Vegetarian eating in the Big Easy is easier than you might believe. In what other city could you find a restaurant with a vegetarian menu perfect for date night and a place where even veggie eaters can satiate their hot dog cravings? From fancy to fast, New Orleans offers some of the freshest vegetarian food on the Mississippi.
Each restaurant on our list has its own feel while remaining true to the heritage and personality of the city they call home. So next time you’re taking it slow in NOLA, check out some of the best vegetarian food the city has to offer. Whether you’re looking for lunch, dinner, or a mid-afternoon pastry, New Orleans is definitely the spot for vegetarians to indulge.
Enjoy our picks for the coolest vegetarian restaurants in New Orleans, Louisiana – and be sure to tell them we sent you!
City Greens
Serving up salads and wraps in a city known for its rich cuisine is daring, and it’s exactly what City Greens is doing. Customers create their own wrap or salad filled with pretty much anything they can think of. We’re especially fans of the Raw Shaved Salad with beets, Brussels Sprouts, and fennel. City Greens also posts where each of their ingredients comes from, so there are no surprises about what’s in your meal, proudly alternating the menu by seasonal availability.
Yelp Rating – 4 out of 5 stars
Find City Greens: Website – Twitter – Facebook
Tsai
Tsai is not big, but the owners have big ideas. This pop-up restaurant specializes in vegetarian cuisine with menu items like Louisiana Jasmine Rice, and Roasted Green Bell Pepper with Pecan Sauce and Potatoes. Local musicians also frequently perform while you enjoy Tsai’s seasonal menu. You can’t beat dinner and a show, and we’d expect nothing less from NOLA.
Yelp Rating – 5 out of 5 stars
13 Monaghan
Offering food and drink into the wee hours of the morning, 13 Monaghan is a popular stop for people who have been out all night. Their signature dish is the Tachos, nachos made with tator tots instead of chips. Though it may not immediately sound vegetarian-friendly, 13 Monaghan serves some of the best-reviewed vegetarian dishes in NOLA, including the Greek salad wrap and the Tachos.
Yelp Rating – 4 out of 5 stars
Find 13 Monaghan: Website – Twitter – Facebook
Breads on Oak
Billing itself as a traditional boulangerie, Breads on Oak offers a wide variety of homemade, organic breads. Owner Sean O’Mahony set out to bring some of the historical bread making tradition back to New Orleans with a menu serving vegan muffins and brownies that are to die for!
Yelp Rating – 4.5 out of 5 stars
Find Breads on Oak: Website – Twitter – Facebook
Feelings Café
Not only does this French/American restaurant offer vegetarian options, it also has a complete vegan menu. It makes a great place for date night, as Feelings Café has courtyard dining with a beautiful view of the city. Start with the Quinoa and Shitake Mushroom Cakes, then dive in to some Roasted Eggplant and Creole Tomato Napoleons, and finish with a vegan carrot cake-inspire torte. Who needs meat with a menu like that?
Yelp Rating – 4 out of 5 stars
Find Feelings Café: Website – Facebook
Dreamy Weenies
Looking for vegetarian hot dogs? Dreamy Weenies is the place to go. The creatively-named restaurant made its mark on New Orleans dining by serving up hot dogs made especially for the vegetarian crowd. Though the food isn’t the most traditional, it does keep the traditional New Orleans flavor by giving the option of grits or red beans and rice as hot dog toppings. Don’t judge! Have you been to a Chicago hot dog cart? The best part, these Dreamy Weenies are free of all that highly questionable meat.
Yelp Rating – 4.5 out of 5 stars
Find Dream Weenies: Website – Twitter – Facebook
Did we miss your favorite? Let us know at @DietsInReview.
Images from mylifecity.com, tsainola.wordpress.com, neworleansonline.com, veganneworleans.com, feelings cafe.com, zabihabites.com