Being a vegan means committing to consume no animal products (from meat to dairy to honey). While the vegan diet is sustainable and pro animal rights, it can make going out to eat with friends a stressful event. It’s difficult to go out and enjoy yourself when you’re worried about what you might be able to eat. The search for the best Virginia Beach vegan food is a whole lot harder than if you were in New York City, for example.
Luckily, several fully vegan restaurants have opened in Virginia Beach in recent years, as well as your typical full-service restaurants with vegan options.
I spoke with a vegan from the area, and here’s the insiders guide on the best Virginia Beach vegan food.
Fruitive
Fruitive is the first certified organic fast casual restaurant in North America. With locations in Virginia, Norfolk, and DC, there’s an accessible location for nearly every Virginia resident.
The best part about going to Fruitive as a vegan is that you can order anything on the menu, from juices to smoothies to salads to tacos. This eatery is 100% plant-based.
Kahiau’s Bakery and Cafe
At this local eatery, it’s all about pushing the limits of vegan cooking. Kahiau’s Bakery and Cafe started at the Virginia Beach Farmer’s Market, and their all vegan pastries and savory foods have grown so popular that they had to open up a permanent storefront.
They’re planning on opening a full sit down lunch and dinner restaurant soon. But for now, you can stop by for afternoon tea, or a takeout dinner. And don’t worry about asking if something is vegan, the answer is always yes.
The Green Cat
The Green Cat is a juice bar and market with the perfect location just steps off the Virginia Beach boardwalk. Not only is their food vegan, but it’s also organic, raw, and gluten-free.
They offer a variety of cold-pressed juices, smoothies, smoothie bowls, salads, and oatmeals. As an added bonus, they always have some other prepackaged snacks and desserts for later enjoyment.
Java Surf Cafe and Espresso Bar
The location of Java Surf Cafe is unbeatable: it’s only a few steps from the Atlantic Ocean. While the entire Java Surf Cafe is not vegan, they have several vegan breakfast and lunch options marked on their menu. In addition, there are always delicious vegan bakery options wrapped up and ready to go up at the front.
Zeke’s Beans and Bowls
Zeke’s offers a variety of delicious cold pressed juices, smoothies, and smoothie bowls that are perfect for breakfast. If you want to get in on the poke trend, I would recommend trying the tofu bowl. The vegan options are plentiful at this surf shack.
Citrus
Citrus is the perfect place to bring your non-vegan friends. This famous Virginia Beach eatery has even been featured on Diners, Drive-Ins, and Dives.
All of your friends will be happy to have a full menu, while you can ask for a special all-vegan menu with so many delicious options you won’t remember to miss the animal products.
Saladworks
Saladworks is a chain restaurant that makes the perfect lunch spot for meeting friends. Their generous make-your-own salad option is perfect for vegans and omnivores alike. Each salad comes with a base, any five topping ingredients, dressing, and a fresh-baked roll.
If you’re not sure what ingredients and menu items are off limits to vegans, they have an interactive allergen and restriction menu on their website.
Taste Unlimited
Taste Unlimited is the best place to go in Virginia Beach for delicious specialty sandwiches. They allow people to build their own sandwiches and salads, so vegans can select exactly what they want. If building your own is too much pressure, I highly recommend ordering one of their specialty sandwiches. The roasted portobello or classic PB&J are some of my favorites.
They also have a great selection of nuts to taste and buy, which make the perfect vegan snack.
Pie-O-Neer Pizza Bar
This local vegan-friendly eatery is like chipotle for pizza. They allow unlimited toppings for one flat price. Vegans can even enjoy dairy-free cheese and Gardein veggie crumbles along with a wide range of other typical plant-based pizza toppings.
The employees at Pie-O-Neer Pizza are very knowledgable when it comes to building vegan pizzas, so don’t hesitate to ask questions.
Pelon’s Baja Grill
Pelon’s offers quality Mexican food that is great for both vegans and non-vegans alike, but being vegan is gonna cost you more. Every option on the menu can be made vegan, but it will cost you an extra 15%. TBH, it’s a small price to pay for a delicious and filling meal.
Baladi Mediterranean Cafe
Baladi Mediterranean Cafe is like the role model all-inclusive restaurant. They pride themselves in their organic food and welcoming atmosphere. The menu carefully denotes which options are vegetarian, vegan, and gluten-free so that every guest feels safe ordering a meal that they will actually enjoy.
Pacifica
Visiting a tapas restaurant with friends is guaranteed to be a fun experience. Many vegans miss out because restaurants don’t take the time to make and advertise vegan dishes, but not at Pacifica. All vegan, vegetarian, and gluten-free tapas are labeled on the menu.
Commune
While Commune doesn’t have a huge variety of vegan options, they have an extremely satisfying vegan burger: the Field Pea Burger. It’s a field pea, potato, gold rice, and barley patty seasoned with chimmichuri and mustard seeds on a toasted sweet potato bun. The Field Pea Burger is only available in Norfolk, but it’s worth the trip.
Azar’s Mediterranean Specialties
With a restaurant location at Hiltop and a cafe and market at Pembroke, Azar’s has a dining option for any occasion. Choose from lentil soup to baklava at this Mediterranean natural food restaurant. Eat in, pick up, or order catering from a menu that clearly indicates vegan, vegetarian, and gluten-free dishes.
Esoteric
Esoteric is an extremely trendy hangout for Virginia Beach, with lots of craft beer options and a unique menu. They recently added a fully vegan entree option featuring black rice and quinoa, pickled cauliflower, shaved asparagus, confit tomatoes, peanuts, apple vinegar, grapeseed oil, and root “butter.”
La Bella Italia
It’s hard for vegans to find compliant options at Italian restaurants, as the cuisine is full of cheese. La Bella Italia in Redmill is the perfect option for when the cravings for Italian pasta hit.
They have 25 years of experience and a menu that indicates all vegan-friendly options, and they even carry Gardein “meat” so you can enjoy plant-based Chicken Marsala.
Volcano Sushi Bar
There’s nothing quite like enjoying sushi after a long day on the beach. Thanks to Volcano, vegans can join in on the fun. They have eight vegetarian rolls on the menu that, if you ask, can be made carefully so they’re vegan. Your non-vegan friends will thank you too because Volcano is committed to using only the freshest seafood in their rolls.
Il Giardino
This high-end Italian joint is somewhere to go when a date or your parents are paying. The service and food are both fantastic and Il Giardino is happy to create vegan-friendly dishes to your liking. Some of the best are Patate Siciliane (spicy roasted potatoes) and traditional Spaghetti Marinara. All you have to do is ask.
The Skinny Dip Frozen Yogurt Bar
Finally, vegans can get in on the self-serve froyo trend in Virginia Beach. The Skinny Dip has created seven vegan flavors. Plus, they always have tons of toppings that are vegan, like fruit and peanut butter.
Make sure you check on the offerings for the day before you stop by for a visit, because they don’t guarantee that there will always be a vegan flavor option available.
My Vegan Sweet Tooth
I wanted to close off this list on a really sweet note. My Vegan Sweet Tooth offers up gluten-free and vegan sweets that everyone, regardless of dietary restrictions, can enjoy.
They offer tons of goodies daily from cookies to cheesecake at shops across Virginia Beach and their own storefront, but they can also do custom orders for special events.
Becoming a vegan doesn’t have to mean giving up fun dinners and late night runs for froyo with friends. Hopefully, this list gives vegans and non-vegans alike a bucket list of the best Virginia Beach vegan food.