’s—and now, the nation’s—most dependable standout. The store seems persistently wonderful raised doughnuts with rotating, world-class flavors, starting from conventional chocolate hazelnut bombolini to ingenious hen pot pie-stuffed doughnuts.
1st Place: Doe Donuts (Portland, OR)
2nd Place: Donut Pal (Los Angeles, CA)
third Place: Dottie’s Donuts (Philadelphia, PA)
Editors’ Vote: Doe Donuts (Portland, OR)
Espresso Beer
Greatest Vegan Espresso Store:
Espresso Beer (Portland, OR)
“No dairy, as a result of we’re a vegan store. No decaf, as a result of it’s simply scorching, brown water.” No drawback for Portlanders. Actually, the town’s queer-owned, all-vegan, espresso shop-slash-beer bar is likely one of the finest locations to cease by for a cardamom Americano, a tacky tofu scramble burrito (just a few draft beers relying on how your day’s going), and a ton of super-cute vibes.
1st Place: Espresso Beer (Portland, OR)
2nd Place: Grindcore Home (Philadelphia, PA)
third Place: Memento Mori Espresso (Portland, OR)
Editors’ Vote: Memento Mori Espresso (Portland, OR)
Mothership
Greatest Vegan Bar:
Mothership (San Diego, CA)
Few bars decide to environment fairly like Mothership. With its sci-fi film set inside, an unique soundtrack enjoying within the background, and loads of mouthwatering cocktails, the San Diego scorching spot is as immersive and enjoyable because it will get. Modern, extremely enjoyable, and fully vegan—precisely what an evening out must be.
1st Place: Mothership (San Diego, CA)
2nd Place: Ladybird (New York, NY)
third Place: Charlie was a sinner. (Philadelphia, PA)
Editors’ Vote: June (Beaverton, OR)
Mis Tacones
Greatest Vegan Mexican Restaurant:
Mis Tacones (Portland, OR)
Mis Tacones continues to set the bar for vegan Mexican meals in Portland and nationwide. However past the al pastor nachos and the chanterelle birria ramen, this restaurant is making a reputation for itself with its steadfast dedication to group. A trans POC eat free program, pop-up collabs with native vegan companies, winter provide drives, immigrant rights coaching classes, block events, drag brunches, and merch made out of group artwork submissions—Mis Tacones proves veganism is best collectively.
1st Place: Mis Tacones (Portland, OR)
2nd Place: Jajaja Mexicana (New York, NY)
third Place: Tacotarian (Las Vegas, NV & San Diego, CA)
Editors’ Vote: Chicana Vegana (Fullerton, CA)
Spicy Moon
Greatest Vegan Asian Restaurant:
Spicy Moon (New York, NY)
Subsequent time you end up with a hankering for vegan Szechuan whereas traipsing round Manhattan, unhealthy information … you’re going to need to determine which of Spicy Moon’s 4 always-busy areas to move to. Then, a alternative between classics like mapo tofu, dry pot, or double-cooked mushrooms. Then lastly, a slice of strawberry matcha cake on the desk or just a few fluffy purple bean buns to go? Ahh, choices, scrumptious.
1st Place: Spicy Moon (New York, NY)
2nd Place: Obon Shokudo (Portland, OR)
third Place: Chef Kenny’s Dim Sum (Las Vegas, NV)
Editors’ Vote: Jade Rabbit (Portland, OR)
Planta and Past Sushi
Greatest Vegan Sushi Spot:
Past Sushi (New York, NY) & Planta (A number of Places) (tie!)
Now this can be a tie that we will get behind. Planta brings modern, crowd-pleasing rolls to buzzy, lovely eating rooms throughout North America (go massive and—why not?—order a 96-piece maki roll platter in your social gathering), whereas Past Sushi has spent greater than a decade proving that vegan sushi might be ingenious, showstopping, and craveable in Midtown Manhattan (the black rice mango-avocado roll is a should).
1st Place: Past Sushi (New York, NY) & Planta (A number of Places) (tie!)
2nd Place: Shizen (San Francisco, CA)
third Place: Nori (Austin, TX)
Editors’ Vote: Nori (Austin, TX)
Souley Vegan
Greatest Vegan Soul Meals Restaurant:
Souley Vegan (Oakland, CA)
The pandemic knocked Souley Vegan off its throne because the premier vegan soul meals restaurant on the West Coast. However 2025 noticed the triumphant return of Chef Tamearra Dyson’s Louisiana delicacies establishment in a fair greater and higher location in Oakland. Beneficiant plates, no-corners-cut recipes, and sufficient consolation to lull you to sleep virtually instantly after your final chew of Cajun white cheddar mac—Souley Vegan is again.
1st Place: Souley Vegan (Oakland, CA)
2nd Place: Soiled Lettuce (Portland, OR)
third Place: Vegan Mob (Vallejo, San Bruno & Oakland, CA)
Editors’ Vote: Mo Brunch and Brews (Houston, TX)
Pura Vita
Greatest Vegan Italian Restaurant:
Pura Vita (West Hollywood, CA)
Pura Vita has change into a fixture in West Hollywood, and for good cause. The menu is decadent, acquainted, and satisfying, luring vegans and non-vegans alike with ease. Whether or not you’re celebrating a big day or simply craving pasta performed proper (the avocado egg carbonara with macadamia romano cream is a perennial favourite), that is the reservation that retains delivering.
