Best Vegetarian Restaurants in Vancouver
Vancouver, BC is a scenic city full of outdoor attractions and activities. You can ski, hike, swim, and bike picturesque locations without leaving the Lower Mainland, and all this outdoorsy access makes local Vancouverites passionate about food, both healthy and decadent. As a result, Vancouver is a wonderful place to be a vegetarian. There are many fantastic restaurants in the city offering delicious and healthy meals, making it easy to stick with your diet while exploring this beautiful city.
The vegetarian restaurants in Vancouver are so good that they've even been known to convert a few carnivores. There are vegetarian restaurants scattered throughout the city with varying cuisines and price points. If you're looking for vegan fare, Vancouver definitely has you covered on that, too.
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Use this list of the best vegetarian restaurants in Vancouver to plan your meals when you visit this exciting west coast city. From Indian curries to Japanese sushi, there's something for everyone on this list. So, whatever your taste buds are craving, we promise you'll find something satisfying at one of these restaurants. Happy eating!
MeeT on Main - Main Street/East Van
Don't let the name of this restaurant fool you, they don't serve meat here. Although it may be a confusing choice, the food here is worth a few head scratches. Indoor wooden tables and a streetside patio offer options depending on the weather, and the menu is full of classic favorites done vegetarian or vegan. This place serves zero meat and its loyal customer base runs deep.
What it's like:
The interior of the restaurant is simple and casual with a bistro-feel in the heart of the action on Main Street. MeeT also has locations in Gastown and Yaletown, but Main is where it all started.
Our recommendation:
MeeT on Main is best for lunch unless you are prepared to wait for a while for a table at dinnertime, especially on weekends. As for the menu, the butter chikkin poutine is a unique and satisfying choice that perfectly melds Canadian and Indian cuisine.
Location:
4288 Main St.
Chickpea Restaurant - Main Street/ East Van
Right next to MeeT on Main you'll find another of the best vegetarian restaurants in town called Chickpea. This completely vegan restaurant is inspired by the flavors of the Middle East with everything from hummus to Tumeric rice to baba ganoush. The restaurant also operates a food truck with a limited menu that tours the city, so keep an eye out for it as you explore Vancouver.
What it's like:
This casual spot offers the ability to customize your meal, so you can choose a pita, platter, salad, rice bowl, or hummus plate with your favorite proteins and toppings. They aim to make the customer happy here and the great service is second only to the tasty food.
Our recommendation:
The whole restaurant was born out of the simple idea of creating the best hummus in Vancouver. Whatever option you choose, make sure it has hummus on it.
Location:
4298 Main St.
Virtuous Pie - Chinatown
Specializing in plant-based pizza and ice cream, Virtuous Pie is great for vegan food on the go or as takeout. The restaurant is conveniently located a few blocks north of the Main Street Skytrain station and is close to downtown and Science World. It's the perfect vegan restaurant for a quick meal while you continue exploring Vancouver. Everything here is made in-house including the cashew mozzarella, dough, and sauce.
What it's like:
Virtuous pie is casual and friendly and ideal for a stop-in. There is limited seating on large tables with benches, so you're best to take your food to go and enjoy a cone while you walk or head to nearby Creekside Park to dine on your pizza with a view of False Creek.
Our recommendation:
The Greece Lightning Pizza. This pizza is topped with spanakopita-like spinach mix, caramelized onions, herbed potato cream, and tofu feta. Now that's a combo you don't see every day!
Location:
583 Main St.
Heirloom Vegetarian Restaurant - South Granville
Another popular vegetarian restaurant in Vancouver is Heirloom in the upscale and fashionable South Granville neighborhood. The vegetarian food here is varied and comforting, like the chickpea melt and grilled cheese. They open early to serve their breakfast menu and offer weekend brunch. The lunch and dinner menu is full of plant-based options and most items are customizable with substitutions like vegan cheese. Heirloom uses locally sourced ingredients whenever possible
What it's like:
This vegetarian spot is contemporary and stylish, which fits right in with the neighborhood. The decor is modern, but the menu tends more towards casual and fresh eats like delicious burgers, tacos, and salads.
Our recommendation:
The artichoke tacos and halloumi tacos and two of the most delicious meals available here. The flavor combination of the halloumi tacos is unique with pineapple, pumpkin seeds, and pickled onions. Trust us, you have to taste it to believe how good it is.
Location:
1509 W12th Ave
Acorn Restaurant - Main Street/East Van
If you enjoy inventive cuisine, then this is the restaurant for you. This trendy vegetarian spot features a creative menu packed with unusual flavor combinations and interesting ingredients. Plus, the food looks as good as it tastes, with simple and beautiful plating that is sure to impress. Acorn is open until midnight so it's a great choice for a late vegan or vegetarian meal. They focus on fresh ingredients that are in season and picked at their peak.
What it's like:
Acorn is more of a fine dining establishment than many of the others on this list. The interior is sleek and stylish.
