Best Vegetarian Restaurants in Boston

Boston is famous for its iconic baked beans, hence the nickname Beantown. But besides the boiled, sweetened beans with molasses or syrup, there are a lot more dishes you should try before leaving Boston, especially for vegans and vegetarians. It may not be the first place you’ll think of when looking for vegetarian and vegan restaurants, but it’s undoubtedly one of America’s most vegetarian-friendly cities.

Whether it’s a luxury meal you’re after or casual dining, the best vegetarian restaurants in Boston are not hard to find. There are also plenty of plant-based cafes and dedicated vegan food places throughout the city. Some offer an entirely vegan menu, while others still serve meat but have an extensive menu of vegetarian options.

Drop off your bags with Bounce luggage storage in Boston and start exploring the vegetarian and vegan restaurants in the city. When unsure what to order, consider vegetarian dumplings, Bangkok fried rice, or saffron fried rice that’s totally meat-free if you’re craving something Asian. There are also flavorful grain bowls and tasty veggie burgers that even dedicated carnivores would love to eat.  

Clover Food Lab

What's it like:

Making the world a better place is the ultimate vision of Clover Food Lab's founder. This led to the creation of the Clover Food empire, delivering yummy vegetarian and vegan food that even certified meat lovers will enjoy. It is one of the most well-known vegetarian and vegan restaurants in Boston, with countless locations across the city and beyond. In this humble but stunning restaurant, expect nothing but a dreamy experience with its vast array of vegetarian and vegan choices.

Expect simplicity when you decide to go out for lunch or dinner at Clover Food Lab. You won't be seeing fancy techniques or exotic ingredients in their extensive menu, but you'll keep coming back for more of the food. Clover Food Lab is another restaurant that prides itself in its daily routine of dishing out everything from scratch but at the quickest time possible.

Our recommendation:

The restaurant thinks of its drinks quite differently, so give their mulled cider, cinnamon lemonade, maple soda, or Barrington Coffee a try. Then pair them with two of their most popular sandwiches, the Soy BLT and BBQ Seitan.

You can also try the Clover Meal Box on the go to share the amazing vegan dishes with your friends and family wherever you are. But if you haven’t tried Boston’s very first Impossible Burger, check the restaurant’s vegetarian menu. Its burger patty is made entirely of plant products, and it was first introduced at Clover.

Location:

565 Boylston St, Boston

Veggie Crust

What’s it like:

While you can easily buy a vegetarian pizza at various pizzerias, it’s still better to go to a place that’s 100% vegetarian. Veggie Crust is an answer to every vegetarian’s plea, offering delicious and creative vegetarian pizza, pasta, panini, salads, Indian food, and more. Besides their homemade bread and dough, they also create their own vegetarian pestos, cream, and pizza sauces. They also have different vegan options made with high-quality, environmentally-friendly ingredients.

Our recommendation:

Pick the party special for a group of 12 to 15 people. It includes three large pizzas from the menu, a small salad tray, pasta, and three two-liter bottles of soda.

Locations:

445 Somerville Ave Somerville, MA; 8 Cypress St Brookline, MA

Life Alive Organic Café

What's it like:

Are you looking for a satisfying, energizing, and delightful vegetarian cuisine with a cozy atmosphere? Life Alive offers you all that and more. Get treated to the fresh aromas of fresh-cut wheat grass and ginger and a rich set of vegetarian food. Life Alive Organic Café promises an experience for customers where they can have renewed energy and connection to life through healthy and delicious food.

You can ensure that all products are carefully evaluated as they stay committed to providing fresh and delicious food and products. In addition, this vegetarian restaurant supports organic and local food items that are free from chemicals and preservatives. With Life Alive, you're not only getting your meal from one of the city's best vegetarian restaurants but also helping the local community.

Our recommendation:

Experience the warm, rejuvenating, and mineral-rich grains prepared by world-class chefs by ordering a variety of meals, smoothies, and juices. Bring your veg-skeptic friends and witness how they'll change their minds after getting a taste of Life Alive's excellent menu. Life Alive has multiple locations, and their standouts include the Brookline location, which is known for its ramen and curry cauliflower.

Locations:

505 Tremont Street, 431 Boylston Street, Boston, Woodbury Building, 431 Boylston St, Boston; 888 Commonwealth Ave, Boston; 765 Massachusetts Ave, Cambridge

Saus

What's it like:

What started as a passion project of three local university graduates who were ousted from their company has become one of the most loved vegetarian restaurants in Boston. Saus is a small spot in the bustling city, offering excellent bar food and vegetarian dishes. What sets this vegetarian restaurant apart from the rest of the pack is that it allows you to make anything vegan.

Saus is the best option for a late afternoon hang out with friends who love bar food and prefer it to be healthy. If a casual counter vegetarian dining experience is your thing, then this place is for you. They make everything from scratch, so every delicacy you enjoy is an original concept. They also offer vegetarian poutine with miso mushroom gravy, a BBQ vegetarian burger, and a sandwich.

Our recommendation:

Saus got its name from its specialty product, sauces. You're dining experience with them is never complete if you don't try their delightful selection of unique sauces. Pair them with Impossible Burger, the ultimate vegetarian big mac, and you’d want to come back for more. You can also request vegan versions of anything you like and be amazed at how Saus will do its magic.

Location:

33 Union Street, Boston

My Thai Vegan Cafe

What's it like:

Enjoy exquisite vegetarian and vegan dishes in a calming and comfortable atmosphere at My Thai Vegan Café. Experience the best vegan Thai specialties at this second-story spot, perfect for those who love overlooking views.

