Burlington, VT boasts a great food scene, but what does that mean for people who can’t eat everything on the menu? Believe it or not, Burlington is home to a lot of great vegan and vegetarian options- and places that will gladly accommodate vegans/vegetarians with twists on traditional menu options. Here are some of my top pics for vegan and vegetarian cuisine in the Burlington area.
Revolution Kitchen
Located within the heart of downtown, this little dive only serves about fifteen tables worth of customers but is well worth the wait. My menu favorites? Any of the vegan ravioli specials or the seitan piccata, but I (nor my omnivorous co-eating peers) have ever had a bad thing on the menu. If you’re still hungry for dessert, Rev Kitchen also offers a delicious chocolate pretzel cake that is to die for.
Revolution Kitchen offers dinner Tuesday thru Saturday. We recommend reservations- it fills up quick!
Pingala Cafe
You can find this cute cafe adjacent to the Winooski falls. Besides its rotating specials board, Pingala also offers fresh salads, breakfast sandwiches, and French toast to serve all your breakfast and lunch needs. Everything on Pingala’s menu is vegan!
With all this variety, it might be hard to choose what to get! The Spoon U-Vermont Staff recommends the Crunch Wrap Supreme: complete layers of oat cheddar, chili, tomato, scallions, pickled jalapeños, and bean mash, folded and pressed between tortillas. It’s so good that Guy Fieri even recommends it!
Penny Cluse Cafe
Penny Cluse is known for its top-of-the-line breakfast- Bernie Sanders and Alexandria Oscasio-Cortez dine here whenever they’re in town! My favorite thing is the tofu scramble with peanut-ginger sauce and a fruit salad. Penny Cluse also offers lunch options like marinated tofu salads and smoothies.
A Single Pebble
You can find this Asian-centric restaurant located on Bank St. in Burlington. They offer several seitan & tofu dishes and are more than willing to accommodate substitutes for their menu.
Willow’s Bagels
It might be difficult to pick between their vegan scallion & chive, pesto, cartelized onion, and plain cream cheese- so you’ll just have to come back for more! Besides vegan bagels, Willow’s also offers vegan pop-tarts and cinnamon rolls. Pair anything with a cup of hot coffee for a delicious breakfast treat.
Drifter’s
I might be saying this because I have a sweet spot for tapas, but Drifter’s always manages to take the cake for best small plates in Burly. I love the atmosphere of Drifter’s, especially when it involves sitting in their secluded courtyard and eating seitan skewers (a must-have, if you enjoy barbecue).
Radio Bean
Known for its upbeat, fun atmosphere, Radio Bean (and its sister, Duindo Duende) offer an array of small plates for sharing and sandwiches. Our favorites? The buffalo cauliflower bites (served with vegan ranch) or the Cubano with tempeh bacon.
Knead Bakery
Did someone say challah French toast (swoon)? Knead is known for its plant-based bakery treats, but you can also find delicious salads and sandwiches like their Seitan & Sun-Dried Tomato sandwich, served with wilted spinach, seitan, cartelized onion, and the best part- sun-dried tomato cashew chz. All of the cheeses on their menu are vegan!