Grab a bowl from Farm Bowl and Juice Co. for a healthy meal. Photo by Lauren Bedford

Are you a vegan, vegetarian, or someone who is following a plant-based diet? If so, it can be hard to find restaurants that are accommodating to your diet. Luckily, we’ve done some research and are here to provide you with a helpful list of restaurants in town that offer vegan and vegetarian options.

What Is A Vegan Diet?

For those who don’t know, a vegan diet consists of absolutely no animal products. This means no meat, dairy, fish, eggs or, in some cases, honey. This extends to all oils and fats that food is cooked in, so it can be hard to find a restaurant that has taken the time to be aware of all of these factors.

Why vegan?

People choose to follow a vegan diet for many reasons. Whether for ethical, health, or environmental reasons, increasingly more and more people are making the switch to a vegan or plant-based diet.

The Nutty Professor bowl at Farm Bowl and Juice Co. is complete with strawberries, almonds, and a layer of peanut butter. Photo by Lauren Bedford

Eating at Restaurants

Sure, it may be easier to make food at home. But then you’d miss out on all the fun that comes with eating at a restaurant: spending time with friends, trying new things and (most importantly) not having to clean up your kitchen!

Although there are few restaurants in town that cater strictly to a vegan diet, there are many with vegan and fully plant-based options.

Lighter Fare

For a tried-and-true option, you can’t go wrong at a place like Farm Bowl + Juice Co., City Bowls or Kale Me Crazy. Farm Bowl offers acai or oat bowls filled with wholesome toppings like fruits and peanut butter. Kale Me Crazy has a broader menu, serving not only smoothies and juices, but a variety of wraps and salads as well. Sprout and Pour’s new location in Founder’s Station has an expanded menu including superfood snacks and smoothies. Many of the items on these restaurants’ menus are already vegan friendly, and others are easy to make vegan.

Dinnertime, with Vegan Options

This vegan pizza is from Slice Pizza and Brew in Lakeview. Photo via reddit user bhambetty

For dinner, you may want something more substantial. Asian or Indian restaurants are often more accommodating to vegan diets, as tofu is more popular in the food cultures. However, a lot of great Mexican restaurants in town will also have veggie tacos or burrito options! The following list includes restaurants that have at least one or two vegan options.

Cantina Tortilla Grill

Rojo

New China

Pho pho

Ikko

Shu shop

Blaze Pizza

Avondale Common House

Rougaroux

Red Sea

Urban Standard

Whistling Table

Pizitz

Delta Blues Hot Tamales

Brat Brot

El Barrio

Mr. Chen’s

Red Pearl

Melt

Mellow Mushroom (ask for vegan cheese and no butter on your crust)

The Woolworth

EastWest

Tropicaleo

Taj India

Slice Pizza

Lucky Cat Rolled Ice Cream

Big Spoon Creamery

One of the vegan ice cream options from Big Spoon Creamery! Photo via reddit user bhambetty

Golden Temple

Last but not least, we couldn’t forget about Golden Temple. As Golden Temple is the only all-vegetarian grocery store and cafe in Birmingham, they are a great option for those on a vegan diet. The grocery store has many options, but the cafe is the real star. Every item on the menu is vegetarian, and can be made vegan or gluten-free! Learn more about Golden Temple here.

The menu at Golden Temple is completely vegetarian, and any dish can be made vegan or gluten-free by request. Photo by Lauren Bedford

Resources:

If you are vegan in Birmingham, it’s easy to feel lonely in our BBQ-loving, hot-chicken obsessed town. However, the vegan population here is bigger than you’d think! Take a quick scan through the “Birmingham Vegans” reddit page or join “Birmingham Vegans” on MeetUp. You’ll meet like-minded people and learn about new restaurants in town. Downloading an app like Happy Cow can also be helpful! This app helps you find vegetarian or vegan restaurants nearby.

What is your favorite place to get a satisfying vegan meal in Birmingham? Let me know! Email me at lauren@bhamnow.com.