By Jazz Miles, VRG Intern

As I walked into NuVegan Cafe in Richmond, Virginia, I was quickly met by the array of images of the many esteemed individuals who had visited the restaurant. It was great to see photos of rappers Drake, Common, and actor Anthony Anderson.

With those individuals in mind, I had very high expectations. I was not disappointed. On the inside, there were several signs hanging on the walls. One sign contained a mission statement, “We’re committed to providing exceptional and nutritious meal options to everyone including vegans and non-vegans.” Another sign contained positive words such as: soulful, consciousness, quality, growth, and creativity. There were also plants adorning each window in the restaurant.

I was met with a very diverse menu with a huge quantity of vegan options to choose from. They have fried foods, raw dishes, greens, sandwiches, a juice bar, and even baked goods on their menu!

An array of entrées and sides were presented in a cafeteria-style buffet and served by NuVegan’s staff. Television screens behind the buffet display the many selections NuVegan has to offer.

I ordered the vegan mac and cheese, the ginger spiced tofu, and the vegan chick’n drummies. My favorite of the three was the vegan chick’n drummies. They are crispy, flakey, and perfectly seasoned. I coupled it with their signature barbecue sauce, and it was absolutely delicious. The mac and cheese was creamy. The flavor was not overpowering, but subtle. It was a good compliment to the ginger spiced tofu, which was sweet and had a little bit of a kick to it.

Overall, my experience was overwhelmingly positive. I would recommend NuVegan to anyone in the Richmond area. They also have locations in D.C. and Maryland.

More information on NuVegan can be found here: https://www.ilovenuvegan.com/

For info on other veg restaurants in the USA and Canada, go to https://www.vrg.org/restaurant/index.php