Features Restaurant Vegan Homepage Guide Vegetarian Highlight Guide to 35+ Vegetarian and Vegan Restaurants & Bakeries in Connecticut (2023 Edition) April Guilbault February 04, 2023 Cutting down on meat these days? If you are, then no doubt you are on the lookout for delicious plant-based eateries. Here’s our listing for you—you little budding veggie lover—that highlight fabulous eats to break any preconceived ideas about being plant-forward in the ol’ Nutmeg State. In addition to a long list of restaurants which are helping to redefine how we are eating and how to fuel ourselves, we have also included a list of bakeries that are creating drool-worthy breads and desserts so you can happily enjoy sumptuous treats while maintaining this dietary focus. Otherwise known as having your cake and eating it too. Plant-based eating is so much more than a bowl of kale! Organika-Southport www.organikact.com “Let Food Be Thy Medicine And Medicine Be Thy Food” - Hippocrates. What you put into your body is exactly what you get out of it, right? So eat to feel good and to live well! Organika Kitchen wants to help you optimize your health and immunity, and replenish, detoxify and repair from the ever-present toxins in the environment. It is this love of people, food and hope for humanity that drives their desire to create delicious organic, plant-based, healthy foods, from beverages and breakfasts to salads, entrees and desserts.Think acai bowls and protein bowls, healthy pizza and pasta, mounds of fresh salads, and a long list of smoothies and fresh juices. Try a cleanse for a day or five days. Raw treats and desserts are made only with unrefined sugars and flours, so you can enjoy them in every way a dessert can be enjoyed. Healthy can taste good and they prove it. Make health and vitality a priority by eating in a preventative manner… and enjoy yourself along the way. Open seven days, 8 a.m. – 7 p.m., Sunday 8 a.m. – 5 p.m. Greenology-New Canaan greenologykitchen.square.siteGreenology serves plant-based clean food, juices, smoothies, and acai bowls with a full Jack’s Coffee bar. All ingredients are organic, non-GMO and sourced locally and sustainably. Most of their items are gluten-free or available with gluten-free options. The healthy and nutritious menu includes freshly made to order breakfasts, salads, soups, plant based burgers, tacos, protein bowls, sandwiches and pizzas. The full juice and smoothie bar offers fresh bottled cold pressed raw juices and many options for juices, smoothies and acai smoothie bowls made on demand. Greenology also features a curated marketplace of baked goods, snacks, treats and beverages from local plant based vendors such as Izzi B’s Allergen-Free Bakery, 123Dough Bakery, Chocopologie, Charlie’s Chaga, East Coast Kombucha, 69 Herbs and Nutty Bunny.Flora—West Hartford www.floraweha.netFlora is as vegan as you want to be: vegans, vegetarians and omnivores are all welcomed with open arms! Experience their refined service in a warm atmosphere where seasonal plant-based food and drink are the focus. In the spirit of inclusivity, they also have a ‘sustainable fauna’ section for the omnivores. Their scratch kitchen serves breakfast, brunch, lunch and dinner and in keeping with a desire to serve food that is both seasonal and made with passion, their creative menu changes frequently. They are a full-service restaurant and juice bar where you can dine on their patio or in the dining room and bar. Grab an inventive cocktail or mocktail, too! Flora is a must go for everyone’s list! Claire’s Corner Copia-New Haven www.clairescornercopia.comClaire’s Corner Copia, in the heart of downtown New Haven, is the place to go for healthy food, friendly faces, and the feeling of coming home. 48 years young, Claire’s mission continues to be to provide organic, sustainable and delicious vegetarian, vegan and gluten-free breakfast, lunch and dinner. Serving foods with ingredients that you can pronounce has long been the mantra at Claire’s Corner Copia. Theirs is a Kosher certified kitchen, they use compostable cups and takeout boxes (anything plastic is BPA free), and they are GMO-free, to name just a few ways that Claire’s is working to make the world a better place and their community healthier. Offering breakfast, sandwiches, soups, salads, flatbread pizzas, Mexican entrees, veggie burgers as well as vegan and dairy-free desserts, Claire’s caters to a variety dietary needs and preferences. Always made from scratch using locally sourced ingredients, but most importantly made with love.G-Monkey-West Hartford