Last Updated on August 23, 2022 by Jeremy
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While we are not vegetarians or vegans, we have to admit we have a love of fresh, healthy, and locally grown vegetables.
In fact, when we’re not out eating our way around the best restaurants in Pittsburgh, we are often at home cooking meals that are oftentimes vegetarian or vegan using produce either from our garden or our local CSA farm shares.
That being said, while vegetarian and vegan restaurants in Pittsburgh are, sadly, few and far between, there are many gems you will want to check out the next time you are in the mood for a vegetarian or vegan meal! So in this one, we thought we’d share some of our personal favorites covering an array of cuisine styles.
As with everything on our site, this article features only a selection of great Pittsburgh vegetarian and vegan restaurants. It is not meant to be comprehensive and only features spots we have personally visited over the years. So let’s get to it!
Disclaimers: This list will call out when restaurants are vegan, vegetarian, or have mixed menus including non-vegetarian items. While most of the restaurants featured below are either 100% vegan or 100% vegetarian (likely with some vegan options), those that offer mixed menus are included because their vegetarian/vegan options are quite strong. Likewise, menus can and do change regularly. It is not unheard of for area restaurants to offer a vegan menu and then change back to a traditional menu over time (e.g. when there is a change of chefs). We highly recommend reconfirming all menus before visiting to ensure your dietary needs can be met. Our guides, as always, should only be treated as a starting point.
Apteka
If you’ve read enough of our site, then you likely are aware of how much we love Apteka– a spot we often consider to be our very favorite restaurant in the entire city.
This Eastern European restaurant in Bloomfield makes some of the best pierogi in Pittsburgh, has amazingly hearty dishes year-round, and is surprisingly 100% vegan (despite not tasting like it!). The rich, decadent flavors we get from many dishes always shock us when we remember they are plant-based.
So if you are in the need of a vegan restaurant that will win over even the harshest critic, you can’t go wrong here.
As a bonus, don’t miss Apteka’s periodic vegan burger popup, aptly named Crapteka– it is a winner for plant-based burgers!
Apteka is located at 4606 Penn Ave in Bloomfield and is vegan.
Onion Maiden
In the mood for delightful vegan food with a heavy metal twist? Onion Maiden in Allentown is for you.
The menu at this one features an array of Asian dishes and American comfort foods with a metal twist. Dishes like Graves at Sea (tater tots with kimchi and Korean flavorings) and Straight to Hell (rice noodle salad) are two of many great examples of this fusion of a rather unconventional pairing.
Even better than all of that? Onion Maiden comes in at a rather attractive price point as well. So if you want to dine on a budget, this one is for you.
Onion Maiden is located at 639 E Warrington Ave in Allentown and is vegan.
Allegro Hearth
Are you searching for a vegan bakery to grab an array of baked goods to enjoy at home? First up is Allegro Hearth in Squirrel Hill!
This plant-based bakery features a fantastic spread of bread and pastries, as well as a delicious menu of vegan sandwiches that are not to be missed. Many of these sandwiches contain vegan prepared “meats” (like shitake bacon) too!
Allegro Hearth is located at 2034 Murray Ave in Squirrel Hill and is vegan.
Valkyrie Doughnuts
How about a vegan donut? A trip to Valkyrie Doughnuts in Bellevue should be on your radar.
This 100% vegan bakery specializes in all things donuts. The donut base has a rather interesting texture (almost flaky bread-like), an outstanding fry, and some of the icing combinations like mango lemonade or strawberry cheesecake (when available) are not to be missed!
Valkyrie Doughnuts is located at 601 Lincoln Ave in Bellevue and is vegan. Their mobile truck is often parked in front of Walter’s BBQ in Lawrenceville with periodic hours as well.
ShadoBeni
Did you know that Pittsburgh is home to a vegan Trinidadian restaurant, ShadoBeni?
This small shop in the North Side started at area farmer’s markets (which they still frequent) and serves up an array of traditional Trinidadian recipes from coconut rice to curry channa, pineapple chow, plantains, and more.
