Vegan New England

[Wishin986]

So I'm not really sure how many people there are from New England on this forum - but I figure it's always nice to compile a good list of options in the area because it is a pretty big tourist attraction area of the country as well. So here are my two cents!

Restaurants:

Melanies Vegan Eden - Providence, RI.: Amazing! Loved this place - the food was so so yummy as well as the desserts! Really small though, only about 6 tables maybe and pretty close together. They also closed at 8 on the Friday that we were there so keep that in mind. Would definately give it a try though if in the area.

Organic Garden Cafe - Beverley, MA: Strictly vegan and raw! (watch out for honey in some things though - they do clearly label what drinks etc. honey is included in and other possible substitutes). Another really scrumptious restaurant - pretty easy to find also.

Grasshopper - Brighton, MA: Right outside of Boston. Completely vegan vietnamese food. They have a great buffet also that you can opt to eat from and therefore sample a bunch of good vegan food. Another great recommendation.

Siam Cuisine - Hanover, MA: Thai restaurant - most dishes offer tofu. Yummy place and good for everyone, even omni friends. This is a personal favorite of my families - the owner knows my father really well so we find ourselves there a lot.

Not Just Seafood - Rockland, MA: Okay so there are very few vegan entrees actually on the menu. However, the mantra of Chef Ray (famous chef who headed up the Ritz Carlton chains for a while) is that he will cook you anything and keep cooking you whatever you want until you find something you like as long as you leave smiling. He is a great guy. He always makes special dishes for me to accomidate my vegan needs and is very respectful of them. Another family favorite. My dad and my sister go there most Tuesday nights.

Veggie Planet - Harvard Square - Cambridge, MA: Completely vegetarian pizza place. Has vegan options clearly labeled including vegan ceasar salad and vegan specialty pizzas. Their soups of the day and dessert of the day are always vegan and they also have vegan brownies daily - very fudgy ones at that. On Sundays they have a brunch complete with vegan waffles and vegan margarine etc. and the usual staples of granola and soymilk and what not. Another great place I highly recommend. Informal setting - live music on most nights and quick food.

Happy Buddah: Chinatown - Boston, MA: - Vegan chinese food restaurant - lots of mock meat products and tofu etc. Pretty generic but good.

Stores:

Whole Foods!! - One in Beacon Hill - Boston, MA. Theres also one in Hingham, MA. Great stores. I've heard they are also one of the best stores to ever work at because they have great benefits and treat their employees really well - or so said the head of kitchen at the restaurant I worked at because his brother works at Whole Foods or something.

Trader Joes - there are plenty of Trader Joes around also - know of one in Hanover, MA and also in Coolidge Corner in Brookline, MA. Another health food grocery store comparative to Whole Foods.

[Yogini]

If you're ever in New Haven, CT, Edge of the Woods is pretty good natural foods store with vegetarian deli/bakery with many vegan options.

Some Stop and Shops have an OK selection (better than most conventional grocery stores) of natural foods, including vegan nummies and a little organic produce.

[Yogini]

Melanies Vegan Eden - Providence, RI.: Amazing! Loved this place - the food was so so yummy as well as the desserts! Really small though, only about 6 tables maybe and pretty close together. They also closed at 8 on the Friday that we were there so keep that in mind. Would definately give it a try though if in the area.

Do they take reservations?

[Wishin986]

Do they take reservations?

Good question - I really have no idea. When we went we got a table fine but it filled up and all the tables were occupied at one point and then they closed soo it wouldnt hurt to call!

[Korn]

Thanks for this thread - I used to live and study in Massachusets many moons ago, and was wondering if the situation had changed much since I lived there, in case I would go back one day...

[DianeVegan]

Thanks for the Providence restaurant, Wishin. My stepdaughter is in school in RI so we often visit - we'll definitely give it a try.

[SarahM]

that's so cool about the not just seafood place - i've always read that chefs would love to be creative like that, but i never really believed it. v.v. cool

and as a southeastern CT native, i can say that i can't think of a single solitary vegan place . . .

[DianeVegan]

Bloodroot in Bridgeport and It's Only Natural in Middletown have many vegan options. And there is an incrediby expensive French sounding restaurant in Greenwich (can't think of the name) that has a vegetarian menu which can be made vegan - except for most of the desserts.

Supposedly, the co-owner of Pure Food and Wine is going to open a raw cafe (?) somewhere in Connecticut as well.

So the choices are not the best, I agree.

[Wishin986]

Theres a coffeehouse on George Washington Blvd in Hull, MA that serves vegan cookies and vegan soups. I dont have the name at the moment but I can post that later! My dad told me about it because he goes there sometimes but just told me the address instead of the name of the coffeehouse Hull isn't that big so I'm sure it wouldnt be hard to find.

