photo from Bar Botanical

The Vegetarian Resource Group maintains an online Guide to Vegan/Vegetarian Restaurants in the USA and Canada. Here are some recent vegan restaurant additions. The entire guide can be found here: http://www.vrg.org/restaurant/index.php

To support the updating of this online restaurant guide, please donate at: www.vrg.org/donate

Here are some new additions to VRG’s guide:

Acorn Community Café, 769 Monroe St., Eugene, OR 97402

Acorn Community Café not only offers mouthwatering, hearty brunch and dinner menus, but also a tip-free concept with the option of paying-it-forward in lieu of a tip—so that diners (if they choose to) can contribute toward the cost of a meal for someone in the community who could use the assistance and a good meal. The gratuity is incorporated into the menu prices, so their employees are taken care of as well. So not only will you get to enjoy a brunch with biscuits and herb mushroom gravy or buckwheat pancakes topped with bananas, toasted walnuts, caramel, and maple syrup, but you will also have the opportunity to share in the sense of community that this café has created. If you are dining later in the day, the dinner menu offers delights such as the Grilled Radicchio Salad (made with grapefruit, toasted hazelnuts, and black barley with a charred lemon vinaigrette) and the Mash & Bourguignon (foraged mushrooms, carrots, and onions in a red wine porcini sauce, served over cream of celeriac mashed potatoes). Their shake menu includes the Salted Vanilla Bean and the “dine-in only” Irish Whisky Shake. All sweet tooths will be satisfied as well, with the bakery menu that includes a 9-inch Hazelnut Coffee Cake (vanilla hazelnut cake layered with coffee buttercream and hazelnut praline) and Lemon Curd Cupcakes. And in case you’re wondering, the recipients of the pay-it-forward meals eat from the same menu—no leftover vegan meatloaf served here.

Bar Botanical, 2025 Library Ave., Crozet, VA 22932

Bar Botanical’s celebration of plants is motivated by compassion for people and animals, as well as sustainability. They ask that you please tell their staff about any allergies or dietary restrictions. They will try their best to accommodate these and other special requests. Many dishes can be made gluten-free. Among the many menu choices, a few are: Seasonal Soup, Wonton Nachos with miso cashew cheese, cabbage slaw, bbq lentils, pickled onions, jalapeños, cilantro and avocado, crisp Fried Brussel Sprouts glazed with ginger garlic and furikake seasoning and Loaded Hash Browns–crispy triangle potatoes with miso cashew cheese, tamari ranch, coconut bacon, scallions, and furikake. Dessert-Empowered Plant Cakes declared free of gluten and refined sugar, are cashew-based cheesecake slices in rotating flavors like Raspberry Lemon Fig or Twix.

Tamarind Vietnamese Grill, 908 12 Ave. SW, Calgary, AB T2R 1K7, Canada

Looking for authentic Vietnamese cuisine that is completely plant-based? You should try Tamarind Vietnamese Grill & Noodles House. Coming from generations of family recipes, Tamarind has a plethora of Vietnamese dishes to try, including mouthwatering crispy noodle bowls, pad Thai, and traditional Vietnamese soups.

Umeke Market LLC, 1001 Bishop St., Ste. 110, Honolulu, HI 96813

Some of their breakfast options are a breakfast burrito, which includes a flour tortilla filled with organic tofu scramble, walnut ‘taco’ meat, local cabbage, brown rice, and sauce, or the loaded potato, which includes all the same but instead on a bed of roasted potatoes. They also provide the option to build your own plate lunch. You can pick from pono chili, red lentils, ‘ulu spinach daal, and much more. It is important to note that at Umeke Market you must park across the street and there are no bathrooms.

Vegan Castle, 2400 Santa Fe Ave., Long Beach, CA 90810

They serve all vegan food, specifically vegan sushi. Some of their best sellers include the shrimpless tempura roll, the rainbow roll, or their red dragon roll. They also serve French fries, spicy edamame, and miso soup. Some of their sushi rolls come with eatable flowers on top!

Vegan Chance Burger, 3524 12th St. NE, Washington, DC 20017

They are known for their build-your-own pizzas, as well as their most loved garden salad. They also serve Stromboli and calzones, as well as seven different types of burgers. Finally, Vegan Chance Burger also serves Pakistani and Indian cuisine!

Vegan Junk Food, 4501 Woodberry St., Riverdale Park, MD 20737

Vegan Junk Food offers a discount off your first order online! They are proudly a Veteran and woman owned restaurant. If you check out their website, they provide wonderful pictures of some of their menu items so that you can see what you would be getting. They offer Philly cheez’steaks made with soy protein, mushroom protein, kale, vegan cheese, peppers, and onions, as well as bang bang broccoli, which is crispy broccoli tossed in a light vegan tempura batter.