Vegetarian Restaurants in Massachusetts
Enjoying vegetarian and vegan (veg*n stands for both) foods when dining out is one of life's pleasures! We hope that this restaurant list will help to guide you to some excellent dining experiences.
- See also Dining Veg*n in Non-Vegetarian Restaurants and Boston Area Accommodations
- Tips to restaurant owners - Don't let veg*ns and their dining companions pass you by! Read these guidelines to increase your veggie magnetism.
- Boston Area News & Reviews on Vegetarian and Vegan Dining
These Massachusetts restaurants have committed to serving exclusively vegetarian foods (no meat, fowl, or fish). Some are vegan (no dairy, eggs, or honey). It is a good idea to call first to confirm hours.
Greater Boston | Metro West | North of Boston | North Shore | Central MA | Western MA
Greater Boston
Grasshopper
One North Beacon St. (Union Sq., opp. Jackson Mann School & Twin Donuts)
Allston (Boston)
MBTA: Allston Street stop on Green Line B trolly, then walk north on Allston
St. 4/10 mile and turn left into Union Square. Or, Buses #57, #64, #66
stop in Union Square.
617-254-8883
Monday - Thursday, 11 a.m. - 10 p.m.; Friday - Sunday, 11 a.m. - 11 p.m.
All vegan Asian cuisine, extensive menu. "Where the animals live to tell it all" is their slogan, and their recipes - some from Buddhist temples in Vietnam - bring non-violent cooking to great heights. Huge portions, great value, a restaurant with heart. Their faux meats are known to please even avid meat-eaters. Super appetizers, like Fresh Spring Rolls, Bean Cakes, and Sesame Buckwheat Noodles with Peanut Sauce. The No Name from the specials menu is widely acclaimed, as is the Sweet and Sour Sensation, which heaps battered soy protein in a sweet and sour sauce over a bed of steamed broccoli. The Grasshopper Supreme bathes skinless, melt-in-your-mouth eggplant in a savory chilli-basil sauce, served with asparagus, spinach, and portabello mushrooms. Don't leave without some vegan cheesecake with fruit topping!
Greater Boston Buddhist
Cultural Center
Vegetarian Restaurant/Tea House
950 Massachusetts Avenue, half-way between Harvard Sq. and Central Sq.
Cambridge
MBTA: Harvard Sq. or Central Sq. stops/ Red Line
617-547-6670 * Cash only
Tuesday - Saturday, 11 - 6 p.m.; Sunday 12 noon - 6 p.m.; closed Monday
In the tranquil setting of a Buddhist Tea House, sip various teas, bubble
tea, or cold drinks, and order from their all vegan menu of appetizers
such as dumplings, spring rolls, sweet bun, turnip cake, wonton soup, and
sticky rice. Luncheon Special (served all day) includes soup, rice, vegetables
and tofu. Food is vegan; some beverages use dairy.
Hare Krishna Temple
72 Commonwealth Avenue
Back Bay, Boston (Arlington or Copley stop on Green Line)
MBTA: Arlington or Copley stop on Green Line
617-247-8611
Free vegetarian feast following lecture and discussion
Sundays 4:30-7:30 p.m. and Wednesdays 6:30-8 p.m.
My Thai Cafe Vegetarian & Bubble Tea Bistro
404 Harvard Street, Brookline
MBTA: Coolidge Corner stop/ Green Line C trolly; #66 bus
617-739-8830
Sunday - Thursday, 11 a.m. - 10 p.m.; Friday - Saturday, 11 a.m. - 11 p.m.
The Cafe offers an all-vegan menu of flavorful and exotic Thai dishes, beautifully presented, while the adjoining Bistro offers a multitude of hot and cold beverages and an array of vegan desserts. Use of such items as fresh lime juice, lemon leaves, and fresh basil bring bursts of flavor to savory soups and entrees, and coconut milk and curry bring a smooth warmth to the palate. The #13 Tom Yum Soup and the Temple Soup, Mango Salad, and a scooped out Half Pineapple boat overflowing with fresh veggies seeped in aromatic spices and curry sauce are just a few of the remarkable offerings on the extensive menu. A fresh flower and candle on each table along with attractive place settings and soft lighting contribute to a pleasing dining atmosphere. Download the My Thai Cafe menu! (requires the free Acrobat Reader)
Original Buddha's Delight
3 Beach Street, 2nd floor, at corner of Washington St.
Chinatown, Boston
MBTA: Chinatown stop/Orange Line, Boylston St. stop/Green Line
617-451-2395
Sunday - Thursday, 11 a.m. - 10 p.m.; Friday - Saturday, 11 a.m. - 11
p.m.