[Wishin986]

Masaos Kitchen - Waltham, MA - Vegetarian and Macrobiotic
- Has a vegan buffet. I didn't think it was the greatest of vegan/vegetarian restaurants that I've tried seeing as the collection was quite small and not really my style buutt its not like it was bad so I would say if in the area give it a shot! Different people have different tastes anyways!

The Elephant Walk - Waltham MA
- Right near Masaos kitchen - we didn't try it but it looked nice from the outside - another possible place to try if in the area

[Wishin986]

TJs House of Pizza - Allston MA: Has an entire vegan menu with all sorts of vegan specialty pizzas, calzones, salads, subs, pasta etc. I just had the bbq chicken pizza and it was really good! Highly recommended, and has someone for everyone. Is a great option also for going out w. non vegan friends because they have a whole "traditional" menu as well - so everyones happy! (or well relatively anyways)

[eggplantbaby]

I love Veggie Planet. I've been there once and the food it really quick and really good. It's very filling too. I want to go back again so badly, I've been trying to rally up a few of my friends to go there with me some day.

[Wishin986]

I love Veggie Planet. I've been there once and the food it really quick and really good. It's very filling too. I want to go back again so badly, I've been trying to rally up a few of my friends to go there with me some day.

It is such a great place! I keep meaning to go there one Sunday for brunch. Where are you in Boston - have I missed any restaurants that you can think of? Also - Veggie Planet is where the Boston Vegan Group have their meetings on the first Sunday of the month - I havn't been to one yet but I get the emails and plan to check it out sometime when I am free

[assilembob]

A guy on my vegan austin group said this about Melanie's Vegan Eden. I cna't WAIT to go there this summer when we drive up to the NE to visit my roommates friends and Family. She's from Concord, NH.
"Melanie is super cool and the menu is fun and tasty,tasty,tasty.
Everything is completly vegan - and she focuses on age old comfort foods like: mac and cheese, philly cheese-steak, and brownie ice cream sundays.
I talked with Melanie for a while, and found out that she was a long-time animal advocate who felt frustrated with the classic protest-chant in-your-face methods, and decided to try to reach peoples hearts and minds through their bellys --- how cool is that?
You won't find any brown-rice w/steamed veggies kind of dishes here b/c she figures it's easy enough to make that sort of fare at home. Melanie is more interested in serving up the kind of involved foods that you may not have time to put together every day, and that makes for a special night out at a restaraunt (like the delicious lemon chicken with mashed potatoes and gravy that I had)
Her mom makes the bread from scratch every day -- and, dude, that is worth the trip alone -- it's some freakin GOOD bread."

And here is the Web Site. It lists the hours. They are short but I suppose it's worth it.

http://www.veganeden.com/VE/default.htm

[eggplantbaby]

It is such a great place! I keep meaning to go there one Sunday for brunch. Where are you in Boston - have I missed any restaurants that you can think of? Also - Veggie Planet is where the Boston Vegan Group have their meetings on the first Sunday of the month - I havn't been to one yet but I get the emails and plan to check it out sometime when I am free

I'm in the Longwood Medical Area, near MassArt, it's where I go to school. Veggie Planet is the only restaurant that I knew of because I went with a few other people from my dorm to there. I didn't know that they had meetings there I am going to have to check it out. Is there a website I can sign up to get emails about it?

[Wishin986]

I'm in the Longwood Medical Area, near MassArt, it's where I go to school. Veggie Planet is the only restaurant that I knew of because I went with a few other people from my dorm to there. I didn't know that they had meetings there I am going to have to check it out. Is there a website I can sign up to get emails about it?

Heres their website! http://vegan.meetup.com/23/

[Bodybuilder]

I want to come and hang out in Boston I was there a few years ago, my one and only visit, but I really enjoyed the city. I'm a good 3000 miles away so I won't be in Boston anytime soon....but it sounds fun!

[Wishin986]

I want to come and hang out in Boston I was there a few years ago, my one and only visit, but I really enjoyed the city. I'm a good 3000 miles away so I won't be in Boston anytime soon....but it sounds fun!

You should! Its an absolutely phenomenal city - I love it. Its a walking city too - awful to drive bc w. the Big Dig and all the roads change everyday and theres so many one ways and streets tend to stop and start up again in random places. But its extremely walkable and you can walk almost anywhere! Lots and lots of fun - history and culture galore - good stuff plus I'm a city girl so its perfect. and hey its only a plane ride away!

[Bodybuilder]

You should! Its an absolutely phenomenal city - I love it. Its a walking city too - awful to drive bc w. the Big Dig and all the roads change everyday and theres so many one ways and streets tend to stop and start up again in random places. But its extremely walkable and you can walk almost anywhere! Lots and lots of fun - history and culture galore - good stuff plus I'm a city girl so its perfect. and hey its only a plane ride away!