www.gmonkeyfastfood.comG-Monkey Plant-Fueled Fast Food, owned and operated by Celebrity Master Chef Mark Shadle and Ami Beach, are redefining Fast Food in a completely new light with their flagship brick and mortar location in West Hartford. G-Monkey is CT’s very first plant-fueled chef driven fast food establishment and their mission is to bring 100 % plant-based and vegan food to the masses by using only the freshest, highest quality ingredients while providing a fantastic in-store brand experience. What began as a vegan food truck over a decade ago has become one the nation’s top-rated vegan food concepts and the mission is to lead communities in plant-fueled, healthy and sustainable living. G-Monkey Plant-Fueled Fast Food is a fast-casual and quick food concept that is made with 100% plant- based foods, whole foods ingredients, and handcrafted foods that are prepared fresh daily. The focus is on using organic ingredients as much as possible, non-GMO ingredients and commitment to packaging that is compostable and environmentally friendly. G-Monkey uses the same high quality ingredients as in a gourmet farm to table restaurant. Shattering all stereotypes of traditional “fast food” with Food as Real as it Gets!” Green and Tonic-Cos Cob, Darien, Fairfield, New Canaan, Westport www.greenandtonic.com A vegetarian and vegan haven since 2021! This seven locations strong (and growing!) local healthy spot offers not only refreshing acai bowls and superfood smoothies, but also hearty seasonal soups, breakfast sandwiches, veggie burgers, the best organic coffee drinks and baked goods! They even launched oat milk soft serve ice cream last year which goes perfectly with their fresh chocolate chip cookie! Looking to cut back the sweet and get back on track? They’re known for their juice cleanses and meal plans. Always 100% gluten-free and scratch made in house.Right Path Organic Cafe - New London www.rightpathfood.comRight Path Organic Cafe is an organic, vegan, and gluten-free cafe serving delicious, sustainable, non-GMO whole foods that are made in-house using only the freshest, locally sourced ingredients. They believe in maintaining the integrity of food “in its natural state” (raw) so that the vital nutrients and enzymes that work to keep you healthy don’t get destroyed or altered negatively. Daily specials of familiar foods from a variety of ethnicities-and vegan-ized the Right Path way! will tempt your taste buds. From simple snacks such as “live” bagels with vegan spreads, to bowls and salads overflowing with healthy grains, vegetables, seeds and plant-based proteins, to hearty soups and “burgers”, they offer a myriad of delicious, healthy dishes for your appetites. Right Path also serves fresh smoothies, pressed juices, and treats such as Energy Balls, bars, truffles, raw cakes and pies, as well as cookies, muffins and scones. They will happily cater your special event either in your location or their own cafe. Zesto Organic Vegan Market and Juicery-Newtown gozesto.co The newest addition to Connecticut’s vegan and vegetarian food scene is Zesto Organic Market & Juicery, a dedicated gluten-free, organic, vegan market cafe offering grab-and- go healthy food, juices and smoothies in Newtown, CT. You’ll feel the good vibes when you walk into the bright 4-stool cafe created by owners Tammy Metz and Robin Van Riper. This nirvana of freshly made organic smoothies, juices, and grab and go fridges bursting with a rainbow of healthy food sourced from local farms (whenever possible) makes everything with love and good intentions. Each week Zesto features a Chef’s specials menu of vegan, dedicated gluten and grain and dairy free soups, salads, entrees, and desserts. Favorites include lasagna, sweet potato noodle stir fry, carrot coconut ginger soup, and “everything free” brownies. Fresh organic juices, smoothies and juice shots inspired by recipes from New York Times bestselling author Anthony Williams, Medical Medium, are consistent on the Zesto menu. Online ordering for pick up will be available in February 2023 and cleanses coming in the Spring of 2023. Zesto is also home to EHSTO, the artisanal gluten and grain free brand that’s gaining national popularity. A sampling of EHSTO products available at Zesto include frozen garlic knots, bagels, pizza crusts, tortillas, naan, vegan cheeses and butters. Follow Zesto on Instagram @gozestomarketAyla’s Bagels-Woodburywww.aylasbagels.comThis breakfast & lunch spot believes in having empathy for all living things and promote plant-based, environmentally sustainable and ethically