You may know Cleveland for its rich musical history, vibrant art and culture scene, Rock and Roll Hall of Fame or the famous Cleveland Clinic. But it’s also a good place to be vegan.
The city boasts a number of restaurants that offer vegan-friendly options. I have picked some of the best vegan restaurants in Cleveland to give all the plant-eaters living in this vibrant city or visiting it a quick reference guide for where to eat in Cleveland.
Cleveland isn’t just vegan-friendly in terms of food options; it’s also committed to environmental protection and improving sustainability. As a result, the city that was once known as the center of industries and manufacturing now has more green spaces than factories, earning it the title of the ‘Forest City.’
The 10 Best Vegan Restaurants in Cleveland
Many restaurants in Cleveland now offer vegan options on the menu. However, the following ones are all-vegan and hence, make the best places to dine out:
1. Beet Jar
Starting with healthy food options, the first Cleveland vegan restaurant on our list is the quaint Beet Jar café that churns out hearty smoothies, refreshing juice blends, and raw vegan dishes that customers say are equally satisfying for both the eyes and the tummy.
Whether you’re looking for healthy options to start your day with or something to satisfy those afternoon cravings without compromising your healthy diet, Beet Jar is an excellent option.
The menu includes rich and filling smoothies, cold-pressed fruit and vegetable juices, sandwiches, healthy chia seeds and granola puddings. Beet Jar also offers vegan cheesecake slices.
There is also a small grocery store inside the café with a good variety of vegan and ethically-manufactured items that range from pantry staples to housewares to bath and beauty products. What more could you ask for?
For those interested to know a bit of background, Beet Jar was established a little less than a decade ago (in 2013) by two vegan friends who care as much about the earth as they do for the animals.
2. Birch Café
Another vegan café and grocery store in Cleveland, Birch Café promises to bring you food that reflects your commitment to saving animals and satisfies your taste buds. The restaurant specializes in casual comfort food created in accordance with today’s fast-paced lifestyle, food that can be eaten on the go.
The menu includes a variety of toasts, sandwiches, wraps, burritos, sides, and beverages. The food category includes both cheesy and non-cheesy options, the sides include ranch and cream cheese, and the beverages include hot cocoa and coffees – all made with 100% vegan ingredients.
There’s also a good variety of vegan grocery items. They cannot all be listed here, but to give you an idea of what all is available, here’s a quick list of vegan food categories you’ll find here:
- Eggs, Bacon, and Breakfast Sausages
- Meat, Burgers, and Meatballs
- Chicken, Turkey, Wings, and Nuggets
- Deli Meat, Hot Dogs, and Sausages
- Seafood
- Butter and Cheese
- Dips, Cream Cheese, and Cheese Spreads
- Yogurt, Mayo, Sour Cream, and Salad Dressings
- Savory Snacks (including chips)
- Frozen Desserts
- Pantry Staples
Birch Café lets you fill your tummy and pantry in one place. Thinking it can’t get any better than this? Actually, it can!
At Birch Café, you can also find a wide range of vegan home goods, artwork, bath & body products, candles, clothing, crockery, utensils, jewelry, nail color, and magnets. Now you can’t beat this!
The team behind Birch Café doesn’t just sympathize with animals; it seems to be a true animal (cat, to be specific) lover. Check out the restaurant’s About page to know what I am talking about.
3. Cleveland Vegan
A vegan restaurant that makes all its food from scratch using local organic plant ingredients may sound dreamy to many. But for those living in Cleveland, it has been made a reality by Cleveland Vegan.
The restaurant was initially established as a catering company by a vegan couple, Justin Gorski and Laura Ross. But the popularity of their fresh, healthy, and delicious vegan food encouraged them to turn it into a restaurant.
Today, Vegan Cleveland has a cafe, bakery, and full-service catering services. The café offers a rotating seasonal menu for brunch and dinner, whereas the bakery offers classic baked goods made fresh the vegan way.