Is that an invitation?????

Yeah, I loved Boston too. I was just there for a day or two, on my way to New Hampshire to visit a friend. I was in Quincy Market (I believe it is called) and downtown all day. It was quite a cool, relaxing day.

I'll be in L.A. in a couple of weeks and then Colorado in May, and don't have too many traveling plans the rest of the year, except another trip to L.A. in August and maybe up to Canada in June.

I used to travel all the time, but now working full-time makes it hard to get time off.

Say hi to New England for me!

[Dede]

Masaos Kitchen - Waltham, MA - Vegetarian and Macrobiotic
- Has a vegan buffet. I didn't think it was the greatest of vegan/vegetarian restaurants that I've tried seeing as the collection was quite small and not really my style buutt its not like it was bad so I would say if in the area give it a shot! Different people have different tastes anyways!

The Elephant Walk - Waltham MA
- Right near Masaos kitchen - we didn't try it but it looked nice from the outside - another possible place to try if in the area

Elephant Walk (also in Cambridge near Porter Sq and in Allston) does have vegan friendly dishes. Its a great restaurant!

BurritoMax in Kenmore square is also good. They're very veggie/vegan friendly.

This whole thread makes me miss Boston!!

[JennyX]

CT really needs to get on the ball and open up a completely vegan restaraunt..

[DianeVegan]

I don't know how long she'll stay, but one of the current chefs at the Marriott in Providence, RI is a vegan and will make you a vegan meal with notice. I found this out just by asking, since I have a graduation dinner in Providence in May. I'll get more information then.

It's always worth asking if there are vegan options.

[anneoranna]

Hello... thanx for inviting me to this thread... my hubby and I go to Grasshopper often...it was our favorite Vegan Rest... It's 1.5 hr drive for us... I use to go to Fisher College up on Beacon and party at avaland alot... btw Grasshopper is Vietnamese not Chinese... I'm VN that's how I know the differences... my fav. dish is the #69 (no dirty thoughts please)

[Wishin986]

Hello... thanx for inviting me to this thread... my hubby and I go to Grasshopper often...it was our favorite Vegan Rest... It's 1.5 hr drive for us... I use to go to Fisher College up on Beacon and party at avaland alot... btw Grasshopper is Vietnamese not Chinese... I'm VN that's how I know the differences... my fav. dish is the #69 (no dirty thoughts please)

no problem! fixed it! - i actually live right near fisher college - on charles st. off of beacon. at the cambridge center for adult education they offer vegan baking classes and they are really poplular and its just one night - i just went tonight its fun! they are offered in the fall/winter/spring so if you get a chance its just one night and i would definately recommend it!

[anneoranna]

Wow that sounds interesting... are you going to share the recipes? Too bad Boston is such a long drive from here... Have you ever been to North Hampden? It's very vegan friendly town... if you have time please come by my thread if you want to learn how to help save our animal friends. http://veganforum.com/forums/showthread.php?t=8880 thanx!

[veggiegirl3]

I just moved back to VT, where I grew up! My dad told me that there is a place here that sounds veggie friendly at least, so I will check it out and post it if it is. But, just wanted to say that I'm another New England vegan here! (and I don't know how to change my profile from PA...see left)

[Wildflower]

I may be going to Philly in a week - that's part of New England, right?

Any suggestions? I will be travelling for work and may be with other work people so not sure they will go for a vegan place across town or if I will have a car or not. Does philly have public transport or is it easy/safe to walk around downtown? I am thinking my company's other location is in the downtown area most probably.

[veggiegirl3]

Philly is part of PA, no New England. My mom used to live there though...I think parts are safe to walk around (I did on a school trip with classmates), at least during the day (I don't know about at night. But, I'm pretty sure there must be areas that aren't tht safe to walk around, especially late at night or alone.

[Wishin986]

I may be going to Philly in a week - that's part of New England, right?

Any suggestions? I will be travelling for work and may be with other work people so not sure they will go for a vegan place across town or if I will have a car or not. Does philly have public transport or is it easy/safe to walk around downtown? I am thinking my company's other location is in the downtown area most probably.

There are places around one side of Penn and the immediate area that are safe - I know if you go a couple blocks though I think past pine street or something then it gets really unsafe to walk around. not sure about the other areas - I would ask my dad (he went to Penn so knows those areas pretty well) but hes already down the beach.

[Wildflower]

OK, thanks. I wasn't sure if PA was part of New England or not...in looking it up, it looks like New England is CT, ME, MA, NH, RI, VT.

Sorry, this midwest girl has no clue - we call that area the northeast!

[Wishin986]

Sorry, this midwest girl has no clue - we call that area the northeast!

haha yea I go to school in NOrth Carolina and during one of my sorority meetings we had to split up into groups by region and most peopel had no idea new england even existed so dont feel bad!