sources food products. Arles & Boggs-Wallingfordwww.arlesandboggs.comFamily owned and operated vegan cafe which specializes in gluten-free ethnic eats (and some old school diner faves). Everything is made in-house and they have a full bar as well, as a little FYI. Barvida-Darien, New Canaanwww.thebarvida.comOrganic and Vegan Gourmet Smoothie & Juice Bar, serving everythingfrom smoothies and cold-pressed juices, to gourmet toasts, rice bowls, hand-made açaí bowls, and juice cleanses that are specifically catered to your health and wellness needs. Bella Casa Vegana-New Havenwww.bellacasavegana.comAll vegan from their apps of buffalo wings and garlic knots, to pizzas, calzones, pasta, subs of vegan chicken parm and vegan sausage and pepper to vegan red velvet cake and chocolate cheesecake. Bloodroot-Bridgeportwww.bloodroot.comSince the 1970, this feminist vegetarian restaurant has been serving up ethnic eats in a space adorned with women’s right and political posters, easy-going service (you bus your own), community and lively conversation. Botanika Cafe-Ridgefieldwww.botanikacafe.comBotanika cafe is an organic plant- based + gluten free restaurant that serves high vibrational food and beverages. Their passion is providing genuine food of superior nutritional integrity and delicious taste. Catch a Healthy Habit-Fairfieldwww.catchahealthyhabit.comRaw, vegan and organic smoothies, juices, elixirs with healthful mushrooms, matcha and adaptogens, crepes, bowls, nori wraps, and desserts that will delight your taste buds, healthily. Fire-and-Spice-Hartfordwww.fireandspiceveganrestaurant.comVegan restaurant and sports cafe. Jamaican, Indian and African flavors abound in their entrees of curry seitan, red lentil dahl and jerk tofu to name a few. Dine in or take out. Plenty of gluten free options as well. Heirloom Food Company-Danielsonwww.eatheirloomfood.comHeirloom Food Company is an organic health food cafe specializing in vegan and gluten free sandwiches, smoothies, soups, salads and baked goods. 860Kombucha from Mystic is now on tap! Open Tuesday – Saturday 10 – 5 ION Restaurant-Middletownwww.ionrestaurant.comION stands for It’s Only Natural if you are just meeting these folks. Vegan dining, with gluten, soy and nut-free options, that’s been around for over 35 years. Entrees of surf & turf (grilled seitan, trumpet mushrooms) and mac & cheese, salads, veggies sides and desserts such as their coconut cake. Beer and wine menu available. Khemis Vegan Cuisine (food truck)-Bridgeport@khemis_vegan-cuisineKhemis Vegan Cuisine serves delicious organic farm to table juices and smoothies provided by Park City Harvest Urban Farmers. Each smoothie is infused with wildcrafted sea moss sourced from the crisp seas of St. Lucia. They also serves vegan dishes that rotate weekly-soups, meals, desserts. Women-owned! Life Bowls-Madison, New Havenwww.lifebowlsct.comSeven vibrant acai bowls and three pitaya bowls to choose from, each one brimming with healthful berries, fruits, nuts and seeds, fortifying oat bowls, smoothies and toasts to keep you moving through your day with vigor. Vegan and gluten-free options Likkle Patty Shop-Windsorwww.likklepattyshop.comLikkle Patty Shop is a plant-based grab-and-go counter in Windsor serving up vegan Jamaican patties, coco bread, soups, scones and more. Lion’s Den-Hartfordwww.lionsdenvegetarian.comServing authentic Jamaican vegetarian food since 2000. Choose your size meal and then pick your items from their diverse menu: Rasta pasta, veg steak or chicken, rice, beans, stew. Navaratna-Stamfordnavaratnact.comAll vegetarian Northern and Southern Indian cuisine brimming with vegetables and flavorful spices; soups, salads, sharable dishes, from the mild to the hot and spicy. Ninth Square Market Caribbean Style-New Havenhttps://www.facebook.com/ninthsquaremarketcaribbean/Caribbean style vegan cuisine, home-cooked and made with natural and organic ingredients. soups, fresh salads, a variety of proteins from their food bar (jerk tofu, veggie fish curry, BBQ drumsticks and more) and sides such as rice and peas, stewed eggplants, curried chickpeas and Mac n’ Cheez. Soy-free and gluten-free options are available. Not Only Juice-Willimanticwww.nojmarketplace.comAll plant-based, from their blender drinks to their jam-packed-full-of-goodness bowls and sandwiches such as as their local banh mi with marinated tofu or their Not Your Father’s BLT using vegan coconut bacon. They’ve got creative “burgers”, toasts and sweets too.Shandal’s Vegetarian Cafe-Bridgeport@shandals_vegetarian_cafeThree variations of tofu (BBQ, brown