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While pounding the pavement of the Freedom Trail, admiring the multitude of museums, and taking in the historic locale of Boston, remember to take breaks to refuel. Fortunately, Boston has many delicious restaurants to choose from, including those of the vegan variety. Here are six places I sampled during my first Boston trip:
My Thai Vegan Cafe
Tucked away in Chinatown on the second floor above a Vietnamese restaurant sits My Thai Vegan Cafe. Being the only patron for the first fifteen minutes or so gave me time to admire the décor. A row of orchids divided the eating area in two sections.
Copiously planted window boxes lined the windowed view of Washington Street and Emerson Paramount Center. Christmas lights hung around the ceiling perimeter. Included in the window boxes were some gargantuan aloe plants that seemed to want a bite of my food.
The menu is extensive, and entirely vegan. The options ranged from stir fry to curry to sections separated by “meat” type (chicken and duck, beef and pork, and seafood). After much indecision, I ended up ordering the fried dumplings and the yellow noodles with veggie beef.
The fried dumplings were lacking a bit in flavor, but the accompanying sauce easily remedied that. The combination definitely satisfied my craving for something fried.
The yellow noodles were delicious. They had a touch of sweetness that paired well with the spicy sauce on the side. All my food was brought out STEAMING maybe two minutes after I ordered. The service was incredibly fast.
The only disappointment was that there was no dessert on offer at the time I visited.
You’re not at all starved for choice at My Thai Vegan Cafe, and I highly recommend checking it out if you’re in Chinatown.
Cafe Bonjour
Around the corner from the eastern end of the Common and a 10 minute walk from Hyatt Centric Faneuil Hall is Café Bonjour, a breakfast/lunch place with vegan options. They offer eggs, crepes, French toast, breakfast sandwiches, smoothies, burgers, wraps, and a variety of baked goods.
While my breakfast was delightful, the atmosphere of my eating experience did not entice me to hang around. The host outside called me “sweetheart” which, while probably well-intentioned, is a personal turnoff for me and put me in a weird mood before I even entered the building.
Related: 5 vegan desserts Boston shops you have to try
Fortunately, I didn’t have to wait to sit even though the small space was packed. I got my own table instead of squeezing into the bar, but the table was shoved in the corner next to the beverage fridge. My view consisted of the fridge and the dirty dish bins, which was a shame because the space has some very cool details in the wood paneling and rustic chandeliers.
So many tables were crammed into the small front area of the restaurant that the servers were forced to lead with their hips, as they couldn’t walk straight through. They kept sweeping my other empty chair from side to side as they moved. Should I have had a dining partner, it would have been a high-friction meal for them.
One unique feature of this place is they serve JUST egg as a vegan substitute, so options like vegan omelets and breakfast sandwiches were available. I chose the plant-based sausage and egg sandwich, made vegan by substituting vegan cheese and JUST egg. While difficult to keep the sandwich’s contents in the bread, it was a challenge worth taking. It was very good, served with a side salad and potatoes.
Banyan Bar & Refuge
For a more upscale option, I highly recommend Banyan Bar & Refuge in the South End. The gastropub serves Chinese and Southeast Asian fusion fare with a menu that changes seasonally. A large portion of their menu is vegan or can be made vegan, as well as gluten free. I had an indulgent dinner there and strongly considered returning for a second.
First, the atmosphere was such a vibe. Nested light fixtures extended into branches of cherry blossoms. Hanging lanterns around the periphery housed warm, dimly lit bulbs. Actual bamboo shoots covered the walls. Lit candles sat atop each table. I felt so relaxed as I admired the scenery. The place also offered an outdoor seating area, although the November weather was a bit too chilly to enjoy it.
I began my decadent meal with the Fall Sangria, a seasonal beverage that proved to be a wonderful autumn-time cocktail. It came served in a bulbous glass and it tasted like juice.
Unfortunately I did not get the bao as an appetizer because they would have been served in lettuce wraps if vegan-ified, as the actual bao was not vegan. Since I have yet to try bao, I was a little bummed about that.
For my main course, I ordered the Dan Dan Noodles, a stir-fry concoction. To make the dish vegan, the staff substituted the chicken for additional veggies. While the peanut sauce had an ideal light amount of spice, the dish could have been served a little warmer. Overall, I really enjoyed it.
The vegan Chocolate Mousee arrived shortly after for dessert. The texture was a little fudgey but the flavor was not too rich. I was unsure how to eat the sesame peanut brittle without looking like a mongrel but there was no alternative; ‘twas too thick to break with my spoon or my hands.
