CAFE HEY 1540 N. Franklin Ave., Tampa, 813-221-5150, cafehey.com. Numerous veggie and vegan offerings, composed with ultra-fresh ingredients and a dash of wit. Favorites include the VLT (vegan bacon, lettuce, tomato, and veganaise, dry pressed); the AB-B-A (almond butter, banana and apricot jam pressed with cinnamon); and the Kale Yeah salad, featuring you'll never guess which leafy green vegetable. Wash it all down with a Skinny Bi-otch (skim milk with fat-free vanilla).
CENTRAL CAFE AND ORGANICS 243 Central Ave., St. Pete, 727-824-0881, centralcafeandorganics.com. Serving healthy, organic, veg-friendly dishes that are made from scratch. Check out their daily specials list and their upcoming full breakfast menu. Also serving espresso, fresh-squeezed juices, plus organic beer and wines; stop by for one of their complimentary tastings.
CONSCIOUSNESS-BLOSSOMS 3390 Tampa Road, Palm Harbor, 727-789-1931, consciousness-blossoms.com. It's all vegetarian all the time at Consciousness-Blossoms, serving breakfast and lunch Tuesday through Sunday. Try the buckwheat Belgian waffle or tofu scramble, and for lunch, the 'Neatloaf' and veggie Harvest Burger are tasty options.
DOONERS 21 Third St. N, St. Pete, 727-623-4848, doonersus.com. Located in the spot formerly occupied by Athenian Garden in Downtown St. Pete, Dooners is an interesting mix of cuisines, serving fresh, made-to-order German- and Mediterranean-inspired salads and sandwiches with plenty of veg-friendly options.
ELLA'S AMERICANA FOLK ART CAFE 5119 N. Nebraska Ave., Tampa, 234-1000, ellasfolkartcafe.com. An impressive display of folk art and a beautifully converted house — complete with a big outdoor deck under the trees — highlight a menu that's an interesting melange of upscale fair food, American classics, Tex-Mex and Asian-fusion, often with a vegetarian bent. Good for both hipsters and non-ironic truckers. —Brian Ries
EVOS 2274 E. Fowler Ave., Tampa, 813969-3867, 157 Westshore Plaza (in the mall), Tampa, 813-282-4982; 609 S. Howard Ave., Tampa, 813-258-3867; 2631 Fourth St. N, St. Pete, 727-571-3867, evos.com. The "Greenest Burger Chain in America" offers fast food without the high calories and guilt at three Bay Area locations. Veg options can be substituted for any meat in their wraps and sandwiches. Try the shakes!
GRASS ROOT ORGANIC RESTAURANT 2702 N. Florida Ave., Tampa, 813-221-7668, thegrassrootlife.com. Tampa Bay's first vegan and raw restaurant with an array of smoothies, sandwiches, soups, comfort foods and more. Preservatives, hydrogenated oils and high fructose corn syrup, as well as animal products, are nowhere to be found on their menu
GREEN MARKET CAFE 3150 Tampa Road, Ste 1A, Oldsmar, 813-787-5494. A very similar concept to Crispers, Green Market has a decent offering of sandwiches, salads, wraps and plenty of meat-free options.
KALEISIA TEA LOUNGE 1441 E. Fletcher Ave., Tampa, 813-977-8266, thetealounge.com. Popular among college students at the nearby University of South Florida and vegans for their vegan food options. Also offers numerous tea flavors, smoothie options and boba teas. Kaleisia creates a relaxing atmosphere to have a drink with a few friends, game night, or to have a meeting in the back. —Carlos Hernandez
LEAFY GREENS CAFE 1431 Central Ave., St. Pete, 727-289-7087, leafygreenscafe.com. One of the first in the Bay Area to specialize in raw vegan cuisine, Leafy Greens offers salads, soups, entrees, and desserts made with fresh fruits and vegetables and "uncooked" to perfection.
LETTUCE EAT HEALTHY St. Pete, 727-639-0071, lettuceeathealthy.org. St. Pete's first (and only) all-vegetarian food cart can be found all around the downtown area. Their specialties are vegan Philly "cheese steaks", Italian "sausage", hot dogs and burgers.
THE LOVING HUT 1905 E. Fletcher Ave., Tampa, 813-977-7888, lovinghut.us. 100-percent Vegan "fast food" chain serving sandwiches, wraps, smoothies, Asian-inspired dishes, desserts and more.
MEZE 119 119 Second St. N, St. Pete, 727-498-8627, meze119.com. Modern, Middle Eastern, meat-free fare. Try the made-from-scratch falafel, the Cyprus BLT with tempeh bacon and Syrian cheese or the hummus sampler. Also serving beer and wine.
NITALLY'S THAI-MEX CUISINE 2462 Central Ave., St. Pete; 727-321-THAI, thaifoodtogo.net. Fun, Thai and Mexican fare (or a combination of the two). Offering traditional Thai dishes, a Mex-Thai fusion menu, and some killer burritos. The majority of their menu can be made vegan/vegetarian.
PIZZA FUSION 9556 W. Linebaugh Ave., Tampa, 813-792-1516; 777 N. Ashley Drive, Suite C, Tampa, 813-463-1600, pizzafusion.com. See Best Guilt-Free Pizza, p. 34 in Best of the Bay.
TRANG VIET CUISINE 1524 E. Fowler Ave., Tampa, 813-979-1464. Lunch and dinner daily. Tasty, healthy Vietnamese cooking with a French flair, featuring fresh, home-grown herbs and daily market specials. Weekday lunch specials are a bargain. Lively dinner menu, like "cook your own" seafood fondue, or chicken in a clay pot, and don't miss their second Saturday vegan buffet.
VEGAN BEAGLE Tampa; 813-221-0895, veganbeagle.com. Whether you're keeping Supreme Master Ching happy, or just hungry at a show, this is one late-night snack you won't forget. The cart changes location, but you can often find it at Crowbar in Ybor City or Cafe Hey in downtown Tampa. No set hours.
VIDA DE CAFE 120 Eighth Ave., St. Pete Beach; 727-289-7164, vidadecafe.com. Serving a menu of 100-percent raw and vegan fare. From sushi to lasagna to "crab" cakes to desserts, you'd be surprised at the sheer creativity of their food.
VIITALS SPECIALTY BAKERY & LIFESTYLE CAFE 1155 S. Dale Mabry Hwy., Suite 11, Tampa, 813-443-4567, viitals.com. This healthful bakery and cafe is dedicated to gluten-free, vegan and high-protein foods in the form of sandwiches and salads. This new location also offers organic coffees and espresso.
This article appears in Sep 22-28, 2011.