Here’s a guide to our favorite meatless and meatless-conscious establishments with everything from vegan pizza and spring rolls to raw sandwich wraps and curry tofu.
ALL VEGAN
The Cider Press Café A newer cute, casual restaurant showcasing raw vegan food like pineapple kimchi dumplings, the AvoBLT with eggplant bacon and salted caramel cheesecake. 601 Central Ave., St. Petersburg, 727-914-7222, ciderpresscafe.com.
Just 4 U Vegan Kitchen & Market Vegan curry, jerk, barbecue or brown-sauced entrées, Jamaican patties, pineapple upside down cake and smoothies are the highlights. 12934 N. Nebraska Ave., Tampa, 813-900-5341, just4uvegan.com.
Leafy Greens Cafe Specializing in dishes from around the globe, one of the first raw vegan eateries in Tampa Bay. Gourmet teas, coffee and desserts are also featured. 1626 Central Ave., St. Petersburg, 727-289-7087, leafygreenscafe.com.
Loving Hut There’s a wide variety at this Asian-inspired franchise, including organic sweet ‘n’ sour vegan nuggets and udon noodles with veggies and soy protein. 1905 E. Fletcher Ave., Tampa, 813-977-7888, lovinghut.us.
Natural Detox Nutrition Shoppe Nab vegan comfort food takeout-style inside this health food store. 4202 E. Busch Blvd. #1, Tampa, 813-983-1628, vegan-takeout.com.
New Leaf Elementals A gem and crystal gift shop offering vegan coffee, teas and sandwiches like The Houdini, featuring a house organic chickpea and lentil salad. 11813 N. Armenia Ave., Tampa, 813-932-6101, newleafelementals.com.
Rawk Star Cafe This organic plant-based cafe serves smoothies, caffeinated drinks and raw vegan foods such as wraps, salads and pizza slices. 4011 Tampa Road #11, Oldsmar, 813-855-0007, rawkstarcafe.com.
Vida de Cafe One-of-a-kind on the beach, the spot serves creative raw vegan eats — sushi, Sicilian lasagna and “crab” cakes among them. 120 Eighth Ave., St. Pete Beach, 727-289-7164, vidadecafe.com.
VEGAN-FRIENDLY
Bamboozle Cafe A whole dinner menu, featuring pho, Vietnamese salad and fried spring rolls, dedicated to vegan patrons. 516 N. Tampa St., Tampa, 813-223-7320, bamboozlecafe.com.
bartaco We recommend digging into this new Hyde Park Village taco hub’s black bean salsa, or the portobello and falafel tacos sans dairy. 1601 W. Snow Ave., Tampa, 813-258-8226, bartaco.com.
Burrito Boarder Vegan tortilla and black bean soups, veggie-filled burritos, and more from this surfer-themed Mexican spot. 17 Third St. N., St. Petersburg, 727-209-0202, burritoboarder.com.
Cafe Hey For vegans and carnies who like to snack while reading or working, this is a cozy go-to. 1540 N. Franklin St., Tampa, 813-221-5150, cafehey.com.
Casa Tina’s Vegan items abound at this healthful Mexican mainstay, as well as its next-door sibling Pan y Vino. 365 Main St., Dunedin, 727-734-9226, casatinas.com.
Community Cafe A come-one, come-all kind of coffeehouse with vegan items that ranges from starters to sandwiches to weekend brunch. 2444 Central Ave., St. Petersburg, 727-222-6979, communitycafestpete.com.
Consciousness-Blossoms This soul-warming restaurant carries a spin on a meatloaf sandwich, stir-fry veggies with tempeh or tofu, specialty drinks and other veg-friendly tastes. 3390 Tampa Road, Palm Harbor, 727-789-5176, consciousness-blossoms.com.
Eco-Bean Organic Coffee House Artfully crafted (and local) organic coffees and teas, along with vegan items (many salad options and baked goods), in a laid-back atmosphere. 501 N. Pinellas Ave., Tarpon Springs, 727-937-1967.
Ella’s Americana Folk Art Cafe More than 10 menu items from the eclectic eatery in the heart of Seminole Heights can be vegan-fied. 5119 N. Nebraska Ave., Tampa, 813-234-1000, ellasfolkartcafe.com.
Evos Vegan burgers, shakes and sweet potato “airfries,” baked sans deep fryer. 609 S. Howard Ave., Tampa, 813-258-3867, evos.com.
Gourmet Pizza Company At this small pizzeria, breadsticks, meatless pies and gourmet cookies churn out vegan. 610 S. Armenia Ave., Tampa, 813-258-1999, gourmetpizza-company.com.
Independent Bar and Cafe This laid-back hangout known for its tasty bar food and craft beer selection also caters to the vegan crowd. 5016 N. Florida Ave., Tampa, 813-341-4883, independentbartampa.com.
Jem’s Natural Living A one-stop shop for all things needed for healthy living, including food and drink — organic bean burritos, three-bean salad, build-your-own juices and more. 11909 Sheldon Road, Tampa, 813-926-2600, jemsnaturalliving.com.
Kaleisia Tea Lounge A relaxing atmosphere alongside tea and vegan spring rolls, Asian noodles, pumpkin soup, avocado wrap, hummus and chips, and…. 1441 E. Fletcher Ave., Tampa, 813-977-8266, thetealounge.com.
