Whether you're a dedicated vegan or just curious about plant-based cuisine, Cincy has a vibrant vegetarian food scene that excites and accommodates everyone. From bold international cuisine to southern soul food, come hungry and taste your way through Cincinnati and Northern Kentucky’s best vegan and vegetarian food.
Vegetarian-friendly restaurants in Cincinnati
From Southern soul food to global flavors, there are plenty of meat-free eateries in Cincinnati.
Bridges Nepali Cuisine
- Aladdin’s Eatery: Lebanese fare with tons of vegetarian and vegan-friendly options. Locations in Hyde Park, West Chester, and Over-the-Rhine.
- Ruth’s Parkside Cafe (West side): Eclectic art-filled American restaurant with a helpful vegan menu. Some vegan favorites include a housemade veggie burger and tempeh reuben (lunch only). They also have a separate gluten-free menu!
- Soul Secrets: Southern soul food like vegan chicken pot pie and other vegetarian options
- Bridges Nepali Cuisine: Classic Nepali food with many vegan and vegetarian options. Don’t miss their famous momo dumplings, woh lentil pancake, or vegan rice bowl.
- Elephant Walk Indian Bar and Grill: Located in Clifton, here you’ll find some of the best Indian and Ethiopian food in Cincinnati
- Amma’s Kitchen: Serves up only vegan and vegetarian Southern Indian food. On Wednesdays, you’ll find an all-vegan buffet during lunch hours.
Cincinnati vegan restaurants
Plant-based living has taken root in Cincinnati. These are a few favorite local vegan restaurants.
- Loving Hut: Vegan burgers, sandwiches, Cincinnati chili, soups and more. They also have a selection of raw foods as well.
- Essen Kitchen: Plant-based breakfast, brunch, lunch, and dinner. The vegan Buddha bowl is one of the most popular dishes with vegetables, quinoa toasted chickpeas, and a lemon and tahini dressing.
- Happy Chicks Bakery (Northside): 100% vegan bakery in Cincinnati rotating donut flavors, gorgeous desserts, and a delightful cafe menu with quiches, salads, sandwiches, and more.
- Melt Revival: Voted best sandwiches in Cincinnati offering both organic and vegan food options
- The Kitchen Factory (Northside): With the belief that everyone deserves a great slice of pizza, this is the place for vegan pizza. Vegetarian and gluten-free options are available too.
Findlay Market vegetarian/vegan restaurants
Findlay Market is a foodie paradise that includes vegan and vegetarian options.
- Harmony Plant Fare: Vegan deli sandwiches located inside of Findlay market
- Gramma Debbie’s Kitchen: Vegan goetta and comfort foods like jackfruit “pulled pork” in Findlay Market
- Goose + Elder: Market and cafe inside serving breakfast and lunch dishes all day. Can’t go wrong with a stack of pancakes or one of the grain bowls.
Vegetarian and Vegan-friendly restaurants in NKY
Across the river in Northern Kentucky, you’ll find creative and delicious plant-based restaurants.
The Gruff in Covington
- Bouquet Restaurant & Wine Bar (Covington): Farm-to-table restaurant with an accommodating kitchen more than willing to come up with something special and vegetarian or vegan-friendly. Bouquet's extensive bourbon list holds a spot on the B-Line bourbon experience in NKY.
- Elusive Cow Cafe (Bellevue): Casual neighborhood pub with several vegetarian sandwich options like a falafel pita, tempeh sliders, and veggie burger
- Frida 602 (Covington): Spunky and colorful Mexican restaurant serving up Latin street food with ample vegetarian and vegan options. Excellent cocktails and mezcal lineup
- The Gruff (Covington): Casual pizza joint tucked under the Roebling Bridge, with a menu featuring 10 vegetarian-friendly items
- Eisheis (Covington): A German delicacy consisting of ice cream (with a non-dairy option) squeezed through a device to make “spaghetti” noodles, and smothered in toppings. They even have an ice-cream homage to Cincinnati chili 3-way with chocolate sauce, yellow chocolate shavings, and mini ‘nilla wafers.
- Galactic Fried Chicken (Bellevue): Known for out-of-this-world fried chicken, vegetarians will love the yummy jack fruit bites.
- The Baker’s Table (Newport): small, cozy restaurant on Monmouth Street in Newport with a menu that changes monthly
From international restaurants to comfort food, Cincy’s vegetarian and vegan food scene is diverse and delicious. If you're looking for gluten-free restaurants, we can help there too! Now that you’ve decided on dinner, check out the best breweries in Cincy. If bourbon is more your taste, get the scoop on NKY’s self-guided bourbon experience. Start planning a delicious trip to Cincy now!