The food options here range from tacos, burgers, and sandwiches to cookies, muffins, donuts, croissants, brownies, and pies to smoothies and milkshakes.
There are some options for those on a raw vegan diet as well.
Wondering what a raw vegan diet is and what’s special about it? Check out the following video to know…
Cleveland Vegan doesn’t just offer a wide variety of plant-based foods to choose from, but as per the customer reviews, they also do not cut corners in terms of flavor, offering you the best of both worlds.
One thing that makes Vegan Cleveland different from all other vegan Cleveland restaurants on our list is that they also make vegan wedding cakes upon request.
4. Foodhisattva
When craving Asian flavors or something different, head to Foodhisattva for a delightful treat. Though you may find some authentic dishes here, the restaurant does more Asian-fusion food than authentic.
The creatives working in Foodhisattva’s kitchen incorporate Asian flavors into local dishes and then give them a vegan spin to provide consumers with a fascinating and delectable variety of food.
You may contest the authenticity of Asian flavors at Foodhisattva, but the food tastes great and will satisfy your craving for Asian flavors.
The best thing about Foodhisattva, apart from their brilliant take on Asian/American dishes, is that they make all their foods in-house from scratch using ethically-sourced plant-based ingredients.
5. Propaganda Coffee
For coffee aficionados like me, there’s nothing a cup of good coffee can’t fix. And the expanding vegan coffee scene in the US makes me the happiest. Propaganda Coffee is a newer addition to Cleveland’s already vibrant coffee scene. But its all-vegan and gluten-free menu have made it popular quite fast.
And why not?
We also want (and deserve) to experience the ease of ordering coffee right off the menu without giving a gazillion customization instructions.
Head to Propaganda Coffee to give an energizing start to your days, and for those mid-day pick-me-ups and enjoy delicious, vegan coffee without spending several minutes explaining your order to the barista.
Along with coffee, the place offers a few different types of tea and light bites.
The food options range from classic breakfast items, like overnight oats and waffles, to all-day foods, such as flatbread, salads, (vegan) cheese sandwiches, noodles, bowls, and dips.
There are also a variety of sweet treats on the menu. The options include muffins, banana bread, lemon cake, granola, donut, scones, and cream cookie sandwich, making Propaganda Coffee a perfect place to fuel your body and mind.
6. The Vegan Club
If you’re the one who always compromises on places to eat because you’re the only vegan in the group and know others won’t like the plant-based food at vegan restaurants you usually go to, it’s time to take the lead and take everyone to The Vegan Club.
They say it’s the place that makes everyone forget that the food is plant-based. That’s how beautifully crafted and delicious it is.
And the restaurant’s menu offers a peak into it with items like crab fries and burgers, oyster wings, crab cakes, meaty Bolognese, chicken sandwiches, Alfredo pasta, and cheesecake –all made vegan with 100% plant-based ingredients.
Have your non-vegan friends and family members get a taste of real vegan food at The Vegan Club; they might join the plant eaters’ club, too.
According to an online source, The Vegan Club is the only vegan restaurant in Cleveland with a full bar. If that’s true, you have one more thing to lure your non-vegan fellows in here.
Conclusion
Cleveland has a vibrant and ever-growing vegan food space with plenty of restaurants serving vegan options, along with non-vegan foods, as well as many offering 100% plant-based dishes.
The ones I have listed in this article are all 100% vegan-friendly and hence, are some of the best places to eat in Cleveland for those on an animal-free diet.
Not only can you order anything right off the menu at these restaurants, but you can also eat your food without doubting if they have followed all your instructions and stressing over it.
Whether you live in Cleveland or visiting the city, make sure to stop by any (as many) of these restaurants as you can.
Did you find this article helpful? Interested to know about vegan restaurants in other cities, too? Check out my article Best Vegan Restaurants in Orlando to know your top choices for plant-based foods in vegan resDisney city.
