Vegan Guide to Boston

Here’s all of the Vegan Food that I found on my vacation in Boston! I was blown away with all of the options for delicious, healthy, and/or Vegan comfort food.

I originally planned a trip to Massachusetts only to visit my family on Martha’s Vineyard, but as I had to fly into the Boston airport anyways, decided to make a mini-vacation out of it! Overall I was very impressed with the city and am happy I took the time to explore. I was only there for 3 days, but I’d say I made the most of them in terms of food and activities.

As a whole, I really enjoyed Boston! I would say it is:

• Easy to Navigate and Explore; both via Public Transportation and on foot
• Safe and Clean; I was alone for most of the time and never felt threatened. Granted I only visited the popular areas, but I have felt much less secure in other areas of major cities (ie New York, Miami, etc)
• Busy, but Polite; it is definitely a fast-paced East Coast city, but I did not receive any rude or impatient customer service.

Before I planned my trip, I seemed to hear mixed reviews about Boston from a Vegan perspective. Half of the people seemed to complain about the lack of options, while the other half raved about them! Ultimately, I would argue that Boston is a vegan-friendly city. There seem to be more Vegan and Vegetarian spots and Omni places with Vegan options over strictly Vegan establishments, but this could actually be a good thing, depending on who you are traveling with. I definitely didn’t have a problem finding tasty food!

In general, I would say that most of the options for vegan food are more fast-casual than a full sit-down experience. I personally preferred this because I was able to spend less time waiting for my food and have more time to explore the city. However, there are still a few sit-down options if you are looking for a slower, relaxed meal.

Without further ado, here’s a list of all of the Vegan food I ate in Boston, in the order that I enjoyed them! I wasn’t able to make it to every spot that was recommended to me, but I’ll list those extra places at the end of this post.

Jugos Supremo

• Website
• Locations: Back Bay (no seating), South End (indoor + outdoor seating)
• Review: Jugos is an Omni Juice + Smoothie Bar with lots of vegan options; everything we tried was tasty, and well-priced for the quantity! I was impressed at the size of their Smoothie Bowls, and there is a *literal* mountain of Avocado on their Avo Toast (“Pan con Palta”). I ordered the Sao Paolo bowl with Almond Butter, and a La Flaca juice with no Bee Pollen. The only bummer was that there were no public restrooms available!

FoMu

• Website
• Locations: South End, plus one in Jamaica Plain and another in Packard’s Corner (both out of the way)
• Review: completely VEGAN ice cream spot that uses Coconut Cream as a base; several Gluten-Free options as well. I really enjoyed the flavors here, and actually went here 2 out of the 3 days I was in town! All of their flavors were great, but I would especially recommend the Raspberry Crumble (the Oat Crumble is amazing), Lavender, and Peanut Butter Chocolate Cookie. They also sell Pints, Ice Cream Cakes, and a few assorted Baked Goods in-store.

Life Alive

• Website
• Locations: Cambridge, Salem, Lowell, and Brookline
• Review: I loved the cozy, eastern vibe of this Café! Life Alive is a Vegetarian Café that makes health-focused and organic Grain Bowls, Salads, Wraps, and Smoothies/Juices. I ordered the Swami Bowl along with a Golden Spice Latte (no honey) with their house-made Tigernut Milk as a base. Everything was delicious, and I would definitely come back here to explore more of the menu.

Whole Heart Provisions

• Website
• Locations: Cambridge, Allston
• Review: fast-casual VEGAN spot with a variety of different veggie-loaded bowls. Flavors are predominantly Asian-fusion, but there is a mix of Mediterranean flavors in there as well. I tried the Miso bowl and loved it, but have also heard good things about the Viet and Seoul bowl! I would recommend adding the Miso BBQ Tofu if you like spicy food.

Clover Food Lab

• Website
• Locations: SEVERAL throughout Boston; I went to the one in Downtown
• Review: fast-casual Vegetarian eatery with a high-tech vibe and focus on seasonal, local food. I thought it was really interesting how you placed an order with a freestanding employee as opposed to a structured line. There are several Vegan options, and the employee who I spoke with was able to highlight all of them in white on their electronic menu (which I thought was cool!) I got the Chickpea Fritter plate, but would also recommend the Panelle. Their pita is also made from an oven imported from the Middle East, so you know it’s legit!

Veggie Galaxy

• Website
• Location: Cambridge
• Review: a Vegetarian Diner where everything can be made Vegan! I ordered the Avocado Benedict and really enjoyed it. They have a mix of classic diner food, healthier options, and a few crazy creations (such as a Veggie Burger stuffed between 2 Mac & Cheese Waffles). I’ve heard great things about the desserts, which are all Vegan, but didn’t have the chance to try any.

Boston Public Market

• Website
• Location: Downtown-ish
• Review: this is not a restaurant in and of itself, but there are actually a lot of Vegan Options in this Public Market! It’s also a fun place to walk around and window shop. Stop by Jennifer Lee’s Bakery for some Vegan Treats, grab a juice or smoothie from Mother Juice, or get your sweet fix on at the Taza Chocolate Bar (for both Chocolate and drinks!). There’s also Vegan Donuts available at Union Square Donuts, and Apple Cider (but no vegan cider donuts 🙁 ) from Red Apple Farm.