The staff was very attentive throughout my meal and never rushed me as the dinner rush began trickling in. I strongly wish to return one day but, in the meantime, recommend those in the South End area visit in my stead.
Life Alive Organic Cafe
If you’re seeking a casual smoothie and salad place that makes you feel healthier just by walking in the door, you’ll appreciate Life Alive Organic Cafe.
The vibe and décor made the cafe feel displaced from Los Angeles. The fun décor sported lots of colors, wood accents, funky stools to sit on, and hanging lanterns. There was a smoothie bar in the corner as well as an outdoor seating area. It felt more “Santa Monica” than “South End.”
The cafe was connected to a yoga studio, and the two establishments had a clear partnership. The yoga studio’s large information desk was practically within one of the sit-down eating areas. Shower rooms were located immediately next to the cafe’s registers.
For breakfast I ordered the Superberry PB & J Açaí Bowl and, wow. It was delightful. A great mix of flavors, it definitely tasted like peanut butter and jelly. A generous dollop of peanut butter was displayed in the middle, with strawberries, hemp seeds, peanuts, and granola on top of the acai base. If you’re a fan of the classic pb & j, I highly recommend giving this bowl a try.
To accompany my acai bowl, I ordered the Maple Vanilla Cloud Crème Cold Brew. To my delight, the staff let me make it with iced decaf espresso instead of cold brew. To my disappointment, the dreamy-named creation was not latte-esque like I hoped. It was merely iced coffee with cold foam on top. Amusingly, it resembled a foamy beer in the glass it was served in. The cold foam was tasty, but it did not sweeten the coffee when mixed into the rest of the drink. As I prefer sweeter coffee, I wouldn’t order this drink again.
A day later I had Round 2 at Life Alive Organic Cafe: the Autumn Falafel Bowl. Although a tad salty for my preference, it was pretty good and full of kale and roasted brussel sprouts. To be (strangely) specific, it tasted like a heartier, fresher version of the Tattooed Chef Veggie Hemp Bowl frozen meal. Additionally, I have a sneaking suspicion that the crispy chickpeas on top were none other than the Biena Chickpea Snacks (which I also find too salty).
All in all, Life Alive Organic Cafe was an awesome and convenient place to grab something more nutritionally dense, for dine-in or takeout. They have several locations throughout Boston and Eastern Massachusetts.
Red White Ramen
If you find yourself shopping on Newbury Street, any ramen cravings can be satisfied by Red White Ramen on the east end of the street. The entire menu is vegan, with non-dairy cheese and soy meat add-ins available.
I chose the Sapporo Ramen – their classic miso ramen. While it wasn’t the best ramen I’ve ever had, it still hit the spot. Chili oil came served on the side for customized spiciness. The soy meat was really nice and added a good extra serving of protein.
Perhaps the most adventurous option on the menu was the Roasted Miso Avocado, so naturally, my interest was peaked. The flavors of the miso and cheese together were an interesting combo, but I was unsure if I should eat the side by itself or add it to one of my other dishes. It was particularly salty (as you may have gathered, I’m sensitive to salt). I had to take breaks between bites to cleanse my palate.
My additional side was the Miso Mac & Miso, and it was easily my favorite part of the meal. The miso was not overwhelming and gave a nice nuance to the traditional comfort food. The crispy business on top was delightful as well. The restaurant should consider upgrading this side to a main course. It was that good.
PlantPub
My friend Megan and I were craving comfort food and popped into PlantPub, an entirely vegan outfit serving the classics like burgers and pizza, along with a variety of beer options and soft serve ice cream. What’s not to like?
We started off by splitting a plate of Cauliflower Wings, which were pretty tasty (I ended up finishing them).
I ordered the Chicken Quesadilla, generously drizzled with crema, salsa, and guacamole. Wow. I scarfed it down way too quickly and was immediately sad I had none remaining. Megan got the Kimchi Burger and graciously let me take a picture before digging in. She said it was also fantastic.
Naturally, we were stoked to try the vegan soft serve. I haven’t had a chocolate-vanilla swirl anything in years, and my nostalgia for the childhood dessert fueled my excitement. So when the server followed up our request with, “I promise we’re not pulling a McDonald’s. Our ice cream machine really is broken,” it was quite the let-down. Things happen but man, my mood plummeted from my quesadilla high real quick. Oh well. I now have a reason to return.
Megan and I visited the Fenway Park location, which has since closed. However, the Cambridge one remains in operation as of this writing, so I will be checking it out during my next Boston visit.
Overall
Regardless of where you are in Boston, you have a variety of vegan restaurants to choose from. Food-wise, you can’t make a poor choice with the options above. I’d recommend going wherever is closest to your adventuring!