All vegan except milk in some beverages. Asian cuisine, extensive menu
includes an array of faux meat dishes, plus delicious soups, moo-shi, hot
pot specialties, Japanese sushi, Thai curry and coconut dishes, vermicelli
bowls (the #51 curry and coconut milk soup with sweet potato is a popular
favorite, as is their Vietnamese Pizza, an egg-free crepe filled with sprouts
and veggies). Weekday lunchtime specials are a delicious bargain meal.
T.J. Scallywaggle's Vegan House of Pizza and Subs
487 Cambridge Street (Union Square),
Allston (Boston)
MBTA: Allston Street stop on Green Line B trolly, then walk north on Allston
St. 4/10 mile and turn left into Union Square. Or, Buses #57, #64, #66
stop in Union Square.
617-787-9884
Delivery to Cambridge, Allston, Brighton, Brookline, Jamaica
Plain
Sunday - Wednesday, Noon - 11 p.m.
Thursday, Friday, Saturday, Noon - Midnight
Not your ordinary pizza/sub shop, this one serves "comfort food for
enlightened times." Fun, all-vegan menu of subs, roll-ups, pasta with
"meatballs", calzones, pizzas with vegan cheese that melts, salads,
desserts, and fruit smoothies. Check out the info corner. Comfort food
has never
been better than when it aims to satisfy the head, heart, and stomach.
Veggie Planet at
Club Passim
47 Palmer Street downstairs (off Church Street, near movie theater
and Borders Cafe)
Harvard Square, Cambridge
MBTA: Harvard Sq. stop on Red Line
617-661-1513 * Cash only
Monday - Sunday, 11:30 a.m. - 10:30 p.m.; Sunday Brunch 11 a.m.
- 3 p.m.
Innovative Vegetarian Pizzeria, "Great Food in Good Conscience"
Veggie cookbook author Didi Emmons created this menu of gourmet pizzas
and meatless meals over rice, plus a changing menu of salad-, soup-, and
dessert-of-the-week to keep things lively. Their Sunday Brunch tofu scramble
with new potatoes, broccoli, and butternut squash topped with fresh salsa
is what legends are made of. An emphasis on locally grown fresh produce,
organic pizza dough, and social and environmental consciousness make this
a standout in the heart of Harvard Square.
Malden
781-388-0990
Metro West
Dosa Temple
59 Pond St. (Rt. 126 South, in the Pond Plaza Shopping Center, next to Market Basket)
Ashland, MA
508-879-6800
Monday - Friday, 11:30 a.m. - 2:30 p.m.; 5 - 10 p.m. for dinner
Saturday and Sunday, 11:30 a.m. - 10:30 p.m.
This restaurant offers a wonderful variety of delicious South Indian Cuisine at low prices. Most items on the all-vegetarian menu can be made vegan. Try the dosa (paper thin rice and lentil crepe with various stuffings), and the veggie pakoras. The decor is simple, the flavors are elegant. Their 25 item lunchtime buffet is one of the best, and most mouth-watering, bargains to be found.
Masao's
Kitchen
581 Moody Street, Waltham
Commuter Rail: Waltham station on Fitchburg line, then walk 6/10 mile south
on Moody St.
781-647-7977
Monday - Saturday, 12 noon - 7:30 p.m. Closed Sunday.
All vegan cuisine based on macrobiotic teachings and the use of fresh, organic
ingredients means this food is health promoting as well as simply delicious.
A serve yourself buffet, pay by the ounce, offers steamed greens, an orange
vegetable mix, a daily legume stew, sea vegetables, salad in a light dressing,
and a rotation of seitan cutlets, barbecued tofu, or tempeh in red cabbage.
Also delicious is their bowl of noodles with broth, tofu, and tempura or
their pan fried noodles with veggies, tofu, and ginger. Sandwiches, nori
rolls, and desserts with no refined sugar add to the choices. Leave feeling
truly nourished.
Udupi
378 Maple Avenue
Shrewsbury
508-459-5099
Monday & Wednesday - Friday, 11:30 a.m. - 3 p.m. and 5 - 9:30 p.m.