My Thai Vegan

• Website
• Location: Chinatown
• Review: People seem to go nuts for the mock meats here, so if that’s your thing I would highly recommend it. I tried the Roll Sod (fresh spring rolls) based off of recommendations and was surprised by how much I loved them! The Red Curry with Tofu was good but I’ve had better elsewhere; I would come back, but try the Pad Thai or another noodle dish with their Veggie Chicken instead.

Red Lentil

• Website
• Location: Watertown, MA (close to Boston, but not acessible via Public Transportation)
• Review: Small and cozy Vegetarian restaurant with many Vegan Options. The food was tasty, but the service was a little off and I don’t think I would go out of my way to go again. However, I’ve heard great things about their Brunch menu, as well as the Gobi Manchurian and Shepherd’s Pie (which we did not get).

Grainmaker

• Website
• Location: Downtown
• Review: Fast-Casual Southeast Asian Street Food; serves meat, but has a 2 Vegan Options on the menu (you can also make your own bowl). I got the Chef Curry Bowl with Crispy Tofu for my bus ride out of Boston and enjoyed it, but didn’t have time to take a decent photo.

Coffee Stops:

I would not consider myself a Coffee Connoisseur, but did stop by a few places on my trip. Others also recommended Tatte, George Howell, and Barrington Coffee, but I didn’t get a chance to visit.

• Thinking Cup: cute café that lines their tables with old newspapers; I got a soy latte, but they also had almond milk available. There are multiple locations but I went to the one in front of the Boston Commons; it was a nice view while I enjoyed my drink!
• Gracenote Coffee: small corner shop with great coffee, but no real seating (good for grab-and-go). They have both Almond and Cashew milk available for lattes, made by the local company Nutty Life.

Spots I didn’t Make it To:

• Cocobeet: all VEGAN Smoothe & Juice Bar that also sells Smoothie Bowls as well as dine-in and grab-and-go Salads, Baked Goods, and more.
• Taco Party: VEGAN food truck & storefront with a large variety of Tacos, Tortas, Bowls, and Nachos. It’s a bit out of the way in Somerville; otherwise, I would have gone!
• True Bistro: high-end VEGAN fine dining; located in Somerville as well, but I have heard great things!
• By Chloe: VEGAN fast-casual burgers, salads, and baked goods. I have been to other locations in NYC and LA, so didn’t feel the need to go here. This location does have a special Vegan Lobster Roll & Clam Chowder that are exclusive to Boston though!
• Grasshopper Café: all VEGAN Chinese restaurant in Allston, MA.
• Vo2 Vegan Cafe: VEGAN café in Cambridge attached to a yoga studio; sells smoothies, bagels, sandwiches, and other casual eats.
• Nourish Your Soul: West End; Cold-pressed Juice and Smoothie Bar; also sells some casual bites and treats, many of which are vegan.
• Dig Inn: New York-based fast-casual spot with Vegan Options. If you go, I’ve been told to get the Sweet Potato wedges!
• Eat at Jumbo’s: (Now Sassafras Somerville) Vegetarian spot in Somerville with Vegan Pizza, Calzones, Pastas, Tofu Tenders, and even the Impossible Burger!
• Oath Pizza: Omni pizza joint from Nantucket that has expanded to a few locations in Boston; has Vegan Cheese as well as options for GF Crust.
• Flour Bakery: locations in Back Bay and South Boston, this Omni spot is known for sandwiches and pastries. Has a few vegetarian options that can be made vegan with the omission of cheese, mayo, etc.

Other Fun Things to Do:

• Taza Chocolate Factory Tour: this was by far my FAVORITE activity that I did. It’s only $8 for a full 45 minute tour of the Taza factory, and you get unlimited samples of Chocolate at the end of it! I learned a lot about the process of making Chocolate, as well as many cool facts about Taza itself (which is a 100% vegan company!)

• Museums: I visited the MIT Museum and really enjoyed it, but I also have heard good things about the Isabella Gardner Museum and the Boston Museum of Fine Arts.
• Walk around! Trek along the Freedom Trail, visit the Boston Public Garden, walk along the Charles River Esplanade, or check out Copley Square and the Boston Public Libary. You can also rent a blue city bike and travel that way, if you’d like to change it up (but please wear a helmet!).

• SOWA Open Market: an open-air market that features food, local artisans, cool art, and more! Only on Sundays from 10am-4pm, May – October.
• Skywalk: Located at the top of the Prudential Center, the Skywalk gives you a bird’s eye view of the city. I would recommend going at night (otherwise, just go to Bunker Hill during the day for a similar height). Also, if you don’t want to pay the admission fee, you can order a drink from the bar at the Top of the Hub (a few floors town) and see most of it there as well.
• Workout Classes: You’ll get plenty of exercise just by walking around, but there are also a lot of local fitness studios in the area if that’s your thing! I took a class at B/Spoke cycling studio (Aly was awesome!), a Lagree method class at Btone Fitness, and I also gave Barry’s Bootcamp a try (though that is not a Boston exclusive). A lot of studios will have a first-time or new student package at a discount, so if you are staying for more than a few days that is worth looking into!

If you have any other recommendations or know a spot that I missed, please let me know in the comments so I can update my guide! ????