Seattle is a vibrant city that has the perfect balance of chill and hustle. During my time in the city I felt like a character in a GTA game because I was amazed at how much I could do in a 24 hour period. In the morning I woke up and embraced the dew while sipping the finest coffee and by noon I was riding throughout the downtown area on a Lime Bike. During the afternoon I was hanging out with trolls underneath a bridge and then within an hour I was vintage shopping and having vegan cupcakes.
As the day turned to night I pub crawled to dark Irish bars and speakeasy lounges and then danced the night away in a three story nightclub. However, the true star of the city is undoubtedly the food, VEGAN FOOD to be exact. The city has a plethora of vegan restaurants that can fit any budget. When I say restaurants I don’t mean just tofu and avocado spread, I mean creative, decadent, and innovative dishes that will make you feel like you should go back into the kitchen and shake the chef’s hand. Below are my top 3 “Budget” friendly vegan restaurants.
Plum Bistro (1429 12th Ave)
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| Plum Bistro |
This was by far my absolute favorite restaurant while in Seattle. This place blew me away so much I found myself recommending it to anyone who would listen (including one of my Lyft drivers). First, the place is gorgeous; sultry lighting, open space and lots of wood and glass decor that give it a elegant rustic feel. Second, the service was excellent. Our waiter was fully knowledgeable about the menu, he even advised us which alcohol was vegan (yes, they have vegan alcohol). I also enjoyed the style of dining at this restaurant, their tapas or shareable plates provided not only a visual culinary experience but also a connection and sense of community that comes only when sharing food. Our selections for our meal is below:
-Plant Based Fish Taco
-Oyster Mushroom Calamari
-Garlic Ginger Cauliflower Bites
-Get on the Greyhound (Happy Hour Cocktail)
Starting from the top, I was impressed by the fish tacos not only for its execution but also due to the multiple layered flavor profile. I felt as though this dish was a great example of the beauty that is cultural fusion because the mixing of farm to fork american and asian was a huge success. The seitan “fish” was lightly seasoned with salt and citrus, then wrapped in seaweed and fried to a crisp perfection. The tacos were then topped with cilantro and a pickled cabbage which exploded in your mouth and provided a much needed pallet cleanser to the dense seitan.
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| Vegan Fish Tacos |
Next was my personal favorite, the oyster mushroom calamari. I was skeptical of this dish at first because I’ve had a few vegan seafood dishes and they all left much to be desired. The texture usually bares no resemblance an the flavor always falls short. However, Plum Bistro is showing Seattle what most vegans already know, and that is the mushrooms are the G.O.A.T. when it comes to achieving that meat like texture. The mushrooms were sliced thin, coated with a seasoned breading and then lightly fried plus the oyster texture is a bit chewy which resembled calamari perfectly.
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| Oyster Mushroom Calamari |
Now the Ginger Cauliflower Bites were a conundrum to my taste buds because there were so many textures in one bite. You had the crispy breading, the soft but crunchy cauliflower underneath, and then a burst of ginger juice as you consumed the morsel. This dish was popcorn chicken on steroids to me and it was absolutely scrumptious.
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| Cauliflower Ginger Bites |
Lastly was the cocktail, the drink was interesting because although it was sweet it also had an earthy undertone due to the rosemary which complimented the alcohol well. I’ve never had herbs (other than mint) in my drink before but, after a few sips, I concluded that I was a fan. For just a little over $40 (much cheaper without alcohol) this restaurant is the perfect vegan date night spot and I promise you if you are ever in Seattle please put it on your list- you won’t be disappointed.
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| Our Feast |
Cafe Flora (2901 E Madison Street)
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| Cafe Flora |
My visit to this place was purely accidental and it was the BEST accident I could have asked for because this restaurant is a true gem. Before I speak on the food I need to give a proper spotlight to the service because it was the best I’ve had in years. Our server made us feel extremely special even though the place was busy. We went for breakfast and it felt like I had my own coffee pot brewing me unlimited amounts of coffee because she was so attentive. Water, coconut milk, meal customizations- you name it, we got it, which only magnified an already lovely experience because the food was nothing short of superb. Our selections are below:
-Biscuits and gravy
- Collard greens
- Roasted potatoes
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| Biscuits and Gravy, Collard Greens, Roasted Potatoes |
The true star however, was the GREENS! Slow cooked down to pure perfection with vinegar, smoke, and a whole bunch of other things that couldn’t/wouldn’t be divulged to us (the server’s lips were sealed). I could order a plate full of these greens and be completely content… Best part was this decadent meal for two was less than $40! I would like to add that the cafe offers a vegan tofu scramble in place of traditional eggs. I personally didn’t order it because I am conscious of my soy intake but I saw many people enjoying it with full smiles on their faces.
Araya’s Place (5240 University Way NE)
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| Araya's Place |
This thai themed restaurant is the absolute PERFECT lunch option for vegans who don’t want to break the bank. Their all you can eat buffet is only $12 a person and their food is DELICIOUS and doesn’t taste like everything was dunked in oil. Here is a list of everything we tried:
-Steamed veggies
-Black sticky coconut rice
-Phad Thai
-Fried rice
-Spring rolls
-Fried rice
-Peanut sauce
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| Araya's Place Seating |
Now if you have ever been to a thai restaurant the list above seems standard but it’s the execution of the dishes that makes Araya’s place stand out. I started my meal with the spring rolls, they were rolled tight which I liked because usually when I eat spring rolls the entire roll has completely disassembled after the second bight. The rolls were filled with fresh cucumber, bean sprouts and mint. When paired with the peanut sauce this appetizer will have you looking forward to the rest of your meal. The next item I tried was the black sticky rice, which was the perfect blend of sweetness with just a touch of salt. With an almost tapioca texture this rice could have easily been served as a desert with some ice cream but instead served as a palate cleanser as I ate my meal.
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| Spring Rolls, Fried Rice, Phad Thai, Steamed Veggies, Black Sticky Rice |
Their phad thai was a perfect example of tradition done right. The sweet and salty mixture played like a melody on my tongue and I was not off put by the amount of oil used like I have been in some thai restaurants. The fried rice impressed me because it had more of an internal flavor than external; meaning that the flavor is probably infused in the water that the rice is cooked in rather than seasoned after the fact once the rice is fully assembled. My favorite, however, out of my selections would have to be the house made peanut sauce. Just like I pour vegan gravy on my Thanksgiving plate I was pouring this sauce over my meal. This sauce not only enhanced the flavor profile of each dish but also blended all the items together into seemingly one cohesive dish. This sweet, not too thick sauce is just a whole lot of YUMMM!
Honorable Mentions
Alibi Room (85 Pike Street)
This place didn’t make my list but I still wanted to shout it out for those late night vegan owls who want a good bite and drink after hours. The Alibi Room is a modern day speakeasy joint located underneath pike’s place (right by the gum wall). The pizza themed restaurant isn’t vegan but they are more than willing to veganize their dishes. For instance we were able to have a calzone with chickpeas, mushrooms, and vegan pesto. There is good music, good drinks, kind people and the best part is that they’re open till 2am. So if you’re wandering around the marketplace late at night go ahead and drop by.
Vegan Haven (5270 University Way NE)
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| Vegan Haven Grocery Store |
All Photos are owned by Shala Pridgen and LaBecca Thomas
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