Downtown Raleigh’s Vegetarian Options
Part of the new vegetarian menu at Porter's
I swore off meat several years ago. I don’t remember the date or even the season. I just stopped one day without any deliberation. As a former meatatarian who couldn’t enjoy a meal without a substantial amount of protein, I had to adapt quickly. Having to explain the rationale for this life decision to my carnivorous comrades is one I find myself answering on a regular basis. I usually mumble something about a family history of heart problems (completely true) and leave it at that. I prefer not getting in philosophical debates about what is moral and what isn’t.
Of course, I’m not here to talk about the personal decision. I’m going to talk about some of the restaurants downtown that make an extra effort for those who like to eat a meal or two without meat.
Here are some of my favorite spots that offer delicious non-meat food. Don’t let the listing of a restaurant here imply they only have great vegetarian food, all offer far more meat options than not.
Remedy Diner
Although this list isn’t any sort of ranking of friendliness toward the vegetarian crowd, Remedy Diner deserves the top spot. No other restaurant has as many options. From delicious vegan buffalo wings, to (fake) sloppy joes, (fake) parmesan chicken sandwiches, to a host of all-day breakfast options, it’s difficult to get tired of the options provided. The prices can’t be beat, there are varying drink and menu specials every day, and the service is second to none. I’m here at least once a week and would be incredibly sad if I didn’t have this option. They have gluten-free and vegan options as well.
You can learn more about the history of the building in a previous post by Raleigh Boy.
The Rockford
Situated in a nondescript location on Glenwood Avenue, The Rockford is type of place you only discover via word of mouth. There is no sign, no web site, and no local advertisements of any sort. There are rotating vegetarian-friendly entrees and side items offered daily. I recommend the Mission Burrito, it’s the best in town.
The Borough
In a somewhat quiet part of downtown, the Borough features a lively crowd and diverse selection of vegetarian friendly dishes at fantastic prices. They have great soups and innovative food choices. One of my favorite places to eat. It’s where Sid’s favorite server once worked, as well as the legendary Sneaky Q. The Redbeard is the best veggie burger in town.
Thaiphoon Bistro
Thaiphoon, like the Rockford, is hidden on Glenwood Avenue amongst the more traditional dining options. What sets this place apart is a diverse menu of ethnic foods, from various types of curry to soups. The atmosphere is great and seating comfortable. Despite being popular on weekends, I’ve never had to wait to find a table (I may just be lucky). Serving menus on DVD and Vinyl covers is a creative touch. If you’ve never been, it’s well worth a trip.
The Player’s Retreat
The Player’s Retreat is the oldest bar in Raleigh. This place has a lot going for it: it has the largest selection of single-malt scotches in the state, probably the largest collection of beer bottles/cans in the state, and has a great menu to boot. The owner, Gus Gusler, has put forth a tremendous effort toward bringing the menu up to par with the slightly more upscale establishments downtown. He invested a lot in a modern and state of the art kitchen, too. The menu offers a wide variety of sandwiches and pastas, as well as entire vegetarian-friendly section. Enjoy a bit of living Raleigh history with a great meal.
Laziz Biryani Corner
The only Indian Restaurant near the downtown area, Laziz Biryani Corner blends a home-cooked atmosphere with some delicious and affordable options. A hidden gem amongst the typical Hillsborough Street fare, this place shouldn’t be missed if you enjoy Southeast Asian Cuisine.
Sadlack’s Heroes
Being in business for over 30 years, Sadlack’s is without a doubt the oldest bastion of vegetarian-friendly fare downtown. It’s a sandwich joint that frequently features live music, which makes it a great place to hang out with friends on a weekend afternoon. The crowd is unlike any you’ll find in Raleigh. The chips are home made, the sandwiches prepared on great bread … but the food is only a small component of the charm of Sadlack’s. Stop by for lunch some time and experience it for yourself.
Porter’s City Tavern
Carrying on amidst the rubble
Although they’ve had delicious vegetarian options for a long time, they just recently carved out a new menu highlighting the selections. The Blue Cheese Macaroni is worth the trip.
Moonlight Pizza
Moonlight has been my longest running love affair with pizza here in Raleigh, but until now received no love on this blog. In addition to a wide variety of pastas and salads (and a fantastic gnocchi), they feature a diverse array of toppings. Great drink specials too.
Worth a mention
- Mitch’s Tavern – I’ve heard from more than one source that they have the best vegetarian chili in town.
- The Roast Grill – Yes, the place that serves only hot dogs, baklava, and pound cake. They have a “Ruth Dog”, named after a vegetarian friend of the family. It consists of a hot dog bun with relish, mustard, and onions.
- Spize Cafe – I dined here for the first time recently, and thrilled they decided to be open for dinner hours.
