I traveled to St. Louis earlier this year for a work conference, and I have to admit that I was nervous about eating. Unless you’re in a major city, vegan-friendly food options can be a challenge to find. I always bring snacks when I go to a conference, because I don’t expect them to have options for me (though it would be nice if they did). As expected, the vegan options at the conference were incredibly scarce, so I had to find pockets of time and procure vegan food from outside the conference location. Thankfully, St. Louis had a wide plethora of vegan and vegan-friendly restaurants to choose from! Though I obviously didn’t get a chance to try all of them, here are some of the best (100%) vegan restaurants in St. Louis:
Adina’s Vegan Cuisine
One of St. Louis’s best, Adina’s Vegan Cuisine is a Black-owned plant-based eatery on Page Ave with a soul-food-inspired menu. From jackfruit tacos and battered oyster mushrooms to mac and cheez and phish fried eggplant, there’s no shortage of incredible options. The variety is outstanding, and the food is inspired and delicious. They also have a whole host of vegan-friendly desserts. They’re closed from Saturday to Monday, but open at 12:30 PM CST on the remaining days.
Bougie Bites STL
Formerly a food truck, Bougie Bites STL now has a brick-and-mortar location! I’ve seen them all over my Instagram, and knew they had to be at the top of my list for a St. Louis trip. So, one day, when I had no option for lunch, I ordered delivery! I got the “It’s A Wrap”: vegan plant-based chick’n tender wrap with cream vegan ranch and a side of Nashville hot sauce, that tasted almost exactly like the old McDonald’s snack wraps. I also tried their creamy vegan mac and cheese, which I loved. I highly recommend stopping by!
Dirty Vegan Shack
Another Black-owned business, Dirty Vegan Shack is one of the newer restaurants on this list, and serves up some pretty incredible plant-based junk food. Their menu rotates, and they do specials, but you can order a wide variety of food, including gyros, loaded fries and tots, dirty dogs, trash wings, kabobs, pulled pork sandwiches, and so much more. They’re open from 3 PM to 8 PM CST on Wednesday through Saturday, 1 PM to 6 PM CST on Sunday, and closed on Mondays and Tuesdays.
Plant Craft Kitchen
If you’re looking for a healthier option, Plant Craft Kitchen should be your next stop. Open from Wednesdays to Saturdays, 11:30 AM to 8 PM, this cafe serves a menu of mostly plant-based, whole foods. They note that they “only cook with olive oil and avoid the use of chemicals, additives and processed ingredients” on their website, which is cool. At their cafe, you can get jackfruit nachos, roasted cauliflower, a mushroom and kale quesadilla, and a variety of pizzas, bowls, salads, and more. And if you’re a resident of St. Louis, they offer a weekly meal service!
Terror Tacos
It’s true: tacos are for lovers. I knew I couldn’t visit St. Louis without stopping by Terror Tacos. They’re well-known in the St. Louis community and are beloved among vegans and non-vegans alike. They’re known for their tacos (obviously), but they also serve quesadillas, gorditas, fajitas, and more, and they have a variety of house cocktails and mocktails. I did a trio of tacos: citrus mistress, buffalo chick’n, and quesabirria, all of which were excellent and well-seasoned. I also tried Audrey II’s Slobbery Goo mocktail, which contains zero-proof tequila, passion fruit, lime, grenadine, and pineapple juice, and it was SO good. They’re open from Tuesdays to Saturdays from 2 PM to 8 PM CST, so definitely check them out.
Seedz Cafe
For another healthier option, visit Seedz Cafe! Their menu rotates seasonally, but they usually have a variety of burgers and sandwiches, salads and bowls, pizzas, sides, and desserts. Definitely don’t forget your drink, and pick up a fresh juice or smoothie to top off your meal. They’re closed on Mondays, but open the rest of the week and have a dedicated Sunday brunch menu.
La Vie Vegan
I knew I would struggle a bit with vegan breakfast options, but La Vie Vegan came to the rescue. They’re a 100% vegan, French-inspired bakery headed by French native Natacha Douglas. They have a lot of typical French cafe fare, including soups, salads, crepes, pastries, and more, but most importantly, they have croissants. I love a good croissant. The only ones I’ve been able to find near me are at Whole Foods (and I avoid shopping there anyway), so this was truly a Godsend. I got the plain and chocolate croissants, and the BLT croissant sandwich for a light lunch on one of the conference days. Each one of them was so good, I wish I had brought back a dozen with me.
Vegan Deli & Butcher
If I have one regret, it’s not stopping by Vegan Deli & Butcher for a proper deli sandwich. It is so hard to find a solid vegan deli sandwich that isn’t just veggies and whatever vegan-friendly dressing they happen to have on hand. I would have gone to Vegan Deli & Butcher on this trip, but they closed by the time I landed on Saturday, and they opened after I left on Wednesday morning. I was sorely disappointed. But if you’re in town when they’re open, you absolutely have to stop by (they’re open from 11 AM to 5 PM CST, Wednesday through Saturday). They have a wide variety of sandwiches, wraps, burgers, and treats, including a Reuben sandwich, a chopped cheese, and so much more. There truly is something for everyone.
SweetArt
If you’re looking for a sweet treat (or a little bit of everything), check out SweetArt (and SweetArtToo too). They’re a bake shop and cafe, and they also do Sunday brunch (and are open seven days a week). Many of their dishes are named after famous Black women, which is so cool. You can tell how much Chef Reine Keis cares about the food and the culture. And don’t forget to try one of their many different cinnamon rolls!
Bombay Food Junkies
I have a very big problem recommending Indian food, vegan or not, to other people. I really don’t enjoy eating any sort of South Asian food that isn’t cooked in my own home (or by my grandmother), and I avoid eating out as much as possible. However, Bombay Food Junkies is a vegan restaurant serving vegan Indian street food, and a wide variety of other things, including vegan soft-serve ice cream (made from scratch in-house!) and milkshakes! They also serve various vegan chaats, sandwiches, and bowls, including a chick’n tikka naanwich/wrap. They’re open Mondays to Saturdays from 11:30 AM to 8:30 PM CST.
Planta Italia
I believe this restaurant opened up recently, because I hadn’t come across it in any of my previous research, but Planta Italia is a 100% vegan Italian restaurant that’s actually run by one of the chefs (Chef Krupa, innovator behind Bombay Food Junkies). I’ve definitely grown less fond of Italian food since the transition to a plant-based diet, unless I’m making it at home, but they had vegan mozzarella sticks on the menu, and I couldn’t resist. These ones were actually quite good! They have an assortment of small plates, paninis, pastas, desserts, and more, and I tried the grilled chickn penne alfredo. I didn’t care much for the vegan chickn, but the pasta was outrageously delicious and flavorful. I quite enjoyed it!
Overall, I enjoyed the food I ate, and I was even more surprised to see how many vegan restaurants there are in St. Louis! I really hadn’t expected there to be so many, but it was a pleasant surprise. So, if you find yourself in St. Louis any time soon, check out a few of the places above. Did I miss one of your favorite vegan restaurants in St. Louis? Let me know in the comments below!
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