Our recommendation:
The tasting menu. It's rare for meat-free folks to have the option of high-end cuisine on a tasting menu as they typically involve meat. The chef's menu offers a multi-course meal served family-style with vegan and gluten-free options in addition to the regular vegetarian fare. If a tasting menu is a little too decadent for you, they offer plenty of selections a la carte as well.
Location:
3995 Main St.
The Burrow - Commercial Drive/East Van
The Burrow is a meat-free location on Vancouver's quirky Commercial Drive. Known to locals simply as The Drive, this street is a hotspot for inclusive fare and eclectic tastes. The Burrow's focus is on accessible vegetarian Mexican food with plenty of options for completely plant-based meals as well. It's one of the best vegetarian restaurants in Vancouver, which is saying something because this health-conscious city has quite a few.
What it's like:
The main word to describe The Burrow is cozy. In fact, that's how they came up with the name. There is a central counter area with extra seats for diners and the restaurant is pretty full of tables to maximize the restaurant's capacity.
Our recommendation:
The brunch. Vancouverites travel from far and wide to wait in line to get a table on a weekend morning to sample the brunch offerings. The brunch is served on Saturdays and Sundays from 10 am to 3 pm and includes everything from bennys to breakfast salad to huevos rancheros. If you can't make it to brunch, their regular menu of burritos, bowls, and tacos definitely has something you will enjoy.
Location:
2781 Commercial Dr.
Chau Veggie - Renfrew Collingwood
Vegetarians and vegans in Vancouver know about Chau Veggie. They serve vegetarian Vietnamese food and actually, they are 100% vegan. The focus here is on wellness and nourishment without sacrificing taste. In addition to the location on Victoria Drive, they have a stall at the popular Granville Island Public Market if that suits your Vancouver itinerary better.
What it's like:
This casual eatery has a smaller food menu than some and offers cozy in-house dining at an eclectic mix of tables. The restaurant is welcoming and decorated in calming tones of grey and white.
Our recommendation:
The candlelit lantern pho soup pairs perfectly with the namaste fresh rolls loaded with veggies, quinoa, and tofu. Just make sure you have room for it all!
Location:
5052 Victoria Dr.
The Naam Restaurant - Kitsilano
The Naam is another of the local favourite vegetarian restaurants in Vancouver, and it's actually the oldest. Its lasting power makes sense when you know about the neighborhood that surrounds it. Kitsilano, known as Kits, is the epicenter of healthy people in Vancouver. Residents are always out and about jogging by the beach, riding bikes, and generally keeping fit. It stands to reason that after all that exercise they'll want a healthier meal as well. They have vegan breakfast items that are available until 4 pm on weekdays for anyone who rolls out of bed late.
What it's like:
The Naam offers a casual bohemian vibe with live music and a charming patio. Also, if you like a piece of art you see on the wall, chances are it's for purchase and would make a great souvenir of your trip to Vancouver.
Our recommendation:
The vegan mac & cheese is a show stopper and any of the four dragon bowls are oh so satisfying.
Location:
2724 W4th Ave
Budgies Burritos - Main Street/East Van
Budgies Burritos has a cult following in Vancouver and although its vegetarian food is limited to burritos, tacos, quesadillas, and tortilla soup, the flavors here are fantastic. The prices are very reasonable and you can walk away with a tasty portable meal made with fresh ingredients that are made to order.
What it's like:
Quirky with a definite hipster vibe. Customers most often order from the counter and takeaway, but there is also an eating counter and table upstairs and a few tables on the sunken level.
Our recommendation:
Use public transit or walk to this location as parking is limited to a few meters on the street in front of the restaurant and on the side streets. The area has quite a few large residential buildings so spots are more often than not occupied. As for the menu, get the Jamedog burrito. The chipotle sour cream and garlic and lime roasted potatoes transform this from a regular burrito into something special.
Location:
44 Kingsway
BeetBox Veg - West End
Specializing in 100% plant-based comfort food in Vancouver's West End, BeetBox offers satisfying vegan and vegetarian dishes to suit your home-cooked food craving. They call their crispy breaded seitan "Chick-un" and it's a menu highlight when it's in sandwich form. Make sure you bring your appetite because everything on the menu is going to tempt you.
What it's like:
The restaurant itself is trendy, upbeat, and colorful.
Our recommendation:
Get the chili cheese fries and you won't need anything else. If you have an aversion to chili, the bowls are also a nice change from burgers and fries.
Location:
1074 Davie St.
Conclusion
Finding delicious food in Vancouver that's either vegetarian or vegan-friendly is not going to be a challenge. These restaurants are scattered all over the city so no matter where you stay, there's bound to be one close by. If you want to find the highest concentration of vegetarian restaurants, head to Main Street and you'll have enough to keep you going for a while.
Don't forget that some of the best vegetarian meals in Vancouver are the ones spent outside in the picturesque scenery. Grab your items to go and head towards the beach or a local park to enjoy Vancouver's vegetarian food like a local.