My Thai Vegan Café is a simple but convenient restaurant perfect for people looking for a place to hang out with friends and family. It boasts an unmatched passion for serving delightful and healthy food to its customers. Aside from the elegant ambiance and salivating food, you will be treated to a world-class professional service from highly experienced chefs and waiters.

Our recommendation:

The Café's menu will make your eyes shine bright with countless options for appetizers, salads, noodles, curries, and more. Their Chef's Special Entrees are a must-try, like the Thai Half Pineapple and Asian Sizzling Platter. Also, check out their Luncheon Specials like Pad See Ew, Pad Thai, Thai-style Lemongrass Specialty, and Seafood Mae Ploy to complete your oriental dining experience.

Locations:

3 Beach Street, Boston

Oasis Vegan Veggie Parlor

What's it like:

Since 2017, Oasis Vegan Veggie Parlor has paved the way for Boston customers to live and eat healthily. It focuses on making people aware of the value of health and wellness as essential components of their consciousness. For this reason, it serves food that’s not only pleasing to the palate but also beneficial for the health. Oasis Vegan Veggie Parlor offers grain, stew, and veggie options and infuses African dishes into its menu.

It's difficult to miss Oasis Vegan Veggie Parlor with its strategic corner area location. You can dine in with friends, enjoy the timeless Boston sidewalk view, or grab a snack. It is also open for deliveries so that you can experience classic healthy dishes from the comfort of your home or office!

Our recommendation:

Oasis Vegan Veggie Parlor is open for lunch and early dinner. Give their grain bowls a try, which come in different favorites, such as the Dr. Sebi Bowl and the African Pot Bowl. Try their Oasis Ginger Bomb Juice and the Golden Milk Shake for your beverages, which have nutritious components for digestion and inflammatories.

Location:

340 Washington St, Boston

Revolution Health Kitchen

What's it like:

You will experience the difference when you step into Revolution Health Kitchen for breakfast and lunch. Owners Dominic and Heather Costa aim to encourage more people to give value to proper nutrition. Their menu comprises smoothies, soups, bowls, and main courses whose ingredients come from local farmers' products.

What this little vegetarian haven lacks in size is more than made up in its high-quality products. All ingredients are fresh, and every delicacy is made right there and then as you order. Taste, feel, and be the difference as you grab your favorite healthy meal from Revolution Health Kitchen.

Our recommendation:

Since the place is quite small, we suggest you enjoy their wide selection of vegan and vegetarian dishes on the go so you can share them with friends and family. Try their healthy soups for a hearty brunch. They are a low sodium soup and cholesterol, oil, gluten, and dairy-free meal. The restaurant closes at 3 PM, so be sure to place your orders early.

Location:

150 Huntington Ave, Boston

Blue Nile

What's it like:

Blue Nile is one of the rarest Ethiopian restaurants that offer vegan and vegetarian dishes as its specialty. This restaurant may be small, but it makes up for its size with its unforgettable flavors and friendly atmosphere. If you want a restaurant that's not sacrificing efficiency over ambiance, Blue Nile is perfect for you. Grabe a bite of their delicious Ethiopian vegetarian and vegan delicacies like Injera, Fossolia, and more. You’ll never run out of vegetarian side dishes to choose from at very affordable prices.

From unique appetizer dishes to standout vegan and vegetarian dishes, your eyes will pop out with the wide selection on Blue Nile's menu. They're also one of the few restaurants across Massachusetts serving Negus Ethiopian beer.

Our recommendation:

Ever tried a house-made honey wine? Blue Nile gives you a chance to try this invigorating drink to blend perfectly with your vegetarian meal. However, their vegetarian combinations do not come with wine, so call the resto to choose your bottle. Also, try one of Blue Nile's best-selling vegetarian dishes, the Veggie Fir Fir, and see what magic chopped injera can do to your day.

Locations:

389 Centre Street, Boston

Terramia Ristorante

What's it like:

What's a vegan and vegetarian restaurant list without Italian flavors in the mix? Terramia Ristorante offers a warm, cozy setting with outdoor tables, which perfectly embodies the Italian family gathering vibe. This restaurant offers vegan and gluten-free options, so you won't have to worry about bringing in extra health-conscious friends.

As you enter Terramia Ristorante, the soft lighting, beamed ceilings, and stucco walls will make you want to just sit down and enjoy the fancy yet classic experience. You're getting access to an Italian countryside experience with decked-out linens, candlelights, and paintings all over the place. Terramia Ristorante, you'll realize that there's more to Italian food than red sauce and pizza because of their endless choices of vegetarian dishes.

Our recommendation:

Take advantage of the delicious Italian vegetarian choices by purchasing a gift card for your friends and family, and enjoy great discounts, too. We also recommend booking in advance, especially if you're coming in large groups since the restaurant gets full quite early. Terramia Ristorante is only open for dinner, so make advance reservations through their website.

Location:

98 Salem St, Boston

Vegan and vegetarian dining

From fast food vegetarian dishes and fancy eateries to plant-based fine dining, there are numerous vegan and vegetarian restaurants in this Massachusetts capital. The cafes, diners, and restaurants in this list are only a fraction of what you’ll find in Boston.

It doesn’t matter if you’ve only recently switched to vegetarianism or veganism or are simply looking for fresh, green dishes. This lively city caters to any group of varying lifestyle and diet requirements.

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