Raleigh, NC has a lot of good vegan dining options. Here are a few of my favorites…
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Jump Ahead!
- Best Overall (my go-to vegan restaurants in Raleigh)
- Mexican Restaurants for Vegans (best patterns)
- Best Thai Food in Raleigh (with vegan options)
- Mediterranean Restaurants in Raleigh (lots of vegan options)
- Pho in Raleigh
- Smoothies in Raleigh, NC
- Cold Pressed Juice, Raleigh, NC
- Vegan Soup in Raleigh, NC
- Desserts for vegans in Raleigh, NC
- Restaurants in Raleigh, NC that I don’t recommend
⭐ Best Overall Vegan Restaurants in Raleigh, NC
1. Bonafide Bakeshop
Alright, Bonafide is in Apex, but I’m still putting it as my number 1. It’s an easy 20 minute drive from Raleigh, and it’s got baked goods that will rock your world, vegan breakfast sandwiches for when you’re craving greasy morning comfort foods, and classic soups and sandwiches for everyone. And these options are are available all day long. You can get coffee and oatmeal, warm soup with vegan grilled cheese, a salad, or any of a huge variety of seasonal muffins, cakes, and other assorted bakery items.
Bonafide is a small place that fills up on the weekends, but even on Saturdays and Sundays I haven’t had too much trouble getting a seat after ordering at the counter. There’s a small bar where you can set up a laptop, a couple couches for relaxing, and numerous tables.
I highly recommend the cinnamon rolls (they’ll warm it up if you ask), but you can’t go wrong picking something sweet from the daily selection. For breakfast I usually get a Beyond Florentine Sandwich or a JUST “Egg” Sandwich. Sometimes Bonafide has French Toast on their blackboard of specials, and I’ve enjoyed that the couple times I’ve gotten it. If I’m eating in the afternoon or evening at Bonafide, I like the Buffalo Tofu and Mediterranean Eggplant sandwiches. The Southwest Tempeh Sandwich is good, too, but it’s a bit heavy on the sauce for me.
Take the time to drive to Bonafide and get yourself something sweet. They’ve got lots of vegan options and the food is great. The staff is always friendly, too.
Get a vegan cinnamon roll! (only available on weekends, I believe)
2. Irregardless Cafe
Irregardless Cafe boasts “Fresh Foods Made Simply,” and it’s been recognized numerous times for it’s delicious menu, including enough vegan options for even the pickiest cruelty-free eaters.
Vegan brunch at Irregardless is amazing–they start you off with vegan scones, and there are savory and sweet options. I usually have a glass of fresh orange juice with pancakes.
3. Pure Vegan Café
Pure Vegan Café is another spot I like for modern, vegan comfort food in Raleigh. It’s a 100% plant-based restaurant with locations in Raleigh and Durham. PVC has cold-pressed juices, smoothies, acai bowls, raw treats, and A++ chick’n sandwiches. They’ve also got loaded fries and plant-based burgers.
Super tasty if you’re in the mood for comfort food, and 100% plant-based. One of my favorite vegan-centered restaurants in Raleigh.
4. The Fiction Kitchen
The Fiction Kitchen boasts “thoughtfully prepared vegan cuisine from a 100% vegan kitchen.” You know what that means? Lots of great dishes to try. There’s classic southern comfort foods, Asian-inspired entrees, and a variety of dessert options. I’ve been a few times and have never been disappointed.
5. DICED Salads
DICED is a vegan-friendly salad bar in Raleigh, and it’s probably the restaurant on this list I’ve visited the most. While it feels like a franchise or chain on the inside, they’ve only got three locations, and they’re all in Raleigh! So these really are “local salads.”
And DICED has lots of salads (tap here to see their menu).
You pick the ingredients (or from their menu–I like the Hearty Vegan and Spicy Thai), they chop it up and toss the dressing. The salads are hearty, healthy, and low-calorie. You can get wraps, too.
DICED is my favorite place to take people visiting from out of town because they’ve got something for everyone. Tons of ingredients and everything is delicious. That’s an easy choice in my book.
6. Mama Crow’s
Mama Crow’s is a burger and salad shop at Transfer Co. Food Hall in downtown Raleigh. Their Superfree Burger is the best vegan burger I’ve had in Raleigh. It’s made from sweet potatoes, roasted mushrooms, walnuts, and seeds. They top their vegan burger with tomato, charred onions, and mixed greens, but the smashed avocado and black garlic tahini dressing steal the show. 10/10 would recommend this burger from Mama Crows.
Get the Side Yard Salad if you’re extra hungry–you won’t regret it.
7. Raleigh Raw
Raleigh Raw is all about clean eating. They offer juice cleanses, a full organic coffee menu, and a full scratch-made food menu. Their kitchen is 100% unprocessed, soy free, gluten free, free of refined sugar, and seed oil free. That’s about as clean as you can get.
I always get the “Faroe Monch” rice bowl (like a vegan poke bowl) and a blueberry pollen smoothie, but I’ve had the smoothie bowls, toasts, and sweet truffles, and I’ve enjoyed it all.
The food at Raleigh Raw always leaves me light and happy, and feeling like I made a good decision.
Check out their extensive menu here.
🌮 Best Mexican Food in Raleigh
Mexican food is always a good move for vegans. Anywhere you go, you can get fajitas without sour cream and refried beans (unless these are advertised as vegan), or a bunch of other things. But who doesn’t love fajitas? Most trendy places will have some sort of vegan tacos, and even traditional Mexican restaurants have lots of veggies and tortillas.
Like I said, always a good move.
Here’s some of the best Mexican food in Raleigh…
8. Taqueria El Toro
Taqueria El Toro is a little out-of-the-way, but it’s my favorite Mexican restaurant in Raleigh. They don’t have a website, but tap here for directions.
El Toro (“the bull”) has a massive menu that is affordable, complementary chips (you just have to ask), and a do-it-yourself salsa bar. I always get tacos “con hongos y piña” (with mushrooms and pineapple). I thought this combo would be weird, but my fiancé convinced me to give it a try. I was hooked. And I still am!
El Toro is a regular stop for me. It’s super busy at lunchtime and on the weekends, but their counter service system keeps the line moving quickly.
My favorite Mexican restaurant in Raleigh is a solid 10/10.
9. Gym 💪🏽 Tacos 🌮
Gym Tacos probably has the best tacos in The Triangle (and I’ve tried many). Their menu is done right and delicious. I always get the vegetarian tacos and splash on a little salsa at their salsa bar.
