In the US, Black Americans are increasingly adopting vegan diets at a faster rate than any other demographic. According to a 2016 Pew Research Center study, eight percent of Black Americans identify as vegan or vegetarian, compared to just three percent of the US population overall. Not only are more Black Americans embracing plant-based lifestyles, entrepreneurs are also taking note and launching restaurants to better serve their communities.
From burger joints to soul food and Caribbean and African eateries, the Black vegan scene is the ideal canvas for different flavors and plant-based ingredients to shine—and, luckily, these restaurants are found all across the country. This means that showing your support for Black business owners is now easier than ever. And with that, you’ll be able to experience cuisines that are as diverse and multi-faceted as Black culture itself.
Table of Contents
Black-owned vegan restaurants
From New York to Los Angeles, there’s no shortage of Black-owned vegan restaurants to choose from. Join us as we eat our way across the country on a soul-food and health-food tour, starting with these 30 Black-owned vegan restaurants.
Compton Vegan
1 Compton Vegan
Compton and Carson, CA
Specializing in vegan comfort food, Compton Vegan founder Lemel Durrah serves up an array of delicious fare, from shrimp Alfredo to pulled pork sandwiches and mac and cheese bowls topped off with chopped ribs. Durrah is passionate about serving the city of Compton—a longtime food desert—and bringing healthier vegan fare to locals. For a taste of Durrah’s signature fare, find the Compton Vegan food truck throughout the city to or head to the Loker Student Union at California State University, Dominguez Hills—and don’t fret, the restaurant is indeed open to the public.
FIND IT HERE
Vurger Guyz
2 Vurger Guyz
Los Angeles, CA
Founded by four former NCAA athletes as a project to promote healthy eating, Vurger Guyz serves next-level burgers from a food truck that tours Los Angeles every day of the week. Favorites include the ultra-indulgent Vurger piled high with lettuce, fried onions, pickles, fried jalapeños, vegan American cheese, and your choice of sauce.
FIND IT HERE
Vegan Mob
3 Vegan Mob
Santa Rosa and San Bruno, CA
Toriano Gordon combined his talents as a rapper, social media entertainer, and chef to create Vegan Mob, a vegan barbecue and soul food restaurant—which was an instant hit, selling out within six hours on opening day. Vegan Mob’s Oakland restaurant recently shuttered, but Gordon is committed to keeping the Bay Area fed with a food truck and pop-up locations located in Santa Rosa and San Bruno, where he continues serving up classics such as shrimp and sausage gumbo, and plant-based brisket served with cajun potato salad and barbecue baked beans.
FIND IT HERE
Veg on the Edge
4 Veg on the Edge
Santa Cruz, CA
A fast-casual restaurant created by Nigerian owner Akindele Bankole, Veg on the Edge serves up vegan, gluten-free, and kosher West African cuisine. Bankole takes traditionally meat-heavy West African eats and subs in mushrooms, beans, and tofu instead to create truly hearty vegan meals. Pro tip: he peppered plantain bowl is not to be missed.
FIND IT HERE
Simply Pure
5 Simply Pure
Las Vegas, NV
Simply Pure is run by vegan chef and nutritionist Stacey Dougan, who serves Mama Mia Lasagna, nachos, and jicama chili cheese fries in her mission to inspire others to embrace plant-based foods.
FIND IT HERE
Green Seed Vegan
6 Green Seed Vegan
Houston, TX
Owned by Matti Merrell and Rodney Perry, Houston’s popular Green Seed Vegan outgrew its roots as a food truck, adding a brick-and-mortar outpost in 2012 with an expanded menu of fresh-pressed gourmet paninis, burgers, cold-pressed juices, and immune-building smoothies.
FIND IT HERE
DaJen Eats Cafe & Creamery
7 DaJen Eats Cafe & Creamery
Eatonville, FL
Crowned Best Caribbean Restaurant in Orlando in 2018, DaJen Eats offers crowd-pleasing sandwiches filled with bright and tasty proteins such as jerk chicken and oxtail. Plus, for the days when you want something lighter, the café’s build-your-own bowl and salad options are sure to hit.
FIND IT HERE
The Rabbit Hole
8 The Rabbit Hole
Pompano Beach, FL
Billed as serving elevated vegan comfort food, The Rabbit Hole offers a variety of plant-based dishes from around the world that are modern adaptations of classics, such as the “Smoke in the Woods” Southern BBQ Platter featuring citrus marinated barbecue spare ribs, mac and cheese, and buttered corn on the cob; buffalo shrimp battered and tossed in buffalo sauce; and boneless wings that are triple battered, seasoned, and fried to golden perfection.