Saturday & Sunday, 11:30 a.m. - 9:30 p.m.; closed Tuesday
Vegetarian South and North Indian Cuisine
North of Boston
Life Alive
194 Middle Street
Lowell, MA
978-453-1311
Monday, Friday & Saturday, 10 a.m. - 6 p.m.; Tuesday & Wednesday,
10 a.m. - 7 p.m.; Thursday, 10 a.m. - 9 p.m.; Sunday, 12 noon - 6 p.m.
With
a mission to feed the mind, body, and spirit, this small, bright space
is used to the max. A menu of colorful, vibrant, therapeutic whole
foods offers unprocessed, organic grains and vegetables in dishes that
are made fresh to order. Each dish is topped with an enzyme sauce that
aids digestion and adds scrumptious flavor. Healthy side dishes, rejuvenating
live juice blends, and sumptuous smoothies round out the offerings. Organic
body care products and supplements are available as well.
Mysore Veggie
1689 Middlesex Street
Lowell, MA
978-452-8700
Tuesday - Friday 11:30 a.m. - 3 p.m. and 5 - 10 p.m.;
Saturday & Sunday 11:30 a.m. - 10 p.m.; Closed Monday
Vegetarian and Vegan South Indian Cuisine. A broad menu of South Indian
breads, curries, dosai (rice & lentil crepes), uthappam (rice & lentil
pancakes), veggie specialties, soups, and appetizers. Also a selection
of "Fusion Specials," including a Middle Eastern platter, quesedilla,
Chinese dishes - and even pizza - prepared to cater to the Indian palette.
Udupi Bhavan
1717 Middlesex Street
Lowell, MA
978-654-6653
Monday - Friday, 11:30 a.m. - 3 p.m.; 5 p.m. - 9:30 p.m.
Saturday & Sunday, 11:30 a.m. - 9:30 p.m.
Vegetarian South Indian Cuisine
North Shore
Rawbert's Organic Garden
294 Cabot Street (next to Cabot Cinema, opp. Hess gas station), Beverly
(Rt. 62 off Rt. 128)
Commuter Rail: Beverly Depot on Newburyport/Rockport Line. 10 minute walk
to restaurant.
Walk up the hill from Rantoul St., turn left on Cabot St. and walk approx.
1/3 mile.
978-922-0004
Sunday - Thursday, 11 a.m. - 9 p.m.; Friday & Saturday, 11 a.m. -
10 p.m.
All vegan, organic, exotic raw cuisine entrees, soups, salads, wraps,
full juice bar, desserts. When it comes to gourmet raw cuisine, nobody does
it better. Try vibrant, living food versions of everything from pizza and
lasagna to a full Thanksgiving dinner (in season). Sprouted wheat crackers
with almond herb "cheese", creme soups made with macadamia nut
milk, imaginative dishes created with complex blending of many raw ingredients,
artful presentation delights the eye. Get a thick date smoothie or creamy "cheesecake" for
the road. Cozy, gracious decor.
Central MA
Atlantic
Union College Chan Shun Dining Commons
53 Prescott St., South Lancaster (off Rt. 70, near Rt. 495, northeast
of Worcester)
978-368-2314 and 978-368-2311
Check web page (scroll to bottom) for hours for breakfast, lunch, &
dinner.
Public invited to their all-you-can-eat vegetarian & vegan dining. Rotating
entrees, a serve yourself Salad Garden, grilled favorites cooked to order,
and The Wokery, where fresh vegetables, protein, and rice can be combined
with authentic Asian sauces to create your personalized tasty dish.
Quan Yin ("Pure Vegetarian Joy")
56 Hamilton Street, Worcester
508-831-1322 *cash only
Monday - Friday, 11 a.m. - 9 p.m.; Saturday, 11 a.m. - 4 p.m.; Sunday,
12 noon - 8 p.m.
All vegan, Asian cuisine. This little storefront with six tables and
a brisk takeout business has a loyal following of enthusiasts who return
for the low cost, high flavor food. Choices galore of faux meat dishes
and abundant fresh vegetables. Run by followers of Supreme Master Ching
Hai, the spiritually inspired menu expresses their teaching to not kill
or harm living creatures. They teach that keeping a vegetarian diet is
a gift which we give to ourselves to feel better, lighten karmic indebtedness,
and advance entrance into realms of inner experience.
