Eating meat-free hasn’t always been easy, but in Louisville, it can be a piece of (vegan) cake.
Derby City’s food scene is as vibrant as ever, it’s no surprise that there are a slew of local chefs serving up fresh, meat-free bites across town. From vegetarian burgers to scrumptious vegan desserts, here are 19 restaurants serving up vegan and vegetarian fare in the 502.
100% vegan eats
Shahar Cafe, 1127 Logan St. | Now open in a new brick-and-mortar location in Shelby Park, Shahar offers all-vegan food all day long. Get breakfast and brunch staples like steak and eggs or chicken and waffles, or stay into the night for specialty cocktails, burgers, chicken sandwiches, and more.
Try this: loaded fries or tots with Impossible meat, vegan cheese, grilled onions, and house sauce
Half-Peach Bakery & Cafe, 170 Sears Ave. | Order delivery or get takeout from this kitchen + bakery. It has everything from chicken tenders and pizza to caramel apple bread and cake slices.
Casual eating
Heart & Soy/Roots, 1216 Bardstown Rd. | Home to Kentucky’s only tofu factory, this two-sided restaurant features a casual space for takeout + a more upscale, full-service option.
Try this: Steamed bun with spicy sauce + BBQ tofu sandwich
Shreeji Indian Vegetarian Street Food, 1987 S. Hurstbourne Pkwy. | From South Indian dishes and Indo-Chinese fare to sandwiches and naan pizza, it’s all on the menu at this Forest Hills street food spot.
Cold Smoke Bagels, 1001 Logan St. | This Jewish comfort food stand in Logan Street Market features a vegetable-packed veggie sandwich and housemade vegan cream cheese.
Dairy Del, 1516 S. Shelby St. | One of Louisville’s oldest ice cream joints serves vegetarian burgers + hot dogs and features a rotating selection of dairy-free ice cream flavors.
Rotating vegan ice cream flavors will keep you cool all summer long.
Photo by Dairy Del
Pop-ups
Annie May’s Sweet Cafe, East End Farmer’s Market Tuesdays + Saturdas, Rainbow Blossom Farmer’s Market Sundays | Everything from this bakery is gluten-free, vegan, and free of allergens. Pro tip: Check out our guide to Louisville farmers markets — that’s where you’ll find Annie May’s.
Soul Hi Vegan, Fridays 2 p.m.-7 p.m. at Americana World Community Center, 4801 Southside Dr. | This Jamaican ghost kitchen serves soul food like mac and cheeze, “moxtail,” and jerk chicken drums made by its chef + owner.
Vegetarian-friendly fare
Absynnia Ethiopian Restaurant, 554 S. 5th St. | Though a lot of Ethiopian cuisine includes spicy meat dishes, the menu here serves up an entire vegetarian section + several veggie appetizers.
Addis Bar & Grill, 109 S. 4th St. | This Mediterranean grill can accommodate all diets, with vegetarian plates and vegan samplers on the menu.
The Grape Leaf, 2217 Frankfort Ave. | The vegetarian section of this Mediterranean restaurant menu includes curry masala, biryani, samosas, and more.
Pizza Lupo, 1540 Frankfort Ave. | In addition to vegetarian pies like the Margherita DOP, topped with imported buffalo milk mozzarella, Lupo has a pie specifically designed to be vegan. The Marinara ditches cheese in favor of two kinds of tomatoes and local garlic — all on Louisville’s best crust.
Queen of Sheba, 2804 Taylorsville Rd. | This Ethiopian restaurant serves its veggie dishes traditionally, which are meant to be eaten with your hands.
Ramsi’s Cafe on the World, 1293 Bardstown Rd. | Featuring dishes from around the globe, Ramsi’s offers something for everyone. Try this: the Egyptian kitchen, or kusheri
Toasty’s Tavern, 1258 S. Shelby St. | A smashed vegan burger, a vegan french dip, friend mushroom planks, and vegan sauces are just a few of the options at this Shelby Park joint.
Chef it up at home
Check out our favorite tips and tricks for serving veggie-focused fare from your own kitchen:
- To make zucchini, carrot, or beet noodles, try a veggie spiralizer that magically turns vegetables into noodles.
- Tired of wasting money on spices you use once? Broth Bomb combines all the spices you need for a flavorful meal.
- Harness the power of fresh and high-quality spices from James Beard Award-winning chef Meherwan Irani.
- A tofu press draws out water and can help tofu firm and crisp up once you cook it — the one linked here is dishwasher safe + works in twenty minutes.
- If your least favorite part about veggie prep is chopping, this all-in-one vegetable chopper can minimize prep time.
- Use a sprouting jar kit to grow microgreens and sprouted beans at home.
- If you’re making fresh bread, this Sourhouse starter jar was designed to be the easiest-to-clean sourdough starter jar in the world.
- For the ultimate veggie food prep, this glass storage container set keeps lunches and leftovers organized.
- Need some good recipes? Browse cookbooks “Inspiralized: Turn Vegetables into Healthy, Creative, Satisfying Meals” for veggie spiral recipes, “The Blue Zones Kitchen: 100 Recipes to Live to 100” for plant-based ideas, or “The Complete Plant-Based Cookbook” from America’s Test Kitchen.
Bonus: Need a vegan snack fix on the go? You already know Louisville Vegan Jerky has your back.
