There’s a lot more to New Jersey than days at the beach, so if you’re plant-based already or just curious about the food, head to one of the best vegan eateries and find out more.
It’s not hard to understand why New Jersey has become a vegan hotspot. After all, it can’t be called the Garden State for nothing, right? With great scenery and a diverse blend of residents that are proud of where they come from, the culture is accepting, warm and inquisitive. The result? A huge number of food focal points that cater to the plant-based community and beyond, but which are worth a look?
Here are our top 9 best vegan restaurants in New Jersey:
Veganized
New Brunswick
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Offering modern interpretations of vegan dishes, Veganized has a community focus and uses locally sourced, seasonal ingredients to build its menu items around. Fairtrade is at the heart of the restaurant, so money spent here reaches good sources. Everything is vegan and 95% of the food is created from organic sources as well, to keep the focus on flavour and health working together. A deliberate shift away from processed foods, you won’t find junk food replications here. That hasn’t put off any customers though:
Come for the: grilled oyster mushrooms that have a calamari vibe.
Stay for the: 14 Karat Cake. It’s carrot cake, but not like you’ve ever had before.
Blueberry Café Juice Bar and Vegan Grille
Newark
A good life starts with good food, according to the guys at Blueberry. That’s why they specialise in freshly pressed juices, healthy smoothies and simple soups and wraps to accompany. There’s a social concern at play here, with the founders wanting to bring healthy and affordable vegan food to urban communities that may have previously felt overlooked. The atmosphere is inclusive and open, with questions about the menu or veganism as a whole being welcome.
Come for the: fresh cold press juices (every flavour is worth trying).
Stay for the: Taco Tuesday extravaganza (don’t skip the coconut zucchini).
Kaya’s Kitchen
Asbury Park and Belmar
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For a variety of cuisine influences, Kaya’s are some of the best vegan restaurants in New Jersey, hands down. Focussed on using organic ingredients, there’s no shortage of flavour combinations and authentic replications of family favourite meals here. Head to the Asbury Park cafe for a more laid back and snacky vibe. The quesadilla and cheesesteaks are highly recommended by vegetarian, vegan and omnivore eaters throughout the state.
Come for the: Jersey Devil (pork roll, egg and cheese).
Stay for the: seitan stroganoff.
Wildflower Vegan Cafe
Millville
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You know how people like to joke that all vegans are peace-loving, long hair-wearers? Well… Wildflower Vegan Cafe puts the hip into hippie with it’s “you belong” mantra and amazing menu. There’s a more old school approach to vegan dishes here with lentil veggie burgers, hearty soups and vegan cheese all coming together to create a healthy but happy selection of foods to try. It’s also worth noting that Wildflower is a huge community advocate and has used the lion share of its website to promote ethical initiatives.
Come for the: wraps with sweet potatoes.
Stay for the: black bean tacos.
Veggie Heaven
Denville
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Anybody in the mood for Asian fare with a side of animal-free living knows that Veggie Heaven is the place to be. Easily one of the best vegan restaurants in New Jersey, it has a huge menu chock full of authentically reimagined dishes that could fool the most devout meat-eaters. When you need a big feed and you’ve got the family over, this is where you want to be getting your takeout from. By all means, go to the restaurant itself, but remember that undoing your trousers isn’t always smiled upon. Stay home in sweats and you can eat as much as you want.
Come for the: wraps with sweet potatoes.
Stay for the: vegan desserts (including vegan ice cream) and bubble teas.
Living On The Veg
Long Beach Island
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Committed to making healthy food easier to access and with no animals harmed in the process, Living On The Veg prides itself on offering a wide selection of vegan food, with gluten-free and kids’ options clearly labelled. This is great food for everybody, with no dietary requirement being too much trouble. Don’t snooze on the homemade vegan cheese sauce here. It’s incredible and works exceptionally well with tempeh.
Come for the: entire ‘nosh pit’ menu.
Stay for the: Tofu Deluxe sandwich.
Vegan Tree
Matawan
Chinese food but hold the meat. Vegan Tree is a favourite in its area because it makes traditional Asian food but with a modern twist and always animal-free. The best vegan restaurants in New Jersey aren’t always the ones with the fanciest web presence and Vegan Tree proves it. Hugely popular, a go-to for vegans and non-vegans alike and making fabulous use of seitan, this is a must-try spot. The countless 5-star reviews don’t lie.
Come for the: Happy Buddha rice dish.
Stay for the: Surprise Philly Cheese Sub. The cashew cheese sauce is everything!
Plant Base
Jersey City
A restaurant this beautiful from the outside needs something special on the menu to back it up, and Plant Base does not disappoint. Ever. The restaurant is just one part of a larger whole, with the entire premises being dedicated to zero waste-shopping, ethical eating and health.
Seriously, this is one progressive spot that everybody loves. Hosting cooking events, workshops and live engagements, the space is versatile, as is the menu, which changes daily and in accordance to what is readily available. And in season. Don’t have a bag for your food? No problem. Borrow a container and bring it back next time. Don’t want to contribute to the world’s food waste? You won’t. The rotating menu ensures zero food waste at the end of each day. Sorry, but can we move in here, please because this is good karma on a whole other level?
Come for the: dish of the day. Whatever it is, it will be great.
Stay for the: life-altering ethos. Bring everyone you know with you too.
Vegans Of Seitan
Linden
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Any restaurant that proclaims “hail to no meat” is definitely worth a visit and the menu at Vegans Of Seitan reaffirms it. On a mission to bring comfort food to the masses, small-batch recipes are whipped up and sold daily. Low-calorie dishes aren’t the focus here, but traditional dishes have been effectively veganised, using seasonal ingredients and with health in mind. You can even have a go at recreating dishes you’ve enjoyed, as the team regularly posts recipe blogs. Sharing is caring.
Come for the: BBQ Mac n Cheese Burger.
Stay for the: decadent sweet potato dessert tarts.
You love New Jersey for the culture, people and sights. Once you’ve eaten at a few of these restaurants, you’ll be obsessed with it for the vegan food too.
