It is amazing how many more restaurants now offer vegan or vegetarian options. Even some fast food chains are now expanding their selections. Hampton Roads is hip to the life-changing trend, and we have various restaurants offering vegetarian and vegan alternatives to the standard fare. Below are a few honorable mentions. Have we missed your favorite? Tell us about them in the comments.
All Over Hampton Roads
Naomi Vegan Meets may not have a dine-in restaurant, but this vegan business does offer delivery, catering, and meal plan services. It is also rumored that a mobile restaurant may be coming.
Rajput Indian Cuisine has locations in both Norfolk and Suffolk. Though the restaurant is not vegetarian or vegan, many of the dishes are vegetarian, and it offers special vegetarian buffet nights each month.
Fruitive is a small chain that offers 100% plant-based, organic deliciousness. You can find a store in Ghent, at Hilltop, and inside the Main in Norfolk.
This food truck gem just opened a new brick and mortar location in Virginia Beach. The Bumbling Bee is 100% plant-based goodness.
Virginia Beach
If you are hungry and you have a sweet tooth, check out Kahiau’s Bakery & Café in Virginia Beach. They offer a full menu, catering options and even an afternoon tea (all vegan)! Interestingly, you can currently purchase some cookies that look like piggies to support a group that saves pigs from farms. Good food and good deeds? Yes, please.
Ready to try some delicious Ethiopian and Eritrean Cuisine? While the MESOB Café full menu does offer options for those friends who have not yet made it to the vegetarian or vegan side, they have a large section of the menu dedicated to vegetable entrees that are cooked vegan style. The restaurant is smaller, so plan your gathering accordingly. Oh, and keep those hands clean. You’ll be eating with them as they do not offer silverware.
This restaurant is located in Virginia Beach, but you can find pop-ups at events all over Hampton Roads, and a few items are available online. My Vegan Sweet Tooth not only serves delicious treats, but they all send all of their tips to local animal charities. This restaurant is all-vegan, but they also carry gluten free vegan options. And if you need a cake made? Yep, they’ll make you a fabulous vegan cake for any celebration.
If you love Mediterranean food, don’t miss a stop at Baladi Mediterranean Café in Hilltop. Vegetarian and vegan options are offered daily on their menu, but they host a special Vegan Night on Wednesdays (which includes vegan wine). Get the Falafel Salad Platter. You won’t be disappointed.
To continue your Mediterranean experience, stop by Azar’s at either Pembroke or Hilltop. They even offer a special vegan menu.
Portsmouth
If you are looking for some fantastic “chicken” and waffles, head to Beyond Vegan Cell Food on High Street. They have juices, smoothies, a full in-house menu, and offer meal preparation kits. Their wraps will make you forget why you ever ate anything else.
Norfolk
Jikoni Café is an all vegan restaurant on 35th Street inside of House of Consciousness that also has delivery options through DoorDash. The entrée dishes are filling and flavorful, but seriously, get a vegan shake. 100% yummy.
For delicious, vegan comfort food, try Senses. Grab the “chicken” salad wrap.
For vegetarians, you can’t beat the pimento cheese sandwich at The Ten Top. They also offer a section for vegetarian and pescatarian options.
A local favorite for years, Yorgo’s Bageldashery not only has delicious, fresh bagels, but also has a plethora of vegan sandwiches from which to choose.
For those who love Asian fare, Kotobuki Sushi Bar has nearly a full page of the extensive dinner menu dedicated to vegetarian items.
Newport News
If you find yourself on Jefferson Boulevard, stop at Healthy Eatz Vegetarian Café & More. This unassuming restaurant offers vegetarian and vegan options. Try the KeKe (vegan panini).
Hampton
Venture Kitchen and Bar is not a vegetarian restaurant, but they do take pride in their vegetarian and vegan dishes. Each item is accordingly marked on the menu for an easy browse. There are many vegetarian and gluten-free options, and a few vegan.
Chesapeake
With special vegetarian options along with vegan swaps to standard dishes, The Cutting Edge Café is a nice luncheon spot. My pick here is the Blackened Vegan Chik’n.
There are more than just beans to fill you up at Burrito Perdido. You won’t walk away hungry.