- Village Kabob – This new Afghan restaurant has a delicious vegetarian menu with several items at great prices. I’ve only recently made it here for the first time, but it was absolutely delicious and a welcome new ethnic dining addition.
Some Love for Hillsborough Street
You may have noticed that many of restaurants listed here are located on Hillsborough Street. Although it is mostly coincidence, I did take extra care to include the ones there. Due to the ongoing construction work, business is hurting for these restaurateurs. They need your support. Rush hour delays and parking are issues–but what is a few extra minutes commute time when you can enjoy great food?
By No Means Comprehensive
This list is just some of my favorite places, and certainly doesn’t include all options. What’s your favorite restaurant to enjoy a meal sans meat? I’ll add more suggestions here and maintain this page as an index of veggie-friendly restaurants.
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02/12/2010
Well said and nicely photographed as well. I’m writing this stuff down for date night To Do’s! Sounds yummie, and Moonlight has many lovers I assume, including me!
Thanks!
-Jim
02/12/2010
Great post, John. Some of these are my standard haunts and some I’ve never tried, so I now have even more options. At Porters, I would also like to mention the pimento cheese and fried green tomato sandwich. One thing about being a vegetarian in the south is that a lot of what is considered distinctly southern cuisine is also not vegetarian-friendly, but that sandwich has a real southern-eatin’ feel and tastes great, too.
Also one of my new favourites is the eggplant rolatini(sp?) at Gravy. I know they have a few other vegetarian options, too, but I doubt I’ll ever order anything else, especially since I think of Gravy as more of a planned night place than a casual dining place, and so I don’t get there that often.
02/12/2010
Jeez, no Irregardless Cafe? I guess 901 West Morgan St is out of the geography covered.
http://www.irregardless.com/
Not the original vegetarian-mostly restaurant in Raleigh, but likey the 2nd and certainly the oldest still in operation. Owner Arthur Gordon even had an Irregardless cookbook published by pioneering indie publisher Ten Speed Press in 1982. Worked there in its first 2 years 1975-76.
The first was probably Helen Finch’s lunch-only place @ the Baptist Student Union circa 1972-75 on Hillsborough St across from the NCSU Student Union.
02/12/2010
Thank you, thank you, thank you for this post.
02/12/2010
it’s also worth mentioning that Porter’s on Hillsborough will give a vegetarian menu on request
02/13/2010
As a recently converted vegetarian who is still trying to find places to go, I am SO grateful for this post! Thank you!!
02/14/2010
Dont’ forget Sosta Cafe on Davie Street:
http://www.sostacafe.com/
02/14/2010
Michael: As I mentioned in the closing paragraph, this is not a comprehensive list and I promise that its exclusion wasn’t intentional. I’ll incorporate your comment into the section for Irregardless Cafe.
Thanks for the suggestions, everyone. I’ll be making an addition to the post in the near future with additional locations and photos.
02/15/2010
Great article but I’ll agree with Michael–talking about vegetarian options in Raleigh without mentioning the Irregardless is kinda like reviewing donut shops and forgetting Krispy Kreme. Perhaps it was just too obvious? ;-)
02/16/2010
I hope the Raleigh Times will bring back the cannelini bean cakes sometime. I know they have a couple of other veg options but the bean cakes were highly recommended.
02/16/2010
My top choices for vegan food are Sosta for lunch and Poole’s for dinner. I generally don’t like meat substitutes, so I don’t choose places like Remedy except for the salads. The friendly guys at Sosta will substitute chickpeas and/or cannellini beans for chicken on their salads, and for those who do like faux chicken salad and bbq, their’s is the best I’ve had. The chef at Poole’s is also very accommodating. I always order a “vegan plate” and I get usually 3-4 veggie sides and sometimes beans or lentils. I know she orders her veggies from local organic farms (I used to get mine from the same company) and it’s one of the only places I can satisfy my dark leafy greens cravings outside of my own kitchen. Thaiphoon is another one of my top picks, especially for the green and massaman curries and tofu kra prow. I also ask them to up the veggies and give me less tofu. If I’m willing to drive a bit further, I also like Neomonde, particularly for the mjadra (lentils & rice) and baba ganouj. I prefer it to Sitti, but Sitti is closer to me and they always have a pretty good lentil soup with chard. And I almost forgot Lilly’s Pizza. I hate vegan cheeze so I stay away from the pizzas (at least they offer the option), but they have really good spinach salads with tofu or portobello. I’m baffled be the number of vegetarian “options” that hardly include any vegetables, and the prevalence of soy or wheat-based meat mockeries.
02/19/2010
John,
You failed to mention Zely & Ritz. Chef Sarig prepares the delicious, organic meals to order so anything that is not menued as vegetarian can be prepared that way in addition to the vast majority of the menu that starts off vegetarian friendly. Since everything is ala carte, you can easily satisfy your needs.