Vegan Guide to Dining Out in Richmond, Virginia
Last updated: July 18, 2023
After living in Richmond for two and a half years, I can safely say that I have been able to experience many of the best parts of the River City firsthand. That includes the veritable smorgasbord of vegan and vegan-friendly eateries in Richmond. I’ve been a vegan since Summer 2019 and have been eating my way around the plant-based spaces in the city ever since. Thus, I am prepared to present to you my guide to the best vegan options in Richmond, Virginia.
All-Vegan Restaurants
3511 Courthouse Road, Richmond, VA 23236
This casual restaurant features an all-vegan menu of vegan comfort food. Sandwiches (fried & grilled), cocktails, soups, and salads. Must-tries: Chicken parmesan sandwich, Ruben
Fresca on Addison
22 S Addison St, Richmond, VA 23220
This cute eatery has a totally vegan menu of traditional cafe fare. In the early Fall, they tend to have a seasonal flatbread pizza featuring chanterelles and red onion that is divine.
Must-tries: Curried Butternut Squash Soup & Vegan Chicken Salad Sandwich.
NuVegan Cafe
417 W Grace St, Richmond, VA 23220
NuVegan is a cafeteria-style regional chain with delicious Southern-inspired sides, entrees, and brunch.
Must-tries: Vegan Mac & Cheese, Vegan Chick’n Filets
Vegetarian Restaurants
Ipanema Vegetarian Cafe
917 W Grace St, Richmond, VA 23220
This restaurant in the heart of VCU’s campus has been the classic vegetarian haunt since it opened in 1998. Everything on the menu at Ipanema is vegan-friendly if not totally vegan.
Must-tries: Pickle Board, Portobello Steak
Harrison Street Cafe
402 N Harrison St, Richmond, VA 23220
This VCU-adjacent restaurant was founded in 2001 serves vegetarian breakfast, lunch, and dinner. There are a plethora of vegan and vegan-friendly options on this extensive menu.
Must-tries: Soysage biscuit, vegan gyro
Restaurants with Vegan-Friendly Options
Cobra Cabana
901 W Marshall St, Richmond, VA 23220
This hip, tiny bar in Richmond’s Carver neighborhood has a surprising amount of incredibly delicious vegan fare. Don’t miss some of their specialty cocktails while you’re there.
Must-tries: Vegan Wings, Carver Chopped Cheese, Strange Mac ‘N Cheese
325 N 2nd St, Richmond, VA 23219
Located in historic Jackson Ward, this small restaurant serves up Korean street-inspired food including a few vegan choices.
Must-tries: Tofu Jorrim House Bowl (pictured as takeaway above).
Hot For Pizza
1301 W Leigh St, Richmond, VA 23220
Run by the same people as Cobra Cabana, nearly every pizza on the menu at Hot for Pizza has a vegan equivalent. And that’s a lot of vegan options because they have more than a dozen pizzas!
Must-tries: Temple of Boom, Garfield, Runnin’ with the Basil
Lemon Cuisine of India
3215 W Broad St, Richmond, VA 23230
This traditional Indian restaurant near Scott’s Addition features several tasty vegan options.
Must-tries: Lasooni Gobhi, Vegetable Vin d'Alho, Channa Masala
1300 N Arthur Ashe Blvd, Richmond, VA 23230
This diner-style restaurant in Scott’s Addition is home to a vegan-friendly menu and milkshakes.
Must-tries: Vegan milkshake + vegan whipped cream, Faux Fried Fish Sandwich, Vegan B3s
Sabai
2727 W Broad St, Richmond, VA 23220
This ultra-hip Thai restaurant has a handful of absolutely fantastic vegan options.
Must-tries: Pad Se Ew (be sure to ask for no egg).
8 & 1/2
401 Strawberry St, Richmond, VA 23220
This small Italian hole-in-the-wall in Richmond’s Fan district has just one vegan item on the menu but it’s worth it. The item in question is a vegan pizza with cannellini beans and broccoletti and it is delightful.
Must-tries: Vegan pizza
217 W Clay St, Richmond, VA 23220
As the name suggests, this bar is named after Richmond-local heavy metal band GWAR. Their menu features a handful of greasy, fried vegan menu options that are beyond tasty bar fare.
Must-tries: Seitan’s balls, Flattus Sandwich
Don’t Look Back - Triple
3306 W Broad Street Richmond, VA 23230
Located in Scott’s Addition, this pool-hall/taco-restaurant is the perfect atmosphere for an affordable meal, drinks, and maybe a couple of rounds of pool.
Must-tries: Potato Tacos, TVP Tacos
The Mantu
Named after their delicious Afghan-inspired dumpling, The Mantu serves modern Afghan cuisine in Carytown. The menu doesn’t have many vegan options, but what they do have is worth the buy.
Must-tries: Vegan Mantu
2232 West Main Street Richmond, VA 23220
This Carytown establishment features a very vegan-friendly menu of Japanese bowls, appetizers, and sushi rolls. And, inexplicably, perfect tater tots.
Must-tries: Veganzilla Roll (pictured above), Hot Hippy Roll, Bucket of Tots
North End Juice
718 N Cleveland Street Richmond, VA 23221
Sidewalk window-fronted juice bar in the Museum District featuring fresh-pressed juices and smoothies.
Must-tries: Vegan poké bowl, Blue Suede Shoes (ask for vegan protein)
21 S Allen Ave, Richmond, VA 23220
New York Style water bagels in Richmond’s Fan District. House-made cashew vegan shmear is on the menu as well as several vegan bagel sandwiches.
Must-tries: New Virginny, Mox w/ the Works (pictured above).
Vegan Dessert Options
Charm School Social Club
311 W Broad St, Richmond, VA 23220
This trendy ice cream shop features not only vegan ice cream but vegan marshmallow topping and vegan sundaes. Do not miss this shop if you are a vegan with a sweet tooth!
Must-tries: Any vegan flavor topped with vegan marshmallow!
Pearl’s Bake Shoppe
5811 Patterson Ave, Richmond, VA 23226
This cute cakeshop in the West End usually has a rotating menu of vegan cupcakes available. They are possibly the best cupcakes I have ever had, vegan or no.
Prior to being vegan, I frequently visited their now-closed Charlottesville location. Emmett & I even had the Charlottesville Pearl’s bake our wedding cake, that’s how much we love their cupcakes. (Vegetarians at the time, we chose a non-vegan blackberry jam-filled cake with a blackberry buttercream frosting!)
Must-tries: Literally any of Pearl’s rotating vegan flavors. All of them are incredible.
Vegan & Vegan-Friendly Food Trucks
Go Go Vegan Go!
Location Varies
This food truck is owned by the same people who run Hangspace (aka my favorite of all the Richmond vegan spots). Their menu features similar fare including the Not So Pad Thai Fries which used to only be found at Go Go Vegan Go until last year.
Must-tries: Not So Pad Thai Fries
Brick and mortar location at 2923 W Cary St, Richmond, VA 23221 | Open Weds-Sunday***
Food Truck Locations: Friday Evenings at Hatch Kitchen | Saturdays and Sundays at The Veil Brewing
This New York style pizza truck makes a vegan pizza with local vegan brand UnMoo’s signature mozzarella.
Must-tries: Vegan Cheese Pizza - with vegan pepperoni if that’s on the menu. (Pictured above).
I no longer live in Richmond but I still have many friends who do. Thus, I hope to continue to have an excuse to eat delicious Richmond vegan cuisine and to discover any new places that may open.
Watch this space for updates and let me know in the comments below if you think of any places that I may have missed!