FIND IT HERE
Lovin It Live
9 Lov’n It Live
East Point, GA
Located 10 minutes from Atlanta, Lov’n It Live believes in food as medicine and offers a menu that caters to the commitment of high quality, nourishing, organic vegan dishes with collard rolls, seaweed soup, lentil burgers, and stuffed avocados.
FIND IT HERE
The Southern V
10 The Southern V
Nashville, TN
Run by husband-and-wife team Clifton and Tiffany Hancock, The Southern V serves up Southern favorites vegan-style, such as biscuits and gravy, chicken and waffles, and silky mac and cheese—with the aim of making vegan food accessible to all.
FIND IT HERE
Slutty Vegan
11 Slutty Vegan
Multiple locations
Arguably one of the fastest growing vegan chains, Slutty Vegan is a Black-owned empire established by entrepreneur Pinky Cole Hayes. The Slutty Vegan concept features a menu of “sluttified” fast-food dishes with names such as the fully loaded Super Slut and Philly cheesesteak-style Hollywood Hooker.
FIND IT HERE
Majani
12 Majani
Chicago, IL
At Majani, husband-and-wife team Tsadakeeyah and Nasya Emmanuel are vegan and catering veterans who serve soul food dishes such as barbecue cauliflower tacos, jerk tofu, candied sweet potatoes, fried grits, and more at this charming eatery.
FIND IT HERE
Murielle Banackissa
13 The Land of Kush
Baltimore, MD
Named after an ancient African civilization, The Land of Kush is a longtime all-vegan spot that feeds your spirit with soul-food classics such as black-eyed pea fritters, crab cakes, and carrot tuna.
FIND IT HERE
Plum Bistro
14 Plum Bistro
Seattle, WA
Life-long vegan Makini Howell is a superwoman in Washington’s culinary scene for her creative vegan dining concepts, including upscale restaurant Plum Bistro, where she serves sophisticated, globally inspired dishes such as General Tso cauliflower bowls, wild mushroom ragu, and pineapple-marinated steak bites alongside burgers and more.
FIND IT HERE
Belmont Vegetarian
15 Belmont Vegetarian
Worcester, MA
A popular takeout spot among locals, Belmont Vegetarian specializes in a “soulful Belmont twist on Jamaican and American inspired dishes” with robust plant-based entrées such as vegan barbecue chicken and lamb. Plus, hit-the-spot pasta dishes such as mac and cheese and spaghetti with meatballs shouldn’t be overlooked.
FIND IT HERE
Detroit Vegan Soul
16 Detroit Vegan Soul
Detroit, MI
What started out as a catering company for partners Erika Boyd and Kirsten Ussery has grown into a thriving business. Detroit Vegan Soul provides comfort food such as full-bodied seitan pepper steaks, bacon ranch tofu wraps, and a soul food platter featuring mac and cheese, smoked collards, maple-glazed yams, black-eyed peas, and cornbread.
FIND IT HERE
Trio Plant-Based
17 Trio Plant-Based
Minneapolis, MN
Founded in 2018 on a mission of racial justice, Louis Hunter is now the sole owner of Trio, making it Minnesota’s first Black-owned, 100 percent plant-based restaurant. With classic soul food, burgers, wraps, cauliflower wings, and more on the menu, this restaurant is a must-stop in Minneapolis.
FIND IT HERE
Chi Chi Vegan
18 Chi Chi Vegan
Atlanta, GA
Founder Chris Hodge made history after opening Atlanta’s first brick-and-mortar vegan taqueria. Opened in 2020, the taco shop became an instant favorite thanks to its selection of vegan tacos (think carne asada, fried green tomato, and chicken and pineapple) and other can’t-miss Mexican-style favorites including street corn, quesadillas, nachos, and more.
FIND IT HERE
Dirty Lettuce
19Dirty Lettuce
Portland, OR
Expect to find a delicious range of “sinful Southern eats” at this Portland plant-based eatery, including barbecue ribs, fried catfish, and popcorn chicken, all of which are made with tender, meaty seitan. On the side, choose from Southern black-eyed peas, fried squash, and so much more. Good luck deciding.
FIND IT HERE
Ras Plant Based
20 Ras Plant Based
Brooklyn, NY
This popular Brooklyn restaurant is a celebration of Ethiopian heritage and cuisine, “reinterpreted through a vibrant New York lens.” Treat yourself to entrées like the mushroom tibs or the Ras Special tibs, both of which offer a delicious vegan twist on the traditional spicy dish, which is usually made with lamb or beef.
