Vegan Guide to New Orleans
Hi friends! The time has come for me to share my long-awaited Vegan Guide to New Orleans! And you might be wondering…you can be vegan in New Orleans? Well… if you know where to go! As someone who has been visiting this city long before I moved here, it used to be slim pickins for us vegans but nowadays- it’s pretty fantastic! It’s come a long way and I’m quite proud.
Disclaimer before we begin, this is not a list of every place that has vegan options here in the Big Easy. This is a list of my personal recommendations that I love. I also reserve the right to change this list up as I see fit. There are definitely some businesses that I have not had a chance to try and they may be added to the list eventually, in addition to new places that may pop up in the future. But for now, this list should keep you BUSY!
Lastly, I ALWAYS recommend to double check with your server if something is vegan. Menus change and something that I mention here now may no longer be vegan when you dine there. Always politely confirm that something is free from animal products when ordering. Here’s to enjoying some delicious vegan food in a magical city. Cheers!
NICE DINNER SPOTS
Favorite restaurant in town! Loads of vegan options and too cute to boot! Rezzy needed for nighttime (you can usually call and get squeezed in if you are sweet on the phone). They are also currently offering brunch on the weekends with some vegan options!
Casual bistro with family-style platters of locally sourced Middle Eastern fare & outdoor dining. Great location to walk around. Rezzy needed.
Wholesome food with many vegan options, clean and spacious. Rezzy needed.
Delicious Middle Eastern food (similar to Saba but with different offerings!) Rezzy needed.
This Japanese-style restaurant is fancy, very expensive, and DELICIOUS! Perfect for special occasions while offering dozens of vegan options (just ask your server!). Service is excellent. Rezzy needed.
A locals’ favorite, this quaint bistro is very cute and cozy with a few vegan options (the braised white beans are divine). They also offer delicious wines and cocktails, and oftentimes have a vegan soft serve flavor. Just ask your server. (Rezzy recommended unless you go earlier!)
BREAKFAST / BRUNCH
Cute neighborhoody spot with a few vegan options, great area to walk around.
Clearly marked vegan items worth trying but getting a table can be difficult as the wait can be long. There are two locations.
Always at least one great vegan option!
FAST CASUAL
Intimate little spot next to a lovely wine bar (to check out if there is a wait!). Mediterranean faire with a nice vegan platter.
Two separate locations, bonus points for both being in the Quarter! The menus are slightly different, but both have several great vegan options!
One solid vegan option (vegan fried chicky sandwich) worth trying! Only open for lunch.
Cutest little spot with a great lineup of vegan bagel sandwiches and sweet treats. Get the chai!
Quick and easy taco spot with a few vegan options and nice outdoor seating.
Wholesome and healthy food with a gorgeous pollinator garden in the back! Only for brekkie and lunch.
Super delicious Trinbagonian island soul food with many vegan options!
PO’ BOYS
If you are going to get a po’ boy while visiting- this is it. Awesome vegan option and they have vegan fried pickles but they’re not on the menu!
More inventive, non-traditional vegan po’ boy options. Fun to try!
SOUL FOOD
This is one of my favorite spots. The hours are a little tough (check the website) but the food is BOMB. Quick dine-in (no table service) and great for pickup and to-go.
This place offers a fully vegan menu. I don’t love everything from here (buffet-style setup) but it is worth going for their fried cauliflower and red beans & rice!
PIZZA
Hip spot next to a great record store. They do offer vegan cheese, which you have to add on separately to the vegan slice…heads up!
One of my favorite spots because they offer sourdough crust. Not many vegan offerings but a good crust is all you need sometimes. Great wine selection.
VIETNAMESE
Delicious and great location to walk around (Uptown!)
Good pho and I quite like their ‘Tofu Fresh Roll’ which I add cilantro and Thai basil to.
THAI
They have a secret vegan menu by the register so just ask. I like this place because you don’t need a rezzy and you can go with a group. Close to the quarter, too!
They have an extensive vegan menu! I like their eggplant offerings and papaya salad.
This place is in the quarter and they have a separate vegan menu that pops! Get the fried okra! You do need a rezzy, tho.
SUSHI & RAMEN
One of my favorite spots in town! Delicious and interesting Japanese cuisine. They offer 2 vegan handrolls and a few vegan appetizers. (This place is smaller and is ideal for a party of 2. They do have one larger table that you can reserve!)
This spot has one clearly marked vegan ramen option and it is stellar (just be clear to not add the egg option)! A must-try if visiting!
INDIAN
Delicious Indian cuisine with lots of vegan offerings that I recommend for delivery. This one is a bit of a trek to get to so if you are visiting, I wouldn’t worry about trying to go here in person. Check out the other spots!
Aside from offering bagel sandwiches and such, they also serve fabulous vegan Indian food! A must-visit in a great location!