stew, sunshine), veggie lo-mein, curry potatoes with vegetarian chicken and much more. Just want something sweet? Vegan desserts like black cake and carrot cake, and an array of cookies. Shayna B’s By the Sea-Westbrookwww.shaynabsbythesea.comDedicated gluten-free and vegan eatery, using locally sourced ingredients. Soups and starters such as cashew queso nachos and grilled cheese sliders, bowls and salads, wraps and paninis, pizza and burgers. All vegan! They’ve got a considerable vegan dessert case, too. The Stand Vegan Cafe-Fairfieldwww.thestandvegancafe.comUsing ingredients that are as local and organic as possible, the goal at The Stand is to welcome vegans and to gently introduce non-vegans to the concept; snacks of fried pickles, sweet and sour cauliflower, entrees of sticky tofu and noodles, mac and cheese, salads and sandwiches such as miso kale or buffalo jackfruit grilled cheese, breakfasts and desserts and bakery selections. They offer a kids menu too. Three Girls Vegan Creamery-Guilfordwww.threegirlsvegancreamery.comDine-in or get their curbside pickup of their cheeses (Havarti Dill, Pepper Jack, Chipotle Cheddar and more), holiday specials such as their Valentine’s cookie box or beautiful apizza wreaths, homemade lasagna, ravioli, “meatball” parmesan subs, gluten-free scalloped potatoes and plenty of vegan “meats”. Wild Alchemy Cafe-Wallingfordwww.purealchemyjuice.comThe Wild Alchemy folks want to educate and inspire people to live the best life they can live, and food is a huge component of achieving balance and harmony. Their food is dairy free, refined sugar free, and they have many gluten-free menu items; wraps, grain bowls, juices, tonics and healthful snacks and desserts. Yalla Organic Hummus & Grill-Fairfieldwww.yallaorganicfood.comYalla Organic offers organic, non-GMO, pesticide-free foods and Mediterranean flavors: hummus plates, stuffed grape leaves, baba ghanoush (eggplant dip), pitas to dip and wrap, flavorful soups and fresh cold pressed juices. BAKERY/BREAD Cake Batter & Roll-Middletownwww.cbrbakery.comFive different breads to make your mouth water (and all vegan!); white, wheat, French baguette, cinnamon swirl and rye. In addition, the restaurant also serves vegan breakfast, lunch, and daily treats. The Cake Box-Ridgefield, Westportwww.ctcakebox.comEvery sweet and treat is made from scratch-it’s all gluten-free and they offer many vegan. Try their granola, lil’ chocolate bundt cakes, and bigger celebration cakes such as mochaccino, pumpkin, black and white, cookies and cream and good ol’ chocolate chocolate. Dee's One Smart Cookie Bakery-Glastonburywww.deesonesmartcookie.comAn allergen-friendly bakery that also sells vegan delights such as chocolate sugar crullers, blueberry muffins, colorful cake pops, cinnamon peach scones. Follow their Instagram page to see what’s baking on any given day. Edge of the Woods Market-New Havenwww.eotwm.com Largest vegan bakery in CT! Vegan cakes (such as maple raspberry, strawberry coconut), fruit pies, cookies and bars, cupcakes and muffins and tea breads, along with scones, tarts, and turnovers. Hard Core Sweet Cupcakes-Southington, Watertownwww.hardcoresweetbakery.comA long list of vegan cupcakes and cakes for your sweet tooth celebrations, from citrus champagne, peanut butter cake, coffee and donuts, cookie dough and oh, so much more. Buckle up, vegan buttercups. Neil's Donuts-Wallingfordwww.neilsdonuts.comChoose from over a dozen vegan donuts, such as maple frosted, glazed, glazed rainbow sprinkles, black raspberry, Bavarian cream, powdered lemon filled and more yumminess. NoRA Cupcakes-Middletownwww.noracupcake.comTheir menu changes daily but you can usually find at least 3 cupcakes on it there are vegan/gluten-free to sink your teeth into! At time of writing, a few of the vegan cupcakes of the day were Dirt (chocolate cake with ganache), Mounds (chocolate coconut cake with coconut cream filling), and Adult Twinkie (vanilla cake with chocolate frosting and sprinkles). Pure Love Bakery-Avonwww.purelovegranola.comThey started with vegan and gluten-free granola and quickly expanded into a bakery in 2016! Many of their cookies, cupcakes, muffins, scones and more, which rotate daily, are available vegan. New products appear weekly, so keep checking in! Stylish Spoon-Norwalkwww.stylishspoon.comStylish Spoon is a gluten-free, dairy-free, soy-free and peanut-free bakery in South Norwalk and their signature is a vegan baked OatMEAL Cup for breakfasts, snacks or even dessert. They also make vegan cookies, breads, granolas and other healthy treats.
