photo from Stir House Atlanta

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:

page for menu updates and specials. They sometimes offer live music in the evening.

Down 2 Earth, Town Square, 6599 Las Vegas Blvd. S., B-209, Las Vegas, NV 89119

With an emphasis on sourcing fresh, local ingredients, Down 2 Earth aims to create dishes that aren’t just flavorfully seasoned, but also seasonal. Served all day, two Brunch choice are Chick’N and Waffles—gluten-free and fresh made, with Cajun chicken tenders, seasonal fruit, and maple syrup, or the Breakfast Platter of waffles, sausages, JustEgg, cheddar omelet, and hash browns. One of their Small Plates is Southern Fried Oyster Mushrooms—GF and organic in a seasoned batter, with vegan tartar sauce. Their popular Special, Truffle Mac n’ Cheeze, is topped with truffle oil, panko bread crumbs, and vegan parmesan. Pizzas are all 12 inches. Gluten-free crusts are available for an additional charge. Besides the more familiar varieties, there’s Roasted Veggie with creamy garlic sauce, mushroom, broccoli, spinach, red onion, tomato, and vegan mozzarella, Beef n’ Broccoli with garlic sauce, Impossible beef, sesame seeds, green onion, and teriyaki sauce, Truffle n’ Mushroom showcasing white sauce, cremini mushroom, vegan mozzarella, truffle oil, and herbs, and Pesto pizza with basil pesto, arugula, tomato, red onion, vegan sausage, and vegan mozzarella to note a few of the many possibilities. With nearly as many Sandwiches as Pizzas, some of the numerous choices are Spicy Jerk Chick’n featuring a soy chicken patty, Jamaican jerk seasoning, red cabbage, mango chutney, smoky aioli, and crispy plantains on a pretzel bun, Avocado Pesto–basil pesto with arugula, tomato, avocado, and sprouts, and their vegan twist on the classic Po’Boy with oyster mushrooms, tomato, secret sauce and Cajun slaw on a hoagie roll. Sweets include zesty, buttery, iced, Lemon Pound Cake and Blueberry Cobbler Cookie

Mita, 804 V St. NW, Washington, DC 20001

Mita celebrates vegetables, serving Latin American cuisine with touches of Asian flavor. Dining options include a 14 course Tasting Menu, a paired down version of the full tasting menu as Prix Fixe, or an Ala Carte menu at the bar only. The sample tasting experience opens with, among other items, Arepas, (corn based flat bread) with plantain, smoked potato, and more, as well as Guasacaca, (a Venezuelan version of guacamole) with sour cream and chontaduro, (a palm fruit reminiscent of a sweet potato’s taste and texture,)  The First Act  includes Fava beans, sweet plantain, and Dashi (a Japanese seasoning) with Arracacha (a crisp, tender root said to have a nutty, slightly sweet flavor  tasting a bit like roasted chestnuts and celery ). Watermelon with fermented carrots, also appear in Act1. Two Moles (Black Bean and Verde) are presented here too, along with Huitlacoche (a mushroom that grows on corn, AKA Mexican truffle). A few features of The Second Act are Pearled Barley with grilled Mitake, charred banana and peas and Mushroom Terrine with vegan Asado Negro made with grilled mushrooms & vegetables in a wine sauce. The Third Act finishes with Sweets including Botero Cocada Dulce de Leche—a coconut, caramely confection and Raspao—an icy dessert drink, here, sweetened with melon and Parsnip-Caramel and seasoned with basil, dill, and tarragon.

Never Caged, Montrose Bowl, 2334 Honolulu Ave., Montrose, CA 91020

When the new owners decided to revitalize Montrose Bowl, an 84-year-old bowling alley in Southern California, they wanted to stay true to its vintage character and charm. When they revamped the food offerings, opening the in-alley restaurant Never Caged, they likewise kept the typical comfort food menu items one would expect in a bowling alley, with one twist: they are all vegan. You are reading that correctly: everything from the Nashville Hot Chick Sando (served with homemade coleslaw, secret sauce, and Nashville Hot Seasoning) to the Mac & Chick Combo (a Nashville Hot Chick sandwich topped with mac & cheese and the secret sauce) to the Cali Burrito (made with Impossible meat, cheese sauce, coleslaw, and fries, plus secret sauce, all wrapped in a toasted tortilla) is vegan. Using Impossible meat and bold flavors, Never Caged is there to sate the appetites worked up by an intense bowling match. Even if you’re there more to bowl than to nosh, I bet you won’t be able to resist at least ordering a side—like the fried pickles, topped with spicy seasoning and served with the secret sauce.