Western MA
Bela Vegetarian Restaurant
68 Masonic Street, Northampton
413-586-8011
Tuesday - Saturday, 12 noon - 8:45 p.m.
Offers tofu, tempeh, seitan entrees, soups, burgers, beans, veggies, pasta.
In addition to their regular menu, Bela is known for its board of innovative
daily specials which keeps regulars returning again and again to explore
tofu, tempeh, polenta, pasta, and legumes in intriguing combinations and
sauces, as well as creative salads, dressings, and desserts.
Blue House Cafe
147 Main Street (Route 9 opposite dormant Sunoco station)
Haydenville (tiny village just north of Northampton, part of Williamsburg)
413-268-7441
Monday 7 a.m. - 1:30 p.m.; Closed Tuesday; Wednesday & Thursday 7 a.m.- 4 p.m.;
Friday 7 a.m. - 7:30 p.m.; Saturday & Sunday 8 a.m.- 4 p.m.
Nestled in a country setting, this charming cafe offers lacto-ovo vegetarian fare and delicious vegan selections, including a vegan breakfast burrito, 3-bean chili, hummus/veggie and avocado sandwiches, and some vegan and gluten-free baked goods. Seasonal vegan specialties with local, organic ingredients include garlic scape basil pesto, Syrian rice and eggplant with chickpeas, and curried peanut butternut squash soup. Attractive, cozy setting high in ambiance, with plants, sofas, a bookshelf for browsing, and wireless Internet, a rare find in the area. Music by local performers most Fridays at 6:30 p.m., with no cover charge.
Evolution
22 Chestnut St.
Florence (Northampton), MA
(413) 586-0200
Monday - Wednesday, 7:30 a.m. - 4 p.m.
Thursday & Friday, 7:30 a.m. - 9 p.m.
Saturday, 9 a.m. - 10 p.m., with live jazz 7 - 10 p.m.
Sunday, 10 a.m. - 2 p.m. Brunch
Salads, soups, sandwiches, peanut noodles, veggie burgers, chili, oat bread, farmhouse stew, gourmet vegan specials; most produce and grains are organic; everything is vegan except milk for coffee. Vegan organic baked goods by Oh Sweet Mama's. Sunday brunch includes waffles, pancakes, scrambled tofu, home fries, homemade granola, soups, and salads. The great food, along with super ambiance, with sofas, magazines, courtyard, and a homey feeling make this a magnet meeting place.
Haymarket Café
185 Main Street, Northampton
413-586-9969
Monday - Thursday, 7 a.m. - 10 p.m.; Friday, 7 a.m. - 11:30 p.m.
Saturday, 7 a.m. - 11:30 p.m.; Sunday, 8 a.m. - 10 p.m.
A social mecca with a hip coffee shop on the main level and a cafe on the
lower level. The cafe offers an eclectic menu of international entrees
such as Mediterranean Greek Artichoke Stew, Arroz a la Cubana, Sambar
(a thick and flavorful South Indian mild curry soup) and delectable
salads, sandwiches, and specials. Breakfast offerings include
a Fresh Fruit Bowl and Tofu Vegan Scramble with portabellas, roasted red
peppers and potatoes, soy sausage and shallots. Cozy atmosphere adds
to the attractiveness of this Noho favorite.
Tofu a Go-Go!
265 Main Street, Greenfield (just off Rt. 2 at Rt. 91)
413-772-8638 (TOFU)
Monday - Friday, 11:30 a.m. - 2:30 p.m. for Lunch
Monday - Friday, 5 p.m. - 8 p.m. for Dinner
Saturday, 11:30 a.m. - 4 p.m. for Lunch & Brunch (brunch till 2)
Saturday, 4 p.m. - 8 p.m. for Dinner
Sunday, 11:30 a.m. - 2 p.m. for Brunch
Their lush, richly varied menu has something for everyone, from raw to macro, to international, to stick-to-your-ribs American home cooking. You'll want to stay for a month to try all the scrumptious entrees and daily specials. Homemade vegan burger with lots of toppings and sassy slaw, tempeh reuben with soy cheese, sauerkraut, grilled onions, and vegan Russian dressing, oh my. From Mexican and Thai burritos, to Middle Eastern platter, to Vegan Alfredo, to a Japanese home style meal of greens and sea vegetables over brown rice with tamari ginger sauce -- this gem in the Upper Pioneer Valley is worth traveling for.