Fairfield County is full of diverse restaurants, fast casual food and small coffee shops. When walking through the central parts of the town, I’m constantly seeing new shops that Yelp hasn’t added to their system yet. As a vegan, I tend to rely on Yelp as a fast way to find vegan friendly restaurants, but sometimes it seems as if Yelp needs a vocabulary lecture because “vegan” is used very, very broadly. But I’ve complied a list of vegan friendly places that are not only my favorites but many of my fellow carnivorous friends too.
Organika Plant Based Kitchen – Fairfield
Organika is a favorite for many locals in the Fairfield University and Sacred Heart area. Organika uses all organic ingredients (hence the name) and specializes in smoothie bowls, salads, and protein buddha bowls. The variety of sweet and savory options makes Organika the perfect place for everyone whatever time of the day it is. Some of the safest but best vegan picks there are the Dragon Smoothie Bowl, the Nourish Bowl, and Grilled Veggie Sandwich.
B.Good – Greenwich & Fairfield
B.Good recently popped up in Fairfield but has had a location in Greenwich before hand. In my opinion, the Fairfield location has a more organized staff to ensure a quicker preparation time and makes the food look extra Instagram worthy (a priority of mine). B.Good’s assurance for fresh ingredients means that their menu varies by season. However, over the years my favorites have been, the Spicy Avocado & Lime Bowl, Roasted Butternut Squash Salad and the Southwestern Salad without the chicken. B.Good is perfect for a quick lunch, or a sit down family dinner.
Bruckner’s Good to Go – Greenwich
Bruckner’s is a small sandwich shop slightly off of Greenwich Avenue. While Bruckner’s does offer non-vegan options, they do have an entire section of vegetarian options that contain already vegan options or options that can easily be made vegan by replacing the cheese with another ingredient. Bruckner’s is the spot if you’re in a rush and need to pick up a quick and cheap lunch. I recommend placing an order ahead and your food will be ready in 10 minutes tops.
Green & Tonic– Greenwich & Westport
Green & Tonic is known for the smoothies and smoothie bowls but they also have pre-made options that you can grab out of their fridge and run. Not to mention their atmosphere is so peaceful and really promotes the idea of caring for the mind and body. While some of their granolas include honey, you can just ask for the one without honey. Green & Tonic is my go to breakfast place because their Zenergy Smoothie Bowl (without bee pollen) is perfect for the days I want to feel extra healthy but on all the other more laid back days their Mylky Way Smoothie Bowl is to die for!
The Lime Restaurant – Norwalk
Although I dissed Yelp before, I got to thank this website for helping me find this place. The atmosphere of The Lime Restaurant has a southern feel but their dishes range from comfort food to 100% plant based. Their menu isn’t completely vegan but they do have more vegan options than most restaurants. The Lime Restaurant isn’t afraid to play with tofu and makes killer tofu burgers. I swear they taste just like arinchini, I don’t know how they do it! This place is great for sit down lunch for your vegan friends or carnivorous ones.
Even though Fairfield County is known for having fancy and sophisticated sit down restaurants, there are a lot of fast, vegan friendly options – it’s just a matter of searching for them. Also, remember that dishes can always be customized to fit a vegan diet. There’s no excuse for abuse. Happy eating!