Other Dog, Town Hall Collaborative, 525 Santa Fe Dr., Denver, CO 80204

Hot dogs have moved far beyond the typical ballpark quick bite, and plant-based chefs are doing their part to elevate the humble dog, as evidenced by the Other Dog food truck. Plant-based hot dogs are the star of the menu, but they also offer picnic sides such as potato salad as well as Italian ice. Examples of these flavor-bomb dogs include the Loaded Potato Dog with a miso BBQ sauce, sriracha aioli, and scallions, served with house potato chips, and the Chicago Dog, which includes pickle, tomato, neon green relish, sport pepper, mustard, onion, and celery salt, served on a poppy seed bun.

Piante Pizzeria, 520 S. Main St. #3M, Breckenridge, CO 80424

Start your meal with garlic knots, bruschetta, or a salad. Serves lots of specialty vegan pizzas such as the “DMT pizza” which has lemon aioli, black truffle, mozzarella, portabella and white mushrooms, oregano, and parsley. They also offer the “Mr. White” pizza which has an EVOO brushed crust, mozzarella, organic cashew ricotta, garlic, shiitake bacon, and arugula. Be sure to try one of their desserts including tiramisu, NY style cheesecake, and chocolate fudge sundae.

Stir House Atlanta, 61 Broad St. NW, Atlanta, GA 30303

Stir House strives to create healthy dishes which accommodate diverse dietary needs. They give new meaning to BYOB—Build Your Own Box! They present two choices: their own signature boxes, or Build Your Own Box. Either way, all boxes are built in layers: a base, protein, veggies, sauce, and topping. Here are a few of their several Stir House Boxes. The Cuban contains Jasmine rice, Chorizo tofu crumble, garlic, onions, black beans, charred corn, sweet peppers, and jalapeños, all dressed in Green Goddess and topped with fried oyster mushrooms. Spicy Nola layers Jasmine rice, vegan shrimp, garlic, onions, red beans, spinach, and sweet peppers in Jambalaya sauce, topped with Spicy beyond sausage. Davinci features Fettuccine noodles, Daring chicken, garlic, onions, broccoli, and sweet peppers in Alfredo Sauce, with Meatballs. Build Your Own Boxes all begin with garlic and onions. Next, choose a Base of various types of Rice, Quinoa, Cauliflower Rice, Fettuccini Noodles, or Flat Rice Noodles. Protein possibilities are Chorizo Crumble, Daring Chicken, Impossible Grounds, vegan Shrimp, and more. Some vegetable options include various peppers, beans, kimchi, charred corn, broccoli, carrots, cabbage, Bok Choy, and spinach. Sauce choices include Alfredo, Green Goddess, Jambalaya, Mongolian, and others. Need something to get your creative juices flowing to make all those happy decisions—how about Appetizers?  A few ideas are Fresh Spring Rolls, Lemongrass Soup, or Buddha Buns AKA Bao Buns (slightly sweeter than a Dumpling), steamed and filled with Impossible Meat, onions, peppers, and soy sauce. For Dessert there’s Fried Bananas, Carrot Cake Parfait, Apple Peach Empanada, Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookie, Lemon Pound Cake, and Pineapple Upside Down Cake.

VegGeez Plant Based Eatery, 1325 N. Broome St., Waxhaw, NC 28173

For starters, let’s talk Appetizers. There’s Indonesian Cauliflower with a mild yellow curry, Crabby Patty made with artichoke hearts, garbanzos, herbs, and tartar sauce, and other options. There’s a rotating Soup made from scratch, Bean & Vegetable based Chili, and various Salads. A couple of Burger choices are: The Shroom and Gouda grilled patty with roasted mushrooms, caramelized onions, and herbed mayo, or South Pacific with teriyaki sauce, cheez, and charred pineapple. Handy Food includes the very popular Mushroom Reuben featuring oven roasted creminis, house made Thousand Island dressing, cheez, and sauerkraut on seeded rye, or Korean Style Tacos—shredded soy with orange sesame slaw, pickled red onions, roasted peanuts, cilantro, and sesame seeds on corn tortillas. Some Main Events are Creamy Linguine made with mushrooms and peas, in a white wine cream sauce and mushroom-based bacon, Eggplant Parmesan with linguine, classic tomato sauce, fresh basil, walnut ricotta, and cashew mozzarella cheez, or Green Curry with lemongrass broth, garbanzos, mushrooms, green beans, carrots, potatoes, and tofu in a coconut curry sauce with rice. For the children’s menu check out Little Veg Heads. Desserts include iced Lemon Pound Cake made moist with fresh lemons, fresh Strawberry Cake, Vanilla, Mocha, Chocolate or Peanut Butter Shakes, creamy middle-crunchy-topped, Crème Brulee, Peanut Butter & Chocolate Tart made with a date and nut crust, peanut butter, crushed peanuts, and chocolate mousse, and frosted Carrot Cake made by Sweet & Cozy Bakery. Decisions, decisions!