1st Place: Pura Vita (West Hollywood, CA)
2nd Place: Lilla (Portland, OR)
third Place: Coletta (New York, NY)
Editors’ Vote: Pietramala (Philadelphia, PA)
Veggie Galaxy
Greatest Vegan-Pleasant Restaurant:
Veggie Galaxy (Cambridge, MA)
Each menu merchandise at this 14-year-old Boston-area vegetarian diner might be made vegan—a blessing for plant-based eaters searching for corned beef hash Benedict, Oreo pancakes, or an informal Mac ‘N Stack (fried hen, bacon, and sriracha between two crispy mac and cheese waffles). Simply be certain to not miss the goodies from the on-site vegan bakery—the hybrid cinnamon-roll cake slice is to die for.
1st Place: Veggie Galaxy (Cambridge, MA)
2nd Place: The Chicago Diner (Chicago, IL)
third Place: Rudy’s Pizza (Portland, OR)
Editors’ Vote: Veggie Galaxy (Cambridge, MA)
Greatest Vegan Chef:
Aaron Adams (Astera—Portland, OR)
Positioned on a full of life, walkable hall in Southeast Portland—recognized for its indie cafés, classic storefronts, and regular movement of patrons out and in of neighborhood haunts—Astera sits as one of many fine-dining bastions of the West Coast, thanks largely to Chef Aaron Adams Casañas. Right here on the intimate, 18-seat eating room, he and Chef de Delicacies Saxon Stites remodel farmed-and-foraged vegetation from the Pacific Northwest into beautiful tasting menu experiences, with nods to fascinating fermentation methods, Adams Casañas’ Cuban heritage, and even the mulchy forest flooring of Oregon. After three a long time within the kitchens—and a string of influential Portland eating places, together with Portobello Vegan Trattoria, Farm Spirit, and Fermenter—Adams Casañas is expertly shaping the trajectory of vegan eating, and reveals no signal of stopping quickly.
1st Place: Aaron Adams (Astera—Portland, OR)
2nd Place: Tal Ronnen (Crossroads Kitchen—Los Angeles, CA)
third Place: Amy Noonan (Kindred, Vulture—San Diego, CA)
Editors’ Vote: Aaron Adams (Astera—Portland, OR)
Face Plant
Greatest New Vegan Restaurant:
Face Plant (Portland, OR)
Face Plant wasted no time making a primary impression. From the leap, the Portland newcomer arrived with a transparent perspective (“All that issues is that if it tastes higher than McDonald’s. All that issues is in the event you really feel one thing.”), assured flavors (“It took us three years to craft our burger. It took us two years to get our shake proper”), and a simple-but-perfected menu that Portlanders can’t get sufficient of. With the assistance of rising meals star and New York Occasions bestselling cookbook writer Molly Baz as Head of Culinary, Face Plant’s nostalgic roster of burgers, nuggets (plus a nugget burger), and hand-spun shakes is changing into the speak of the city. And now, it’s the Greatest New Vegan Restaurant in America.
1st Place: Face Plant (Portland, OR)
2nd Place: Mission Burger Co. (Austin, TX & Atlanta, GA)
third Place: Reverie (Brooklyn, NY)
Editors’ Vote: Mission Burger Co. (Austin, TX & Atlanta, GA)
Crossroads Kitchen
Greatest Vegan Restaurant in America:
Crossroads Kitchen (Los Angeles, CA & Las Vegas, NV)
At this level, Crossroads Kitchen is working in a class of its personal. With its polished eating rooms, constant high-level cooking, and a menu that treats plant-based delicacies with the identical seriousness as legacy fine-dining establishments, these eating places are among the many most influential gamers serving to to form how vegan meals is perceived by the world. Chef Tal Ronnen and his crew create considerate, seasonal menus that each longtime vegans and the plant-curious can marvel over. Blistered, bubbly Neapolitan-style pizzas have a fluffy chew that at all times please crowds. An ingenious eggplant brief rib—served with truffle potatoes and mushroom bordelaise—is a sublime, buttery-yet-meaty simulacrum of the posh dish that wows gourmands. Pasta aficionados revel within the choice of plates starting from a cheeseless mafaldine cacio e pepe to the white wine linguine scallops. The desserts are top-notch, brunch is intensive (taking form as a full-on buffet in Las Vegas), and the cocktails are flawless. Crossroads Kitchen has moved from being a vacation spot to being a reference level, firmly on the middle of the American vegan eating dialog.
1st Place: Crossroads Kitchen (Los Angeles, CA & Las Vegas, NV)
2nd Place: Pura Vita (West Hollywood, CA)
third Place: Monster Vegan (Philadelphia, PA)
Editors’ Vote: Crossroads Kitchen (Los Angeles, CA & Las Vegas, NV)
For extra plant-based tales like this, learn:
Richard Bowie (@wichiebowie) is VegNews’ editorial director based mostly in Oakland, CA.