While you can’t go wrong with any of these, their star dish is Trinidadian doubles- flatbreads filled with curried chickpeas and topped with an array of flavorful chutneys. Whatever you do, order one (or three) of these whenever you visit if they are available!
ShadoBeni is located at 1534 Brighton Rd in the North Side and is vegan. They also frequent area farmer’s markets as well.
Con Alma Shadyside
Con Alma’s two Pittsburgh locations have grown in popularity thanks to their combination of delicious cuisine and live jazz during many seatings.
In 2022, the Shadyside location for Con Alma made a rather drastic menu change and switched to a fully vegan menu! Now we have seen dishes like Korean fried tofu, sweet plantain & corn gordita, Puerto Rican pasteleon, and more on the menu, prepped completely vegan, all while taking in a solid musical performance as well!
It is worth noting that Con Alma has a few rules to keep in mind when visiting for a meal and show, typically in the form of a cover charge per person and set seating hours. These would be worth confirming before making a reservation.
Con Alma is located at 5884 Ellsworth Ave in Shadyside. Please note that only the Shadyside location is vegan. Con Alma Downtown serves a traditional menu.
Farmer x Baker
We often lament that we need more riverfront dining in the Pittsburgh region, and at Farmer x Baker in Aspinwall, you get just that.
This restaurant concept is run out of a converted sea container right in Aspinwall Riverfront Park and has delighted us with the freshness of the food that is sourced locally, organically (as much as they can at least), and is heavy on vegetarian options as well.
Fresh, seasonal meals with a stellar view? You know we’re in for that!
Farmer x Baker is located at 285 River Ave in Aspinwall and is mostly vegetarian. Note that Farmer x Baker has a second market location in Fox Chapel that may stock more non-vegetarian options than the Aspinal location.
Udipi Cafe
When it comes to eating vegetarian, it is hard to beat Indian food. While the vast array of dishes found within the country are not completely vegetarian, many, many dishes are which means you can often enjoy stellar Indian cuisine without having to have adjustments to satisfy any dietary restrictions.
In Pittsburgh, one of our favorite Indian restaurants also happens to be completely vegetarian as well- Udipi Cafe in Monroeville.
This southern Indian restaurant features staple dishes from all over the country, but if you want to try a bit of everything, you’ll do well to order their thali set- it is a go-to order of ours!
Udipi Cafe is located at 4141 Old William Penn Hwy in Monroeville and is vegetarian.
Pure Grub
Pure Grub may not technically be a restaurant, but is a popup that makes the rounds at area farmer’s markets and breweries (plus catering and more).
Defining this one by style is a bit difficult if only because the menu changes frequently. On our visit, we tried an adobo stir fry with mango pepper sauce and Japanese sweet potatoes, but we’ve really seen the menu at this one run the spectrum of cuisine types, countries of origin, and more.
But at its core Pure Grub simply lives up to its name- perfectly cooked meals that are immensely flavorful and organic, gluten-free, vegan, and often made with local, seasonal ingredients too!
Pure Grub is a food popup at area farmer’s markets and breweries and is vegan.
Spak Brothers
Finally, we come to Spak Brothers. While this Garfield-based pizza shop isn’t technically vegan (nor vegetarian), we include them in this article because they have an array of options to make most menu items vegan. This includes items like vegan cheese, seitan-based substitutes for meat, and a whole lot more- something you don’t see all too often at pizza joints.
This push for a vegan-friendly menu goes to the non-pizza menu options as well with seitan hoagies and wings gracing the menu, too! Since we like their hoagies and wings almost even more than the pizza themselves, this is quite the find for those who want dishes that are typically nowhere near vegan friendly in the slightest!
Spak Brothers is located at 5107 Penn Ave in Garfield and offers vegan options along with a traditional menu.
Do you have a favorite vegetarian or vegan restaurant in Pittsburgh that is not listed above? Or do you know of a traditional restaurant with a strong vegetarian/vegan menu? Comment below to share as we hope to expand this guide in the future as we visit more delicious vegan restaurants in Pittsburgh!