Lotus Vegetarian Restaurant In addition to its regular all-vegetarian Vietnamese lineup, a monthly vegan buffet is hosted every three weeks. 6575 Park Blvd., Pinellas Park, 727-549-1688, lotusveg.com.
Mangia Gourmet This healthful, environmentally-conscious Mediterranean cafe emphasizes vegan, vegetarian and gluten-free delicacies. 2930 Beach Blvd. S., Gulfport, 727-321-6264, mangiagourmet.com.
Mellow Mushroom Dress your jazzed-up pizzas with toppings such as Daiya cheese, tofu or tempeh. 2630 Gulf to Bay Blvd., Clearwater, 727-723-2000, mellowmushroom.com.
Meze 119 A gourmet vegetarian bistro with a welcoming environment, Meze’s menu puts a modern twist on traditional Middle Eastern fare. 119 Second St. N., St. Petersburg, 727-498-8627, meze119.com.
Nature’s Food Patch Options like tempeh “chicken” salad, the Yucatan Wrap (vegan patty, cashew cheese, veggies) and more at the health food marketplace’s deli and cafe. 1225 Cleveland St., Clearwater, 727-443-6703, naturesfoodpatch.com.
Nature’s Table Also in Hyde Park Village, a healthy alternative to fast food offering American salads, sandwiches and more to accompany its carnivore fare. There are more locations around the Bay area. 1622 W. Snow Ave., 813-254-9288, naturestable.com.
Ohana Cafe Score sandwiches, Wiki-Wiki wraps, loco moco bowls, starters and salads from this casual Hawaiian cafe once it reopens in its new Dunedin digs. 1452 Main St., Dunedin, 727-314-4277, theohanacafe.com.
Ozona Pizza For lunch or dinner, vegan garlic knots and bread, tons of specialty pizzas, a build-your-own pie selection and ice cream. Seriously, go here. 404 Orange St., Palm Harbor, 727-786-9662, ozonapizza.com.
Paciugo Soy-based flavors like cappuccino, green tea, panna cotta and peanut butter at this tiny gelato franchise. 300 Beach Drive #120, St. Petersburg, 727-209-0298, paciugo.com.
Pia’s Trattoria This Italian restaurant has a few regular vegan dishes — salads, marinara, bruschetta — but for an extraordinary vegan experience, check out the specials, which change every other week. 3054 Beach Blvd. S., Gulfport, 727-327-2190, piastrattoria.com.
Queen of Sheba The wondrous, home-style flavors of Ethiopian cuisine are done up vegan at this family-run restaurant. 3636 Henderson Blvd., Tampa, 813-872-6000, ethiopianrestauranttampa.com.
The Queens Head In February, the restaurant will roll out vegan and vegetarian choices on its new menu, as well as more sandwiches, small plates and mini desserts. 2501 Central Ave., St. Petersburg, 727-498-8584, thequeensheadbar.com.
Rollin’ Oats Grilled tofu melts, meatless meatball subs and Mediterranean wraps are a few of the vegan specialties cooking in the market’s Oats Café. 2842 Martin Luther King Jr. St. N., St. Petersburg, 727-821-6825, rollinoats.com.
Serendipity Café This quaint find offers bistro bites that include vegan penne fresco, brown rice with black beans and kale chips. 664 Main St., Dunedin, 727-483-9233, myserendipitycafe.com.
Squeeze Juice Works The popular cold-pressed juice hub carries pesto zucchini pasta, a raw taco collard wrap, a mock tuna salad and other vegan treats. Call ahead for the daily selection. 226 S. Blvd., Tampa, 813-402-2837, squeezejuiceworks.com.
Taco Bus At the six Tampa Bay locations, use vegan steak strips, butternut squash and more to accompany your favorite Mexican dish. 913 E. Hillsborough Ave., Tampa, 813-232-5889, tampatacobus.com.
Tampa Pizza Company A downtown pizzeria crafting pies to satisfy an array of eaters, from vegans to gluten-free folks. 777 N. Ashley Drive #C, Tampa, 813-463-1600, tampapizzacompany.com.
Taste of Punjab Casual and authentic north Indian cuisine that can be served up vegan or vegetarian. 10625 117th Drive N., Largo, 727-545-4103.
Tasty Roots An organic grab-and-go café with prepared food items like vegan chickpea salad. 218 E. Davis Blvd., Tampa, 813-613-3322, tastyrootstampa.com.
Tom+Chee Oh, yes – gourmet vegan grilled cheese made using vegan butter. Love at first bite, indeed. 6802 22nd Ave. N., St. Petersburg, 727-317-4790, tomandchee.com.
Trang Viet Cuisine French-influenced Vietnamese grub inflected with fresh ingredients. There’s a variety of vegetarian and vegan plates, as well as a vegan buffet the second Saturday of the month. 1524 E. Fowler Ave., Tampa, 813-979-1464, trangvietcuisine.com.
Udipi Cafe South Indian fare in a relaxed setting. Read food critic Jon Palmer Claridge’s thoughts on Udipi. 14422 N. Dale Mabry Highway, Tampa, 813-962-7300.
This article appears in Jan 14-20, 2016.