BAKERIES
Best bagels in town! They serve a fantastic cashew-based cream cheese and butter and you can customize any bagel sandwich to your liking. You could honestly just eat their bagels plain and untoasted- they are that good! They also offer a beet lox bagel which is delicious. (Do go on the earlier side if you can or order ahead, as they can sell out!)
Fantastic sourdough bakery! Most of their breads are vegan friendly and they have a killer chocolate cookie. Cute location to walk around, too! Fun fact: I love one of their cookies so much, I asked the owner if I could share the recipe on the blog!
This bakery has one great veggie-heavy vegan option and some vegan baked good offerings. I love their sourdough sandwich loaf bread, too.
Fully vegan bakery. I personally think their sweet offerings are the best! (I recommend ordering for pickup or delivery.)
COFFEE & JUICE
Good coffee with a few locations.
Lovely local shop which is known to have some vegan offerings at times.
This place has great organic juices and raw vegan food that I quite love. Try the ‘Truffle Mac Noodles’ and the ‘Bossy Balls’! Very small, so to-go is best.
Two different locations that are great for juices, smoothies, and bowls offering a good amount of vegan options!
SWEETS
Super cute snoball shop that always has a few vegan options.
Nice little ice cream shop that usually has one to two vegan options.
WINE & BARS
Lovely wine bar that offers a vegan cheese board and live music! Must go if you visit.
Super cute natural wine bar with lots of cozy seating areas. Great date spot and they offer kava for non-drinkers.
Gorgeous hotel worth visiting just to see and check out the gift shop. The bar has fantastic truffle fries, just hold the cheese.
Hip bar that locals love.
Classic New Orleans Bar in a great area (right by Bar Brine!)
Fun gay bar in the quarter. Can be cliquey, so be confident.
Tiki bar in the quarter with inventive cocktails (many are vegan, just ask!) and the menu does have a few clearly marked vegan items to eat.
I hope that you have enjoyed this ‘Vegan Guide to New Orleans!’ Before I go, I wanted to mention that I have a fabulous Guide to Austin that you should definitely check out and if you are interested in trying a New Orleans style dish in your own kitchen, try my Dirty Rice or Gumbo!
Thank you for being here!
–Timothy
Imagine my surprise when I started researching NOLA food options ahead of my work trip there next week….and a post from THE Mississippi Vegan showed up! I was already excited for my trip but can now hardly contain excited knowing about all these great food recommendations. Thanks so much for this guide!
Aww, this message was so lovely to read. Thank you for the kind words. Enjoy this wonderful city!
I tried to order the vegan po boy at parkway tavern and the guy looked at me like I have a second head. I had to just get the impossible burger without mayo or cheese.
What do you order when you come here? I was very excited for a vegan po boy
Hi Chelse! I’m not surprised that an employee wouldn’t be familiar with vegan options on the menu, ha! Especially at an old-school NOLA restaurant. That’s been my experience my whole life and I was honestly shocked when I saw they had a plant-based meat option on the menu. I went ahead and pulled the copy from the menu for what I order:
Beyond Burger
$10.29/sm $17.99/lg
Creole seasoned and charbroiled to order this burger is vegetarian and vegan friendly
https://parkwaypoorboys.com/new-orleans-parkway-bakery-and-tavern-food-menu
You do have to order it without mayo and cheese, so you made the right move. Here in NOLA, a hamburger po’ boy is common, so this vegan version is the closest thing you are going to get to a po’ boy from a restaurant. (I do think Meals from the Heart has one but I haven’t tried it yet!) Other than that (and before they offered the beyond burger at Parkway), I would order a french fry po’ boy, which is a thing. I have also asked them repeatedly if their fried pickles are vegan and they tell me that that are egg-free and vegan but I always recommend checking, as things change. Hope this helps!
I don’t see Meals from the heart cafe on the list……
I’ve tried to go there a few times but they are always closed when I do. I’ll try again!
Just returned from NOLA and loved your suggestions. We also stumbled upon 2 Phat Vegans just off Frenchman st. and really enjoyed the gumbo, po boys and spinach artichoke dip. The owner was the sweetest guy. Just wanted to give this place a shoutout. It’s not gourmet but it’s great comfort food after a day of drinking!
Thank you so much for this! I definitely need to check it out! I appreciate you letting us know.
Sneaky Pickle / Bar Brine was amazing! thanks so much for the list.
Oh, yes! So delicious!!
Great list! Love the headers and everything. In your bakery section I would highly recommend adding Breads on Oak! For years I got their shrimp bread and it blew my mind to smithereens when I learned that everything there is vegan. Their breads and pastries are on point and the shop uptown is cute as all get out.
Hey Ethan! Thanks, I’ll check it out!