FIND IT HERE
Lesbiveggies
21 Lesbiveggies
Camden County, NJ
You can’t beat good brunch dishes, and Lesbiveggies has them in spades. Some of the most mouthwatering options include breakfast tostadas, the Vegan Hungry Man (with tofu scramble, roasted garlic potatoes, pancakes, and maple syrup), and blackened Cajun cauliflower salad. Everything on the menu is not just vegan, but gluten-free, too.
FIND IT HERE
Baba’s Vegan Cafe
22 Baba’s Vegan Cafe
Los Angeles, CA
Baba’s Vegan Cafe is committed to bringing delicious food to south LA (including lentil burgers, waffles, cheesecake, and much more), but it’s also committed to tackling food insecurity, too. Owned by food activist Wo’se Kofi, the café is striving to create a space in the community for healthier foods. “We firmly believe that access to healthy food should not be a privilege but a basic human right,” the café’s website reads.
FIND IT HERE
Can’t Believe It’s Not Meat
23 Can’t Believe It’s Not Meat
Chicago, IL
This popular Chicago eatery isn’t 100 percent vegan, but it is vegetarian, and its diverse and delicious range of animal-free options has earned it a well deserved spot on this list. Our eye is immediately drawn to the Philly cheesesteak egg rolls, the Surf and Turf Burger (complete with vegan shrimp), and the Hot Diggity Chili Dog.
FIND IT HERE
The Krazy Vegan
24 The Krazy Vegan
Hallandale Beach, FL
We all get a craving for fast food every now and again, but before you head to Burger King, check out The Krazy Vegan in Hallandale Beach first. Its loaded burgers (which include options like the Krazy AF, the Krazy Karen, and the Krazy Cowgirl) are stacked with multiple mouth-watering toppings, including vegan bacon, lots of vegan cheese, red onions, and more.
FIND IT HERE
NuVegan Cafe
25 NuVegan Cafe
Multiple locations
If you’re in Maryland, Washington DC, or Virginia, it’s worth seeing if there’s a NuVegan spot near you. This growing cafe chain offers multiple delicious lunch options that are sure to make your colleagues jealous, including vegan fried chicken sandwiches, curried yuba, and lasagna.
FIND IT HERE
Refocused Vegan
26 Refocused Vegan
Baltimore, ML
This family-friendly Baltimore restaurant proves that vegan food really can be for everyone. Its diverse menu includes everything from vegan mac and cheese to vegan chicken wings to mushroom quesadillas. And that’s just scratching the surface—we recommend visiting with plenty of people so you get to try a little bit of everything (if your friends are game for sharing, that is).
FIND IT HERE
Seasoned Vegan Real Quick
27 Seasoned Vegan Real Quick
New York, NY
Mother-and-son duo Brenda and Aaron Beneer closed the doors to their popular Harlem vegan eatery Seasoned Vegan back in April 2023, but much to the delight of their regulars, the Beneer’s opened Seasoned Vegan Real Quick in Manhattan soon after. The food is just as good as ever—expect to find veganized comfort classics like the BBQ Craw Sandwich with grilled burdock root, lemon-crusted nuggets, and Collard Greens.
FIND IT HERE
Stuff I Eat
28 Stuff I Eat
Inglewood, CA
Created by renowned vegan chef Babette Davis, this plant-based eatery, which has been open since 2008, is a must-visit if you’re in Inglewood. The menu includes hearty, nourishing dishes, like the breakfast plate with grits and cottage-fried potatoes, the Enchilada Pie Bowl, and the jerk tofu sandwich.
FIND IT HERE
Black Leaf Vegan
29 Black Leaf Vegan Cafe
Indianapolis, IN
This Indiana jewel is making history with its crowd-pleasing vegan dishes. In 2021, owners and married couple Derrick and Taria Slack made history when they brought Black Leaf Vegan, then a food truck, to the Indiana State Fair—and thus, the eatery became the first vegan vendor at the iconic fair since its establishment in 1852. With the money earned, the couple founded Black Leaf Vegan Cafe. And in April 2023, they caught the attention of actor and entrepreneur Kevin Hart, who awarded the Slacks with a $10,000 grant.
FIND IT HERE
Plant Based Pizzeria
30 Plant Based Pizzeria
Atlanta, GA
Owner Paul Jordan launched Plant Based Pizzeria in 2019, after his mother’s cancer diagnosis prompted the entrepreneur to dive head first into health research. After learning about the connection between animal-based foods and cancer, he knew he wanted to provide Atlantans with alternatives to animal-based fare. Today, he’s bringing legions across the city plant-based pizza ranging from classics such as vegan pepperoni and more creative pies including the peach-topped Georgia Peach.
Find it here
For more Black-owned vegan businesses, read:
Nicole Axworthy is the News Editor at VegNews and author of the cookbook DIY Vegan.
