Top Vegan-Friendly Spots in Seattle

By: Michael Sarko | March 15 2011
Posted in Seattle - Find It - Seattle

Cajun Tempeh Sandwich, Sweet Potato Fries and Cucumber Citrus Water at Plum Bistro. Photo by: Michael Sarko

It's not easy being vegan. While it's usually little hassle to avoid meat, it's not so simple to find good food that uses no animal products at all. There's milk and butter in so many baked goods, and honey in a variety of desserts and sauces. It's tough to even find a salad these days that doesn't incorporate cream in a dressing, or sprinkles of sharp cheese. That's why it's important for those who choose to live the vegan lifestyle to know where they can get good eats that suit their diet. Seattle has a variety of vegan-friendly restaurants for all tastes and budgets. Here are a few of the best to get the ball rolling.

There's no reason vegans need to miss out on Seattle's fine dining scene. One of the premiere spots in town is Plum Bistro on Capitol Hill. Makini Howell, who owns Plum and runs its kitchen, aims for vegan gourmet. The trick is in letting vegan staples like tofu, seitan, and vegetables work by their own merits instead of attempting to imitate meat and dairy dishes. Items like the savory mini sliders on the happy hour menu make a strong case for vegan sandwiches, with the flavors of the crispy tempeh really popping together with the lettuce, tomato, grilled onion, and lemon-basil aioli. The fresh cut fries are also excellent, especially the sweet potato and yam varieties.

For a more traditional vegan dinner, Asian restaurants like Bamboo Garden near the Seattle Center are great choices. A lot of Chinese cuisine is already vegetarian or vegan by default, and many standard meat dishes can easily replace the meat with tofu, mushroom, or eggplant without significantly changing the flavor. One of their signature dishes, The Buddha's Basket, is a satisfying saute of mixed mushrooms, fresh vegetables, and nuts that really shows off their Szechwan flare for vegan dishes. Speaking of Szechwan, the Eggplant Hot Pot is a sweet, spicy must-have.

Seattle also has a number of more casual vegan eateries, especially in the University District. A local standard is Pizza Pi, the city's favorite vegan pizza restaurant. Pi has a real sense of humor about its niche, filling the menu with items like Phoni-Pepperoni and the Ex-Meat Lovers pizza. Not too far away from Pizza Pi is Wayward Vegan Cafe, one of Seattle's best places to get a vegan breakfast. They serve tofu scrambles that rival their eggy counterparts over at Beth's Cafe, and some pretty impressive vegan French Toast from the griddle.

Back on Capitol Hill, vegans looking for a night spot should check out Highline, a low-key bar with a 100% vegan menu. Their house specialty, “nubs”, are the perfect vegan bar food. They're reminiscent of boneless chicken wings, and they come in a variety of sauces. Teriyaki is one of the best, though the Buffalo sauce is great for those who like something spicy with their hard drinks.

There are plenty of other vegan-friendly restaurants around Seattle, but these are some of the top spots in town. They each bring a lot of atmosphere and flavor to a misunderstood lifestyle, and might even inspire non-vegan patrons to try something different.
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